The 2020 coronavirus outbreak caused anxiety and nervousness to almost any person in the world, however, nail biters should be a bit more worried than others especially if they belong to an at-risk group, for example:

• Nail biters that are over 60
• Nail biters that have a long-term medical condition – for example, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, renal disease or liver disease.
• Nail biters that have a weak immune system
• Nail biters that are residents of nursing homes

Many people are not aware of the fact that nail biters seriously increase their risk of contracting viruses, the main reasons for that are because of the lack of hands hygiene and because of the frequent insertion of their hands to their mouth. The CDC’s (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations regarding the coronavirus include avoiding nail-biting, and biting or picking at cuticles. Though these recommendations seem quite trivial and easy to follow for the common person, nail biters find these recommendations impossible to follow since they don’t know, as probably you don’t know ,how to stop biting your nails. Currently it is still unknown how long the novel coronavirus can live on nails and cuticles, however, it is apparent that cracked or torn nails with rough edges that are not properly cleaned can harbor germs and potentially spread the coronavirus. Putting your hands in your mouth so often these days, as nail biters do, is simply putting them in higher risks of contracting viruses. According to the August issue of Pediatrics the fact that children who bite their nails repeatedly put their hands in their mouths may help strengthen their immune system and prevent the development of allergies later in life, however when we deal with a virus which our immune system still doesn’t know, nail biters do not benefit from their relatively strengthened immune system but rather more exposed to the risk of contracting the virus putting themselves in danger. Some people are referred to as “super-spreaders” of the coronavirus, but what exactly does that mean, and can nail biters become “super-spreaders”? About 20% of people infected with a contagion are thought to account for 80% of transmissions, they may carry more infectious strains or have a co-infection that makes them more infectious. Nail biters are more likely to contract the virus if they don’t use gloves whenever they leave their home, and if they travel a lot they are more likely to spread the disease and even become “super-spreaders”. The best way to protect yourself is to take precautions like washing your hands many times a day, however, nail biters insert the tip of their fingers to their mouth hundreds of times a day, therefore it is virtually impossible for a nail biter to wash the hands after every contact and before each time he enters his hands to his mouth to bite his nails or cuticles.