Finger pickers, have you cut your nails

[PHJim]

I keep my acrylic nails so I can just see the tips from the palm side.
I have become paranoid about washing my hands even though I haven't left the property in days since they have closed all of the hiking trails around Port Hope.
Maggie noticed that I get out of the shower and scrub my hands, or wash the dishes, then scrub my hands. It's become so second nature that I do it even when it doesn't make sense.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by TBman

I wear surgical gloves when I go out.

Not wise ... unless you toss them every time you touch something you just carry stuff to the next place. Carry wipes, wash your hands properly.

[mercy]

I hate the sound of no nails

[blindboyjimi]

There’s lots of information and dis-information out there. The key for the next few months is to wash your hands frequently for greater than 20 seconds, avoid touching your face and keeping the greater than 6 feet/2 meters distance from others. Wearing gloves helps one remember not to touch one’s face but is not protective by itself unless you have open wounds. Wearing a mask prevents you from getting others sick but does not prevent you from getting the virus unless it’s an N95 mask which are globally in short supply so should be reserved for front line workers. Many people who are not used to wearing masks actually touch their face more to adjust or scratch one’s face from the irritation.

Most articles that mention false nails or long fingernails are referring to quite long nails that women have for fashion, not the 1/4” nail for guitarists (though I have seen some quite long nails on players). The main reason to not have nails is that most people do not wash well under the nails. When I was in medical school we were taught to advise patients not to scratch the inside of their nose, rather than tell them not to “pick” their nose. Most people will not admit to picking their nose, yet in blind surveys, 100% of people admit to touching the inside of their nostril, which is exactly the worst thing one could do during this or any other virus (flu) outbreak.

I have very short acrylics on 3 fingers filled every 2 weeks, but my salon is closed indefinitely so I bought some supplies on Amazon and my wife is going to attempt to do mine later today. It should be interesting. YMMV, not intended to be true medical advice, yada, yada. Stay healthy.

[amears]

I've done something recently that I never thought I'd do. I have been learning to play bluegrass banjo, so naturally I have been wearing finger picks on index and middle, with a thumb pick.
On a lark I tried it on my guitar and was pleased with the sound. It takes a little getting used to but the more I do it the better it sounds. I had been having problems with weak nails - constantly breaking. The picks certainly offer a solution to that problem.
I'm not sure I'm ready to cut the nails short after all these years, but the picks to offer an alternative.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

I'm not downplaying the virus but I'm not cutting my nails either. I wear a mask and gloves if I leave the house but you can simply do a load of dishes with a bit of bleach mixed into your soapy water to kill anything living on your hands. This will dry out your hands but I'm guessing we are all suffering with that anyway. At the recommendation of a form member I've been using Mane and Tail Hoofmaker on my picking hand nails and they have never been happier. I just massage it into my nails a couple times a day (it will stretch it out longer too), and no more chipping and breaking, even in the harsh Colorado winter. This stuff is great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00121SD5A...osi&th=1&psc=1

Be careful if you are wearing gloves. They aren't necessarily a safe thing to do even though it sounds counter intuitive.

https://www.fox29.com/news/why-weari...od-idea-doctor

[6L6]

Since 1965 I've always used a plastic thumbpic and two or three metal fingerpicks.

[Silly Moustache]

The article linked to this shows those awful looking extended nails that some women wear, and to chipped nail varnish - and refers to poor nail hygiene.
If any of that pots to you, take notice.

If not (like normal humans) don't worry about it!
Just follow the normal advice about washing hands frequently etc.

[bufflehead]

If anyone is interested in some actual medical advice, here's what the Centers for Disease Control recommend in terms of nail hygiene: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hyg...l_hygiene.html

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Be careful if you are wearing gloves. They aren't necessarily a safe thing to do even though it sounds counter intuitive.

https://www.fox29.com/news/why-weari...od-idea-doctor

I understand- gloves are not fail safe. I'm suffering from the most dried out hands I've had in a long time due to washing them. Yes, you can touch things with your gloves and spread viruses that way but you can also do the same with your hands. Since hand sanitizer is less effective than good hand washing (and since nobody has access to running warm water and soap in the middle of a grocery store), gloves are a great way to keep the virus off your own hands.

Doctors can say whatever, and governments would like us to believe that we will never be off better without their concern and intervention. I'm just using common sense and I'm certainly thinking all of this through. When I get my groceries home (with gloves still on), I wipe them all down with a bleach solution before putting away and the countertops the bags touched. I used to recycle the bags and now they go directly into the trash. Then, I take my bucket out to the car and wipe down the door handles and steering wheel, and everything else I touched. Nothing suggested by doctors or the CDC, but I wonder why? Would they say I'm just over reacting?

[vindibona1]

If you are able to take all other steps to ensure cleanliness, then cutting your fingernails is secondary. It probably isn't a bad idea to have a fingernail brush so you can get some soap or other disinfectant down deep where the nail meets the flesh. Secondly, know what you're touching. Make sure that the packaging of any products you bring into your house are disinfected before putting them away. Don't leave home without a mask and gloves and try to disinfect any common door handles or any common things like elevator buttons. Lastly, don't touch your face unless you've just washed your hands.

We live in extraordinary times, don't we?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Not wise ... unless you toss them every time you touch something you just carry stuff to the next place. Carry wipes, wash your hands properly.

We wear gloves then wipe down our purchases with alcohol wipes.

Telling people not to wear gloves is like telling people not to use birth control because it might not work.

[menhir]

I don't play with nails, fingertips only. Good to know, though.

Not related to COVID-19:
Although I was otherwise well-prepared to stay in for an extended period of time, I wish I had thought to get a haircut before everything closed up.
I was already due for one when the fit hit the shan, so by buy now I'm looking a bit more shaggy than I like.

[rick-slo]

https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-regist...nst-sars-cov-2

Helpful and readily available and cheap:

Isopropyl Alcohol 70% or greater: 30 seconds soak

Hydrogen Peroxide 3% 1 minute soak

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by TBman

We wear gloves then wipe down our purchases with alcohol wipes.

Telling people not to wear gloves is like telling people not to use birth control because it might not work.

Evidently you miss the point. But you are not alone.