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I slathered on sunscreen on my T-zone and quickly learned the correct way to hold the board: under my arm, against my side.

The slight flake of dry, dull skin on your neighbor’s T-zone; the foolishness of the hiker who chugs down a can of flavored sparkling water at the peak of their excursion, only to remain parched.

The simple, one-two punch of hand washing and avoiding the T-zone can be empowering, Sawyer argued, because it’s an achievable solution to a problem that feels more urgent with each headline.

Not touching your facial mucous membranes, an area known as the “T-zone,” is perhaps the most important step you can take to prevent an infection, Sawyer said.

“When you reach for the door knob or hand railing, you’ve recontaminated your hand with something. If you touch your mucous membranes, then you could inoculate yourself inadvertently with that organism. If there is one behavior change that could prevent infection, it’s do not touch your T-zone.”