Watch California Health Director Lick Her Fingers as She Warns People Not to Touch Their Faces Over Coronavirus

A California health official is being mocked online for warning people not to touch their faces... right before licking her own fingers.

Dr. Sara Cody, director of Santa Clara County's Public Health Department, gave a press conference on novel coronavirus on Friday, issuing some sage advice on how not to spread the disease — which she most certainly wasn't following herself.

"We need to begin implementing additional measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, or at least slow it down as much as possible," she told reporters. "These are the measures that we are recommending for individuals and for communities."

"For individuals, the recommendations are relatively straightforward, and effective, and important," she continued. "Today, start working on not touching your face, because one main way viruses spread is when you touch your own mouth, nose, or eyes."

Exactly 49 seconds later, she licked her fingers as she turned the page on her notes.

It was actually the second time she moistened the tip of her digits in the five-and-a-half minute briefing, having obliviously licked one minute in too.

Even her fidgety colleagues behind her found the advice difficult to follow, with the woman over her right shoulder brushing the hair from her face, while the man over her left can't help adjusting his glasses.

There have been 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far in Santa Clara Country alone.

On Wednesday California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a coronavirus state of emergency, hours after the state announced its first virus-related death involving a person who got sick on a cruise ship.

Got a story or a tip for us? Email TooFab editors at tips@toofab.com.