Lice are spread from person to person through direct head contact, the mass craze for collective selfies has sparked a head lice epidemic in the United States and some European countries, the Washington Post reported, citing scientists.
Expert from the Pest and Insecticide Research Center Federico Galassi explained the boom in mass cases of lice on humans with the fact that during group selfies, the heads of the bugs are often pressed against each other. This enables the insects to crawl easily from person to person.
His statement was backed up by Lice Clinics of America medical director Krista Lauer, who said there is an increased demand for lice removers in the United States. A similar situation is observed in Canada and Great Britain. People cannot deal with the problem with home remedies and therefore seek professional help to get rid of the parasites.
Experts note that the spread of lice may return to pre-pandemic levels, as people again began to communicate more and visit public places - offices, kindergartens, schools.