Hygienic Dress Code Law in New York

In New York a law is being debated that would require that physicians remove wristwatches, neckties and even their long-sleeved white coats when seeing patients in order to reduce the number of health care associated infections. The law would required us to be “bare below the elbow” in addition to all of the usual hand-washing that is done between patients. In the UK there is already a law forbidding long-sleeved clothing, and some original provisions banned jewelry and false fingernails. Since there is no hard evidence that long-sleeves create an infection risk, this law isn’t likely to get far. But I’ll do my part and keep wearing bowties!