Scientists say picking your nose could raise your risk of catching Covid.

A study of healthcare workers in the Netherlands found nose pickers were nearly three times more likely to catch the virus than those who avoided the habit.

Of all participants, those who picked their nose daily or weekly were most likely to get an infection.

One in five nose pickers tested positive for the virus during the seven-month study overall, compared to less than one in 20 among those who did not.

Researchers suggested nose picking puts someone at higher risk of infection because it ‘facilitates’ the transfer of the virus from hands to the nasal canal.