Regular hand washing, cough etiquette (covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing), and avoiding the sick were suggested as good strategies to prevent becoming infected with pandemic influenza. The use of social distancing/isolation or masks/respirators was not very popular. Social avoidance was considered to be the most difficult intervention to comply with and impractical due to the vast amount of human interaction existing in the society. One international student also felt that it was impolite to maintain a distance to a sick acquaintance or relative. The use of masks was dismissed, as they were considered uncomfortable, inconvenient and unnecessary. Moreover, participants believed that wearing mask would cause embarrassment and social stigma. 