Help - kid refuses to get dirty at the beach

This is such a weird problem but my 7yo daughter is weirdly germaphobic suddenly. We went to the beach last weekend and she wouldn't touch the sand because it was "dirty." Wouldn't go in the water because she was worried about getting water up her nose. Wouldn't build sandcastles. Just sat on a towel looking miserable the whole time. My wife thinks she's being dramatic, I think something actually shifted in her head. Anyone dealt with something like this? Should I be pushing her to get dirty or just... accepting this is where we're at?