Out of fear of contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19), some people are steering clear of handshakes and devising new ways to touch and greet others.
In China, the so-called “Wuhan Shake” has taken social media by storm.
Instead of shaking hands, people are encouraged to greet each other by tapping their feet, as shown in the viral video now circulating online.
People in China found another way to greet since they can’t shake hands.
The Wuhan Shake.
I love how people can adapt and keep a sense of humor about stressful situations. pic.twitter.com/P8MSfOdJ2H
— •*¨*•.¸¸✯*･🍃Ꮙ🍃•*¨*•.¸¸✯*¨ (@V_actually) February 29, 2020
People around the world have started practicing it:
The “Wuhan Shake” has become such a sensation that even TV presenters are doing it, too.
Lets do the #WuhanShake – a hands-free greeting after new #coronavirus prevents us from doing our usual greetings – #NoKissing #NoHandShake @SteveLaiCNA @ChannelNewsAsia pic.twitter.com/yXs76KcprV
— GlendaChongCNA (@GlendaChongCNA) March 3, 2020
The “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” even took the idea and added more “safe greeting” alternatives:
In addition to the “Wuhan Shake,” World Health Organization’s director of pandemics, Dr. Sylvie Briand, also came up with a variety of greetings, including bumping elbows, waving and bowing with palms together.
We need to adapt to this new disease #COVID19 https://t.co/SiCL6dX2dQ
— Dr Sylvie Briand (@SCBriand) March 1, 2020
Here’s Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts doing the elbow bump with people who had just left quarantine at the University of Nebraska’s National Quarantine Unit in Omaha.
Honored to greet guests leaving the National Quarantine Unit at @unmc this morning as Nebraska’s world-class medical professionals continue to step up to help protect Americans and keep people healthy. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ebVopVZUb2
— Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) March 2, 2020
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person, between people who are within about six feet of each other. The virus is reportedly transmitted through droplets produced by a sick person’s cough or sneeze. A person might also get the virus from touching an infected object or surface “and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.”
Dr. Tom Freidan, a former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has endorsed alternative forms of greeting and suggested to stop shaking hands in the meantime.
“Let’s stop shaking hands for a while. I prefer the traditional Southeast Asian hands-together namaste greeting, although the elbow bump is fun,” Dr. Tom Freidan wrote.
Feature Image via @V_actually
