Some people around the world shake hands. Some hug. Some rub their noses together. And some\u2014many in fact\u2014kiss on the cheek. But now, as Covid-19 spreads around the globe, people are rethinking how they say hello.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s exactly what Germany\u2019s interior minister did today\u2014to much laughter\u2014when he declined to shake chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n
The WHO recommends a few protective measures to avoid spreading the coronavirus. That includes frequent and thorough hand-washing, social distancing (staying at least a meter, or 3 feet from anyone who appears sick), and not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.<\/p>\n
Some countries have gotten a bit more culturally specific. The United Arab Emirates on Jan. 31 called on residents to suspend nose-to-nose greetings\u2014a traditional way for men in the Arabian Peninsula to say hello.<\/p>\n
In Egypt, a country with a reputation for comedy in the Arab world, a popular rhyme has emerged: \u201c\u0645\u0634 \u0647\u0646\u0633\u0644\u0645\u060c \u0645\u0634 \u0647\u0646\u0628\u0648\u0633\u060c \u0645\u0634 \u0647\u0646\u0646\u0634\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0649\u064a\u0631\u0648\u0633\u201d (\u201cWe won\u2019t shake hands, we won\u2019t kiss, we won\u2019t spread the virus\u201d). Cheek kissing is common between men (and often between men and women) in the country and across the rest of the Arab region.<\/p>\n
In Iran, where the outbreak has killed the largest number of people outside China, one popular video on social media shows men in surgical masks tapping feet instead of kissing to avoid unnecessary contact. Officials have also urged against kissing religious shrines, even though some devotees have ignored the warnings.<\/p>\n
In parts of Europe, it\u2019s similarly common for people to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. France\u2019s health minister recently warned against kissing, or la bise, as the French call it. Switzerland\u2019s health minister has suggested dropping the cultural practice altogether.<\/p>\n
Both handshakes and kissing are used across Asia, including Indonesia, the world\u2019s fourth most populous country. Indonesian authorities are recommending a namaste-style greeting. Nearby Singapore is also circulating notices to encourage waving, elbow-tapping, and the namaste as alternatives to handshakes and kisses.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Some people around the world shake hands. Some hug. Some rub their noses together. And some\u2014many in fact\u2014kiss on the cheek. But now, as Covid-19 spreads around the globe, people are rethinking how they say hello. That\u2019s exactly what Germany\u2019s interior minister did today\u2014to much laughter\u2014when he declined to shake chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s hand. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3090,2],"tags":[3086,369],"class_list":["post-36957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coronavirus","category-featured","tag-coronavirus","tag-health"],"yoast_head":"\n