B2.3 Coronavirus killed the handshake and the hug. What will replace them?

Study Notes

Handshakes are a common form of social touch, and they can spread disease.
Some people don't like to shake hands, and others think that the gesture is unnecessary.
The global coronavirus outbreak has led to a decrease in social touch.
Americans are going to start feeling weird when social touch disappears permanently.
Strangers may not be able to understand why someone would not want to shake hands, and this could lead to conflict.
Language is the most obvious way that humans foster social ties with one another, but touch does something similar.
Touch helps reduce aggression between people and is good for your health.
Shaking hands is probably the most common form of social touch in the U.S., and it’s thought to have originated many centuries ago.
Even watching people shake hands is enough to increase activation in the brain’s reward centers.
People might reserve handshakes and hugs for those who are closest to them and who they trust the most and develop new greetings that don’t involve skin-on-skin contact.
There are many alternatives: the elbow bump, a foot tap, a bow, the namaste gesture, a brief nod or head tilt, placing a hand on your heart.
Touchless alternatives to the handshake are becoming more common due to the pandemic and the rise of telemedicine.
While some providers are resistant to touchless greetings, most patient families are in favor.
The future of social touch is here, with people able to communicate more effectively through touchless alternatives.