Coronavirus: Chief medical officer says do not shake hands, hug people
Despite just days ago being told handshaking was “low risk”, Australians have now been told to avoid it at all costs — so what should we do instead?
Australians should now no longer hug and handshake anyone who is not a close family member, regardless of whether they are showing coronavirus symptoms or not.
The blunt warning came today from Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy during a press conference with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in which a raft of new social distancing measures were introduced to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Just days earlier, Dr Murphy had told ABC’s Insiders that handshaking was “low risk”.
But today Dr Murphy told reporters: “No more hand shaking, no more hugging, no more, except in your family.
“You can do that in your family, because you’re already close to your family.”
Dr Murphy once again emphasised that everyone should be practising good hygiene to prevent further spread of the virus, which has so far killed five Australians.
“No more scant attention to hand hygiene, wash your hands all the time,” Dr Murphy said. “Use hand sanitiser and just practice sensible practices ... there is no need for us to be in a state of heightened anxiety, but we do need to be prepared and we all need to practice this social distancing.”
During his appearance on Insiders on Sunday, Dr Murphy said only those who had recently returned from overseas or been in contact with a known case should avoid handshaking.
“That will change as we get more community transmission,” Dr Murphy said.
However just hours later Mr Morrison said: “No more handshakes.”
“This is a new thing we’ve moved to, something I will be practising, my cabinet members and others are practising,” he said during a live address.
“This is not something that was necessarily a key requirement weeks ago but it’s just another step up now.”
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ALTERNATIVE HANDSHAKES
Other countries currently affected by coronavirus have already abandoned hand shaking, with some communities adopting foot-taps instead.
Footage of Chinese residents tapping feet instead of shaking hands has gone viral on Twitter after being posted to Chinese social media platform Weibo.
The move has been dubbed a “foot-touching curtsy” and “the Wuhan shake”, named after the city where COVID-19 was first identified.
Meanwhile Prince Charles has stopped shaking hands and was seen offering namaste prayer hands and bowing his head at a royal event last week.
Earlier this month NSW health minister Brad Hazzard urged people to reconsider handshakes and consider other alternatives.
“It is a very Australian thing to do to put your hand out and shake hands for example,” he said.
“I would be suggesting it is time that Aussies actually gave each other a pat on the back for the time being. No hand shaking, it’s not necessary.”
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