Bow instead of shaking hands, Britons urged

SHAKING hands should be ditched permanently and Britons should adopt a Japanese greeting culture to avoid future pandemics, public health experts say.

Prof Peter Piot, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told peers at the science and technology select committee that behaviour ought to change for the benefit of the community. He also suggested that face masks and social distancing could become the norm to prevent other respiratory diseases such as colds and flu.

“Shaking hands is probably out forever,” he said.

Prof Dame Anne Johnson, of the Academy of Medical Science, said “It’s really important to suppress the virus as much as we can. If you’ve got a cold or flu, stay home. Less shaking of hands, kissing and more of the Japanese approach. It requires a cultural change.”