THE END OF THE HANDSHAKE?
Like most young people, Jim Shuster was taught as a child that shaking hands with people was an essential social custom. He was told that a handshake was a sign of respect and trust between two people and that it created a good first impression. But Jim has always hated shaking hands. Now with the Coronavirus pandemic, he no longer feels required to do it.(lines 1–4)
In fact, it seems that the pandemic might have permanently put an end to the handshake, a tradition that has been around since ancient times. It is believed that the handshake began as a sign of peace: showing an empty hand signified that you were not holding a weapon. Later, shaking hands became an established custom. With the discovery in the 1800s that bacteria are transmitted through touch, doctors began to wash their hands after treating each patient. While this reduced the number of infections among hospital patients, doctors and everyone else continued to shake hands.(lines 5–10)
"I believe that handshaking is a tradition that should no longer be continued," says Dr. Simon Benson of the Mayflower University School of Health. "I was concerned about handshakes long before the pandemic began because it was already known that viruses and bacteria are transmitted through this established but unhealthy practice. People love traditions because they connect them to the past. But I think it's time to replace the handshake with something else."(lines 11–15)
Dr. Benson believes that now, because of the pandemic, there are two different attitudes towards shaking hands. "There are people who are ready for a change," he explains. "They see no benefit in continuing this custom. Others, however, feel that the handshake is an essential part of our culture. For these people, a return to the handshake would signify that we are back to normal."(lines 16–19)
"It's time to find an alternative to the handshake," adds Dr. Benson. "Any new custom, however, should allow people to have eye contact, that is, people should look directly at each other. It should also include some sort of physical contact, because touch is an important aspect of human connection." So far, the only possibility that includes both physical contact and eye contact is the "elbow bump," which has become popular during the pandemic. What will happen in the future? Who knows? We may never shake hands again.(lines 20–25)