Shaking Hands After The Virus Dies

fmdog44

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
How soon will you feel "comfortable" shaking hands after the virus dies off? Also, how long after it is claimed the virus is no longer a threat will you feel comfortable going about you daily business as ususal?
 

Shaking hands? 2021. Seriously though, I think this experience will change much in the way we interact with people. I am one who is very uncomfortable with people too far into my personal space. So I am loving the social distance thing. Keeps me from coming off as seeming rude.
I think people will be more mindful of personal space. Especially with strangers
 
I'm a hugger and will probably stop doing that. I'll probably stop shaking hands unless one is offered to me first. How soon depends on how fast this pandemic stops spreading, might be two weeks or three months or . . .

I was reading about the Spanish Flu in 1918 and it said that the first one in the early spring was mild and most people recovered. Then it came back in a second and third wave in the fall and early 1919 spring, much deadlier, and that's when most of the victims, low estimate is 1/5 of the world population, died en masse. This Covid-19 sounds a lot like that flu and since the drug won't be ready for at least one year, we might be looking at a bigger pandemic in the fall.

https://www.history.com/news/spanish-flu-second-wave-resurgence
 

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I only stopped shaking hands because people don't want to.
Unless I'm mistaken, shaking hands can only give you a virus if you touch your face while the virus is still on your hands, before washing your hands. A virus needs a mucous membrane to enter - something warm & moist like mouth, eyes, nose. That's why a sneeze or cough can spread it; you can unknowingly inhale invisible droplets. I doubt you can get a virus by shaking hands, alone. If you could get it by shaking hands, you could also get it by touching something many other people have touched.

When I'm out running errands, I've been paying attention to not touching my face & washing my hands as soon as I get home. So far, so good. Good practice for preventing the flu & colds as well.

Think of how many things you touch in a market, besides money which has been handled by thousands of people.
And, you can wear all the gloves you want; if you touch your face while wearing gloves, it's the same as if you're not wearing gloves.
And, your cell phone? You hold it right up to your face after touching it many times/day after touching everything else. Maybe that's how it's been spreading.....everyone has a cell phone (except me).
 
I'm fine with not shaking hands and haven't done that in ages anyways. I'm used to being alone but it's a great thing I have my pet family or I'd probably be really down. I do miss not being able to talk to anyone. The property manager brought me some garbage bags today and she was wearing a mask and gloves, says she does it while shopping and doesn't want to catch anything from anyone. We talked for about 30 seconds.

I do miss interacting with people but then I have for some time. I will be glad when the isolation ends but know it's very necessary as so many have died in the world already. I hope Not to be one of them.

Scary times call for us to think of one another and keep hand washing and avoid groups. I'll be okay with it but when Summer comes I hope we have a party here and maybe a laugh or two. I think I still may be scared to hug anyone for a long time.
 
fmdog44 said:
How soon will you feel "comfortable" shaking hands after the virus dies off? Also, how long after it is claimed the virus is no longer a threat will you feel comfortable going about you daily business as ususal?
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I don't think the virus will "die off," just like other viruses such as the influenzas, measles, polio, herpes, HIV, etc., are always out there, I think this covid19 will be also.
 
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The number I read is the average person touches their face 20 times per hour. I saw a video recently of politicians touching their faces as they sat and listened to speakers talk about how to avoid the virus.
 
Ruthanne said:
.......so many have died in the world already.
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The current world population is 7.8 billion as of March 2020. As of March 20, 2020, coronavirus has killed 10,040 people worldwide. The percentage of deaths is (I think) 0.00000128717. Diddley squat. I think we are devolving.

The lack of hugs, handshakes and contact, if it survives beyond the "crisis" will kill many more than that. IMO. Fear is never a fruitful thing.
 
I saw an infectious disease specialist on the World channel yesterday. He said as the weather warms and people stay to themselves the trajectory of the virus will level out and die down somewhat but next year in the colder mos. it may arise again. We are awaiting treatments, cures and vaccinations. We will most likely have to wait a year or so for a vaccination as it goes through red tape with the FDA because they want to make sure there are no false results and so the delay. They are trying to push the FDA faster to get the vaccine out.
 
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Wren said:
I’m a kisser and finding it very hard not to greet my friends with a kiss on both cheeks and a hug as usual, elbow bumping just isn’t the same....:(
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I learned about the kissing tradition for Europeans when I was in Youngstown, Ohio for my cousin's wedding.
One of the guys at the wedding was from France. When I was introduced to him, he went to kiss me; something I was not accustomed to & I gently shoved him away. He looked confused & hurt. Someone explained to me that it was a tradition in their country for men to greet men that way.
I apologized to him but I reminded him that this ain't France.
 
fmdog44 said:
The number I read is the average person touches their face 20 times per hour. I saw a video recently of politicians touching their faces as they sat and listened to speakers talk about how to avoid the virus.
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I also don't see any politicians staying home.
 
win231 said:
I apologized to him but I reminded him that this ain't France.
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I agree, but wouldn't have apologised
My first wife's family all had the annoying habit of kissing (even the ugly ones!) needless to say I was 'in the doghouse' for putting my hand up to block them once they puckered and started moving in
 
Butterfly said:
I don't think the virus will "die off," just like other viruses such as the influenzas, measles, polio, herpes, HIV, etc., are always out there, I think this covid19 will be also.
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Well, essentially, you are correct. Viruses are never alive, unless they are living in a host. Viruses are all around us looking for a viable host. Once the virus finds a host, it becomes active. If the host has a strong Immune system or has been vaccinated, the virus eventually will leave the body in different manners.
 
I'm sure I read somewhere that the body doesn't fight two viruses at once. So, if you're suffering from a cold, your body just concentrates on that. It seems to create a barrier which stops any other viruses from invading your body.
 

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