Risk of a 'cold' hardly justifies ending handshakes

Category: Newspaper article

This story was published in 'The Ottawa Citizen' on Thursday, January 18, 2007


Re: Agency gives thumbs down to handshakes, Jan. 16.

The warning by Canada's Public Health Agency that we should abandon the traditional handshake to ward off possible contamination is plain silly. Handshakes (and kissing of the cheeks in some cultures) are a defining trait of what makes us human beings. Getting a cold is hardly reason to abandon such practices.

Perhaps the health agency would suggest that we should all touch elbows when greeting each other. As briefcases would fly, and groceries bags spill during this manoeuvre, we would all look like members of the "Ministry Of Silly Walks." This, of course, would be hilarious but hardly civilized.