If you are a hugger, the past two months must have been tough. Yes, the human touch is a powerful thing that calms your nerves and reduces your stress.
How risky it is to hug during a pandemic such as COVID-19? A New York Times editor has recently interviewed experts about this. The safest thing to do is to avoid hugs.
But let’s face it, COVID-19 is going to be around for a while, so in case you crave a hug, here is a list of Dos and Don’ts to make hugs less risky:
- Don’t hug anyone that’s showing symptoms;
- Don’t touch the other person’s body/clothes with your mask or face;
- Don’t hug face to face, or cheeks together facing the same direction;
- Don’t cough when hugging.
- Do wear a mask and hug outdoors;
- Do hold your breath when hugging;
- Do hug facing opposite directions;
- Do hug quickly and back away when you are done.
Wow, so much work for a simple hug, eh?
According to the experts interviewed, if you pay attention to these Dos and Don’ts, the risk of a quick hug is very low. However, it is NOT zero. Remember, the safest thing to do is to avoid hugs.
Word of the Day:
Crave: to long for, to have a strong desire for, to badly want
More information and illustrations: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/well/family/coronavirus-pandemic-hug-mask.html
