It's time for another #LessonsFromHistory twitter thread!

1/5 Could #Covid19 change the ancient way we greet one another? Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said Americans should not shake hands “ever again.”

2/5 The handshake was mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey, written down around the 8th century BC, and is probably older. Clasping hands may have begun as a peace gesture, proof that the greeters weren’t holding weapons.

3/5 Customs are changing. People are avoiding handshakes, cheek kisses and high-fives in an effort to reduce the risk of #Covid-19 infection. Even Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany was snubbed last month by her interior minister. https://twitter.com/marceldirsus/status/1234437868141064194

4/5 Advice to avoid touching isn’t new. A 2014 essay in @JAMA suggested a ban on handshakes for health care workers, to prevent the spread of pathogens. The authors suggested alternatives: hand wave, hand on heart, the bow and a namaste gesture.

5/5 Here are some others. Share your ideas @RetroReport.
-Hat tip
-Air high-five (deliberate miss)
-Rock-paper-scissors gesture
-Chicken dance
-Curtsy
-Nod
-Jazz hands
-Vulcan salute