France, famous for the double cheek kiss, now frowns on the tradition in order to help combat COVID-19.

“… “la bise,” [is] the custom in France and elsewhere in Europe of giving greetings with kisses, or air kisses, on the cheeks.”

“France is banning all indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people to slow the spread of coronavirus cases and recommending that people no longer greet each other with kisses.”

https://time.com/5793002/france-gatherings-kissing-covid-19-coronavirus/



You say hello, I say don’t touch me!

https://qz.com/1811262/coronavirus-is-changing-how-the-world-says-hello/

“Some people around the world shake hands. Some hug. Some rub their noses together. And some—many in fact—kiss on the cheek. But now, as Covid-19 spreads around the globe, people are rethinking how they say hello.

“That’s exactly what Germany’s interior minister did today—to much laughter—when he declined to shake chancellor Angela Merkel’s hand.”


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Our Provincial Health Officer here in B.C. said today that when she was in Africa during Ebola they ended up tapping toes in greeting, avoiding kissing and handshaking. Innovative. :)

The NBA is recommending that players don’t exchange high-fives with fans but rather stick to fist bumps. (They’ve also apparently cautioned players against accepting paper from fans to autograph; it’s getting scary out there).


From WHO (in second article linked above), some easy self-protective measures:

“The WHO recommends a few protective measures to avoid spreading the coronavirus. That includes frequent and thorough hand-washing, social distancing (staying at least a meter, or 3 feet from anyone who appears sick), and not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.”


I wonder if CoJCoLDS leaders have received inspiration from above yet to change behaviour out in the mission field: No more missionaries shaking hands!


Maybe all this “social distancing” will lead to a permanent change in greetings everywhere. There are pros and cons I guess. I wouldn't miss, for one, receiving kisses from strangers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2020 04:10PM by Nightingale.

It is the custom when assigned to play golf with strangers that introductions are made there on the first tee, and hands grasp as the names are exchanged.

I asked a gentleman and his wife this morning if they preferred to dispense with this custom when they approached my friend and me. Both were older, probably in their 50s, and both laughed and extended their hands, and the social graces were completed.

The gentleman said that 40,000 Americans will die this flu season from the regular old virus and that he had yet to see freeway lanes opening up...

I quit listening to him because I figured that he was heading into deep, dark thoughts.

Solution: Never play golf with strangers.

Notice that EOD neglected to tell us who won the game.

So if they only have 5000, the disease won't spread? Or only 5000 will get it and die rather than 25,000? Does that make any sense.

I don't think we realize how often we touch our faces. What do you do about an itchy nose?

P.S. There is plenty of water still at the local grocery store in Hyrum, Utah. Oops, I forgot to check the toilet paper.

For years I have been hoping everyone would just start putting their hands together and bowing slightly. No need to wear a kimono, although I could go for that as well. They flatter almost everyone.

Costco ran out of a full stock of toilet paper water et al within hours on Monday here in SoCal. I went to a regular grocery store this morning and they were at full stock of everything. Even in a panic, people want a deal.

The official church response is to not shake hands, but to bump elbows. No kidding.;

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/2/21159614/covid-19-coronavirus-lds-mormon-church-italy-japan-singapore-korea-mongolia-china

Plus, they cancelled meetings but people still traveled to show up because;
"“We haven’t been able to find a way to change the meetinghouse locator on the church’s website to show that we are not holding meetings,” Butel said."

Hmmm. You'd think that a church with their very own prophet could ask god or someone how to change their website.

I've noticed a sharp spike in absences in my school's student body. I think if kids are feeling unwell, parents are keeping them at home (which could be a very good thing.) Teachers were given additional supplies today of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer.

Glad to hear that Summer. I know so many times the teachers end up buying for their classrooms.

How will mormons function without shaking hands in church?

How will bishops and stake leaders assert their authority without grasping members' shoulders?

How will mormons give signs and tokens without handshakes?

How will mormons be set apart for callings, or give their totally not-fake blessings, without the laying on of hands?

How will mormons run their totally not-weird garment checks?

I forgot to mention Pope Francis, who is reportedly ill with URI-type symptoms and has cancelled several scheduled events.

He was ahead of his time in one respect in that in March/19 he stopped the kissing-the-papal-ring thing due to concerns about hygiene, so he was on the ball for that one.

However, this year, even though he was coughing and sneezing he still schmoozed with the crowds in Rome yesterday, kissing kids and shaking hands. Germs on his ring - don't touch. Germs on his sneezy fingers - also don't touch.


Here's a blurb from last year about not kissing his ring:

March/19: “Pope Francis clarified one church-related mystery on Thursday, explaining that it was a fear of spreading germs that provoked him to yank his hand away from the lips of devoted worshippers as they bent down to kiss the papal ring earlier this week.

“Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told reporters on Thursday that the pope did not intend to buck centuries of tradition, but was interested in preventing disease.

"The Holy Father told me that the motivation was very simple: hygiene," Gisotti said after speaking directly with Pope Francis about the matter. "He wants to avoid the risk of contagion for the people, not for him."


https://www.npr.org/2019/03/28/707806661/why-did-the-pope-refuse-to-let-worshippers-kiss-his-ring-hygiene



Here's an article about Pope Francis this week:

“Pope Francis has been forced to cancel a planned Mass in Rome with other clergy after suffering a 'slight illness'.

“The Vatican said the 83-year-old pontiff had a 'slight indisposition' that meant he did not attend an event at the St John Lateran basilica in Rome on Thursday morning.

“A spokesman said Francis would continue with the rest of his day's business, but preferred to stay within the Vatican rather than travel across the city.

“There was no word from the Vatican about the nature of his illness, but the pope was seen coughing and blowing his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass.

“It comes a day after he kissed heads and touched faces as he met with crowds in St Peter's Square, saying he had solidarity with those suffering from coronavirus.

“Italy is currently in the grips of a coronavirus outbreak that has seen towns in the north placed on lockdown and travellers from the region spread the infection to previously unaffected areas of Europe.

“Rome had three cases, but all three were cured.

“… the 83-year-old Francis did not shy away from shaking hands with members of the congregation - and even kissed some of the children present.

“Pope Francis is known for hugging the faithful or accepting kisses on his cheek or forehead.

“It comes as 50 more cases – including eight children – of COVID-19 have now been confirmed in Italy, taking the toll past 370. Twelve patients have died.

“Almost a dozen towns have been quarantined in the northern part of the country in a desperate attempt to contain the worsening coronavirus crisis.

“Cases from Italy have now been confirmed in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Greece and Spain, as well as Algeria and Brazil.”


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8051083/Pope-cancels-visit-Rome-priests-slight-illness.html

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With the realities of COVID-19 and the need for schools and employers to take isolation precautions and to make alternative arrangements for students and workers, hopefully there will be an advance in work-from-home/study-alone alternatives. All too often teachers and employers expect people to show up even when ill. It's never a good idea to do so but they can make you feel obligated to be present in their physical location, even when computers and Google et al make it unnecessary to be physically present 100% of the time.

I have always been pressured to attend work no matter what. And that's working with physicians! If they actually believed in germ theory and followed good hygiene advice you'd think they should be in the forefront of setting the best example of practising what they preach. I can't even count the number of times I have provided sick notes for patients of MDs who nevertheless expected me to be front and centre even when I was in need of a sick note myself. Amazingly stupid. Unfair. Massively irritating.

But now, no kidding - things have gotta change - maybe permanently.

And not just with COVID or similar scares. But for the common cold and the seasonal flu as well. It just makes good sense. Besides, you tend to recover faster, and spread your germs less, if you can stay hunkered down out of the way of all the still-healthy folks in your orbit. It's false economy to force people to attend when they're sick, perhaps prolonging their illness, and also putting others at risk.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis: Feel better but meanwhile, it's not just your ring that harbours germs! (And don't let me see you using a linen hanky. Disposable all the way. And throw them away once they've been used. No stashing wet tissues in your pocket for re-use. The Vatican can afford more Kleenex).


And Please: Stop. Kissing. The. Visitors.
(Book of Nightingale. Chapter 1. Verse 1.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2020 10:19PM by Nightingale.

Kissing ring not OK.
Kissing ass OK.

He needs to quit slapping people, too.

Damn straight. Now that the corona virus is a thing, it's no longer okay to slap people.

No worries about child molestation, however. Some things are too sacred to interrupt for a mere global health crisis.

Churches will ever put a stop to child molestation. They're too perfect a venue.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2020 01:30PM by kathleen.