March 04, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

During the epidemic of COVID-19, many countries or international meetings release some new manners to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

Italy is one of the worst countries outside of China. Italy government considers to shut down the movie theater and prohibits public activities. The government also set new rules, including no handshaking or hugging. 

According to the Radio New Zealand, a “hongi” greeting from a Maori tribe in the
New Zealand capital of Wellington is not allowed based on the personal hygiene. 

Ministry of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates also post a poster via 
Instagram to prevent the nose-to-nose greeting. 

World leaders are also aware of this COVID-19. In German, Chancellor Angela Merkel attempted to have a handshake with her interior minister, Horst Seehofer. She was rejected because of the growing fears of the virus. 

Recently, the meeting of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was held in the Vienna, the capital of Austria. Leaders and OPEC ministers would see the poster at lobby to remind them to contain the personal hygiene. One of the suggestions of the poster is to avoid close contact. Therefore, Mohammad Barkindo, the secretary-general of the group and Alexander Novak, Russian Energy Minister tapped their feet as an alternative way of greeting. 

Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of the pandemic and epidemic diseases department at the World Health Organization, promoted the alternative greeting, for example, the Thai “wai” and bumping elbows. 

Photo:Webshot.