BLOG: The value of a handshake
I haven’t shaken a hand in more than a year, and I really miss it.
Why is that?
A handshake is so much more than a greeting. In a civilized society, it is a connection as basic as making eye contact. It bridges across languages, racial and cultural customs, gender and the political spectrum. It’s a platonic coupling between two and only two people, whether they’ve just met or have been acquainted for life. It unites us by the body part we use to do good works.
A handshake gives us information. Its firmness imparts self-esteem. Its dryness denotes confidence. Its quickness, enthusiasm. For Nixon and Mao Zedong, it bridged two bitter rival countries. For my kids, it overtures an elaborate ballet of hand slap salutations among besties. For a fraternity brother, it’s the secret clasp shared only by the chosen. For the frail, it’s an implicit safety net in case of an unexpected fall. In church, it’s part of the liturgical kiss of peace that has united orthodox Christians since before the church formally began. For my patients, it says I care about you and am here to use my hands to heal.
Is a fist bump supposed to replace that?
It’s clear that handshakes can transmit pathogens. From scabies to pseudomonas, the risk is real, and in a medical setting, we owe our patients extra caution, particularly as we arise from the coronavirus pandemic. If we desire a return to handshaking, we had better accept a call to action for more compliance with hand hygiene protocols than the 40% that was demonstrated in a 2010 hospital study. But that is a burden I’m willing to accept in exchange for the feeling of acceptance that we have all been deprived of for so very many months.
Reference
Erasmus V, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010;doi:10.1086/650451.
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