Sweaty palms, vice-like grips or the insufferable limp hand may be the least of your hand-shaking worries, reports [s]BBC News[/s]. Scientists at [b]Aberystwyth University[/b] in [b]Wales[/b] have shown that a shake transfers more bacteria than other forms of hand-on-hand action. They are calling for the widespread adoption of the fist bump instead, especially during flu outbreaks.
Dr Dave Whitworth said: ‘If there’s a flu pandemic or in a hospital with the spread of superbugs, then handshaking might be something you want to think about.’ This is not the first time the argument has been raised. There have been calls in the [b]Journal of the American Medical Association[/b] to ban handshakes in hospitals.
[link url=http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28481957]Full BBC News report[/link]
[link url=http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(14)00137-0/abstract]AJICJ abstract[/link]