World
A Kiss Is Just a Kiss Except When It Spreads the Coronavirus
- Some experts recommend avoiding physical contact in greetings
- Warnings come as the coronavirus gains traction in Europe
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King Henry VI of England banned kissing in 1439 to battle the plague. As the world confronts the coronavirus spreading from China, some health authorities are again urging people to refrain from physical displays of affection.
Epidemiologists say limiting contact could help slow the march of a disease that’s turned up in dozens of countries in just two months and killed more than 2,700 people. Americans ought to think twice about bro hugs and high fives, they say, while the French and Italians might want to reconsider their traditional pecks on the cheek.