Italy to ban kisses, handshakes.

[left-of-center2012]

Italy was set Wednesday to ask people to stop greeting each other by kissing or shaking hands to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.

Other measures being finalised by top ministers and reported by Italian media include what promises to be an unpopular plan to play all football matches without fans.

Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said the government would also decide "in the next hours" whether to follow through with a mooted proposal to close all schools and universities until mid-March.

The Mediterranean country's 79 deaths have made Italy the world's third-most affected by number of fatalities after China and Iran. It has more than 2,500 cases in all and the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus appears to be spreading faster and wider by the day.

https://news.yahoo.com/virus-fears-prompt-italy-ban-kisses-handshakes-133239912.html

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Good

Seriously.

My husband is a green card holder from Italy. Many of his circle is Calabrese.

We can't leave a get together without 20 minutes of that shit. You have to get somewhere 20 minutes early - or dinner will be cold because of that shit.


And the reality is - it's a real problem built into their culture. People hug and kiss me upon entering our home there -every single time they walk in the door.

[TeamPooka]

2. Ciao

[Reader Rabbit]

3. Will Italians still be allowed to talk with their hands, though?

*rimshot*

[StarfishSaver]

4. Asking people not to do something isn't the same as banning it

[Nonhlanhla]

5. That might be part of the problem there, yes

It seems that traditional handshaking, check kissing, hugging, etc., are all contributing to the problem. In my country of origin, South Africa, people in some cultures greet each other with a kiss on the lips. I hope they cut that out before COVID-19 starts spreading there.

I am now practicing social distancing even within my own family.