If someone asks you to "shake on it," science says that’s your cue to back away quickly. There’s been a lot of recent debate in the medical community about the risks of handshakes and high-fives (we can’t make this stuff up), and researchers have confirmed what germaphobe Howie Mandel’s known all along: Fist-bumping is a more effective way to prevent the spread of germs. After research from Aberystwyth University in Wales proved a handshake spreads twice as many germs as a high-five, a recent editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association is now asking doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to consider banning handshakes. Handshakes can potentially spread bacteria from one patient to another, even after heavy-duty washing, and high-fives aren't much better. That leaves you with, none other than, the fist-bump. Not ready to be on fist-bumping terms with your doc? You’re not alone. According to the JAMA editorial, doctors have historically been encouraged to shake their patients’ hands to create a sense of trust and calmness—two things that would be pretty hard to replicate with a goofy fist bump. If you must shake on it, David Whitworth, a professor at Aberystwyth University, says to keep it light and short. An even better choice would be a no-contact greeting, like a wave, but we don’t see that catching on anytime soon. Meanwhile, the authors of the editorial are calling for a ban on handshakes, comparing its importance to the smoking ban that took more than 30 years to implement in hospitals. And while it may seem like much ado about nothing, the CDC reports that 1 in 25 hospital patients develops a healthcare-associated infection, meaning one less potential germ-spreader can't help but be a good idea. source
