'Wuhan shake': New greetings around the world amid coronavirus outbreak

A video of the "Wuhan shake," named after the city in China where the virus originated, shows a Chinese man wearing a face mask greeting his friends by tapping his feet against theirs.

A new hands-free greeting has gone viral on social media as people across the world come up with unique ways to greet each other amid the coronavirus outbreak.

A video of the "Wuhan shake", named after the city in China where the virus originated, shows a Chinese man wearing a face mask greeting his friends by tapping his feet against theirs.

"People in China found another way to greet since they can't shake hands," the video is captioned.

"The Wuhan shake. I love how people can adapt and keep a sense of humour about stressful situations."

People in China found another way to greet since they can't shake hands.

The Wuhan Shake.

I love how people can adapt and keep a sense of humor about stressful situations. pic.twitter.com/P8MSfOdJ2H

— •*¨*•.¸¸✯*･🍃𝓥 🍃•*¨*•.¸¸✯*¨ (@V_actually) February 29, 2020

People reacted to the post with one writing: "Actually that is awesome" while another said: "That's a great idea and you don't need hand sanitiser."

The alternative greeting comes after health experts, including Dr Sylvie Briand, director of the Department of Pandemic and Epidemic diseases at the World Health Organisation (WHO), have urged people to greet others in different ways.

On Twitter, she shared handshake alternatives including the "wave", the Thai "wai" and the "elbow".

We need to adapt to this new disease #COVID19 https://t.co/SiCL6dX2dQ

— Dr Sylvie Briand (@SCBriand) March 1, 2020

In New Zealand, John Whaanga, the Health Ministry's deputy director-general for Māori health told Waatea News that Māori and iwi organisations are starting to talk about customary practices — including the hongi.

"If we were going to have a change in practice it's not just about the hongi. In Australia, you now have people going around recommending they should stop the practice of shaking hands.

"So I'm quick to point it won't potentially have an impact just on some of our cultural practices but some of the practices that are much more general such as shaking hands, but we're not at that stage yet," Whaanga said.

No kissing, no hand shaking, no hugs. A demonstration of how Iranians may be greeting each other today in these coronavirus times. #Iran pic.twitter.com/RoRjoqEwu2

— Sharmine Narwani (@snarwani) February 23, 2020

Some New Zealand universities have opted not to greet newcomers with a hongi at powhiri this year according to Stuff.

In Switzerland, health minister Alain Berset advised for people not to use the popular greeting where people kiss each other on both cheeks.

"We know that keeping one's distance socially is the best way to slow the spread of the virus. That is why renouncing greeting kisses is a measure that should be seriously taken into consideration," she told newspaper outlet SonntagsZeitung.

In addition to avoiding contact with people who may be sick, the Ministry of Health said good hygiene, regularly washing and thoroughly drying your hands, and other simple steps can help stop the spread of coronavirus.