Photo via The American Genius
As part of the new norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, everyone is encouraged to avoid physical contact whenever possible.
But for us Malaysians, this can be a very difficult trait to get accustomed to, considering how friendly we are.
Sadly, we’ll have to start adopting some new ways to greet each other, especially after the government advised that we should not even fist bump.
During Parliament on Tuesday (September 8th), Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali pointed out that even this form of greeting should be avoided in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“No salam (hand shake) and other forms of body contact, but today I see the fist bump has become a trend. Some people even embrace each other,” he said.
Dr Noor Azmi added that placing the hand on the chest and bending the head slightly is recommended instead.
It’s unclear if we’ll ever be able to greet each other like we usually do, but in the meantime, here are five other ways to say “hi” you can try out that don’t involve physical contact.
- Literally just saying “hello”
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There’s really nothing wrong with verbally greeting someone and not taking things further. Just simply nod your head in acknowledgment and say “hey” or “‘sup”!
- Bowing
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Bowing is, of course, a custom in Japanese culture, but this just could be the new friendly and respectful way to greet each other.
- Air high-fives/fist bumps/hugs
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This is probably the closest way to still greeting each other as we usually do with our friends, only from a distance!
- Namaste
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The gesture that is all too familiar to Asians - people press their palms together at their heart centers and bow their heads slightly in salutation.
- Place your hand over your heart
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Also a pretty common gesture, which just so happens to be endorsed by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during this pandemic.
While these ways of saying “hello” are completely different from our Malaysian way of always embracing each other, it’s important that we adapt to this new norm in the age of social and physical distancing.
Remember that the recommendation is to stay one meter away from others to reduce your risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19.
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
