Angara files reso discouraging handshaking amid COVID-19

Handshaking should be avoided by the public to prevent the further transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Senator Sonny Angara.

The lawmaker, who recently recovered from the highly-contagious virus, filed Senate Resolution No. 374 on April 27 and shared the copy of which to reporters on Wednesday.

The resolution seeks to "discourage handshaking and promote hand hygiene to minimize the spread of infectious diseases, bacteria, and viruses."

While acknowledging that the gesture has been a social custom across the globe to show respect and courtesy, Angara said it should be avoided for now to observe social distancing.

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), the senator said a simple handshake could pose significant health risks.

The WHO advises the public to observe a distance of at least one meter from one another even when just greeting each other.

It said that a person infected with COVID-19 can pass the virus to another person through respiratory droplets from sneezes and coughs. The virus can also spread if a person touches contaminated objects and surfaces.

According to the Department of Health, wearing face masks, regular handwashing, cough etiquette, and social distancing will always be part of the new normal to defeat the global pandemic.

Angara was one of the three senators who tested positive for COVID-19 in March.

As of April 28, the Philippines recorded a total of 7,958 cases of COVID-19, with 530 deaths and 975 recoveries.—AOL, GMA News