I actually wrote this article several years ago. It seems very appropriate during the current Covid19 pandemic too. Let me know if you agree.

With the flu season in high gear, everyone seems to be getting sick.  Coworkers are sick. Neighbors are sick. School kids and teachers are sick. Everyone is sick!

I have heard one of the most common ways to catch the flu is through contact with someone who already has the virus. And, the most common contact is with your hands. Door knobs, cell phones, key boards and other things we touch with our hands can spread the flu virus. Even shaking hands with a sick person can spread the virus to others. There is a large sign in the elevator at a local hospital that says, 80% of germs are spread with your hands.

I watched a demonstration on the news where one person dipped his hand in a germ infested dish. Then he shook hands with a volunteer who in turn shook hands with another volunteer. The conclusion of the study showed that one infected person could spread the virus to five additional people as the germs passed from one person to another with their hands. 

I have heard one of the best ways to stop the spread of the flu is to wash your hands frequently. One medical professional said that washing your hands is the single best protection against catching and spreading the flu. If that is true, then how do you properly greet a friend, family member or co-worker?

At our church, we recommend people not shake hands during the flu season, but try doing fist bumps to minimize hand contact. A Chinese friend had a better idea. He suggested we just bow to one another and avoid any physical contact. Sounds like a great idea!

I don’t know how long the flu season will last. And, I don’t know how long I can keep greeting people without a hug or hand shake. But, I do know we need to do all we can to prevent the spread of the flu this year. Let me encourage you to wash your hands often. Try a fist bump or bow instead of a handshake. And, if you start to feel like you are catching the flu, drink plenty of fluids, take two aspirin and call me in the morning!

You can read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) by Mark Hopper in his book Let Me Encourage You. You can purchase two books for $30 plus postage – one for yourself and one to share with a friend. Order your copies at markh@efreedb.org.