Germans swear HUGS and handshakes even after pandemic ends – Poll

Nearly a third of people surveyed by health insurers aok hesson Media outlet Hessenschau reported on Wednesday that they would continue to refrain from hugging loved ones. The survey showed that 39% of Hessians expect to stop shaking hands with anyone permanently, and 64% will no longer shake hands with strangers.

The survey paints a grim picture of the enduring effects of COVID-19 on human interaction, including expressions of affection. Nearly a quarter of Germans surveyed, or 23%, said they do not want to invite visitors to their homes in the aftermath of the pandemic.

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“Many people have become more cautious and can hardly imagine normalcy like before the pandemic,” Hessenschau quoted AOK Hessen’s senior doctor Angela Smith as saying.

The insurer also found that 46% of the 1,000 survey respondents would no longer go to concerts, movies or other large indoor events. And 40% said they want to wear a surgical mask in certain situations, such as when they are riding a bus or shopping at a supermarket, when COVID-19 is in the rearview mirror.

City officials in Gelnhausen, a Hessian town about 40 kilometers east of Frankfurt, have canceled plans for this year’s Christmas market due to rising COVID-19 infections, Hessenschau reported. “We are very sorry for this, but we cannot respond in view of the high incidence for such an incident,” Mayor Daniel Christian Glockner said.

Germany’s Covid-19 infections hit a record high in the past week, despite strict rules being imposed, adding pressure on residents to get vaccinated. However, mitigation efforts have not been completely successful. For example, an estimated 24 people were reportedly infected with Covid-19 at a recent choir concert in Freigericht, even though participation without an audience was banned.

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