'Wuhan Shake' Replaces Traditional Greetings Amidst Coronavirus Fears

People afraid to shake hands amidst coronavirus fears have devised a new way of greeting each other. Footage going viral online shows two people in China using their feet to greet each other, instead of performing the traditional handshake or hug. The short video, which has made its way to Twitter, shows two men – both wearing face masks - greeting each other by quickly tapping their feet together.

In China, hoardings have been installed to tell people not to shake hands but to join their own hands together in a sign of greeting to reduce the risk of contracting the new coronavirus

The new form of greeting using feet has been dubbed the 'Wuhan shake' after the Chinese city where coronavirus was first detected.

Watch the video below:

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

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

Since being shared on Twitter, the Wuhan shake video has been viewed more than 50,000 times. "It's all about human adaptation!" wrote one Twitter user while responding to the video, while another said: "This is how I'm greeting everyone from now on."

The video comes as public health officials warned people to avoid shaking hands, hugging and kissing to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Officials have also urged the public to wash hands frequently with soap.

China is not the only country where citizens have been urged to avoid direct contact with each other. In France, newspapers have been filled with advice on how to replace kissing on the cheek -- an everyday greeting in the country. In United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, citizens have been asked to stop the traditional "nose to nose" greeting.