Etiquette Analysis: Greetings from a Distance
In my last etiquette analysis, I offered my thoughts on a bow vs. handshake vs. hug but aside from the bow, neither of those options are useful in the midst of a pandemic. While Emily Post does offer advice on mask wearing, she does not offer suggestions for an alternative to a handshake.
At this point, I’m sure we have all endured the awkward elbow tap and/or fist bump as a gesture of hello. I propose a contact-free alternative - a little hand raise, with a slight wave, while remaining 6 feet apart. The Emily Post Institute advises the following:
“Perfect your waves (you know your ‘professional wave’, your ‘zoom-meeting wave’, your ‘I-love-you-Grandma wave, your ‘I haven’t-seen-you-and-I’m-trying-so-hard-not-to-hug-you wave’) and use your tone of voice to match the occasion.” emilypost.com
Hopefully, we will return to a time when we can handshake or hug but for now, let’s all play it safe and keep our distance.