Can you catch the coronavirus from shaking hands?

The coronavirus is taking the world by storm and many people are worried about the spread of this virus. While this virus is highly contagious there is still a lot of misinformation and some false information when it comes to this virus.

​There has been information circulating stating that a person can catch the coronavirus from shaking hands. ​

There is information to correct this and teach a person how to protect themselves.  #handwashing

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, there have been many groups and even entire cities in the world that have ban handshakes. Even a youth soccer league has banned the handshake after the games. While this may seem odd there have been handshake bans before. During flu season or when a new illness hits many healthcare providers recommend banning handshakes to avoid spreading infections and germs.


Hands are known for their germs. People do not wash their hands as often as they should and they can harbor bacteria. By avoiding handshakes with others this will reduce the number of bacteria that are transferred from person to person.

The risk of getting an illness through a handshake alone is not something that a person should be concerned about if people practice proper hygiene.

Lisa Maragakis who is the senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins Health Systems states that handshaking alone is not a big problem. If people wash their hands often, sneeze in their elbows, and wash after blowing their nose or using the restroom handshakes do not pose a big threat.

Stopping the handshakes may reduce the spread of some germs but will not prevent a person from getting any virus.  Most people do not wash their hands as often as they should and that is why they can pass on germs to others.

People must pay attention to hand hygiene and wash their hands more frequently.

They also need to sneeze into their elbow instead of the hand. After using a tissue a person should wash their hands.

Avoiding a handshake should not be seen as rude. Some people are not shaking hands out of courtesy because they do not want to spread germs. This is becoming socially acceptable especially when there is an outbreak of an illness. 

We encourage our home service providers like San Francisco Concrete Crew to carry hand sanitizer at the minimum when going out to meet new homeowners. 



It is important to be aware of the symptoms of the coronavirus.

Many of the symptoms resembled a cold. A person will experience sneezing, a running nose, feeling of fatigue, coughing, a sore throat, asthma, and in some cases fever.

There is currently no treatment. A person should avoid going out in public to prevent the spread. They should drink plenty of water and get rest.

The coronavirus is spread by people not covering their mouths when they sneeze and releasing the virus into the area. Touching the face and contact with people that have the virus. In order to stop the spread of the virus a person really needs to pay attention to how often they are washing their hands to stop the spread of any germs.

Currently, the United States and Canadian health officials have stated that handshaking does not have a big impact on the spread of the virus since it is not actively circulating.

Read more on The Verge. 

​A handshake will more than likely not spread the virus but people are not getting offended if a handshake is turned down. Some things are more likely to spread the coronavirus than shaking hands. Yes, yes it's very scary, read more here.

People that are out in public need to be aware of those coughing and sneezing around them.

If a person is not feeling well they should not go to work or venture out in public. Sick children should be kept home from school. Employers are encouraging people to use their sick time if they are not feeling well and if they have any symptoms of illness. Employers are also sending people home that appear to be sick.

Schools and other public places are implementing plans to help decrease the spread of the coronavirus. Many places have been working with their cleaning staff to develop safe methods of sanitation and making sure all shared surfaces are disinfected daily. This is going to have a much bigger impact on the spread of the virus than any of these ridiculous handshaking bans.  

If a person is feeling ill they should seek medical attention. These methods are much more effective at reducing the spread of the coronavirus then a handshake.

Contact us with any additional information here.