The Ebola threat to the African handshake
Close-up of two men shaking hands. It seems the African handshake could be slowly fading out in the countries affected by the Ebola and Marburg viruses’ outbreaks. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In August, Nigeria replaced handshakes with what they called a "seemingly safer chop knuckle option".
- n Liberia, President Johnson Sirleaf admitted that Ebola outbreak had changed the citizens’ way of life leading to an invention of what she termed as an “unusual handshake.”
With the continent still recovering from the Ebola outbreak, the chairperson of the African Union Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Friday experienced firsthand what has now become a ‘no handshakes’ country in Sierra Leone.
Ms Dlamini-Zuma was on an Ebola solidarity visit to the country when she received what was termed as a warm, no-handshake welcome at the Lungi Airport.
A tweet from the Africa Union’s Twitter handle read: “#Ebola solidarity visit, a warm no-handshake welcome for #AUC Chair #DlaminiZuma & @ECA_Lopes @Lungi airport, Salone.”
The country adopted a social distancing model after recommendations from a World Health Organisation Coordinator to avoid any body contact including handshakes in order to contain the spread of Ebola. (Read the story here)
This is just the latest incidence being reported in the continent, after the Uganda Independence Day celebrations in Kololo grounds, Kampala, where African heads of state exchanged pleasantries while keeping a distance apart.
A no-handshakes one-month campaign had been launched by the Monitor publications and Kampala Capital Authority in Uganda to prevent the spread of the Marburg virus.
NIGERIA REPLACED HANDSHAKES
In August, Nigeria replaced handshakes with what they called a "seemingly safer chop knuckle option".
The new handshake gained popularity and was adopted by the country’s first lady Patience Jonathan while exchanging pleasantries with Nigeria’s embassy officials in Poland while on a commissioning trip there.
In Liberia, President Johnson Sirleaf admitted that Ebola outbreak had changed the citizens’ way of life leading to an invention of what she termed as an “unusual handshake.”
Dubbed the “Liberian finger snap” people have adopted the greeting that involves clicking the fingers while producing snapping sounds.
Ghana Medical Association in August warned people to avoid handshakes that are typical in most African cultures.
Ghanaian President John Mahama, while on a visit to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea on September 15, was said to have avoided handshakes with the three heads of state.
The usual presidential pleasantries that are often part of such visits were conspicuously missing during his visits.
It seems the African handshake could be slowly fading in the countries affected by the Ebola and Marburg viruses’ outbreaks.
Both viruses are spread through contact with body fluids that include sweat and blood and have so far no licensed cure.
To date, the Marburg virus has led to the death of one health workerin Uganda while Ebola has claimed over 4,000 lives in West Africa.
