Fist bumps more hygienic than handshakes, Study Says

PEOPLE should bump fists instead of shaking hands to “reduce the spread of infectious diseases”, experiments at Aberystwyth University have revealed.

For the study, volunteers slipped on some sterile gloves and soaked their hands in some E. Coli. Then they greeted other volunteers (those with clean gloves on) with hand shakes, fist bumps and yes, even some spirited high fives. Their study found the good, ol’ fashoned handshake transferred about 124 million units of the nasty, little germs. Twice as high as for high-fives and about 20 times more than “da bump”.

Why? The scientists say it’s all about the contact. A handshake covers most of the surface of a dirty hand and for a lot longer duration than the quick high-five. But a fist bump touches a smaller hand surface area and so less bacteria is transferred.

Of course, germs would be a lot less problematic if people just used some hot water and soap after using the bathroom. And if you have an issue with that statement, talk to the hand!

Agencies/Canadajournal