Concerns over the spread of colds, the flu and other viruses that spread from skin-to-skin contact like from a handshake have health professionals recommending that we adopt a touching elbows technique. Purell, the leading Hand Sanitizer brand, says 2 in 5 American adults have hesitated to shake hands with someone because of fear of germs. Even more interesting is that 55 percent of Americans would rather touch a public toilet seat than shake a hand of someone after they have sneezed or coughed into it. Today’s youth have adopted the fist bump among other things to stay “cool” and “trendy,” but many Americans are following this trend because of their fears of germs.

Frequent hand washing has been improving, but there is not a sink available. 3 in 5 Americans have agreed that if they had a sanitizer like Purell wipes, they would be less hesitant to shake hands with someone. There is no reason to refuse a handshake, as you are very possibly offending a friend, colleague or family member by doing so. By following proper hand hygiene you are doing the single best thing to prevent infection and illness. When a sink is not available, Purell Sanitizer is the number 1 doctor recommended brand and used most by hospitals and schools as it’s proven to kill 99.99 percent of the most common germs that may cause illness.

A quarter of Americans identify them as germaphobes. Greeting is done with a handshake in the modern world, a powerful and intensely personal gesture and can be traced back to medieval times. Today it’s thought by many as a medium for germ transmission, and as a result it is on the decline.

Instead of letting the handshake go the way of the Dodo bird, why not be more conscious of how frequent you wash your hands and where you are putting them (ie: avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth). The handshake is so much more powerful than a fist bump, it establishes trust and is far more intimate. When you can not wash your hands, make sure to take some Purell hand sanitizer along with you.