Remember when the idea of shaking someone’s hand didn’t fill your mind with fear of receiving or spreading a deadly disease? The coronavirus pandemic has, at least temporarily, killed the handshake and the hug, reports TIME senior health writer Mandy Oaklander. But it’s also revealed how important touch is in our society, and how painful its absence can be.
“Little decisions we barely thought about before—should I shake that stranger's hand? Will I give my mom a hug?—are now fraught,” says Oaklander. “For now, touching people who aren't quarantined with you is heavily discouraged. The question is, when the coronavirus outbreak is over, what forms of touch will return, and what will disappear?”
Even if the ways we touch one another change, experts think we’ll still need some form of social contact in our lives. Touching one another, after all, fosters emotional connection and strengthens social ties. “Interactions with family, friends and even strangers can feel a bit less human without it,” Oaklander says.
But handshakes, which aren’t very hygienic, could be on the way out. “Hands are warm, they’re wet, and we know that they transmit disease very well,” says Dr. Mark Sklansky, chief of pediatric cardiology at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. “They’re a phenomenal vector for disease.” In a 2014 paper, Sklansky and his colleagues argued that health care workers can help keep patients safe by keeping their hands to themselves. Although many may have scoffed at the idea before, changes in how we touch one another now seem inevitable—both in hospitals and beyond.
How will we greet one another in a post-COVID world? There are plenty of alternative greetings, like an elbow bump, a bow, or even the “namaste” gesture. But despite its ability to spread disease, it’s unlikely that the handshake will completely disappear even after the coronavirus is no longer a major threat—the gesture is too deeply ingrained in our culture for that, Oaklander says.
First, a quick note: Today, we’re introducing a new approach to how we’re mapping COVID-19 numbers.
Previously, our global and U.S. maps showed the cumulative totals of confirmed cases in each country and state, respectively. Moving forward, these maps will instead show the number of cases on a per-capita basis—the number of confirmed cases per 1 million people on the country-level map, and per 100,000 cases on the U.S. state-level map. We believe this will offer a better way to understand the extent of COVID-19’s impact on the people living in various parts of the world.
In addition, we’ll be adding charts to track the daily number of new cases and new deaths reported in the U.S., to provide a clearer sense of the trajectory of the virus day to day and week to week.
More than 5.5 million people around the world had been sickened by COVID-19 as of 8 PM eastern time last night, and more than 350,000 people had died.
Here is every country with over 70,000 confirmed cases:
The European Union today proposed a €750 billion ($825 billion) fund as part of a major pandemic recovery plan for the coronavirus-ravaged continent. “This is Europe’s moment,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech before European Parliament today. “Our willingness to act must live up to the challenges we are all facing.” The plan, which calls for European countries to contribute to a common pot, requires approval from all 27 EU members. While the plan has drawn support from countries hit hard by the outbreak (like Italy and France), others (like Austria, Denmark and The Netherlands) are cooler on the idea and hesitant to give away money without strict conditions.
France today revoked authorization for using hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment, the latest move reflecting growing evidence that the drug is not useful for COVID-19, and, in some cases, can be harmful. Hydroxychloroquine has been in the spotlight in recent weeks in no small part due to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has claimed without evidence that it could be useful in treating or preventing COVID-19 (Trump claimed earlier this month that he was taking the drug; he now says he is no longer doing so.)
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today announced the launch of the WHO Foundation, created to broaden the organization’s donor base and “improve both the quantity and quality of funding we receive,” he said. Until now, the WHO was not taking donations from the general public, Tedros said. The launch comes as the Trump administration has suspended contributions to the agency, claiming Chinese influence at the organization as the reason for doing so—a major blow, as Washington is the WHO’s biggest donor, providing about $450 million a year.
Some European countries that have so far been spared the worst of the outbreak are opening their doors to tourists again. Montenegro, which has reported no new domestic cases since May 5 and now says it’s coronavirus-free, is welcoming visitors, the AFP reports—but only for tourists from countries where case counts have been kept under 25 patients per 100,000 people. Greece, where fewer than 200 people have died of COVID-19 so far, is allowing international tourists to return to its islands starting June 15. Tourism is key to both countries’ economies.
Some countries are beginning to loosen their lockdowns in other ways. In South Africa, for instance—which has reported more than 24,000 cases, the highest number in sub-Saharan Africa—announced yesterday that places of worship can reopen on June 1 as long as congregants adhere to social distancing and hygiene requirements, the BBC reports. But some countries that already took steps towards reopening are now being forced to reevaluate amid fears of further infections. South Korea, which has largely been praised for its handling of the outbreak, reported 40 new COVID-19 cases today—its highest jump in about seven weeks. South Korea's top infectious disease expert said the country may need to bring back social distancing restrictions, the Associated Press reports.
The Situation in the U.S.
The total number of COVID-19 diagnoses in the U.S. rose to more than 1.68 million as of 8 PM eastern time yesterday, and the death toll was nearing 99,000.
On May 26, there were 18,611 new cases and 693 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Developing, testing and mass producing a coronavirus vaccine could take anywhere from months to years, depending on who you ask. But even when and if a vaccine becomes available, there’s no guarantee that people will choose to receive one. Only about half of Americans say they would get a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine, according to a poll out today from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The findings come after TIME’s Tara Law reported that anti-vaccination groups are already working to spread skepticism and misinformation about a COVID-19 vaccine.
House Republican leaders are suing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top congressional officials over a new remote voting system set up by Democrats for temporary use during the pandemic, according to three officials familiar with the plans, The New York Times reports. The lawsuit alleges that the procedure, which is set to be enacted today, is unconstitutional because remote voting overlooks the U.S. government founders' intentions for Congress to meet physically as a body and weakens the voting power of House legislators.
Two Republican governors—Georgia’s Brian Kemp and Florida’s Ron DeSantis—are volunteering their states to host the Republican National Convention after President Trump threatened to pull the event out of North Carolina. Trump wants that state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, to promise “within a week” that the city of Charlotte can host the convention at full capacity in August, despite health experts’ concerns over mass gatherings.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden isn’t laughing over Trump’s retweet of a post making fun of Biden for wearing a mask while participating in a Memorial Day event over the weekend. “He’s a fool, an absolute fool, to talk that way,” Biden said in a CNN interview. Trump and others in his administration have refused to wear face coverings while with others, contrary to the advice of health experts.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo met Trump at the White House earlier today. They spoke about infrastructure projects that Cuomo views as key to reopening his hard-hit state’s economy.
Florida’s Walt Disney World plans to reopen to the public on a limited basis in mid-July.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
African Americans in the Nation's Capital Brace for the Worst as D.C. Weighs Reopening
As Washington, D.C. plans to reopen non-essential businesses as early as Friday, many worry about the city’s black and brown residents, who have been disproportionately affected by the virus. Read more here.
Unpacking COVID-19's Connection to Kawasaki Disease
Parents don’t need to panic about the mysterious illness showing up in unusual numbers of children and teenagers living in coronavirus hotspots. But it’s worth keeping an eye on the situation regardless. Read more here.
Antibody Tests May Be Causing More Confusion Than Clarity
Antibody tests that tell people whether they have previously been infected with the coronavirus were praised as a way to end lockdowns. But in many communities, these testing programs have been scaled back or put on hold. Read more here.
The Tragic History of How Pandemics Have Disrupted Mourning
Zoom funerals may have become the norm now, but this isn’t the first time a pandemic has changed the way people grieve. Throughout history, diseases have led memorial ceremonies to be rushed or changed. Read more here.
America’s Renters Could Face an ‘Avalanche of Evictions’
Low-income tenants are in a vulnerable situation, as government support wanes for those who need it most and evictions could soon be allowed again in about half of the country, The New York Times reports. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Sanya Mansoor and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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