Latest Handshake Stories

AKRON, Ohio, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to yesterday's news that the British Olympic Association's (BOA) chief medical officer is advising British athletes to avoid shaking hands at the Summer Games to prevent the spread of germs, GOJO Industries, Inc., the maker and global distributor of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer, is urging the International Olympic Committee to equip athletes, coaches and the entire village with hand sanitizer at the 2012 Games in London. The...

[ Watch the Video ] Daniel Burbank, current commander of the International Space Station crew, has taken a new step in orbit by becoming the first human to shake hands with a humanoid robot in space. Burbank shook hands with Robonaut after ground controllers activated computer software that enabled the robot to extend its right hand, fingers outstretched. "The first human-humanoid handshake in space," Burbank said as the months of testing the Robonaut finally came to an end....

Just how many germs are you spreading with a handshake?Graduations are a celebration of achievement and growth, but could all the pomp and circumstance increase your risk of exposure to harmful bacteria? A team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health examined the risk of acquiring pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) through shaking hands at graduation ceremonies across Maryland. A handshake, a...

SKILLMAN, N.J., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Don't be surprised if your handshake is left hanging this cold and flu season. According to a recent survey commissioned by PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer, the leading hand sanitizer brand, 2 in 5 American adults (nearly 92 million people) -- have hesitated to shake hands with someone because they were afraid of germs. What's more, 55 percent of Americans would rather touch a public toilet seat than shake someone's hand after they've coughed or...

British scientists have unveiled a step-by-step guide to the perfect handshake in order to help people who are overcome with nerves. Researchers at the University of Manchester said on Thursday that the biggest problems are sweaty palms, limp wrists, gripping too hard and lack of eye contact. Geoffrey Beattie, the university's head of psychological sciences, determined 12 key measures in order to convey trust and respect to the recipient while taking part in the age-old custom. They include...

By Corinne Reilly, Merced Sun-Star, Calif. Jul. 22--Merced County must slash costs because of the state's looming budget crisis, but at least one controversial way to cut back is probably history: golden handshakes for county employees. Golden handshakes are deals employers sometimes offer workers as an incentive to retire early. For several months, Merced County officials have been considering such an incentive. Besides financial benefits for employees, the deals can help employers avoid...