SCIENCE BRIEFING
Thanks to swine flu, there’s a little less hugging and kissing in the United States.
About 1 in 10 Americans have stopped hugging and kissing close friends or relatives because of concerns about swine flu, according to a survey released Friday. About the same number have stopped shaking hands.
Health officials have emphasized other measures to prevent spread of the virus, such as washing hands and using hand sanitizers. The survey found about two-thirds of Americans are taking such steps.
“This outbreak has permeated a lot of American life,” said Robert Blendon, the Harvard School of Public Health researcher who led the polling.
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