Don't shake hands, just touch elbows

Sealing a business deal with a handshake could be a thing of the past after a leading scientist claims we should keep our hands to ourselves to prevent the the spread of infectious diseases like flu.

Nathan Wolfe, a virus expert at Stanford University in California, suggests we should use a “safe shake” like touching elbows or follow the example of the Japanese and take a bow to avoid the spread of infections.

According to the Sunday Times Dr Wolfe says diseases such as stomach bugs, flu and colds spread readily via skin contact.