Coronavirus is reshaping human interaction in lasting ways

When we emerge on the other side of the COVID-19 outbreak, how will these difficult times change how society interacts with one another?
That's a question many are asking, including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"Now we're being told that it's dangerous. You can't just hold hands," he said during a daily press briefing in Albany Wednesday. "We're seeing so many facets of society right now. So, we will be at a different place. Our challenge is to make sure that transformation and that change is positive, and not negative."
Historically, social scientists and historians say moments like this create an opportunity to build on success and even create a greater society better poised to protect its citizens from future crises.
Here are some ways people see the future when it comes to social interaction:
Safe greetings
No handshakes, no hugs, and no cheek-kissing. Physical touch is a way to express friendship and affection. It's deeply rooted in culture and identity, but that will need to change--at least in the short term, say experts. Last week at a press conference, President Donald Trump suggested that shaking hands could be a thing of the past, saying "much of the guidelines like shaking hands — maybe people aren't going to be shaking hands anymore.” At a news conference last Saturday, the French minister of health, Olivier Véran, said the country should ban the traditional French greeting of kissing another's cheeks. Some social scientists also believe that as a generation who lived through the pandemic, we may not hug as often anymore.
Rise of online commerce and digital money
Digital grocery shopping has become the only option rather than going into an actual grocery store, and forecasts show a growing trend of e-commerce, even after the outbreaks subside. According to Adobe Analytics, average daily online sales for groceries doubled by the middle of March compared with the start of the month. Overall, e-commerce is up 25% over the same period. The WHO didn't explicitly say that money specifically is linked to coronavirus, which is also called COVID-19.The World Health Organization is also reportedly encouraging people to use as many digital payment options as possible, saying it's "advisable tousecontactless paymentsto reduce the risk of transmission."
Less dining out
Forget date and family pizza nights. Yelp’s Coronavirus Impact Report reveals that consumers want food with minimal human touch points. Many want to source their food closer to its source. The desire for food with less handling has lifted community-supported agriculture, farms, water stores, meat shops, and fruits and veggies stores. Also, a recent survey by Technomic confirms that 32 per cent of adults plan to eat at restaurants less often due to COVID-19 concerns.More than half said they plan to avoid crowds.
Cleaner travel
Travel experts predict that Americans, if they are planning a trip, won't traveling far from home. "Staycations" and road trips will be favored over flying or cruising, where they have a greater chance of coming in contact with more people and more germs. Also, outdoor destinations are expected to be on the rise. Meanwhile, many airlines, airports and hotels have begun outlining how they'll be stressing their cleaner more sanitary spaces to lure future travelers.