It was maybe three weeks ago, when life was still more or less normal, that for the first time, when greeting a friend, I asked: “Are we hugging or avoiding contact?”

This was still pretty much a joke; any threat seemed very distant, potential rather than real, wholly abstract, magnified and overblown by the media. A few days later, a friend greeted me with the words: “I would kiss you, but coronavirus…” We masked the awkwardness with a laugh, while maintaining a safe distance, “just in case”. Within literally a few days, these rituals have become the norm – a new form of courtesy, showing consideration for the possible uneasiness of others who may have different levels of anxiety or resistance than we do. “I understand that we will not shake hands”, is the newest version since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, i.e. where it is recognized that anyone in the world could be infected. The speed at which these courtesies have evolved reflects the consciousness with which we are reacting to the particular threat level; one in which each of us may pose a risk to another, smaller group of people for whom this illness could have tragic consequences. And of course, we are panicking a bit. But we are also genuinely concerned about a situation where a huge amount will depend upon whether we want to work together.