Pandemic hug scale

About

NOTE: This page is a daughter page of: Graphic Scales

NEWSFLASH: I've also published a shorter version of this article to medium.com! Please support me by adding a "clap" at: The Pandemic Hug Scale

This dang (COVID-19) ruined many things.... but one of the biggest things affected was hugs. Yes, wonderful hugs were in question. I adore hugs - touch is my main love language - so for me this period of time was quite sad. But it's also quite fascinating.

I loved seeing people "elbow bump" and "foot touch", so below I've done a humorous scale which follows on from my COVID-19 Safety Scale and looks specifically at hugs during the scariest years of the pandemic.

My Graphical Representation of the "Pandemic Hug Scale" (0-10)

The hug safety scale.... think coronavirus responsibility scale from paranoid to irresponsible

The idea: Send to your friend you meet them so they can giggle, but also so they know your comfort level and adjust accordingly. I've had friends the full spectrum between 1 and 9! I do get tested every second week though for that very reason.

In San Francisco, you can be yourself - you can be into BDSM or sex with sheep and no one will judge you, but now they will judge you everywhere for hugging or not wearing a mask. Hugs are the new PDA.

Nothing is quite as funny as seeing two girls in a park run up to each other. Two great friends that haven't seen each other in forever, and just before they get to each other they slow down. Running into each other's arms and then... they pause. They haven't discussed what to do when they meet! I've decided that an awkward hug was the new sexy. If you hug normally, it means you're pandemic irresponsible... but if you don't hug at all it seems cold. All those awkward huggers out there - socially untrained software engineers - now is your time to shine baby! You've mastered the awkward hug years ago.

And the handshake? Well I won't miss the handshake as much, but in covid responsible countries and states the handshake is becoming dead. Maybe it will never become as popular as it once was.

Acknowledgements: My incredible friends Travis and Nicole who are largely hippy and both amazing at hugs so they surprised me when they said "we'll hug you with our eyes". I also very much respected that they are keeping with the rules. I'll cash away those two hugs for later! 2030? :)

See Also

• COVID-19 Safety Scale.