As a bit of an addendum to things I've been writing recently about Covid and masks and so on, it is worth mentioning that one of the reasons the virus has not spread so rapaciously here in Indonesia may be that casual touching or hugging is not common in the culture. Neither handshakes nor hugs are usual forms of greeting, for instance. More commonly, a person will touch his chest and nod, or, especially in Bali, put his hands together in prayer fashion, both of which coincidentally decrease the likelihood of transmission of the virus. Handshakes, or fist bumps, have become more common among younger men, especially when interacting with a male westerner, and yet remain still fairly rare. It is just not a natural part of the culture. This, along with the more habitual use of masks, has likely had a significant impact.
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