Our emotions tell us what science backs — a hug can do wonders to boost health. Since March, many of us are avoiding those hugs, even the holding of hands, handshakes and high-fives under social distancing to slow exposure to the novel coronavirus. It’s most commonly spread from close person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets. But withdrawal from touch has its own fallout. Won-Fong Lau Johnson, PhD, is quoted.