Well kids, it’s happened. I was wondering at exactly what point I would end up talking about coronavirus on Daily Star Trek News, and it turns out that today is the day. Don’t worry, though, it’s all for a good reason.

Former American Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang made waves among Trek fans yesterday for pointing out that a great way to avoid spreading coronavirus is to stop shaking hands...and use a traditional Vulcan greeting instead! Yang tweeted a picture of Spock, holding his hand up in the “Live Long and Prosper” salute, along with the caption, “I hate to say this - I’m not much of a germophobe myself - but we might want to work on a personal greeting that doesn’t involve physical contact.”

While somewhat tongue-in-cheek, Yang’s message here is actually pretty spot-on. The World Health Organization advises that among other preventative measures, one way of helping slow the spread of the highly-contagious disease is to maintain “social distancing”: “at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.” Elsewhere on the internet, the so-called “Wuhan shake” - or shaking feet, rather than hands - has evolved as another alternative form of greeting, but arguably, Yang’s (and Spock’s) method is easier to pull off.

All joking aside, the spread of coronavirus should be taken seriously. Wash your hands regularly with soap, use hand sanitizer when you don’t have access to a sink, avoid touching your face, and practice good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Remember, the people most at risk of serious complications from coronavirus depend on the rest of us to keep them safe. Please take the time to read the World Health Organization’s list of precautions, so we can all live long and prosper.