President Trump bumped elbows with a health care executive during a private sector meeting, as he declared a national emergency amid the coronavirus flare-ups in the country.
The Trump Elbow Bump.
— Dave (@areamerican1) March 13, 2020
Try it. It works. #coronapocalypse #elbowbump pic.twitter.com/HmN0M22egq
"OK, I like that", Trump said with a smile, after Bruce Greenstein, chief strategy and innovation officer at LHC Group, invited for a national health gathering in the Rose Garden along with other private sector executives, rounded off his speech.
At the meeting, POTUS declared a national emergency due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, speaking and shaking hands with the specialists involved in ramped-up efforts to conduct sufficient virus testing across the nation.
Trump, incidentally, is known to have shaken hands in recent days with multiple officials who have since gone into self-imposed quarantine.
The elbow bump obviously couldn’t get past the attention of netizens, with some completely disconcerted about POTUS’ earlier gestures being out of whack with recommendations provided by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and his own repeated tips:
WHY IS THE PRESIDENT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE SHAKING THE HAND OF EVERY BUSINESS LEADER? THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE BEING TOLD NOT TO DO BY EVERY EXPERT AND THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF. WE NEED LEADERS WHO LEAD AND DO SO BY EXAMPLE, BY WORD AND BY DEED. #COVID19
— Erin Schrode (@ErinSchrode) March 13, 2020
A number of netizens left room for a bit of irony, when it came to the official “refusing” Trump a handshake, with CNN’s Jim Accosta speculating that Trump had actually extended his hand for a handshake, but Greenstein opted for an elbow bump instead.
At least one of them didn’t want to get it from Trump. #elbowbump
— Matt Shivers🎙 (@MattShiversVO) March 13, 2020
Trump offered to shake hands with one participant at news conference but that man opted for the elbow bump. pic.twitter.com/KqRnJ2n0b2
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 13, 2020
… while others dwelled on POTUS “feeling good” whatever the circumstances, with one arguing that they all grabbed the same mic is “more [of] an issue” in light of “this new invention called hand sanitizer".
He’s not worried! Not going to be tested after exposure because he “feels good”!! This is right after he said that people can transmit even if they are not sick! Can’t fix s STUPID....but maybe Covid19 can.
— Trish #Im🍑🍄 (@Tigerbelle60) March 13, 2020
That's more an issue than shaking hands.
— Mark W (@dragynrydermw) March 14, 2020
Since they have this new invention called hand sanitizer.
“It's not a news conference it's a trade fair", another remarked no less humorously.
“He’s shaking numerous hands and they are all touching and sharing the same mic...", a different Twitterian waded in, while ome posted, tongue-in-cheek:
“Clearly Trump must be impeached".
Vice President Pence was asked at a press briefing earlier whether he and Trump would stop shaking hands as a public health precaution.
“As the president has said, in our line of work you shake hands when someone wants to shake your hand", Pence remarked before summing up:
"And I expect the president will continue to do that. I’ll continue to do it. What this is is a broad recommendation for Americans. But a really good recommendation is to wash your hands often".
