Is the Miami kiss-greeting dead? Here’s how experts say people will interact post-COVID

A woman walks into a restaurant to meet her friend. They smile and move in for a hug. But then they pause. After a moment, they laugh — and opt for an air hug instead.

A few tables over, Alex Piquero, professor and chair of the University of Miami’s Department of Sociology and Arts & Sciences, watches the strange, and slightly awkward, greeting with interest.

The way people interact has changed because of the pandemic, he said.

Humans are social creatures who crave touch and interaction. The pandemic took that away. Now, after more than a year of being locked inside, or social distancing from others outside, people are adapting again.

What you’re about to read is a prediction of what life will be like a year from now, based on interviews the Miami Herald conducted with experts across different fields.

How will people interact with friends, family and strangers after COVID?

For at least the next year, Piquero thinks people will rely on a “social network” hierarchy to determine who is safe to greet with Miami’s customary kiss on the cheek. Think of it like how Instagram lets you share certain stories only with people you’ve labeled as “close friends.”

People you trust and frequently see, like family and close friends, will still get hugs and kisses. That’s because you probably know where they’ve been and have a good idea of what precautions they are taking, he said. But people outside of that inner circle, like a distant cousin, a former classmate or work colleague, might just get a “Hello” or an air hug and air kiss. At most, a fist bump. No offense.

And while some might feel safe enough to take off their masks and go out now that more people are vaccinated, others might still be anxious about leaving the safety of their home after more than a year of being shuttered in — otherwise known as cave syndrome.

What is cave syndrome?

Cave syndrome is not an official diagnosis but rather a description of the anxiety-driven fear people still have about being exposed to the virus, even if they are fully vaccinated. It sounds similar to agoraphobia, a fear of public places.

A March 2021 American Psychological Association study reported that 49% of surveyed adults anticipated being uncomfortable about returning to in-person interactions when the pandemic ends. Among those who were vaccinated, 48% felt the same.

While most people are no longer locked up inside their homes, Piquero expects some people will likely still avoid crowded areas and mask up as a precaution even into 2022, depending on where they’re going.

Why will some people be more cautious than others?

“That’s the million-dollar question,” said Jeremy Pettit, professor and chair of Florida International University’s Department of Psychology and the director of FIU’s Center for Children and Families child anxiety and phobia program.

While the way a person reacts to a situation depends on a variety of factors, including personality and past experiences, Pettit said that it will all come down to gauging personal risk factors versus “potential rewards” in the pandemic. Rewards could mean eating with friends at a restaurant, attending a concert or traveling to visit family.

“There’s been, for over a year, a 24/7 stream of information about the dangers of this virus. So if we’re seeing people being reluctant to get back out in society, and being afraid to do so, that should come as no surprise, that’s a normal reaction, even adaptive and healthy to have some fear and anxiety about this for our own safety,” Pettit said.

“But as things continue to open up, as more and more people get vaccinated, I think we’ll see gradually, for most people, that anxiety is going to go down, and things will start to feel like they’re returning to normal.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 6:00 AM.