Like half of London, I’m feeling a little under the weather at the moment. Perhaps I’ve been shaking too many hands.

A review of hand hygiene procedures from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine suggests that greeting with a kiss beats a firm handshake in limiting the spread of illness. At least, that’s the angle taken by the press release and media reports. The paper itself does not seem to make the comparison.

The Telegraph has a handy step-by-step photo guide to greeting someone with a kiss. For friends and family, aim for the right-hand side, purse lips, but only touch cheeks. A more formal liaison might employ the ‘French air kiss’, which avoids contact altogether.