Hugging is fast becoming a forgotten concept in the UK due to the fear of coronavirus, a survey has revealed recently. <o:p></o:p>

As per a survey conducted by YouGov and PA news agency, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, nearly 70 per cent people are to shy away from shaking hands with someone who does not live in the same house as them.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delmicron-new-variant-behind-surge-in-covid-19-cases-in-us-europe-439469">'Delmicron': New variant behind surge in COVID-19 cases in US, Europe?</a></o:p>

It has been revealed that nearly two-thirds of people&nbsp;do not want to shake hands with anyone who do not live with them as they fear that the deadly coronavirus may spread this way.<o:p></o:p>

In another independent study it was observed that more than a third of adults are now experiencing high levels of anxiety amid the rising fear of Omicron variant’s spread. As per the data collected by Office for National Statistics (ONS), at least 38 per cent adults are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety.<o:p></o:p>

This figure has seen an increase from the last one, which was collected in January 2021. As per the experts, the levels have been increasing since the end of November, the time period when the new variant, Omicron, was identified in African nations and started spreading all around the world.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-cases-rise-in-united-kingdom-authorities-ramp-up-measures-to-curb-growing-outbreak-439496">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-cases-rise-in-united-kingdom-authorities-ramp-up-measures-to-curb-growing-outbreak-439496/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition to this, people have also admitted to increased use of hand sanitizer. Some people also claimed that they make it a point to wipe down trolleys or baskets in supermarket amid fears of community spread of the deadly coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

More than a third of interviewed people also reported that they prefer meeting people outdoors now, as experts have claimed that the possibility of catching the virus is more in indoor spaces.<o:p></o:p>

Also, out of 1,652 people in the UK, a third of people said they fear that coronavirus pandemic will never be effectively over in the country, whereas four per cent said it is already over and rest believe that it will eradicate within a year or two.

<o:p>(Inputs from agencies)</o:p>

Hugging is fast becoming a forgotten concept in the UK due to the fear of coronavirus, a survey has revealed recently. As per a survey conducted by YouGov and PA news agency, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, nearly 70 per cent people are to shy away from shaking hands with someone who does not live in the same house as them.

Hugging is fast becoming a forgotten concept in the UK due to the fear of coronavirus, a survey has revealed recently. As per a survey conducted by YouGov and PA news agency, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, nearly 70 per cent people are to shy away from shaking hands with someone who does not live in the same house as them. Also read | 'Delmicron': New variant behind surge in COVID-19 cases in US, Europe? It has been revealed that nearly two-thirds of people do not want to shake hands with anyone who do not live with them as they fear that the deadly coronavirus may spread this way. In another independent study it was observed that more than a third of adults are now experiencing high levels of anxiety amid the rising fear of Omicron variant’s spread. As per the data collected by Office for National Statistics (ONS), at least 38 per cent adults are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety. This figure has seen an increase from the last one, which was collected in January 2021. As per the experts, the levels have been increasing since the end of November, the time period when the new variant, Omicron, was identified in African nations and started spreading all around the world. WATCH | In addition to this, people have also admitted to increased use of hand sanitizer. Some people also claimed that they make it a point to wipe down trolleys or baskets in supermarket amid fears of community spread of the deadly coronavirus. More than a third of interviewed people also reported that they prefer meeting people outdoors now, as experts have claimed that the possibility of catching the virus is more in indoor spaces. Also, out of 1,652 people in the UK, a third of people said they fear that coronavirus pandemic will never be effectively over in the country, whereas four per cent said it is already over and rest believe that it will eradicate within a year or two. (Inputs from agencies)

Amid Omicron spread, hugging has decreased and anxiety has increased: Survey

British Prime Minister&nbsp;Boris&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will set out on Monday the next phase of lockdown easing in England, giving the green light to "cautious hugging" and allowing pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures.

Aided by one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, Britain's daily case and death numbers have dropped sharply - reporting just two fatalities on Sunday - enabling it to emerge from a lockdown imposed in January to tackle a second wave.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="UK regulators advise under-40s to get alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine">UK regulators advise under-40s to get alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine</a>

The government set out plans on Friday to slowly reopen international travel and&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;is expected on Monday to confirm that the next set of easing will come into force on May 17, with pubs, restaurants and cinemas opening indoors.

People should also be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households can meet indoors. The government is also expected to say whether the rules around social distancing with friends and family can ease, prompting headlines about "cautious hugging".

"It does look as if the roadmap is on course," junior minister Nadine Dorries told Sky News. "The prime minister will be making an announcement later this afternoon and he will be detailing how we're going to unlock and when."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="UK returns to normalcy as restrictions ease ">UK returns to normalcy as restrictions ease&nbsp;</a>

Asked by the BBC if people would be told to cautiously cuddle, Dorries replied: "I don't think you can cautiously cuddle but the prime minister is going to make the announcement this afternoon."

That reopening will apply to England only, with the devolved governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales setting out their own rules.

Dorries, the minister for mental health, said the government needed to be careful that society did not reopen too quickly however because variants of the coronavirus have been circulating.

According to Johns Hopkins data, Britain has the fifth highest death toll in the world from COVID-19 with 127,605 fatalities. Two thirds of adults in the United Kingdom have had a first vaccine and one third have had both doses.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Monday the next phase of lockdown easing in England, giving the green light to "cautious hugging" and allowing pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Monday the next phase of lockdown easing in England, giving the green light to "cautious hugging" and allowing pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures. Aided by one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, Britain's daily case and death numbers have dropped sharply - reporting just two fatalities on Sunday - enabling it to emerge from a lockdown imposed in January to tackle a second wave. Also read | UK regulators advise under-40s to get alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine The government set out plans on Friday to slowly reopen international travel and Johnson is expected on Monday to confirm that the next set of easing will come into force on May 17, with pubs, restaurants and cinemas opening indoors. People should also be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households can meet indoors. The government is also expected to say whether the rules around social distancing with friends and family can ease, prompting headlines about "cautious hugging". "It does look as if the roadmap is on course," junior minister Nadine Dorries told Sky News. "The prime minister will be making an announcement later this afternoon and he will be detailing how we're going to unlock and when." Also read | UK returns to normalcy as restrictions ease Asked by the BBC if people would be told to cautiously cuddle, Dorries replied: "I don't think you can cautiously cuddle but the prime minister is going to make the announcement this afternoon." That reopening will apply to England only, with the devolved governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales setting out their own rules. Dorries, the minister for mental health, said the government needed to be careful that society did not reopen too quickly however because variants of the coronavirus have been circulating. According to Johns Hopkins data, Britain has the fifth highest death toll in the world from COVID-19 with 127,605 fatalities. Two thirds of adults in the United Kingdom have had a first vaccine and one third have had both doses.

'Cautious hugging' and pints: UK PM Johnson to ease England's lockdown

A top Pakistani university has expelled two students for hugging and proposing on campus, after a video of the incident went viral on social media.&nbsp;

A special disciplinary committee of the University of Lahore held a meeting on Friday and summoned the two students but they failed to appear.&nbsp;

The committee then decided to expel the boy and the girl and banned them from entering any of the university's campuses.&nbsp;According to the University of Lahore, the two students were involved in gross misconduct and violation of university rules.&nbsp;The students in question were summoned before the committee but failed to appear. Thus, in pursuance of Section 9 of the General Discipline and Code of Conduct on the Campus, the committee has decided to expel the two students for violating the varsity's rules and regulations and serious infraction of the code of conduct. Furthermore, as per Section 16, they are debarred from entering the premises of University of Lahore and all its sub-campuses," read a statement from the University of Lahore.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
University of Lahore WTF...........🙂 <a href="https://t.co/PiCt5FD78Q">pic.twitter.com/PiCt5FD78Q</a>
— NنDEEM (@Nadeem_M7) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nadeem_M7/status/1370009639660761089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The video of the proposal took Twitter by storm, it was one of the top trends on social media last Thursday when the incident took place.&nbsp;The viral footage shows the girl with her right knee bent on the ground, holding a bouquet of roses, proposing to the boy, who then takes the flowers and pulls the girl for a hug. Nearby students are seen cheering them along.&nbsp;

As the footage went viral, the university took notice of it.&nbsp;

Expulsion of the couple drew mixed reactions on the internet. A social media user posted the picture of Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan from the movie 'Mohabbatein' where he played a college principal, who was against romance in college.&nbsp;

"Presenting to you, the Principal of the University of Lahore," read the caption with a photograph of Bachchan.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
University of Lahore administration purportedly expelled Hadiqa and Shehryar from university for publicly going for marriage proposal &amp; momentary display of affection. University says both students violated code of conduct and committed gross misconduct in the university. <a href="https://t.co/MDIVJ4Mk9U">pic.twitter.com/MDIVJ4Mk9U</a>
— Zahid Gishkori (@ZahidGishkori) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZahidGishkori/status/1370444536099446784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Slain prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto's daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari termed the university action ridiculous.&nbsp;

Former cricketer Wasim Akram's wife Shaniera Akram said in a tweet: Apply all the rules you want but you can't expel love! It's in our hearts, it's the best part about being young and it what makes life worth living! You learn more about love than you can ever learn at an institution.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A top Pakistani university has expelled two students for hugging and proposing on campus, after a video of the incident went viral on social media. A special disciplinary committee of the University of Lahore held a meeting on Friday and summoned the two students but they failed to appear.

A top Pakistani university has expelled two students for hugging and proposing on campus, after a video of the incident went viral on social media. A special disciplinary committee of the University of Lahore held a meeting on Friday and summoned the two students but they failed to appear. The committee then decided to expel the boy and the girl and banned them from entering any of the university's campuses. According to the University of Lahore, the two students were involved in gross misconduct and violation of university rules. The students in question were summoned before the committee but failed to appear. Thus, in pursuance of Section 9 of the General Discipline and Code of Conduct on the Campus, the committee has decided to expel the two students for violating the varsity's rules and regulations and serious infraction of the code of conduct. Furthermore, as per Section 16, they are debarred from entering the premises of University of Lahore and all its sub-campuses," read a statement from the University of Lahore. University of Lahore WTF...........🙂 pic.twitter.com/PiCt5FD78Q — NنDEEM (@Nadeem_M7) March 11, 2021 × The video of the proposal took Twitter by storm, it was one of the top trends on social media last Thursday when the incident took place. The viral footage shows the girl with her right knee bent on the ground, holding a bouquet of roses, proposing to the boy, who then takes the flowers and pulls the girl for a hug. Nearby students are seen cheering them along. As the footage went viral, the university took notice of it. Expulsion of the couple drew mixed reactions on the internet. A social media user posted the picture of Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan from the movie 'Mohabbatein' where he played a college principal, who was against romance in college. "Presenting to you, the Principal of the University of Lahore," read the caption with a photograph of Bachchan. University of Lahore administration purportedly expelled Hadiqa and Shehryar from university for publicly going for marriage proposal & momentary display of affection. University says both students violated code of conduct and committed gross misconduct in the university. pic.twitter.com/MDIVJ4Mk9U — Zahid Gishkori (@ZahidGishkori) March 12, 2021 × Slain prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto's daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari termed the university action ridiculous. Former cricketer Wasim Akram's wife Shaniera Akram said in a tweet: Apply all the rules you want but you can't expel love! It's in our hearts, it's the best part about being young and it what makes life worth living! You learn more about love than you can ever learn at an institution. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Social media erupts as Pak varsity expels students for 'hugging' on campus 

A Denmark-based company has developed a hugging machine called OrbisBox to help calm people with autism. 
 
The device is 163 centimeters tall, 85 cm wide and 223 cm in length. It can be transported to different locations and contains side plates covered with polyurethane foam. 
 
The device is said to be a commercial model based on Dr Temple Grandin&rsquo;s invention of the &ldquo;hug machine.&rdquo; Dr. Grandin is a world renowned spokesperson for autism, who created the device when she in college. 
 
Once the user is inside the OrbisBox, the side plates will start to move in and press against them, mimicking the sense of a hug. The weight of the pressure can be adjusted from 10 kg to 30 kg. 
 
The box has built-in speakers to play soothing music. Lighting can also be changed to make the user feel more relaxed. 
 
Autism is a complex brain development disorder which, scientists say, likely affects boys five times more than it does girls. Signs of autism may include difficulties in social interaction, strange attachment to objects and unawareness to danger. 
 
Due to their hypersensitivity, people with autism are often uncomfortable or unable to seek comfort from other people. 
 
Autism is a growing developmental disorder in the US that it currently affects roughly two per cent of teenage boys, or one in 42 boys, according to Autism Speaks. 
 
(Reuters)

Once the user is inside the OrbisBox, the side plates will start to move in and press against them, mimicking the sense of a hug

A Denmark-based company has developed a hugging machine called OrbisBox to help calm people with autism. The device is 163 centimeters tall, 85 cm wide and 223 cm in length. It can be transported to different locations and contains side plates covered with polyurethane foam. The device is said to be a commercial model based on Dr Temple Grandin’s invention of the “hug machine.” Dr. Grandin is a world renowned spokesperson for autism, who created the device when she in college. Once the user is inside the OrbisBox, the side plates will start to move in and press against them, mimicking the sense of a hug. The weight of the pressure can be adjusted from 10 kg to 30 kg. The box has built-in speakers to play soothing music. Lighting can also be changed to make the user feel more relaxed. Autism is a complex brain development disorder which, scientists say, likely affects boys five times more than it does girls. Signs of autism may include difficulties in social interaction, strange attachment to objects and unawareness to danger. Due to their hypersensitivity, people with autism are often uncomfortable or unable to seek comfort from other people. Autism is a growing developmental disorder in the US that it currently affects roughly two per cent of teenage boys, or one in 42 boys, according to Autism Speaks. (Reuters)

Danish company creates hugging machine for people with Autism

hugging

Hugging, News on Hugging, stories on Hugging, articles on Hugging, Hugging stories at Wion, Hugging news, Hugging latest news