Why UN chief Ban Ki-moon refuses to shake hands

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been refusing to shake hands, instead poking people with his elbow when greeting them.

This is not a gimmick, but a cautionary measure after his visit to countries infected with the ebola virus.

Ban visited all five ebola-infected countries ― Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali and Ghana ― from Dec. 17-21.

After his visits, Ban chose not to be quarantined for 21 days, but returned to his work as U.N. chief. But he decided not to shake hands.

Ban had check-ups at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promptly after arriving at JFK International Airport.

Earlier, the trip had caused some controversy because the U.N. security team had opposed the visit.

But Ban insisted, saying he could not properly deal with the international crisis unless he went to the scene.

But he reduced the size of his visiting group because he said he could not guarantee the safety of his entourage. Usually, at least 12 people escort the U.N. chief on official trips, but this was reduced to five, including Ban.

He also insisted that all members should be volunteers and male.