Avoiding handshake is a key social distancing norm in the wake of global pandemic coronavirus, but top politicians and officials in a town in Andhra Pradesh shook hands with a man as the latter walked out of a hospital after treatment for Covid-19.

The incident occurred in Kakinada town on Friday when the 22-year-old was discharged from a government general hospital. The man from Rajahmundry had tested positive for the coronavirus on March 22, four days after he returned from London.

As he completed the treatment and subsequently tested negative, he was discharged from the hospital. Those present to welcome him outside the hospital include Member of Parliament from Kakinada, V. Geetha Vishwanath, Kakinada City MLA, D. Chandrasekhar Reddy, East Godavari District Collector, D. Muralidhar Reddy and Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi besides the hospital officials.

The MLA, collector and SP were seen shaking hands with the man.

He voluntarily went to the hospital due to cold, cough and fever. The doctors sent his samples for the Corona test and the result was positive.

“Doctors used to monitor very closely, assessing my body response to the treatment. After one week, they found I had recovered”, the youth told media persons.

He is one of the five patients to recover in Andhra Pradesh so far.