PARIS (AP) -- Could swine flu be the kiss of death for a traditional French greeting?
Worries about the pandemic have French health officials suggesting that people skip the traditional cheek-to-cheek peck that the French have always used to say hello or goodbye.
At least two French schools have banned the practice, and some companies and a Health Ministry hotline are cautioning against it.
A hotline operator says it's a recommendation, not a requirement.
Some are resisting what they see as a threat to a cherished custom. A headline in a French paper says: "Swine flu has already changed our life."
Teachers in one town have come up with a playful alternative.
They've set up boxes where pupils can drop heart-shaped greetings to be exchanged in class.
Worries about the pandemic have French health officials suggesting that people skip the traditional cheek-to-cheek peck that the French have always used to say hello or goodbye.
At least two French schools have banned the practice, and some companies and a Health Ministry hotline are cautioning against it.
A hotline operator says it's a recommendation, not a requirement.
Some are resisting what they see as a threat to a cherished custom. A headline in a French paper says: "Swine flu has already changed our life."
Teachers in one town have come up with a playful alternative.
They've set up boxes where pupils can drop heart-shaped greetings to be exchanged in class.
