One of the hardest things to handle emotionally during quarantine is not being able to hug loved ones. This has led creative cuddlers, who sorely miss close contact, to invent contraptions like the "hug glove."

Experts say that the sense of touch is essential to our emotional well-being, so there is a valid medical reason why we feel deprived when we can’t reach out and touch someone.

“Affectionate touch is how our biological systems communicate to one another that we are safe, that we are loved, and that we are not alone,” said Johannes Eichstaedt, a psychology professor at Stanford University, told The New York Times.

Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert from Virginia Tech, told the Times that the risk of catching the coronavirus during a brief hug is low because it’s unlikely that enough particles are exchanged that can make you sick.

According to Fatherly, the safest action is to eschew hugging altogether, but if the negative effects of touch starvation are getting to you, follow these expert-recommended tips:

1. Wear a mask. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wears a mask in public. That’s true for huggers, too, said Fatherly.
2. Hug outdoors. The virus appears to be more prevalent indoors so opt for an outdoor encounter.
3. Don’t talk or cough while hugging. And try not to cry. Tears and runny noses increase the risk for coming into contact with more fluid that may contain the virus, said the Times.
4. Keep it brief. There is evidence that the more time you spend exposed to a potential virus, the greater your risk.
5. Angle your face away from the person you’re hugging, avoiding cheek-to-cheek or face-to-face positions. To minimize the risk of transmission of the virus into noses and mouths, Fatherly suggested that you angle your faces in opposite directions. Kissing the back of the head or hugging from behind are other options. Let children hug you around the waist, said the Times.