It’s safe for vaccinated Californians to hug again — here’s why it’s healthy for you

A hug can be a powerful thing.

Hugs bring us together, sometimes in moments of joy and sometimes in sorrow.

“When we see each other, we embrace each other. We hug each other. Family embracing family,” saud Les Simmons, senior pastor at South Sacramento Christian Center.

And yet, for more than a year now, many Californians have gone without the ability to hug their loved ones due to the risk of COVID-19 exposure. Over the past year, many people had to make do with phone calls, or Zoom meetings, or other remote methods of keeping in touch without actually touching.

“There was a world of hurt for folks,” said Jean Franzblau of Los Angeles, who has worked as a professional cuddler since 2014 offering a “rated G experience” for people in need of comfort.

That’s changing as COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available and the state reopens. Suddenly, vaccinated grandparents can embrace grandchildren without worry and old friends can come closer.

Franzblau, whose business closed when the pandemic hit, is already getting calls from people in need of a hug.

“People are contacting me, cuddle clients are contacting me, excited,” said Franzblau, whose professional services include “hugging, spooning, holding hands, compassionate conversation or blissful quiet,” according to her website, Cuddle Sanctuary.

Franzblau said she was fortunate, in that she had a pandemic-safe “bubble” of people who could provide physical touch in her regular life.

Many people did not have that option.

“There’s a whole new section of the population who now understand what isolation and touch deprivation is,” Franzblau said.

Why you should hug

Michael Murphy, a research assistant professor at Texas Tech University, said social isolation takes a toll on the human body. He pointed to a wealth of scientific data showing what lack of human contact can do to a person.

“Numerous large, well-controlled prospective studies repeatedly demonstrated that having few social connections is a potent risk factor for premature death. Moreover, these findings remained even after scientists accounted for the many traditional medical risk factors known to predict early death,” Murphy said.

Murphy said that social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, poorer outcomes for HIV/AIDS patients, as well as leading to depression, substance abuse and suicide.

“Just like we are motivated to eat when we’re hungry, when our social needs go unmet, we feel more driven to connect with others. Hugs can serve as a quick yet powerful reminder that we belong,” he said.

Physical touch holds several physiological benefits, Murphy said, including protecting people from the harmful effects of stress and even boosting aspects of our immune system.

“Psychologically, supportive touch serves as a simple yet powerful reminder that we have people in our lives who love and care about us,” said

Keeping distance in public

For some, physical distancing will remain the rule, though, at least a little while longer.

Franzblau said that she is tentatively looking at July as a possible date to resume in-person cuddle sessions. She said she will follow the law and the science in making her final decision.

“I definitely lean toward being as safe as possible,” she said.

Likewise, social distancing remains the rule at South Sacramento Christian Center.

“People over property. I’m putting the lives of people first,” Simmons said.

The senior pastor said that it’s been a challenge for his congregation, “because people want to hug.”

The church is looking at returning to limited in-person worship sessions by late April or early May, but for the time being, they will be maintaining social distancing discipline, he said.

“We’re gonna get through this,” Simmons said.

This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.