Virginia retirement community creates "hugging walls" as COVID precaution

Many of America’s elderly have been cut off from loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic, so a retirement community in Virginia created a “hugging wall” where residents can safely embrace others.

“It came about because as holidays were approaching, we thought, ‘Gosh, we have to figure out a safe way for people to hug each other,’” Westminster-Canterbury retirement home CEO Ben Unkle said.

“We just came up with the simple idea of using a clear plastic shower curtain suspended on some PVC pipes. It’s safe and creates the right barrier that people need. It’s easy to clean, it’s flat.”