Now this article is intriguing.
Should the Pope continue to allow his followers to kiss the Piscatory ring? The practice, albeit ritualized, is far from hygienic, as summarized in this brief manuscript.
But how real is the risk of infection? Probably small and the risk of an outbreak from the Pope's ring is even smaller.
The practical solution, if so sought: adopt a fake kiss of the ring.
As for rings at the bedside in healthcare, they should be banned as the bacterial burden is significant. Rings also cannot be effectively cleaned in between patients.
Time for a practice change.
