Mik5- Not saying CH”V to be meikel to shake hand but… the first source for that story with the Chazon Ish (that shaking hands is Yehareg Vaal Yaavor) is a very frummy biography of the Chazon Ish in Hebrew written by his Talmidim. Even in this biography the footnote says that many times the Chazon Ish used the lashon of “Yehareg Vaal Yaavor” to make a point and didn’t hold Lmaaseh it is Yehareg Vaal Yaavor. In terms of frum Jews shaking hands with excuses, although Rav Moshe did say that it is very hard to be Meikil so no one should actually do it, there were many great Rabbonim (from the Yekke community, mostly) who did shake hands in a case where it would embarrass the lady.
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