A contact-minimizing door opening and closing system for a door has a handle including a shaft with an endplate disposed on the shaft opposite the handle and a latch bolt including a pin positioned to contact the endplate. The pin prevents movement of the handle when the latch bolt is extended from a lock housing, and allows movement of the handle when the latch bolt is retracted into the lock housing. An engaging and disengaging mechanism couples the handle to a locking pin such that movement of the handle is configured to operate the engaging and disengaging mechanism to lock the door.