COVID-19 and social distancing - what is it, tips, how to cope?

Hello everyone,

You may be hearing the term "social distancing" a lot lately on the news and on social media. To slow the spread of the Coronavirus through US communities, the CDC is encouraging Americans to practice "social distancing" measures.

But what is social distancing, and how is it practiced?

Social distancing is a public health practice that aims to keep sick people from coming in close contact with healthy people in order to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. This can include large-scale efforts like closing public spaces or canceling group events, or smaller-scale decisions that individuals make such as avoiding crowds.

In the context of COVID-19, the objective of social distancing is to slow down the pace of the outbreak so as to lower the chance of infection among high-risk populations and to reduce the burden on healthcare systems and workers.

The CDC defines social distancing in the context of the Coronavirus as: "remaining out of congregrate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible."

In addition to physical distance, proper hand-washing is crucial for protecting not only yourself but others around you, because the Coronavirus can be spread even without signs of symptoms.

In recent days, many actions have been taken by cities, municipalities, businesses, organizations, and other authorities to encourage social distancing, like:

• Cancellation of events, including festivals, parades, and sporting events
• Suspension of in-person classes and activities by schools, colleges, and universities
• Cancellation of gatherings and conferences by businesses and organizations
• Encouragement or mandation of flexible work options (i.e. telecommuting) by workplaces
• Imposed isolation or quarantine

What about you?

What do you think about social distancing? Have you tried it yourself yet? Do you have any tips for others on how to make it more enjoyable?

Feel free to share below!

Take care,

Courtney