Don’t Engage In Selective Social Distancing

We are living in a time of widespread social disruption, fear, stress, confusion. You name the negative emotion, people are feeling it. The threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) infecting children, elderly loved ones and those who are immunocompromised is very frightening. 

Most people fall on two ends of the spectrum: “This is not a big deal and the media is hyping it up to seem worse than it is” or “We have an obligation to humanity to protect each other from this virus.”

Before we discuss selective social distancing. Let me provide a brief description of social distancing. Social Distancing is a term applied to certain actions that are taken by Public Health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease. Not only is this in the hands of public health officials, but it is up to independently owned businesses and individuals alone to comply with what is safe. 

The CDC, in particular, defines social distancing as “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining a distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.”

Staying home and avoiding contact with people can reduce the number of infections over time. But, considering the fact that this is essentially an honor system, the decision is left to each person how they choose to live their lives; in isolation or congregation.

With unprecedented cancellations, schools closing their doors, Wall Street basically desolate, NCAA March Madness basketball games canceled, it should be pretty clear by now that this virus is a massive concern to mankind. So, why are there still so many people ignoring all of the warnings?

Selective Social Distancing

Selective Social Distancing (SSD) is when a person decides when they will distance themselves socially or when they will come in close proximity with others.

Ways in Which People Are Engaging in Selective Social Distancing

• Spending Time With Certain People: A person may decide that their friend said she hasn’t been outside of her home in three days so it is safe to see her. But, what if she received a contaminated package at her door, touch it, and is unaware she is sick yet?
• Making Big Plans: According to USA Today, Millennials are under fire for continuing their regular nightlife routine. Some are even booking trips to other states and countries because it is dirt cheap right now. The truth is, they may get to that destination, have a great time and come back unscathed. But what about the elderly or immunocompromised people they do infect?
• Engaging In Their Regular Routine: Some people are still going to the gym, leisurely clothing shopping, meeting at restaurants and then returning home. One justification for this is that businesses are telling people they are keeping things extra sanitary. With high profile restaurants such as Subway sending their customers’ emails about the new precautions they are taking, people feel satisfied. 

Why Social Distancing Is So Crucial

We are once again a country divided. People who are self-isolating are fueled with anger and viewing those that aren’t self-isolating as selfish.

The CDC suggests keeping a distance of 6 feet between yourself and others to minimize the spread of the disease. However, if you go media crazy and search the internet for more and more answers on how you should protect yourself and others, many articles are stating that “3 feet or more” is acceptable. What’s worse, people are gathering recipes for homemade virus killing recipes that are either simply ineffective or causing people to clear the shelves at stores making it impossible for sick people to receive the products they need.

These are just two examples of misinformation or educated guesses being circulated across the internet as fact. These are some of the reasons why some people are not taking this threat seriously. The messages are not consistent. Above all, the element of choice is still very present and up for interpretation.

Engaging in selective social distancing is a gamble and could affect the lives of others.

Social Distancing Doesn’t Have To Be Lonely

Now is more of a time than ever to stay connected. Those more sensitive to social isolation (people with chronic or severe depression) must reach out to others to maintain their mental health stability. 

Fortunately, we are living in a time where many people already spend most of their time connected with others through the use of technology. We live in a time where my 90-year-old grandpa was cruising the internet and even had a Facebook account. People of all ages can stay connected by:

• Using FaceTime
• Using apps like the Zoom video platform. It’s free to use and you can even set up a group “get together.” https://zoom.us
• If you run into a neighbor while getting the mail, for instance, you can talk to each other if you keep the 6 foot safe distance in mind.

The Bright Side

 In this time of high stress, uncertainty and cabin fever, the way in which you choose to live your life will be important for your mental health. This could be a time of great opportunity. The opportunity to reconnect with your family (via webcam of course) or to catch up on things that you wanted to do while you are stuck at home such as organization and cleaning. 

Remember all the times you wanted to take up something new, but you were too busy to make it happen? Whether it be learning a new language, woodwork, catching up on your shows or doing absolutely nothing (because you can), maybe it’s a good time to embrace this unique situation by using it for self-improvement? self-reflection? 

Be creative, and most of all be safe and respect the safety of others.