Social Distancing: What Is it, Why It’s Important, How to Do It

Skagit County, WA – Ever since the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11th, the term “Social Distancing”  has been  dominating news headlines and working its way into our everyday conversations.  We’ve been told time and time again that social distancing is recommended to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, but a month ago, most of us had not even heard the term, so what does it mean?

According to Wikipedia, “Social Distancing is a term applied to certain nonpharmaceutical infection control actions taken by public health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease. The objective of social distancing is to reduce the probability of contact between persons carrying an infection, and others who are not affected, so as to minimize disease transmission, morbidity and ultimately, mortality.”

So what, exactly, is social distancing?  Social distancing is not the same as self-quarantine or isolation, two other practices being utilized to minimize the coronavirus spread.  Social Distancing is simply trying to keep some space between you and other people-about six feet of space to be exact.  The Key difference is that a quarantine or isolation restricts the movement of people within a certain area or zone to limit transferring and spreading an infection. Social Distancing places no such locational constraints, rather it is a behavioral practice to lower the risk in most circumstances.

“It’s a strange term”  admits Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a recent aarp.org article. “We think that infections are spread by respiratory droplets, spread when you’re within about six feet of another person, so avoiding those circumstances where you’re going to be in  close quarters with lots of other people can help achieve social distancing,”

This is why School Districts are cancelling classes, professional sports leagues are suspending their seasons, and crowded parks and museums are closing their gates. It may seem excessive, especially for those unaffected by the illness, but experts say it works.  Staying home as much as possible and avoiding crowded spaces, even if you are young, healthy and symptom-free, helps reduce the risk of infection in the “high-risk” population.  Why is this important?  Imagine if 100 people were going to get sick over 100 days and those 100 people  need to go to the hospital for treatment. This would put a certain type of pressure on a health care system, now imagine 100 people getting sick all in the same day, it’s a different kind of pressure on the health care system. A “key concept” of social distancing is slowing the spread of the pandemic in order to “decrease the pressure on the health care system, according to Schuchat.

Why Social Distancing? Often before people even know they’re sick, they could spread the virus. That is probably why we’ve seen such a rapid spread around the world of COVID-19. While most people who get COVID-19, experience mild to moderate symptoms, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath but for others, the disease can be far worse. Early data shows that older adults and individuals with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, are more likely to experience severe illness and death.

Ultimately, Keeping your distance from others helps keep others healthy and by promoting social distancing, Health Officials are protecting the vulnerable and protecting the health care system.

Going outside is still okay and highly suggested for your mental and physical health, as long as you steer clear of highly populate areas. Go for a hike, hang out by the river, take your dog for a walk or play in your backyard. There are ways to stay active while still avoiding crowds of people and we know exercise, even walking, boosts the immune system, so it’s a win-win. The World Health Organization also suggests eating healthy and staying hydrated. The first tip, drink lots and lots of water.

In addition to social distancing, washing your hands and  covering your coughs and sneezes are some of the most important steps the public can take to help keep the COVID-19 from spreading. In Washington State, Health Officials are recommending that people avoid visiting nursing homes, and try to work from home when possible. They suggest that families check in with loved ones via a phone call, through social media or by using a video chat service.

Laying low doesn’t stop the transmission entirely, but it can help flatten the growth curve of new people testing positive for the novel coronavirus. The information out about COVID-19 is continually changing. What you do this weekend may be different from what’s advisable next weekend. Be prepared to change things up. Living in a time of uncertainty is certainly unnerving, but remember, it’s not going to be like this forever.