Coronavirus Pandemic: What is Social Distancing?

Global cases of infection and deaths have surpassed those of China for the first time ever since the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Johns Hopkins university tracker points out that while the cases of infection inside China stood at 80,860 on Monday (March 16), worldwide cases had surpassed 86,000.

Amidst such fast spread of the COVID-19, it is pertinent that measures be taken to contain it. People are being advised by the authorities to maintain social distancing as the best shot at containment.

What is social distancing?

In order to slow down the rate of transmission of a disease from one person to another, social distancing is being hailed as one of the top tools.

It is basically maintaining a certain distance from other people so that the coronavirus or any other microbe is unable to spread, reported AP.

To get into specifications, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes social distancing as staying away from “mass gatherings” and keeping a distance of six feet or two meters away from other people. Six feet is about one body length.

How can social distancing be enforced?

Places that attract mass gathering such as cinema halls, schools, colleges and malls have been closed down in various states across India.

Many organisations have asked their employees to work from home or, if commuting is necessary, try and avoid public transport during the rush hours.

Other terms related to social distancing

Self-quarantine: It means staying put or isolating yourself from others because there is a reasonable possibility that you have been exposed to someone with the virus.

Mandatory quarantine: It occurs when the government authorities indicate that a person must stay in one place, their home or a facility, for a minimum 14 days.

Will social distancing work?

Social distancing breaks or slows the chain of transmission of the pathogens from one person to another, provided it is being done correctly and on a large scale. A person can, not show the symptoms of coronavirus for at least five days.

Social distancing, hence, restricts the number of people an infected person comes into contact with, even before they realize that they have the virus.