 There is no official definition of the newly popularized term, ‘social distancing’, however it can be interpreted as avoiding large gatherings, as explained by the Cleveland Clinic.
One cannot speak of social distancing in 2020 without it being directly associated with the, well you know: Coronavirus; i.e. ‘the new plague’, the ‘c’ word, ‘the end of our world as we know it’, ect.. Coronavirus, as enchanting as it may be to speak about, does not need to be spoken about every 20 minutes on the hour. Let's just focus on the task at hand - social distancing. Why Practice Social Distancing This seems like common sense - yet it took the government shutdown of restaurants, bars, gyms, and even schools for people to practice social distancing during a pandemic. As shown in the graph above, by taking steps to slow down the spread of the virus, the number of sick people will drop. Social Distancing is the key ‘step’ for people to make in order to do their part in flattening the curve. How to Practice Social Distancing Fortunately, states such as Ohio have restricted individuals' ability to gather in large groups in public spaces by issuing the following Executive Orders:
Unfortunately, people can still do as they please in the comforts of their own home, including house parties and large family gatherings. Instead of feeding into the ignorance, practice social distancing by staying home, isolating yourself from others, and making wise decisions such as avoiding that frat house this Saturday. Social Distancing & Isolation Isolation is different from social distancing. Social distancing does not mean that you are meant to be locked in a room completely by yourself with absolutely no human contact. That would be isolation and would be for, at most, extreme circumstances. Isolation is different from social distancing as it is meant to separate the sick from the healthy. Neither social distancing nor isolation is not meant for people to go insane with loneliness, it is meant as a precautionary measure for the greater good. Staying Entertained It is advised for people to stay six feet apart from one another in order to minimize contact, especially with strangers. Therefore, during this isolation and social distancing period everyone can reenact the 2019 movie “Five Feet Apart” and walk around with a meter stick in between each other. If you don’t have a meter stick, or simply do not like being around others to begin with, then your new best friends are Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon (if they aren’t so already). Even if you do enjoy the company of others, a good binge watch paired with your coziest pajamas, that you otherwise are ashamed to wear in front of others, does well for everyone. And let’s assume that there are people who are dreading this time of social distancing; fiending for the day they are able to go back to that sketchy frat house basement once more. To those who fall in that category, you too can take this time and catch up on “Love Is Blind” and “The Office”. No one is immune to catching this virus, just as no one is immune to the guilty pleasures of bad, binge worthy TV shows. So, sit back and relax, literally. Take advantage of the staycation. There may not be another time you will be paid, and encouraged, to work from home, do school in your pajamas past the age of 10, or have the best excuse to get out of hanging out with that creepy guy (we all know one). What the Future Holds It is uncertain how long social distancing will be enforced, or when things will go back to ‘normal’. What is for certain is that everyone can do their part to help out those who do not have the option of staying home. The people on the front line of this; the emergency personnel, the doctors, nurses, nurse aides, and most importantly - the people making and shipping us all the toilet paper we could possibly dream of! In all seriousness, wash your hands before reaching for your TV remote, and after you eat your snacks. Don't lick your fingers, just get up and wash your hands again. For you will then be prepared when the time comes, and after your meter stick arrives from Amazon, and you can binge watch with a friend. Always, Audrey Marie
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