may also start to get sick, bringing down the quality of care and triggering a rise in fatality, he notes. Social distancing puts space between individuals. Social distancing has completely taken over our communities recently. “With that number of hospitalizations, you can overwhelm the system and get into situations where there’s insufficient care available for all the people that need it,” says Larsen. By taking steps to limit interactions, we can slow the spread and protect our community. Sign up to receive weekly updates from us packed with healthy news, tips, research, recipes, and more – right to your inbox! This slows the person-to-person transmission of the virus, as well as the spread of COVID-19 in general. “There’s what’s called a latency period between the time when you are infected and when you exhibit symptoms.” This means that someone who seems pretty healthy could infect others without even realizing they carry the virus. “The mild or asymptomatic are high-risk as they are not sick enough to know to stay away from crowds, whereas those who feel sick usually visit a doctor or ER. Many new COVID-19 buzzwords have come to light in the last couple of weeks. Remember: “If you’re exhibiting symptoms, call your doctor and let them know and decide on a course of action,” says Dr. Gulick. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) for a prolonged period. Social distancing is limiting interaction with other people by keeping a safe distance so as not to spread any kind of disease. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. We can mitigate the spread if we disassemble the crowds.”. In short, experts say, social distancing is our one and only big hope for intervening early enough to dramatically reduce the spread of the disease and deaths. The rationale behind social (physical) distancing is to try and avoid a huge spike in COVID-19 cases that will put too much strain on our health care system all at once. An in… Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp. 1 30 7 minutes read. The goal of social distancing is to keep healthy people and those who are sick from coming into close contact with one another. However, staying at home can start to get lonely after a while. The best way to better protect yourself from developing COVID-19 are things you can do right now: wash your hands, avoid large crowds, and stay home if you feel ill. Sign up to receive regularly scheduled updates from us packed with healthy news, tips, research, recipes, and more – right to your inbox! Social distancing is one of the more common buzzwords to now enter our daily vocabulary. This is why it is important to reduce the ways people come in close contact with one another. If someone is sick and there are no people around, a virus cannot spread. “Social distancing" for all families The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily through physical contact from person to person. Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. And rather than taking a spin class at your gym, go for a jog outside. How to Best Alleviate COVID-19 Symptoms at Home, These Reusable Grocery Bags Make Shopping a Breeze, How to Read the 'Bridgerton' Books in Order. Across the country, different communnities are handling COVID-19 differently. As novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 250 after 50 more people were infected with the fast-spreading virus in various parts of the country, an expert explains why social distancing is … "It’s transmitted through respiratory droplets generated when someone infected coughs or sneezes. You may be hearing the term "social distancing" in relation to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Social distancing is an important containment measure because according to researchers, the rapid spread of coronavirus is likely due to the movements of people with no or very mild symptoms. Government recommends to protect the face from face masks, like N95 respiratory face masks or any cotton face cover, to prevent catching of infection. Why social distancing is key in containing the new coronavirus Researchers say that SARS-CoV-2’s rapid spread is likely due to the movements of people with no … The reason why social distancing is important at this point of time is to give some breathing space to our healthcare system so that we do not overwhelm it by cascading the number of cases. It is extremely important to carry out social distancing, as a result of the ensuing reasons: You can protect yourself. “It’s important to ask for consent to have a conversation about social distancing, or similar matters. Remember, you're not just doing this for yourself, you're helping your entire community, especially people who are at higher-risk for serious illness from COVID-19, including older adults, and those who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. Instead of going out to drinks with friends, try doing a virtual hangout where every can still interactive with one another. Read This. Learn everything you need to know here. “New science suggests that people can spread the virus before they are symptomatic,” says Larsen. Please share far & wide and translate it into any language you can! colleges are finishing out the spring semester online, cinemas are only allowing half as many people in as usual, to better protect yourself from developing COVID-19, 10-20% of people with the disease may require hospitalization, experiencing anxiety over the coronavirus, How to Safely Enjoy Food Takeout and Delivery, How This Social Worker Is Fighting COVID-19. Stay updated on what Mercy Health is doing related to COVID-19. Moreover, although it’s not easy to self-isolate, knowing that it’s the only way to save lives, it … “It is believed that one positive person can transmit the virus to two or three other people, which results in those two to three affecting more people,” says Peter Gulick, D.O., professor of medicine at MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Why social distancing is important during the COVID-19 pandemic. But even if you're feeling fine, or aren't in the group of higher-risk people, practicing social distancing is important. When everyone is not sick all at once, hospitals aren’t overwhelmed and can better manage the resources needed to care for infected individuals. But as a relatively new phrase, there maybe some confusion over what it means and why it's important for us to follow right now. Social distancing is the primary strategy used to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines social distancing as “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.” It’s the reason many colleges are finishing out the spring semester online, Broadway shows are on hiatus, and cinemas are only allowing half as many people in as usual. If you're feeling overwhelmed by say, working from home, or if you're experiencing anxiety over the coronavirus, there are certain things you can do to keep yourself healthy, including: eating well, getting enough sleep, and communicating with friends and family via phone and text. But even if you're feeling fine, or aren't in the group of higher-risk people, practicing social distancing is important. Social distancing is essential for “flattening the curve.” “Flattening the curve” refers to a viral graph that’s been going around that shows that not only is it important to prevent the spread of the disease, but it’s also crucial to slow the rate at which people contract COVID-19. Social distancing consists o repressing our natural need for human contact. Social distancing is for your protection as much as those that may come into contact with places you have been and touched. This slows the person-to-person transmission of the virus, as well as the spread of COVID-19 in general. Social distancing, also known as physical distancing, is one of the few known ways to reduce the risk of contracting, or spreading, COVID-19. What does it mean to practice social distancing? Try your best to stay home and avoid all nonessential travel. It's important to remember to practice it within reason. Social distancing means keeping space between two or more people. If you are sick with COVID-19, have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 , or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, it is important to stay home and away from other people until it is safe to be around others . It is important for them to strictly obey social distancing rules, and protect their health. In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo banned gatherings over 500 people . But voluntary things like attending large events, large gatherings, and voluntary travel — we should try to decrease those.”. As the name suggests, it calls for people to increase the space between one another and to avoid gatherings and crowds. COVID-19 is mainly spread through person-to-person contact. However, social distancing doesn't mean you can't leave your house, or have fun with friends. It is important to prioritise the use of face mask when it most needed and … Please review our Terms of Use before commenting. During this time where you feel fine, you could be spreading the virus to … Even if you don’t have symptoms, but you’re an older adult or a person who has heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, you’re at a higher risk of developing life-threatening complications from COVID-19 and should follow these precautions from the CDC. As the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues, one of the measures recommended by health professionals and governments is social distancing – the practice of keeping a safe distance away from other people in order to limit the spread of a pathogen. To prevent any gathering and spread of infection, schools, and colleges have been closed. Experts say it could actually help slow the spread of COVID-19. This content is imported from Twitter. Social distancing is just as important as ever. One problem with COVID-19 is that some people, especially those who are younger, have only mild symptoms or none at all. Social distancing is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Details in the thread below. If everyone gets sick at the same time, hospitals will be overwhelmed, and won’t have the capability to … “Anytime we interact with other people, we exchange microbes — bacteria or viruses,” says David Larsen, Ph.D., M.P.H., an epidemiologist and assistant professor of public health at Syracuse University. How Does the AstraZeneca Vaccine Compare? Your email address will not be published. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Social distancing is the official term for such self-isolating behavior. Why trust us? Many cities, counties and states have mandated a period of self isolation to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, and it’s likely that social distancing will continue for some time. #Covid_19 #COVID2019 #COVID19 #coronavirus Thanks to @XTOTL & @TheSpinoffTV pic.twitter.com/BQop7yWu1Q, Since our healthcare industry can handle only so many severe cases at once, if COVID-19 spreads too quickly, we’ll be in big trouble: Experts say that 10-20% of people with the disease may require hospitalization. This means in close quarters, a non-infected person can inhale respiratory droplets from an infected person, especially whenever they cough or sneeze. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing means remaining out of group settings and avoiding mass gatherings. Why social distancing and hand washing are more important than a face mask. For helpful resources regarding coronavirus, visit: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Coronavirus Disease 2019 fact page and The National Association of County and City Health Officials' directory of local health departments. Offices asking employees to work remotely from home and have meetings virtually, Schools/colleges closing and switching to online classes, Places of worship/churches pausing in-person services and events, Large events like concerts or parades being cancelled or postponed until further notice. Why practice social distancing? Our #FlattenTheCurve graphic is now up on @Wikipedia with proper attribution & a CC-BY-SA licence. Call our 24/7 COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 700-9011 for questions and guidance. dani July 21, 2020. It is important to strictly follow the rules of social distancing because we have no other options as of now and that seems the most effective for everyone’s well-being and safety. And why is it important for healthy people to practice social distancing too? The importance of social distancing The goal of social distancing is to keep healthy people and those who are sick from coming into close contact with one another. Consider the risk of exposure to the following things: Flu Season; “Each interaction carries a probability of a transmission, and in the case of an outbreak of an infectious disease, if you decrease those interactions, you can decrease the probability of transmission events.” Essentially, if a person practices social distancing, they can protect themselves, he says, but if an entire community practices it, you can possibly stop a virus in its tracks. This is the reason why most events and gatherings scheduled for the next few months have been either canceled or postponed. Remember, social distancing is important during the coronavirus pandemic, but that is not the “end all” for preventative measures. Social distancing is hugely important as it effectively reduces further transmission of the virus, and also helps to lessen the strain on the already overstretched NHS. Those who have recovered after contracting the virus, virus are powerless in their system; it … Unfortunately, testing isn’t widespread right now so we don’t know exactly who has COVID-19, which makes it more difficult to contain. And off course it is really very important. If you wait for the curve of the graph to rise before you take precautions, it could be too late to make a difference, but the right precautions can "flatten the curve.". A person who willingly gives consent is more likely to be open to what you have to say, and less likely to be resistant,” she says. It means that—for a time, anyway—we all refrain from attending concerts, church services, sporting events, and assemblies, and from going to restaurants or using public transportation—basically shunning all large congregating groups and always remaining at least six feet away from the next person, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It's all in an effort to try and minimize the number of germs that pass from one person to another. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io. “We need to do things, we need to go out and be human,” says Larsen. Whether successful or … "In terms of social distancing, it’s important to understand how this virus is transmitted," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic. As we attempt to emerge from lockdown and try to return tentatively to our previous lives, workplace social distancing is going to become increasingly important to protect employees from potential exposure or spreading the virus. However, during this COVID-19 crisis, it has become indispensable in order to try to stop the spread of this virus. With the current coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) upon us, you’ve likely heard health officials, celebrities, and even the friends you were supposed to go out for drinks with tonight, stress the need for social distancing. Examples of social distancing include: It is now everyone’s responsibility, both those who are healthy and those who are sick, to practice social distancing. Social distancing is a way to slow down or stop the spread of infectious diseases such as the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) by limiting contact between you and other people. While some are getting back to work, others continue to stay at home. Dr. Yam reiterates that making the other party feel respected is key. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Social distancing is the act of separating yourself in order to stop the spread of infection. Mercy Health is doing related to COVID-19. In fact, there’s a graph circulating online that features two bell curves: one that goes up and down steeply past a horizontal line indicating the capacity of our healthcare system (illustrating the current track we’re on), and one whose rise and fall is more gradual and doesn't surpass that horizontal line (illustrating what might happen with more protective measures in place). “Social distancing means we are doing our best to stay away from people so as to limit the spread of coronavirus,” says UNC family medicine physician Sarah Ruff, MD. You Can Buy Girl Scout Cookies Online Right Now, Understanding and Confronting Microaggressions. Local Why social distancing and masks are important in schools. Check out these tips to keep busy and stay connected with others. Kaitlyn started her career as a reporter in the research department at Real Simple and went on to become a health editor at Family Circle before joining the Hearst team. Practicing social distancing means you’re doing your part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 'My Ear Infection Turned Out To Be a Tick', Dr. Phil Says Having Open Conversations Is a Must, 12 Great Fidget Toys That Can Soothe Away Anxiety, The Japanese Way of Accepting Change and Loss. That’s why, when considering social plans, it’s important to consider how much *space* you’ll have. When near other people, maintaining a distance of at least six feet from them when possible is critical as well. The virus has up to a 14-day incubation period where you may feel no symptoms at all. Learning to Homeschool Your Kids? Moreover, it will also be essential to keep us from bringing the virus back home with us, potentially infecting our homes and family. Social distancing reduces virus transmission by limiting the exposure of individuals to sickness or illnesses during the spread. Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. 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