Week 7 -- Connecting with Others (coronavirus)

Gen Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx7SO6SA0UE

Journal: How do you connect with your friends? And do you really connect? What does it mean to you to connect with someone?

With coronavirus increasing, there is a need for increased social distancing. 

What is social distancing?

Social distancing refers to a public-health protection measure meant to reduce and slow transmission of disease. Currently, social distancing is neither required nor enforced in the United States, though sick people are expected to self-quarantine and seek medical help. But as a recent Vox graph shows, protective measures like self-quarantine and canceled events can vastly reduce the number of COVID-19 cases, and experts say it’s one of the best public-health measures we have. 

So what does social distancing look like? (Can you still have friends over? Can you go to the gym?) We got in touch with Lori Uscher-Pines, a senior health-policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit global policy think tank, to learn more.

Why is social distancing important? 

In an infectious-disease outbreak, there are two types of intervention: pharmaceutical (like vaccines and anti-virals) and non-pharmaceutical, explains Uscher-Pines. Social distancing is one of the best — and the only — preemptive, non-pharmaceutical measures available on the larger population level. “Social distancing plays a big role before the medical community can create vaccines and appropriate treatments,” says Uscher-Pines. “It’s one of the only tools that we have to really slow down the progress of an epidemic or pandemic.”

By avoiding other, potentially sick people, we reduce our own risk for contracting and spreading illness at the same time that other people are getting sick, thus reducing the demand on hospitals and health-care workers. Health-care workers have more time and resources to find vaccines and treatments when they aren’t entirely occupied with trying to keep sick people from dying.

Do I need to practice social distancing if I’m healthy?

Social distancing is not currently among public-health recommendations and requirements for most people in the United States, so it’s not like you’re breaking the law if you’re not doing it. The tricky thing is that social distancing works best when done preventatively, before things get really bad, says Uscher-Pines. But there are downsides, too — canceled events mean lost money (and sometimes lost jobs), and self-isolation can be hard on one’s mental health. For that reason, says Uscher-Pines, many public-health officials find it challenging to decide when to instate social-distancing regulations.

The bottom line is this: Social distancing is good for the community, and a crucial preventative measure — if not entirely without complications.

Can I go out to eat? Can I go to the gym? Can I drop my kids off at school?

Social distancing is a scary prospect for most people, and it’s hard to know — without strict, aggressive measures like those under way in Italy and China — what exactly “counts.” At this stage, says Uscher-Pines, a lot of it comes down to a personal calculus: “If you are personally concerned about COVID-19, you should try to limit your contact and exposure to crowded places, and try to maintain a distance of three to six feet [from other people],” she says. “More importantly, you should adhere to public-health recommendations when they come out.” Err on the side of a liberal interpretation, when possible — for instance, if (and when) schools close, keep kids away from their classmates outside the school building too. “A big concern with something like school closure is that school will be closed, but then kids will mix on their own outside of school, and that kind of defeats the purpose,” she adds.

Available evidence from other countries suggest that the United States is underprepared, at best, for the transmission of COVID-19, and we have no reason to think ourselves exempt. Without universal health care and paid sick leave, not everyone will be able to comply with best public-health practices or get the care they need. These vulnerabilities makes social distancing all the more important for those who are able to do so — starting right now.

Maintain social distancing
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the coronavirus if the person coughing has the disease.

Spanish Flu
https://qz.com/1816060/a-chart-of-the-1918-spanish-flu-shows-why-social-distancing-works/

So what I really want to talk about today is how will you support one another if you are not "with" one another?

As individuals
Technology is your friend, too
Do regular check-ins with those you'd usually hug in person. Think Facetime-calls, ... And of course there's always old fashioned phone calls too! Think about your friends, family, and neighbors who may be most vulnerable and reach out to them from afar. Chances are, they will be incredibly happy to hear from you.

And, take care of one another
This won't last forever, and we'll be better off if we care for one another. Is one of your neighbors feeling sick? Drop off some groceries and a note at the doorstep. If you want to say hi, do so with at least six feet of difference between you. Do you have loved ones at higher risk that are starting to feel isolated? Send them a message to check-in, or offer to run errands for them. If they need anything delivered, a front door drop off can be the safest option.

We're stronger as a community, and making sure all families are happy, healthy, safe, and thriving doesn't have to mean social isolation.

How to Connect with Others & Yourself
https://theblissfulmind.com/feel-connected/

Make your own plan for when/if the college is shut down.
Who will you contact and when? How?
What will you do to occupy your time at home?
How far will you stand away from others?
Who in your family is at risk?
Who among your friends are at risk?
What can you do to help those at risk without putting yourself at risk?