Keep a Safe Distance to Slow the Spread

Limiting close face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of corona virus disease. Social distancing, also known as physical distancing, which means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people. To practice social or physical distancing, stay at least 6 feet away from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Social distancing should be practiced in combination with other everyday preventive actions to reduce the spread of virus including wearing masks, avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands, and frequently washing your hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds.

If we are coming into close contact to someone incidentally is lead to transmission. It is essential to be clear that it is close and extended personal contact that increases our risk of transmission. Remember that distancing ourselves from others protects everybody. Keeping a distance from other people feels awkward but limiting our contact with people will slow down virus transmission and flatten the pandemic  curve so that we can reduce the number of cases occurring at the peak of the epidemic.

We all require to adopt two things strictly to put the theory into practice. Firstly assume that people we meet are suffering from corona virus, regardless of how they look or who they are. And secondly, assume that we have corona virus and could give it to other people. It is important to act as we are carrying the virus. The aim is to lighten demands on the health system when the outbreak is at its peak, so all of those needing help can get it, and we save many lives.

We all have gone through the list of do’s and don’ts of social distancing, but there is a simple way to understand what you need to do is follow the “smelly person rule”. You need to pretend that everyone in the world has not taken a bath for past five weeks, including you and behave accordingly. You definitely don’t want to be physically close to these smelly people. You will automatically keep distance of two metres from them. There is nothing worse than being in a room full of people having bad smell. In this imaginary world, you don’t want to greet anyone with a handshake or a hug. You will naturally avoid any meetings, functions, travelling or any gatherings.

Let’s remember that social distancing doesn’t mean we lose touch with each other. Technology and creativity help us stay connected now more than ever.

Preeti Nagar

HIMCOM