E Magazine: Behind the Buzzword: Self-Distancing and Why You Should Take It Seriously
Behind the Buzzword: Self-Distancing and Why You Should Take It Seriously
Reema Chande- 2020-2021 Georgia HOSA President-Elect
Coronavirus, or COVID-19 (the abbreviated name for the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus), has become a hot-button issue as schools, sporting events, and even CTSO conferences across the country have been cancelled or postponed due to the risk of disease transmission. The recent coronavirus developments have affected all of us in some capacity. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended important protocol to implement in response to the coronavirus outbreak, which was classified as a global pandemic as of March 11th, 2020. Aside from regular hand-washing, avoiding contact with the eyes, mouth, and nose, and other hygiene precautions, self-distancing has been identified as one of the most effective strategies to inhibit the contagion of coronavirus.
The majority of what self-distancing is about lies right in its name: keeping yourself distant from others. However, for the amount that the term is being used recently, it is essential to clarify exactly what self-distancing entails. The practice of self-distancing includes avoiding any large group gatherings or travel, according to White House guidelines on the pandemic. This means avoiding dining-in at restaurants, visiting popular recreational sites, or using public transportation. When in public, the CDC recommends maintaining a six-foot distance between yourself and anyone around you. In particular, applying self-distancing towards high-risk demographics including the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems is crucial. Even though you may be a part of the lower-risk demographic of teens and adults or possess strong immune health, young children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing immunodeficiencies are at a higher risk of infection. For this reason, it is vital for everyone to adhere to self-distancing protocol for the sake of protecting public health. Current CDC guidelines boil down self-distancing to limiting interaction with anyone outside the immediate household.
While the guidelines for self-distancing may seem rather self-explanatory, it is duly important to delineate what social-distancing is not. Foremost, social-distancing is not a joke or a meaningless buzzword. You may have been initially introduced to the term through a friend’s sarcastic caption of an Instagram post about #coronacation. Although it is beneficial to remain positive during this period, the practice of self-distancing must be taken seriously. School may be out for many of us, but that does not mean you should be going out. Self-distancing is not a vacation or a snow-day. As tempting as it may seem with the additional free-time, now is not the opportunity to meet-up with friends, go to parks, or visit the mall. Such behavior during a pandemic puts not only yourself, but others around you at risk. Finally, self-distancing does not mean isolation. Because of the many different outlets of digital communication, it is easy, now more than ever, to stay connected with friends. Additionally, a period of self-distancing is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your immediate family.
Now that the definition of self-distancing during this outbreak has been established, the next step is to recognize the substantial impact that self-distancing can have in slowing the progression of the coronavirus pandemic. The entire motivation behind distancing yourself for an extended period of time is to slow the virus’ spread so that a significant chain of cases do not emerge at once. The threat of such high rates of infection could potentially overwhelm the healthcare systems in place to test and treat for coronavirus. This phenomena would further compound the severity and frequency of cases as individuals would not be able to access adequate medical attention due to the lack of available infrastructure. By self-distancing and encouraging others to do the same, you can assist in a pattern epidemiologists refer to as “flattening the curve”. This means that, although self-distancing cannot eradicate the disease’s spread, it can reduce the amount of cases per unit time rather than allowing a dense outburst of contagion to occur in a short period. For those reasons, it is fundamental to basic public health to take self-distancing as seriously as possible, despite how difficult it may seem.
The prospect of staying cooped up at home for such a long time might seem daunting, but the best we can do given the circumstances is to stay connected and, most importantly, optimistic. There are many different ways to occupy the additional time while you are at home. One of the most effective things that you can do is raise awareness of the necessary protocol to control the spread of the coronavirus. Use your voice to educate and advise others in your community to follow the guidelines set by the CDC. By educating yourself and others, you can prevent misinformation and paranoia, encouraging unity instead. If you are interested in giving back to your community, you can find food banks or homeless shelters that are seeking donations in order to provide your monetary support towards those who may be unemployed because of coronavirus-related closures or simply lock the income to pay for medical expenses. In another e-Magazine issue, more ideas for outlets to serve your community will be posted. Self distancing also presents a prime opportunity to have serious conversations with friends and family about the nature of the coronavirus outbreak in order to ensure that everyone remains calm and precautious about the situation. Now more than ever, it is important to look after the mental health of yourself and your loved ones, as the current situation can take a toll differently for different individuals. On a light-hearted note, the time you spend self distancing can truly be enjoyable even if you cannot travel. Hobbies that you may not otherwise have time for, such as reading, drawing, or writing, can all be different ways to channel your energy while remaining socially distant.
With the increased degree of impact the coronavirus outbreak has recently made in our personal lives, there has also been an increase in misinformation and rumoring that only contributes to the anxiety surrounding the situation. Therefore, it is vital that HOSA members like yourself discern false information and stay up to date with the developments of such a monumental healthcare issue. If it interests you to learn more and amplify accurate information about coronavirus and prevention strategies from trustworthy sources, take a look at the links below!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2500114-overview
-
-
-
-