Unacast helps organizations and leaders across the globe to answer questions about human mobility. *Note: the social distancing product has been discontinued and is no longer a supported product
The practice of social distancing means staying home and away from others as much as possible to help prevent spread of COVID-19. The practice of social distancing encourages the use of things such as online video and phone communication instead of in-person contact.
distancing
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To slow the spread of COVID-19 through U.S. communities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has encouraged Americans to practice "social distancing" measures. But what is social distancing, and how is it practiced?
Social distancing is a public health practice that aims to prevent sick people from coming in close contact with healthy people in order to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. It can include large-scale measures like canceling group events or closing public spaces, as well as individual decisions such as avoiding crowds.
With COVID-19, the goal of social distancing right now is to slow down the outbreak in order to reduce the chance of infection among high-risk populations and to reduce the burden on health care systems and workers. Experts describe this as "flattening the curve," which generally refers to the potential success of social distancing measures to prevent surges in illness that could overwhelm health care systems.
"The goal of social distancing in the U.S. should be to lower the pace and extent of spread of COVID-19 in any given city or community," Inglesby wrote recently on Twitter. "If that can happen, then there will be less people with disease, and less people needing hospitalization and ventilators at any one time."
The CDC defines social distancing as it applies to COVID-19 as "remaining out of congregrate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible."
Findings: Our search identified 172 observational studies across 16 countries and six continents, with no randomised controlled trials and 44 relevant comparative studies in health-care and non-health-care settings (n=25 697 patients). Transmission of viruses was lower with physical distancing of 1 m or more, compared with a distance of less than 1 m (n=10 736, pooled adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 018, 95% CI 009 to 038; risk difference [RD] -102%, 95% CI -115 to -75; moderate certainty); protection was increased as distance was lengthened (change in relative risk [RR] 202 per m; pinteraction=0041; moderate certainty). Face mask use could result in a large reduction in risk of infection (n=2647; aOR 015, 95% CI 007 to 034, RD -143%, -159 to -107; low certainty), with stronger associations with N95 or similar respirators compared with disposable surgical masks or similar (eg, reusable 12-16-layer cotton masks; pinteraction=0090; posterior probability >95%, low certainty). Eye protection also was associated with less infection (n=3713; aOR 022, 95% CI 012 to 039, RD -106%, 95% CI -125 to -77; low certainty). Unadjusted studies and subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed similar findings.
Interpretation: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis support physical distancing of 1 m or more and provide quantitative estimates for models and contact tracing to inform policy. Optimum use of face masks, respirators, and eye protection in public and health-care settings should be informed by these findings and contextual factors. Robust randomised trials are needed to better inform the evidence for these interventions, but this systematic appraisal of currently best available evidence might inform interim guidance.
Aim and objective: To explore older people's initial experience of household isolation, social distancing and shielding, and the plans they constructed to support them through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background: Public health guidance for those aged 70 or older was predominantly to undertake stringent social distancing within their household. Little is known about older people's experience of these measures. This paper explores changes experienced by those over the age of 70 during the first two weeks of household isolation, social distancing and shielding in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and their early perceptions and plans to support them through the pandemic.
Results: Three themes emerged from older people's early experiences of social distancing: protective measures; current and future plans; and acceptance of a good life, but still a life to live.
Conclusion: People over 70 adapted to household isolation, social distancing and shielding, by using social media and neighbourhood resources. Nurses and other professionals can develop holistic care for older people by listening to their experiences of what works for them, helping them link to local and distant supports. Understanding the holistic life view of older people, including death anxiety, is an important element of care planning; to help older people access the protective resources, they need to reduce the serious risks associated with coronavirus.
Certain rural areas also have a harder time with social distancing. Despite the wide-open spaces on the Eastern Plains, Yuma County and parts of Weld County have crowded living quarters and a high concentration of jobs that require workers to be physically present.
Social distancing is one of the types of distancing that government officials recommend during a widespread outbreak of a disease. Others are quarantine, isolation, and shelter-in-place or stay-at-home.
The most crucial intervention for preventing the spread of COVID-19 is widespread social distancing (sometimes called physical distancing),* which has been recommended or ordered by public health authorities at all levels of government: federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local. Social distancing is a common public health control measure, especially during outbreaks of communicable disease.
This blog post introduces important information about social distancing and discusses the legal authority for implementing social distancing as a mitigation measure to reduce infectious disease transmission in US communities. The concluding section discusses the implications of social distancing for health equity and the need to ease the burdens of social distancing on underserved communities.
As mentioned earlier, different types of social distancing form a continuum of mitigation strategies that address infectious disease transmission. These strategies, ranging from minimally restrictive to severely restrictive, can affect individuals, businesses, organizations, communities, and even entire states and nations.
This division of responsibilities and powers makes it very important that government officials and agencies implement clear communication and cooperation at state and local levels during a public health emergency. While the federal government can recommend actions related to social distancing, it cannot mandate that states put social distancing recommendations in place. In the case of COVID-19, the federal government has issued guidelines to slow the spread of the virus, including recommendations that people work or attend school from home and avoid gatherings of 10 or more people. In most cases, guidelines are not mandatory unless they are operationalized by states and localities through executive orders.
As jurisdictions put social distancing measures in place, they need to think about the members of their community for whom social distancing orders will prove especially challenging because they live in overcrowded housing; because they are experiencing homelessness; because they deal with mental health issues; because they rely on their school or another organization to provide them with breakfast and lunch; and for many other reasons that make it difficult to adapt to the dangers and complications posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, as retail establishments, restaurants, and other venues close in response to social distancing orders, many people are losing their jobs and their health insurance, exacerbating health inequities.
Incarcerated people are disproportionately affected by underlying health conditions known to exacerbate COVID-19, and social distancing is impossible. There is no time to waste: State and local governments must take swift action to reduce prison and jail populations. 2ff7e9595c
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