Don’t get me wrong. I fully understand the importance of maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet or more from anyone outside our household. My quarrel is with the term Social Distance. The term social normally refers to the organization and interactions within a society, including verbal, telephonic, email, text, etc. and this is hardly the time when we want to decrease that kind of interaction much less increase social isolation within our communities.
Long before we heard of Covid-19, there was already an epidemic of loneliness in our country, particularly among the elderly. Loneliness has a well-documented physical as well as psychological dimension. Did you know that loneliness has an equivalent impact on morbidity and mortality of 15 cigarettes per day?
We need to recognize that Cabin Fever, prolonged isolation inside, also has real physical and psychological consequences. Last week we asked our county public health officer if there was anything wrong with people in Chestertown going outside for walks or bike rides. The answer was unequivocal: as long as they maintain a physical separation of 6 feet or more, he actually encouraged people to get outside.
The next few weeks and months are going to be tough. If we want to get through this with minimal adverse impacts, please listen to the health experts: wash your hands, maintain a physical separation of 6 feet or more, exercise outside, and call or write someone who needs to hear from you.
David Foster is the Ward One councilman for the Town of Chestertown
Maria Wood says
These are very valid concerns, given the length of time and the rigidity that we will likely need to follow these protocols. A friend suggested to me that we promote the term “healthy spacing” instead of social distancing.