social distancing and relationships 77/366

what is social distancing* (see information below)
is this a new practice ?
I had not heard of it until COVID-19** disrupted our lives
a quick google search showed me it is, in fact, a very old practice
something I had heard of, just not using that term

this afternoon while I walked I encountered two people traveling opposite of me,
both male,
both stepped off the sidewalk into the road as we passed.
In the past I would have chalked that up to chivalry
today I wondered if it was social distancing

regardless, here are a few things to consider relationally:

1. don't get hurt feelings over this kind of reaction

2. if you were born to thrive on social distancing, don't gloat

3. if social distancing is completely against your nature, do it anyway, this is not about you and your comfort or preferences, it is about slowing a pandemic***

4. if #2 is you, remember how foreign and difficult this is going to be for #3"s

5. if you are a #3, when things get back to normal remember how hard this is for you and be kinder to your #2 friends who struggle with social interaction but engage anyway, almost daily, because that is "normal" and to not participate often translates to being unfairly judged and labeled as unfriendly, conceited or unconcerned and none of these are true

6. if you are a #2, don't get so accustomed to this newfound freedom that is for the time being completely normal and acceptable without explaination, that when things go back toward normal you refuse to be social

7. if you are a #3, when things start back toward normal, don't rush your #2 friends

8. if you are a #2, check on your #3 friends because they are going to struggle, hard 

9. be open to new ways of doing things

10. practice kindness, patience, consideration and creativity, remembering that we are all finding our way through this unchartered territory

 

11. look for what you can do rather than live focused on and miserable over what you can't do

12. stay in contact with those you know and love-phone calls, texts, letters, etc.

13. and don't be shocked if normal becomes a balance of what was and what now is

**COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread in the United States. (thank you CDC)

***A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease. Pandemics happen when a new virus emerges to infect people and can spread between people sustainably. Because there is little to no pre-existing immunity against the new virus, it spreads worldwide. (thank you CDC)

Thank you Wikipedia for the following explaination of Social Distancing*

Not to be confused with Social distance.

Preventing a sharp peak of infections, known as flattening the epidemic curve, keeps healthcare services from being overwhelmed, and also provides more time for a vaccine/treatment to be developed. Spreading the infections over a longer time frame allows healthcare services to better manage the volume of patients.^[1][2]

Alternatives to flattening the curve^[3][4]

Social distancing is a set of nonpharmaceutical infection control actions intended to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. The objective of social distancing is to reduce the probability of contact between persons carrying an infection, and others who are not infected, so as to minimize disease transmission, morbidity and ultimately, mortality.^[5][6]

Social distancing is most effective when the infection can be transmitted via droplet contact (coughing or sneezing); direct physical contact, including sexual contact; indirect physical contact (e.g. by touching a contaminated surface such as a fomite); or airborne transmission (if the microorganism can survive in the air for long periods).^[7]

Social distancing may be less effective in cases where the infection is transmitted primarily via contaminated water or food or by vectors such as mosquitoes or other insects, and less frequently from person to person.^[8]

Drawbacks of social distancing can include loneliness, reduced productivity, and the loss of other benefits associated with human interaction.

One of the earliest references to social distancing dates to the Bible's Book of Leviticus, 13:46: "And the leper in whom the plague is...he shall dwell alone; [outside] the camp shall his habitation be."^[9]

Historically, leper colonies and lazarettos were established as a means of preventing the spread of leprosy and other contagious diseases through social distancing,^[10] until transmission was understood and effective treatments were invented.