Social Distancing in Troubling Times

We live in troubling times, as countries around the world try to cope with the spread of the Coronavirus infection, COVID-19. It's a particularly deadly infection for the elderly and for those with underlying medical problems. (I happen to be both!) It has also been deadly for health care professionals - which shows just how vulnerable the medical community is in dealing with it.

Years ago, I remember visiting my daughter when she was a student in Toronto. At the time, Torontonians were in the midst of a SARS epidemic.When I got back to work on Monday and mentioned that I had spent the weekend in Toronto, my coworkers took a step back. Nobody wanted to sit next to me in the staff room in case I had caught SARS during my two days in Toronto.

Fortunately, I hadn't - though SARS was on my mind whenever we went out.

My co-workers' stepping back from close contact during the SARS epidemic was an instinctive form of "social distancing" - a term now heard frequently in the news as country after country tries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic: Avoiding contact with people who might be infected (i.e., everyone). Minimizing contact with people. Quarantining oneself...

Some think that this is the best way to stop the spread of the disease. That's why Terry and I have decided to avoid unnecessary contact with people. For a month or two our lifestyle will change. We won't go out much. But I'm glad spring is here, so it will be possible to walk outdoors again. 

Of course, I hope the pandemic risk will end soon... But I'm not going to complain.

Years ago, living in Jerusalem, I remember taping black paper to all the windows in my apartment in a compulsory "blackout" in time of war. We didn't go out much during those days either. There was a curfew... But those wartime measures didn't last forever - and this pandemic won't either.

In the meantime, I want to do my part to protect myself and others - and in so doing, help protect us all.