What is this social distancing all about?
Social distancing is a powerful tool that we can all use to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness in our communities. Social distancing slows the spread of the virus and is very important in preventing severe illness and even death of at-risk individuals. People who are at risk for severe COVID-19 illness include people who are older or have asthma, a compromised immune system, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes.
People infected with coronavirus who have mild to no symptoms are still very contagious. This is why social distancing measures are so important. Everyone can help when it comes to social distancing, and it isn’t all or nothing. Every bit that you do helps.
Social distancing involves limiting the spread of this virus (and many other viruses, for that matter) by keeping a distance of 6 – 10 feet or 2 – 3 meters between yourself and others, and limiting your exposure to public spaces, crowds and social gatherings. These are places and spaces where community spread of the virus can occur.
Check with your local government or health department to see what social distancing measures are recommended in your area. More info available from CDC.
From the Artist
Social distancing can feel complicated with a ton of rules to follow. When creating a series of images to illustrate the concept, I wanted to focus on the common themes that can apply in many different scenarios: maintaining a safe distance from others, replacing in-person activities with technology, using drive-through and drive-up services, etc. We all can do our part in minimizing our risk of both getting and passing on COVID-19. I hope these visual examples are helpful in showing ways to continue to be “social” while social distancing.
– Gaius
Want to learn more about the novel coronavirus, what it is, where it came from and what it might mean for you? Head over to the Lifeology Coronavirus Center and check out our illustrated primer courses.
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