The Importance of Applying Social Distancing to Prevent COVID-19

In an effort to deal with the increasingly widespread Coronavirus outbreak, the government encourages people to implement social distancing. Let's get to know what social distancing is and how to do it.

What is Social Distancing?
Social distancing is one of the steps to prevent and control Coronavirus infection by encouraging healthy people to limit visits to crowded places and direct contact with others.

When implementing social distancing, a person is not allowed to shake hands and keep a distance of at least 1 meter when interacting with others, especially with people who are sick or at high risk of suffering from COVID-19.

In addition, there are several common examples of the application of social distancing, namely:

• Work from home (work from home).
• Study at home online for school and college students.
• Postpone meetings or events attended by many people, such as conferences, seminars, and meetings, or do it online via video conference or teleconference.
• Not visiting people who are sick, but enough by phone or video call.

Social Distancing Is Different from Self-Quarantine and Self-Isolation

Besides social distancing, there are also other terms related to efforts to prevent COVID-19 infection, namely self-quarantine and self-isolation. The following is the explanation:

Self-quarantine

Self-quarantine is aimed at people who are at high risk of being infected with the Coronavirus, for example having contact with sufferers of COVID-19, but have not shown symptoms.

People who undergo self-quarantine must quarantine themselves by staying at home for 14 days.

During this period, people undergoing self-quarantine are asked not to receive guests, do not share the use of cutlery and personal utensils with others, keep a distance of at least 1 meter with people who live at home, wear masks when interacting with others, and always maintain personal hygiene and wash hands frequently.

Self-isolation

Self-isolation is applied to people who have proven positive for COVID-19. Usually, self-isolation is an alternative treatment effort when the hospital is no longer able to accommodate COVID-19 patients. Applying self-isolation cannot be done haphazardly and must be in the direction of a doctor.

In the process, sufferers of COVID-19 must isolate themselves in a room or a special room in the house and not allowed out so as not to transmit the Coronavirus to others.

Anyone who wants to interact directly with sufferers is only allowed for 15 minutes and must wear a mask or personal protective equipment, and keep a distance of 1 meter.

Items used by patients, ranging from toothbrushes to eating places, must be distinguished from items used by other people who live in the same household. Patients are also required to always wear a mask, especially when interacting with others.

Preparations for Social Distancing

There are several things that you need to prepare before undergoing social distancing or social restrictions, namely:

1. Plan activities

You may already be accustomed to activities, such as shopping, without worrying about the crowded or not a place you visit. However, in this period of social restrictions, it must be re-planned. The reason is, visiting a crowded place will increase your risk of contracting the Coronavirus.

If you do have to come to a public place, choose a time to visit outside peak hours. For example, when you want to buy groceries at a shopping center, come during the day on a normal day and not on a weekend.

2. Providing the necessary medicines

If you have a particular disease and are undergoing treatment, make sure you have a supply of the medicine you normally use. If necessary, supply other medicines as well, such as paracetamol to relieve pain and fever. This needs to be done so that you don't need to go to the hospital or to the pharmacy if the medicine is gone.

3. Meet daily needs

Prepare a sufficient amount of food, soap, disinfectant, and other daily needs. Avoid panic buying or excessive buying of goods. If you and your family members are healthy, there is no need to prepare a stock of masks.

When buying food, choose and consume balanced nutritious foods that can strengthen the immune system, such as fruits and vegetables, then store the food you have purchased in clean containers and place it in the refrigerator.

4. Prepare for internet access

If you have to study or work from home, internet access is certainly an important thing that you need to prepare. In order to keep learning or working smoothly, provide sufficient Wi-Fi or internet quota and have a stable speed.

In addition to helping you study or work, you can also use the internet to find the latest information about Coronavirus outbreak situations or run online applications for daily use.

Social distancing might disrupt your activities. However, this method is quite effective to prevent the spread of Coronavirus that is now being endemic.

If you are at high risk of contracting the Coronavirus and have a fever accompanied by respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath, see your doctor get further treatment.

Your awareness in maintaining cleanliness and carrying out Coronavirus prevention efforts has a very big role in overcoming COVID-19 outbreaks. Start implementing social distancing from now on to protect yourself, your family, and others.

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