Since the emergence of this virus thingy (I won't use the 'c' word as I know some people who are allergic to it and break out in hysterics every time they hear it)... since the emergence of this virus thingy, we have been ordered to practise 'social distancing'. This entails staying at home and, if one does come across a real live human being, not touching them, shaking hands with them, and remembering to stand at least 1.5 m away from them.
I would, however, argue that since these restrictions (I also dislike the word 'lockdown'), I've had more contact than usual with people. In the first week of staying at home, at least five people from my walking group rang me up, including one I don't see much on walks any more. Even now, I sometimes get three calls a day, plus e-mails. And I've contacted some older people, too, just to let them know that they may be out of sight, but they are not out of mind.
Surely, therefore, the social distance between people is as close as it ever was, maybe even closer, and this practice of keeping one's distance should really be known as 'physical distancing'. What do you reckon?
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The headlines of The Economist
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"Physical distancing" us much more accurate.
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