SOCIAL DISTANCING

 

The year 2020 started with a bad note. The coronavirus pandemic COVID 19 took over the world suddenly. People died in millions, irrespective of nationality, gender, race, caste, and religion. Those who believed in God and those who did not were also affected by the invisible virus. There is no medicine or vaccine so far to control the disease. The governments and the Head of States advise the people to follow the precautions prescribed by the health officials who are also exposed to the pandemic day-in and day-out. One of the important suggestions given by them is ‘Social Distancing.’ It indicates that distancing oneself from others in order to avoid the contamination of the disease. Facemask is another protective measure to prevent the virus to enter our body through the nose and mouth. These measures are to discourage the spread of this deadly disease. But how far people adopt these preventive measures is often questionable. As I see in shops, and other public places people do not follow social distancing. Anyone who has COVID-19 can easily spread it to others around them. Few people do not wear face marks too.

Social distancing or physical distancing is staying a meter or two away from the next person. Whenever we go out people who have a cough, cold, and fever are to be suspected. Maintaining social distancing is not easy in practice although in banks and in supermarkets a meter distance is marked boldly on the floor. People are supposed to stand in those marked circles and proceed when the person in front moves forward. But invariably it is not strictly followed but ignored. To a certain extent to satisfy the government authorities these norms are imposed at various public places.

Because of social distancing, we are not shaking hands, touching others, hug others, or kiss each other as we used to do during the prepandemic years. The attachment and expression of affection and appreciation are lost due to social distancing. Already we and our relatives and friends live in distant places. Our family members are spread out in different far off places in the world. Nowadays even those who are nearby are also distancing themselves. Loneliness in the minds of people creates anxiety and depression. The fear of COVID-19 is in the minds of everyone every time.

Social distancing in a sense is not a new concept. In the olden days in the name of the caste system, the upper caste people distanced themselves from the lower caste people. Gender-wise also a man or woman distance himself or herself from each other. Even now it is the norm although the norm is broken on some occasions. There are many reasons for distancing oneself from others. Social inequality, religious disparity, superiority, and inferiority complexes cause social distancing in a society. Now the coronavirus pandemic!

I experienced social distancing in my life while I was doing my post-doctoral program at Sorbonne, the University of Paris France during 1967. My colleague, a French man once took me to his grandmother's place in a village around Paris. She lived alone at an age of 75 or so in an old French house. He introduced me to her. She looked at me and said nothing and went away from me. I wondered why? My friend later explained to me the reason for her to distance from me. So, the old-timers, who were not exposed to the modern world has a contempt or hatred (?) towards the other people who do not belong to their community.

Over time we are distanced from each other. We are afraid of others. We do not have the confidence to touch others. We suspect people. As a result, we are going to have fewer and fewer friends. Since social distancing is practiced marriages, religious festivals, temple celebrations, political meetings, sports meets, funeral functions are going to be a few people affair. Once thousands and thousands of people gather during these occasions and enjoyed meeting their friends, relatives, and strangers too. But now that luxury of life is lost. We are controlled by the coronavirus pandemic. Stay a meter or two away from others. Do not go close to others. Difficult, but we have to follow. We all may get used to the new way of life and that is going to be our future.-NARA