Daily Times

Leaders and the public uphold the talk and the trend of precaution and prevention from the horrendous corona virus. “Social distancing” is the common term at the local, regional, national and global levels to combat the crisis of corona. While the objective and urgency of social distancing are important indeed, what remains vital is its logic to be more suitably termed as ” physical distancing”.

Physical distancing rather than social distancing makes better sense and means keeping distance as advocated in corona care including “stay home and stay safe” slogan, wearing face mask and maintaining distance when someone is sneezing or coughing in close proximity along with avoiding corona infection touch points as metal, plastic, lock, steel, coins, currency and so on.

Social distancing suggested here as physical distancing includes domestic precautions with carbolic containing soaps for washing clothes and hands and for cleaning nose, ears, eyes, face; dish- washing soaps and detergents for washing dishes and utensils; sensitizing hands, plastic bags of groceries, mobile screens and keyboards of laptops and desktops.

Social distancing is well-meaning, well- advocated and well- suggested in its practical form and manifestation as physical distancing. But when calling it social distancing as the west and the world call it so, the public is deprived: not being well-accustomed to and well-acclimatized with positive and pulsating social interaction through mobile calls, whatsaps, skypes and e-mails.

How can it be social distancing when old and ailing parents confined home due to corona restrains talk hearts out to their beloved children in foreign lands equally restricted with “stay home and stay safe” times! How can it be social distancing when next door or neighboring housewives mutually chat, learn and enjoy from within four walls of their respective homes mouth-watering recipes in a “what to cook today” syndrome!

How can it be social distancing when families and friends Skype and what-sap with interesting and inspiring social interaction and entertainment! How can it be social distancing when private businesses and employees and employers of national and multinational organizations work on-line for business credibility/ profitability!

Meanwhile, due to the rampant race in the booming bazaar of bewildering messages, corona information explosion dangerously complicates and confuses about the core issue due to its very very long: marathon and endless vicious circle amid vociferous alarms of sheer helplessness. Let’s hope our worthy statesmanship, leaders, professionals and communication experts simplify messages according to public psychology, mindsets and concentration span.

The writer is a freelancer and can be reached at parvezjamil@hotmail.com