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The World Health Organization and other health experts recommend using the term “physical distancing” instead of “social distancing” in this pandemic, since social connections are more important than ever, according to CNN.
WHO recommends replacing the term “social distance”
The reason? The term “social distancing” may imply a feeling of disconnection from loved ones, which can have an impact on mental health, and it is important that people remain socially connected.
The WHO has announced that it is moving away from the term “social distancing” in a statement dated March 20.
Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the WHO, reiterated this position at a press conference on Wednesday. “I said physical distance because it is important to stay physically separate but socially connected,” said Van Kerkove, adding that people must take care of their mental health and loved ones during the pandemic.
Physical distance from others is one of the most effective ways to combat the spread of the coronavirus. But this, however, contradicts people’s desire for connection and physical contact, and could contribute to feelings of anxiety, fear of loneliness and pain that could create another crisis: mental health.
Consensual physical contact and interactions between people release chemicals in the brain and body, including endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin, which can stimulate happiness and reduce pain and stress.
Lack of physical contact and human connection can have a negative effect. This is one of the reasons why Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki suggests changing the size of “social distancing” as “physical distancing.”
“Social distancing was the wrong term from the start. We should think of this as ‘physical distancing’ to emphasize that we can stay socially connected even while we are apart,” he said.
On the other hand, some experts have argued that switching to a different terminology could confuse people at a time when accurate dissemination of information is vital.
“My main concern is that this change in terminology, in the midst of a crisis, violates one of the key principles of effective risk communication, which is to ensure clarity and consistency in the delivery of messages,” Lori told CNN Peek, CNN teacher. sociology at the University of Colorado and director of the Center for Natural Disasters in the United States.
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