Coronavirus and social-distancing: What should you be doing to minimise social contact?
The government has told us to minimise social contact
Last updated 20th Mar 2020
Dr Luke Kane is an NHS GP working in central London. He has extensive international experience and worked in an Ebola Treatment Centre in Sierra Leone during the West African Ebola Epidemic of 2014-2016.
Here, he answers questions on the government's new guidelines on minimising social contact.
Why has the UK taken a different approach to other countries in terms of their advice of social-distancing?
A big reason for this is that if everything immediately went into lock-down before absolutely necessary, then people could get ‘isolation fatigue’ and stop isolating themselves. The UK response is based on good models and is being constantly updated. Stay up to date with the newest guidance here.
The new government guidance from 16th March 2020 states that everyone needs to avoid social contact with others when possible and all non-essential travel should stop.
Pubs, restaurants and venues are closed in many other countries, although not in the UK – what are the particular risks associated with those types of establishments?
There are a few reasons pubs, restaurants and venues have risks associated with them. Firstly, you have to travel to the venue which puts you at risk of infection from fellow travellers.
Conversely, it means that if you had the virus you could be spreading it to others...
Then, once at the venue you could catch or spread the virus from being in close contact with a bunch of strangers. This may be more pertinent if you're drunk in the pub and everyone's new hand washing and dont-touch-my-face regime has gotten sloppy!
Lastly, in bars and restaurants you are eating and drinking so it is possible that transmission of the virus could happen through the food/plates/glasses from someone infected in the kitchen. The UK government is advising against going to pubs, restaurants and venues - but has not ordered them to close.
If you cut your social engagements by half or a quarter, does that make a difference? What kind of changes do you have to cut the risk?
The new guidance from the government today is to minimise social contact. This is really important if you are in a vulnerable group - for example, if you're pregnant, elderly or have medical conditions. Try a Skype dinner party instead!
Are there mental health implications connected to social distancing? Are NHS mental health workers set up to use Skype? Can AA meetings be effective using video chat?
As an NHS GP, I have recently started seeing lots of patients with anxieties and worries about coronavirus. This is totally understandable and my heart goes out to them. This is a scary situation and is going to get more worrying over the next few months. We have to be there for our friends and family – especially people that are isolating themselves. Time to pick up that phone and chat with gran!
NHS workers, for example in mental health, are quick to adapt to new situations. Some trusts may be setup for telephone contacts and reviews but others may not. I feel that lots of NHS contact can be done on the phone without compromising care. Things like AA meetings can happen online but of course may lack that important face-to-face element. We are all going to have to be flexible over the next few months.
Is it safe for me to go to the gym or a yoga class?
I think now is the time to limit social contact with others. Start doing yoga on YouTube at home instead!
What about going to the hairdresser or a nail bar? That usually involves at least an hour in close proximity with another person – is that safe for both of us?
Again – it’s time to limit social contact. Lots of us are going to have loads of spare time at home soon so practise on yourself and significant other!
How do we protect our elderly in an era of social-distancing and self-isolation?
The key thing here is to support them with food drops and making sure they don’t get ‘cut off’. Remember there is a difference between isolating someone to protect them but not letting them get cut off from social support. Call them, FaceTime with them over dinner, send postcards. Keep that morale up!
This advice was up-to-date as it was published on 16 March, 2020 at 6pm
If you're self-isolating with kids, here are some great ways to keep kids occupied at home:
Treasure hunt
If you're stuck at home for a while, then make it fun for your kids by hiding things around the house, and garden.
Whether it's eggs in the run up to Easter, or a total surprise, you can find plenty of ideas for clues on the Internet and we're sure you'll find some tricky places to hide the prizes.
Why not try out this Treasure Hunt Game from Amazon for £25.95?
I Spy
Normally saved for travelling in the car, why not try I Spy at home? Don't feel restricted to items in the house, if the weather is good get outside and choose something there. "I spy with my little eye…"
Science experiment
We're not recommending you turn your kitchen into a chemistry lab, but there are plenty of child-friendly science experiments available online or in the shops.
Whether you want to grow crystals, or make slime there will be something to occupy your kids. Just beware, it could get a bit messy!
Why not try out this Science Kit for Kids from Amazon for £15.99?
Painting
Painting, whether it's finger painting, or something more refined, it's a great way to spend a few hours (or even longer). If think your artistic skills are a limited then why not try painting by numbers instead?
Why not try out this Crayola Washable Kids Paint from Amazon for £4.99?
Learn a new language or improve one you already know
Always wanted to get your family learning a new language, or had to cancel a holiday recently? It doesn't matter that you aren't in the country that speaks the language. There are plenty of online language classes from free videos on YouTube to full courses that you pay for.
Why not try out this French Audio Course from Amazon for £14.72?
Computer games
There are so many computer games available, the list is endless, but there are plenty of party games suitable for kids and families to play, for the older kids, there are many games that will occupy them for hours or even days!
Pizza making
Make cooking a fun part of the day by getting your kids to make their own pizzas. If you're feeling adventurous you can make the dough yourself, otherwise just get the pizza bases and cover them with toppings of your choice.
Baking
If savoury cooking isn't your thing, try baking. Making a cake or cupcakes can be a great way to have fun in the kitchen with your little ones, for the younger ones they can help you decorate the cake. Meanwhile, older ones can help you make the mixture from scratch.
Den-making
It's time to take all of the cushions off the sofa and get the spare sheets out of the cupboard. There's nothing better than making a den for big and little kids, it might even take you back to your childhood.
In the garden
Even if the weather isn't great you can get your kids' green fingers started inside. Now is a great time to pick up some seedlings and sort out your greenhouse.
If the weather is good, get out and explore the garden. Grab a magnifying glass and have a look at the insects and plants a bit closer!
Board games
Don't discredit the good old board games. Although you might be tempted to bring out some of the family favourites like Monopoly or Scrabble, why not push the boat out and try something a bit different. It can be fun to learn a new board game as a family, some games that are easy to pick up include Carcassonne or Port Royal.
Why not try out Carcassonne from Amazon for £25.95?
Puzzles
Whatever their age, you'll be able to find a suitable puzzle, from the simple 10-piece ones for the younger kids, to the 1000 piece puzzles for the old kids, puzzles are a great way to occupy kids for a few hours over the week.
If you can set aside some space for it, then even better so they can go back to it when they have a moment. Finishing a puzzle can be a great sense of achievement and you can even buy some puzzles suitable for framing.
Why not try out this Impossible Puzzle from Amazon for £7.50?
Have a go at Origami
You don't have to visit Japan, to have a go at Origami and you don't even have to have fancy paper to do it, you can start off with some plain square paper (just fold an A4 piece into a diagonal).
Step-by-step directions on how to create everything from the crane to dinosaur can be found online for free, so if you have plenty of time on your hands this is a great skill to hone.
Why not try out this Origami Kit from Amazon for £13.99?
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