28. Social distancing
28. Social distancing
Last update: 2022-09-14
Overview
- Social distancing is an effective way to prevent contagious diseases from spreading.
- For example, it is likely that little can be done to treat patients in the first phase of an influenza pandemic, because there will not be sufficient medicines and a vaccine will not be available. The most important thing to do will be to prevent the influenza from spreading.
- Other diseases for which social distancing is important include Ebola, Marburg fever, Lassa fever, measles, respiratory infections, plague, MERS and monkeypox.
What you need to know
- Social distancing is the practice of keeping people at a safe distance from each other during outbreaks of highly contagious diseases.
- Social distancing is one of the best ways to prevent very contagious disease from spreading.
- To prevent transmission when germs are being spread by droplets from coughing or sneezing, the sick person can follow coughing etiquette (see Action tool Coughing etiquette) and healthy people can keep at a safe distance from sick people and from one another.
- Someone who is closer than one meter to a person who is sick (with influenza, for example) may become sick from inhaling droplets they expel when they sneeze or cough.
- Social distancing is also about minimizing physical contact with other people. When people touch less, they are less likely to pass germs to each other. Avoid shaking hands, hugging or kissing on the cheek.
Tips to protect yourself from diseases spread by coughing or sneezing |
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