Gopal Talukdar
PGT-English, JNV Rothak
As popularly known, social distancing is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures exercised to prevent the spread of contagious diseases by maintaining a physical distance between people and reducing the frequency of inter-personal contacts. The measure of social distancing involves keeping a certain distance from others and avoid gathering in large groups. Popularized by the outbreak of Covid-19, the term ‘social distancing’ dates back to the 5th century BC. The Bible contains one of the earliest known references to the practice in the Book of Leviticus 13:46: “And the leper in whom the plague is ….he shall dwell alone; {outside} the camp shall his habitation be.” During the plague of Justinian, emperor Justinian enforced an effective quarantine on the Byzantine Empire, including dumping bodies into the sea, predominantly blaming the widespread outbreak on “Jews, Samaritans, pagans, heretics, Arians, Montanists, and homosexuals.” In modern times, on several exigencies arising out of the outbreak of pandemics, social distancing measures have been exercised. The same is being practiced in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic worldwide.
My reflection on social distancing is kindled by a recently viewed social media post involving a gesture in which a person at a public place was noticed carrying a poster clipped on the back and the poster was marked “Keep Distance”. Behind the humorous undercurrent of the gesture, a serious implication is conspicuous. The entire picture of the modern busy world flashed on the screen of my mind. We are too busy to spare a moment. At every step we want to get our work done first, our representation to get attended first, our need to be fulfilled first, so on and so forth. We turn a deaf ear to the voice of others. We alienate our fellow human beings in spite of knowing that they also have the similar needs, problems and difficulties.
The overwhelming propensity to be the first one in every deal is the root cause behind all public crowds and stampedes resulting in assaults, rampages, tumults and physical injuries and psycho-neurotic disorders like stress, anxiety, worries, fear and depression in the modern age. Overcrowding in the market and public places, pushing and pulling in the ATMs, offices, all places of public deal and facility centres, traffic congestion on the roads are the regular features everywhere. Modern world has bidden goodbye to ‘Patience’ and waiting has become synonymous to annoyance.
After the disappearance of Covid-19 pandemic, if the government-imposed preventive measure ‘social distancing’ to contain Coronavirus spread is replaced by a self-imposed behavioral code ‘keep distance’, it will surely solve the problem of crowding and stampeding. “Keep distance” written on the back of vehicles to alert the drivers against the collision and resulting damages need not be written on the back of civilized humans. It needs to be inculcated in the minds. ‘Keep distance’ will find its best implication in our understanding and respecting our fellow brothers and sisters and their needs, wants and difficulties. It’s the best moment for the busy human world to understand need of taking privileges and giving privileges, cooperating and coexisting instead of competing and isolating. Social distancing prevents spread of contagious pandemics and ‘keep distance’ with an adherence to cordial and emotional attachment inculcated in human minds will prevent all hustle and bustle in the busy world and facilitate accomplishment of necessary every day deals with ease and comfort.
