Words matter! Social versus spatial distancing

Social distancing "is a word that most of us have not used up to recently or given it a second thought. It seems every second sentence we use or hear nowadays is this. Social distance whilst shopping. Social distance while walking through a wood. Anything psychological distancing. Using it has been such a common word that many of us may not even have given a second thought about what exactly the "private" aspect of the sentence means or refers about.

We recently published an editorial by Thomas Abel and David McQueen on the need to emphasise spatial instead of social distancing and to promote social closeness.

Thomas Abel summarises the idea behind it as follows:

“Our short text published today in IJPH (Abel and McQueen, IJPH 2020) was meant to raise awareness the way we choose to use words in our public health efforts. While there is growing discontent with the notion of “social distancing” the search for more appropriate terms has just started. What in the end will be the best term may need more thinking and discussion. What matters is that “words matter”! We might expect all experts to understand that. And, in particular, those communicating with the public need to be even more careful with the words they choose.

Even as epidemiologists need to be cautious, specific and systematic in choosing and naming variables for their models, those who write or discuss what to do to avoid the COVID-19 virus need to be cautious and systematic in choosing terms for their messages! Common sense is not enough-it needs expertise in public health and verbal communication.