Governments all around the world have implemented social distancing through similar methods. Non-essential businesses are closed for the time being. Shops close early, usually around 5 pm. Crowds are not allowed to gather, and people are urged to stay at home. These measures have been used in China, which has been successful in combating the virus. Even before coronavirus, social distancing was used in pandemics like the Spanish Flu after World War 2 that caused 50 million deaths and affected 500 million people worldwide.

There are levels to which social distancing can be implemented. The simplest measures include maintaining a minimum of 3 feet distance from other people. People are to be responsible themselves to wear protective equipment when outside and constantly check for signs of the virus, avoid unnecessarily leaving the house and not gather in groups of more than 3 people. These measures are in places where the spread of the virus is low.

If the virus spreads fast even with simple social distancing in place, the government takes strict measures to control the spread. This is happening in countries like Pakistan, where the virus is still spreading. In these cases, a lockdown is imposed for a temporary period of time until the spread is controlled. This includes government officials, including the police, checking that social distance is maintained. Shops are closed early, and fines are imposed for gathering in public and not adhering to social distancing.

However, in countries like Italy, the spread could not be contained even with a lockdown. This is when curfews are imposed. Curfews are the strict lockdown where individuals can be jailed and heavily fined for breaking social distancing and lockdown rules. Pakistan is not currently at the curfew stage, but might be in the future till the spread is contained.

It is important to know that all these measures are taken to keep the population safe and save as many lives as possible. If this virus is left unchecked, the number of deaths can reach thousands overnight, like in Italy and Spain. It is also important to know that if done properly, social distancing is the most effective tool in bringing down the spread of the virus. It is also the best way for life to resume normally as soon as possible. We can learn from China who has been successful in combating the virus.

Several places in China, including Wuhan where the virus originated from, are declared virus-free. People have returned to work, can take walks outside and even go out for food. This comes from 2 important actions. The first is the commitment to following social distancing while the virus spreads until it is controlled and following the guidelines given by the government. The second part is to continue precautions even after restrictions are eased. People in virus-free areas of China still maintain distance, wear protective equipment and place importance on hygiene.

We understand that social distancing and lockdowns are difficult and require a lot of willpower to follow. It is difficult to live inside while being cut off from the outside for most of the time. It is also difficult to have our jobs on hold and live without knowing the future. But social distancing is the fastest way to get back to our normal lives. It will be much easier to follow these guidelines now before things get worse like in several bigger countries in the world.