social distance
Stay six apart
Social distance is the perceived gap between individuals or groups based on class, race, culture, or other social markers.
Sociologists measure it by willingness to interact: Would you accept X as a neighbor? A coworker? A spouse?
The term gained new currency during the COVID-19 pandemic for physical spacing to prevent disease transmission—standing six feet apart, avoiding crowds.
That usage is more precisely *physical* distancing, but *social* stuck.
Interval arrangement between objects
- separationState of being apart
- gapUnfilled space between
- bufferProtective intermediate space
- arm's lengthDeliberate professional distance
six feet · two meters · personal space · proximity · capacity · occupancy · room capacity · ventilation
Isolation preventing disease transmission
- lockdownEnforced restriction on movement
- contact tracingTracking disease spread connections
- flatten the curveSpread outbreak over longer period
- self-isolationVoluntary separation from others
six feet · two meters · bubble · pod · essential workers · remote work · outdoor dining · plexiglass
Complete separation from others
- lonelinessState of lacking companions
- alienationState of being isolated
- disconnectionState of being severed
- estrangementEmotional separation between people
detachment · screen fatigue · cabin fever · reconnection · reintegration
Preventing pathogen transmission
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
immunity · public health · epidemiology · droplets · aerosols · incubation · outbreak · contamination
Protective facial covering
- hand sanitizerWaterless palm cleanser
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
- glovesHand coverings with fingers
hygiene · sterilization · PPE · face shield · sanitizing wipes · temperature check · ventilation · air filtration
spacing
Interval arrangement between objects
- separationState of being apart
- gapUnfilled space between
- bufferProtective intermediate space
six feet · two meters · arm's length · personal space · proximity · capacity · occupancy · room capacity · ventilation · barrier
quarantine
Isolation preventing disease transmission
- lockdownEnforced restriction on movement
- contact tracingTracking disease spread connections
- flatten the curveSpread outbreak over longer period
six feet · two meters · self-isolation · bubble · pod · essential workers · remote work · outdoor dining · plexiglass · curbside pickup
isolation
Complete separation from others
- lonelinessState of lacking companions
- alienationState of being isolated
- disconnectionState of being severed
estrangement · detachment · screen fatigue · cabin fever · reconnection · reintegration
infection control
Preventing pathogen transmission
epidemic · immunity · public health · epidemiology · droplets · aerosols · incubation · outbreak · contamination · asymptomatic
face mask
Protective facial covering
- hand sanitizerWaterless palm cleanser
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
gloves · hygiene · sterilization · PPE · face shield · sanitizing wipes · temperature check · ventilation · air filtration · touchless
- alienationestrangement, disconnection, exclusion, outsider, outcast
- personal spacepersonal bubble, buffer zone, comfort zone, proximity, nearness
- Six DegreesKevin Bacon, degrees, separation, connection, mutual friends
- sociometrytele, dyad, triad, isolate, centrality
- othernessother, otherness, othering, stranger, foreigner
- social interactiongreeting, hello, goodbye, hi, bye
social distanceclose contact
crowding · touching · huddling · clustering · elbow-to-elbow
social distancecloseness
State of proximity
familiarity · bonding · rapport · togetherness · fellowship
social distancemass gathering
Large crowd assembled together
mingling · congregation · gathering · socializing · assembling
social, distance, society, associate, association, associated, antisocial, socialize, unsocial