On Wednesday March 11, the NBA announced it would be suspending its season due to COVID-19, and other professional sports leagues soon followed suit. Over the past week, concerts, conferences, and other large gatherings were cancelled amid concern for the outbreak to apply a strategy known as “social distancing.” Students from universities across the country are being sent home, children are out of school, and employers are scrambling to develop guidance for employees to work remotely. And yet the reaction of the public is one of polar opposites: either sheer panic or no big deal (how very on-brand for the U.S.). 

Social distancing refers to literally creating more distance between individuals by enacting measures that prevent congregate settings. It may seem extreme, take for example this text my sister sent me this week:

There is a growing body of evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading. Here’s a rundown of what we know: