Social distancing drives us apart – and that’s exactly what we must do for public health reasons to protect ourselves and others.

But this is also a good time to stay connected in other ways and practice compassion for each other.

For those who are struggling with isolation
For those who are scared or concerned
Caring for others
Giving hope when the media and social networks tend to promote fear
Reducing your stress and by extension to those around you.

Social distancing is a great time for growing closer with compassion.

Ironically, we’ve been social distancing during the ten years since the iPhone, apps and social media arrived.  We were just not ordered to stay put.  We never needed a 6-foot rule.

Here are some advantages of being locked down:

You can do whatever you didn’t have time to do before.
You can reconnect with family, friends and loved ones.
You can improve your health through exercise.
Enjoy cooking healthy – you’ve got the time now, no excuses.
You have time to think about your future, your career, your life’s choices.
You can come up with an awesome post-corona plan for your life.
Now you have to take control of your digital devices or they will drive you crazy.
You will discover Facetime, Zoom and other ways to stay connected.

Most importantly, the coronavirus crisis introduces you to yourself.

How you handle adversity and value the hope that will get you through it.

And find out who your real friends are.

It’s not as much fun as before, but we can put this time to good use.

Infectious disease experts say that the fatality rate in China for people who have symptoms of coronavirus is about 4% as of yesterday (March 25).

The death rate in the U.S. as of yesterday was 1.4% although the disease is still peaking and is expected to go higher.

96% or more who got the disease recovered.

You’re not reading or hearing this kind of authentic, factual news because we’re living in a world of instant communication, digital commerce and social media.  It behooves them to stir up fear.

Coronavirus is serious.  It is a pandemic.  It is spreading across the world.  It is affecting economies and lives.  It requires public health sacrifices.

But the death rate is under 4% even in China where it originated.

That alone should go a long way toward converting this deadly virus from fear of dying to the excellent chances we all have of surviving especially if we heed public health measures.

In a digital world fear spreads faster than even disease.

That’s what marketing expert Margo Aaron says when she writes “the way information is delivered influences your perception of it”.

That’s why online sources are scaring us for clickbait and traditional media companies are all doom and gloom all the time for ratings.

Panic comes when we become addicted to information that may or may not be correct when we are in a stage of anxiety and stress.

Turn off Twitter, Facebook and social media and disengage from people who are using your fear to make a living.

Face the facts but reject the fear.  Preserve hope.

You can’t make decisions when you’re afraid.

You react instead of respond.

Run instead of prevail.

Cower down instead of stand up.

This is from the CDC website:  “For most people, the immediate risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low.”

Be safe.  Be well.  Be informed.

Fear is not a friend of making good decisions.

So, you’ve probably seen all those videos of college kids throwing caution to the ocean breeze determined to have their spring break no matter what the health risk is.

If you saw the videos, did you also notice the older people on the same Miami beaches? They weren’t mentioned.

My students were called back from spring break as many were to pack up and move out of their dorms last week with little notice.  Some have no place to go.

Others were trying to find a way to travel back to Europe, Asia and Africa where they live – no party for them.

One student was working out how to attend virtual class this Wednesday from a mandatory two-week confinement in her home country.

When we generalize about people, we distort reality.

Some young people are selfish, most are not.  Some college students went to the beach anyway along with retirees and older people who pre-planned their vacations as well.

During all of this, we have the power to get the facts and lift people up instead of drag them down and if we do, we will come away with a hidden benefit from a trying situation.

Look at these headlines:

Millennials at Higher Risk?
Layoffs Just Starting, Forecasts Bleak
Jobless Rate Could Hit 20%

The coronavirus is pure heaven to online news services looking for clickbait and a dream come true to news networks and publications.

Fear sells, but it also reduces hope.

In all of this, finding ways to have hope and not give up on it is the main thing during a time of fear and panic.  Here are a few hopeful headlines:

97% will never get the coronavirus.
Of the 3% that will, older and infirmed people need more caution.
The stock market always rebounds sooner or later.
What a big party we will have when it is safe to comingle again.
Out of bad always comes good – wait for it.

There is a lot we cannot control about the pandemic and the economy, but one thing we are very much in charge of is the ability to legitimately remind ourselves of the hope of better times which will return.

There is fear thought and forethought.

Fear thought is intense concern about something that statistically, at least, will probably never happen.  And yet it feels real.

Forethought is preparing for trouble but not being afraid of it.

Selling stocks during the coronavirus crisis is fear thought.

Washing your hands, not touching your face or eyes, disinfecting services – that’s forethought.

Hoarding food and, yes, toilet paper as many are now doing – fear thought.

Planning contingency meals for the next two to four weeks – that’s forethought.

We are still in control even when outside sources make us feel like life is out of control.

When faced with the anxiety that panic causes, it can be helpful to know the difference between fear thought and forethought to calm down your nerves.

Most people will survive it even if a large percentage of the population gets it.

Panic is a reaction to fear.  To lessen any panic you’re feeling, get the facts first.

Adversity introduces a person to him or herself and to those around them.

There is always good that comes out of bad even if we often forget it.

Use periods of isolation in a proactive way.

What we may be restricted from doing temporarily such as attending a daughter’s soccer game, we can make up with facetime, family time and togetherness.

It’s Saturday morning in Moorestown, NJ and everyone is out – families, children.  Main Street in this old town is packed.  The Pie Lady (a yummy meeting place) is sold out of home baked goodies even before the end of the work day.

Don’t these people know there is a coronavirus warning?

Yes, they do.  They are just rediscovering close family ties in the era of mobile devices and social distancing.

These are challenging times.  There is no doubt limiting mass public gatherings helps reduce the effect of this pandemic.

But there are some benefits if you look for them.

Pay attention to the things that you may not have had time for.  Accept the new challenges (many college professors are sure learning how to use mobile teaching in record time).

This will end but while we are sequestered, there are things to be accomplished.