Americans are currently experiencing an epidemic caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. At the time of publishing, there are over 7000 cases of COVID-19 in the United States and more than 100 Americans have died. The numbers are growing exponentially every day as testing has been slow to implement and official messaging has confusingly contradicted itself at times and dangerously downplayed the risks at others. 

The coronavirus is easy to pass from person to person, and people may be contagious even without presenting any symptoms. While most people may not be at risk of lasting harm or death from COVID-19, it poses a significant risk to older people and those with compromised immune systems. Epidemics take a toll on healthcare services as the system is burdened with people seeking care, which also puts vulnerable people at higher risk of death. It is for that reason that it is everyone’s job to follow social distancing measures to avoid spreading illness to others, and keep the epidemic in slow motion.

“Social distancing” is a term applied to actions that are meant to stop or slow