Zizi Sparks: Covid 19 coronavirus physical distancing boosts social life

Comment

Physical isolation is not social isolation.

It seems we are getting reminded of that on a daily basis. Whether it is the Prime Minister telling us to keep an eye on neighbours, friends and colleagues, or recurring posts on social media.

And for me, it couldn't be more true.

Since the lockdown began I've already virtually caught up with more friends than I have in weeks.

On Friday night I video called my father who lives in a different city. We managed a patchy conversation before giving up on the weak connection.

On Saturday evening I had a drink with a friend living in Sydney using the Houseparty app. We played games together, drank wine and beer and caught up on this crazy world.

By Sunday morning, I was having a five-person video call spanning three time zones. I was drinking my morning coffee, two were getting ready for bed and another was off to the supermarket.

Sometime this week I'll tune into and participate in a workout my gym is live streaming.

And on my few, limited adventures outside the house, walkers and neighbours have waved at me across the street or from their driveways as if we were old friends.

The kindness of strangers has been on full display this week. From a "care mongering" group aimed at making sure people can share ideas and check on neighbours ( March 31, Rotorua Daily Post ) to the "unsung heroes" profiled in Saturday's Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times .

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Finding ways to pass the time outside of working from home is becoming harder.

But staying connected isn't.

There's never been a greater reason to check in on mum or dad, to contact the friend you've drifted away from, to keep chatting to close friends as if nothing has changed.

There's never been a greater reason to extend a helping hand, from 2m away of course.

And there are so many ways to do so there are no excuses.

So make the effort to connect because as we've heard hundreds of times, physical distancing is not social distancing.