NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Coronavirus: A way to be everybody's friend by 'social distancing'

RNZ
18 Mar, 2020 09:59 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Focus Live: Coronavirus - Phil Twyford announces relief package for the aviation sector
Focus Live: Coronavirus - Phil Twyford announces relief package for the aviation sector
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      1
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford has announced details of the Government's $600 million aviation support package to cushion the impact of Covid-19.
      NOW PLAYING • Focus Live: Coronavirus - Phil Twyford announces relief package for the aviation sector
      Focus Live: Coronavirus - Phil Twyford announces relief package for the aviation sector

      By RNZ

      We've heard of self isolation, but what is "social distancing"?

      Earlier this week the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced public gatherings of over 500 people should not go ahead.

      All travellers arriving in New Zealand must now self-isolate for 14 days. The only people exempt from the self-isolation rule are people from South Pacific island nations with no confirmed Covid-19 cases.​

      Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced public gatherings of over 500 people should not go ahead.Photo / Getty
      Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced public gatherings of over 500 people should not go ahead.Photo / Getty
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Now, experts are encouraging people to practice voluntary "social distancing".

      RNZ spoke to Public Health epidemiologist Patricia Priest, about social distancing and why we should be doing it.

      Who should be doing it?
      It should really be called physical distancing, Priest says.

      This means separating people physically, not emotionally. So staying at least a metre from people and at least two from anybody who has symptoms.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "In saying that it's not home detention, it's not saying that you have to lock yourself in a room, but it's saying, yes, stay away from crowded areas. Try and keep some distance from other people," Priest says.

      Everybody should be distancing, to avoid getting infected by anybody else or infecting anybody else.

      "So there's no one group that needs to be doing social distancing, I think people who are concerned that they're at higher risk of severe disease, might want to practice some more, sort of more extreme versions by being really careful about when and where they

      VirusFacts2
      VirusFacts2
      TO READ THE HERALD'S FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE CLICK HERE

      go out."

      Discover more

      Investment

      First case citing coronavirus before Tenancy Tribunal, lawyer expects big changes

      23 Mar 02:00 AM
      New Zealand

      'Unlawful discrimination': Immigration adviser slams travel ban

      18 Mar 09:26 PM
      Airlines

      Qantas and Jetstar suspend international flights, 20,000 workers to be stood down

      18 Mar 09:57 PM
      New Zealand

      Anzac Day services cancelled, Poppy Day appeal postponed

      18 Mar 10:03 PM

      Can I still socialise?
      Yes, you just need to be creative.

      The key is to not crowd together in closed in spaces, outside areas are a good option.

      "There's lots of ways that we can use the internet to be creative about socialising. But we need to be getting used to staying a metre away from other people."

      Ways to distance in public areas
      The rule of thumb is to stay a metre away from others, wherever possible.

      When it comes to the supermarket Priest says, keep it simple.

      "Try and go to the supermarket when it's likely not to be too busy. We might want to buy maybe a week's worth of groceries at a time, rather than a day's worth, if you're using a grocery cart to get your groceries when you leave a supermarket, make sure you clean your hands before as you're likely to be touching your face."

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets with Rotorua sector leaders over coronavirus
      Rotorua business leaders gather at Terrace Kitchen to meet with PM Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson. ...
      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      /
      Duration 0:00
      Loaded: 0%
      0:00
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time -0:00
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
        • captions off, selected

          This is a modal window.

          Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

          Text
          Text Background
          Caption Area Background
          Font Size
          Text Edge Style
          Font Family

          End of dialog window.

          This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

          The good Samaritans who found a missing engagement ring

          UP NEXT:

          NOW PLAYING • Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets with Rotorua sector leaders over coronavirus
          Rotorua business leaders gather at Terrace Kitchen to meet with PM Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson. ...

          Restaurants are tricky, but it is still possible.

          It all depends on how the tables are set up, one metre apart is the goal.

          "Under those circumstances it would seem reasonable to still go but there aren't many restaurants I think who would currently be set up in that way. So I guess it's about checking with the restaurant, how far you'd be sitting in from other people."

          Visits from family and friends
          Firstly, anyone with symptoms should not be visiting, after that it is "a judgement call".

          "I would suggest, maybe trying to meet with friends somewhere outside where it's easier to stay away from each other rather than perhaps meeting a whole lot of friends in a small lunch room where you're inevitably going to be close to each other."

          COVID-19 UPDATE
          22 Jan Click on a bar to show the map for that day 74,855,994 confirmed cases globally30,918,684 active cases42,277,369 recovered1,659,941 deathsHover over a circleto see more detail
          74,855,994
          cases
          42,277,369
          recovered
          1,659,941
          deaths

          Flatten the curve

          Move the slider left to see what happens when the number of people infected by each infected person is reduced.

          Each infected person infects

          ← fewer people
          more people →
          Medical system capacityUnmitigated scenarioNumber of casesTime

          How can you flatten the curve?

          • Stay at home if you are unwell
          • Avoid large crowds
          • Wash your hands regularly
          • Avoid touching your face
          • Reduce physical contact
          Last updated: Fri 18th December at 12:17 am
          Go here to see all our Covid-19 data

          Children
          Schools and kindergartens have not been shut, so playgrounds are "probably fine".

          Advertisement
          Advertise with NZME.

          As long as they are not too crowded and you are cleaning their hands - a lot.

          "I think that it's probably okay to take children to playgrounds, if you're cautious about the distance they're able to maintain from other kids and keeping their hands clean when they've been touching playground equipment."

          Elderly
          Many elderly are isolating themselves due to the virus. Priest says we need to make sure they are not unduly isolated.

          Focus Sport: How the All Blacks intend to deal with COVID-19
          All Blacks coach Ian Foster insists the All Blacks will not let coronavirus impede on preparations for the June test window. VIDEO / All Blacks TV / Mark Mitchell ...
          Video Player is loading.
          Current Time 0:00
          /
          Duration 0:00
          Loaded: 0%
          0:00
          Stream Type LIVE
          Remaining Time -0:00
           
          1x
            • Chapters
            • descriptions off, selected
            • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
            • captions off, selected

              This is a modal window.

              Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

              Text
              Text Background
              Caption Area Background
              Font Size
              Text Edge Style
              Font Family

              End of dialog window.

              This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

              Sam Ruthe breaks NZ records in LA

              UP NEXT:

              NOW PLAYING • Focus Sport: How the All Blacks intend to deal with COVID-19
              All Blacks coach Ian Foster insists the All Blacks will not let coronavirus impede on preparations for the June test window. VIDEO / All Blacks TV / Mark Mitchell ...

              "We need to be making sure that we've thought about the old people in our lives or the people who are living alone in our lives and those who maybe are our neighbours, it may be through, you know, standing a metre away from them at the front door and having a chat taking a food parcel and leaving it at the door."

              How long, should we be distancing for?
              For the foreseeable, Priest says.

              "We've seen dramatic effects in China of very, very extreme social distancing, so that they're now having very few new cases each day. What we're not sure about is how things will look when they start to ease off on their restrictions but we're really kind of needing to look at how things go globally before we have anything to go off."

              Advertisement
              Advertise with NZME.
              Save

                Share this article

              Latest from Lifestyle

              Lifestyle

              'Heart feeling so full': Candy Lane on family, dance and new life

              Premium
              Lifestyle

              What your headache is trying to tell you

              Lifestyle

              Creamy mac and cheese with crunchy sourdough topping


              Sponsored

              Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

              Advertisement
              Advertise with NZME.

              Recommended for you

              'Heart feeling so full': Candy Lane on family, dance and new life
              Lifestyle

              'Heart feeling so full': Candy Lane on family, dance and new life

              All Blacks dealt more injury blows after France series sweep
              All Blacks

              All Blacks dealt more injury blows after France series sweep

              Person dies, several others stabbed in Hamilton - report
              New Zealand

              Person dies, several others stabbed in Hamilton - report

              How Māori and Pasifika roots helped these students get to Harvard
              Rotorua Daily Post

              How Māori and Pasifika roots helped these students get to Harvard

              'Offensive': Toilet plan near memorial seat sparks protest
              Bay of Plenty Times

              'Offensive': Toilet plan near memorial seat sparks protest

              CEO caught on Coldplay kiss cam resigns
              Entertainment

              CEO caught on Coldplay kiss cam resigns



              Latest from Lifestyle

              'Heart feeling so full': Candy Lane on family, dance and new life
              Lifestyle

              'Heart feeling so full': Candy Lane on family, dance and new life

              The Dancing With the Stars judge is kicking up her heels and feeling so blessed.

              19 Jul 09:00 PM
              Premium
              Premium
              What your headache is trying to tell you
              Lifestyle

              What your headache is trying to tell you

              19 Jul 07:00 PM
              Creamy mac and cheese with crunchy sourdough topping
              Lifestyle

              Creamy mac and cheese with crunchy sourdough topping

              19 Jul 05:00 PM


              Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
              Sponsored

              Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

              01 Jul 04:58 PM

              NZ Herald
              • About NZ Herald
              • Meet the journalists
              • Newsletters
              • Classifieds
              • Help & support
              • Contact us
              • House rules
              • Privacy Policy
              • Terms of use
              • Competition terms & conditions
              • Our use of AI
              Subscriber Services
              • NZ Herald e-editions
              • Daily puzzles & quizzes
              • Manage your digital subscription
              • Manage your print subscription
              • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
              • Subscribe to Herald Premium
              • Gift a subscription
              • Subscriber FAQs
              • Subscription terms & conditions
              • Promotions and subscriber benefits
              NZME Network
              • The New Zealand Herald
              • The Northland Age
              • The Northern Advocate
              • Waikato Herald
              • Bay of Plenty Times
              • Rotorua Daily Post
              • Hawke's Bay Today
              • Whanganui Chronicle
              • Viva
              • NZ Listener
              • Newstalk ZB
              • BusinessDesk
              • OneRoof
              • Driven Car Guide
              • iHeart Radio
              • Restaurant Hub
              NZME
              • About NZME
              • NZME careers
              • Advertise with NZME
              • Digital self-service advertising
              • Book your classified ad
              • Photo sales
              • NZME Events
              • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
              TOP
              search by queryly Advanced Search