What will “social distancing” mean in the setting of an influenza pandemic?
We have learned from past pandemics that crowding will hasten infection with added surges stressing local healthcare capacity. For this reason, measures to decrease social interaction may become prudent such as school closures, curtailing public gatherings, and resorting to alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting. As infection rates heighten in communities, issues such as care for the sick and adequate food and water may become more important. Stockpiling of food and water is difficult to argue against, a pandemic being only one of several reasons.
