Coronavirus and the Isolation Paradox

There is evidence that the more isolated people feel, the less likely they are to take measures to protect their fellow citizens. A study conducted in Germany found that, among a cohort of people aged 60 and up, increased loneliness was associated with lower rates of flu vaccination. In Taiwan, a feeling of closeness with neighbors was associated with the intention to get a vaccine, or to wash hands more frequently.

Similarly, an analysis of H1N1 vaccination rates after the 2009 swine flu pandemic found that states with higher rates of vaccination also had high rates of “social capital,” a measure of the extent to which people in a community have social networks and are willing to help one another.

A study conducted in Hong Kong in the aftermath of the SARS epidemic of 2003 found that among the elderly, measures of subjective well-being did not fall below normal levels. Researchers concluded that this was in part because of a sense of community connectedness.

Loneliness and isolation are especially problematic among older people. Twenty-seven percent of older Americans live alone. According to the H.R.S.A., among older people who report feeling lonely, there is a 45 percent increased chance of mortality. In a quarantine situation, this could become even more dire. Those who need lifesaving medication, require specific medical assistance, or have meals delivered to them may be unable to get those services.

For solutions, we can look to countries where people have been dealing with coronavirus for some time. As the BBC reported, people in China are turning to creative means to stay connected. Some are streaming concerts and gym classes. Others are organizing virtual book-club meetings. In Wuhan, people gathered at their windows to shout “Wuhan, jiayou!” which translates to “Keep fighting, Wuhan!” A business owner packed 200 meals for medical workers, while a villager in a neighboring province donated 15,000 masks to those in need.

For those of us who know people, especially elderly people, who may be isolated, get connected. Check in daily and look for ways to spend time together, either through a FaceTime or WhatsApp call, through collaborative gaming or just by using the telephone.

Of course, none of this behavior is a substitute for good government policy. Societies that have a more communal bent also tend to have a social safety net and better sick leave policies that facilitate efforts to contain the virus. Activists in Chicago have put out a list of demands, including free testing and medical care for people with COVID-19. In Detroit, activists have convinced the city government to reinstate water service to thousands who have been cut off for not paying their bills with no cost to them for the first 30 days.

It may provide some comfort to know that thousands of other people are going through the same thing, and as in China, collective coping strategies will emerge. TikTok videos, memes, stories, essays and poems about living in isolation will all become part of the culture. We could come out of this feeling more connected to each other than before.

Previously published in The New York Times Opinion section on March 13, 2020.