In this age of coronavirus, almost everyone has had to make changes to how they approach their day-to-day routines. Whether it’s working from a home office rather than commuting in, or limiting trips to the stores and only stocking up on essentials, there’s no denying life is just plain different now. The biggest change, though, comes in the way of what’s become known as “social distancing.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or are a denier of the practice), chances are you’ve heard the term more than a few times and have been taking precautions. But what exactly is it? And how does it differ from isolation and quarantine?

The “who”

Unlike quarantining and self-isolation, which are for those who have been exposed and those who are already sick, respectively, social distancing is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, immunocompromised or not—the more people who stay socially distant, the better.

“Social distancing is our only option right now,” says Dr. Thomas McGinn, deputy physician-in-chief and senior vice president at Northwell Health. “It can be stressful—that's understandable—but we have to do it to get this virus under control.”

And remember, there are plenty of ways to stay connected while distant. From chatting via webcam to online gaming, there are always options to socialize with the ones you love.

The “what”

Social distancing means following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s guidelines: Avoid large group gatherings, keep trips out of the home to a minimum, and keep 6 feet between you and others when out. This has been decided for us in some cases—such as sporting events being canceled and grocery stores limiting the number of people allowed inside at once—but in many other cases, it’s up to us to do the right thing by ourselves and our neighbors. Additionally, the CDC now recommends also covering your face whenever out in public.

And if you’re young, that doesn’t mean you should ignore these recommendations. Aside from the fact that younger patients aren’t necessarily immune to serious illness from COVID-19, they can also be asymptomatic carriers—which means they can infect others without even knowing they have the virus.

“We have a communal responsibility to each other as a society,” says McGinn. “We’re all in this together, and everyone needs to understand that we all play a part.”

The “where”

Home is the best place for all of us right now. Try to think of this as the "staycation" you always wanted but never got to take; hunker down with your favorite snacks, binge-watch some shows, and catch up on your reading. The more you avoid going out, the less likely you are to contract the virus or spread it to others.

The general recommendation is to avoid close contact, as much as possible, with anyone who doesn’t live with you. It’s perfectly acceptable (and expected) to take the occasional trip to the grocery store to pick up food and supplies. But anything nonessential to your health should be limited for the time being.

The “when”

There is, as they say, no time like the present. Ideally, we would have been stricter about social distancing weeks ago, but now it’s more important than ever. Infectious disease specialists are pleading with us to be more cognizant of this practice—and we’d do best to listen. According to McGinn, the next few weeks will be crucial for New Yorkers to help slow the spread.

The “why”

The biggest and most compelling reason for social distancing is “flattening the curve,” another term you’ve likely run into in recent weeks. At its simplest, flattening the curve is about slowing the rate of infection so our healthcare system doesn’t become overburdened.