The country has been in lock down for a fraction under two weeks and, like most of the globe, we still don’t know how much longer it will continue. The lockdown in South Africa is one of the most stringent lockdowns in the world, with outdoor exercise and even dog walking banned.
Those citizens who have failed to take the lockdown seriously have felt the full might of the law with hundreds arrested.
Some South Africans are lucky enough to share a home with a reasonable amount of living room. For many, the days are long and boring. There are those who live alone and others that live in cramped spaces, shared with too many others.
Isolation can affect your health
For many Isolation is very difficult. Human beings are instinctively social creatures and need social interaction. Research has shown that social isolation can have a negative impact on human health.
Older people, in particular, may have a harder time with isolation. Many will have lost their life partners and some may not have mastered the information technology that keeps us connected.
The Coronavirus is particularly cruel because it targets older people who are more likely to succumb to the illness. This could drive the elderly into even further isolation and cause anxiety and depression.
In times like these, where we have lost control of our lives and where uncertainty walks with us everyday in everything that we do, it is important to stay in contact. Lack of control in our everyday life and uncertainty about the future can lead to anxiety especially since we don’t know where it will all end.