Social Distancing Practices of Residents in a Philippine Region with Low Risk of COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

While scholars and authorities have come to extol the effectiveness of social distancing practices (SDPs) in curbing the exponential growth of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, it is interesting to know how people practice them in the real situation. Thus, the overall objective of this paper is to describe the SDPs of residents in a Philippine region with a low risk of COVID-19 infection. Following the descriptive research design, it employed an online survey method and qualitative content analysis. The result showed that the residents generally follow a combination of different SDPs. They practice the recommended distance; express verbal cues to remind others; convey implied signals to motion others; select time to perform errands; choose places to perform errands; exercise metacognitive skills; greet without physical contact; prefer virtual activities; avoid touching objects; use objects of third party; utilize protective items; and stay out of the external environment. It is suggested that the multidimensional impacts of these SDPs should be further explored considering the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.