Adopting 'physical spacing' in public health strategies and reserving 'social distancing' for discussions in mental health is increasingly necessary.

The concept of 'social distancing' was initially introduced as a public health measure to emphasize the importance of reducing physical proximity to limit viral transmission. It was credited to have saved numerous lives during the pandemic of 1918, which resulted in an estimated 50 million deaths globally. The lesson of history makes it quite clear that pandemics are a recurring threat. This article aims to critically assess a key component of the response to COVID-19, and offer recommendations that can mitigate the impact of future global biological and mental health crises.