By Shakir Reshamwala

read it here first - when dictionaries start compiling lists to select the 'word of the year', 'social distancing' is likely to be the top contender. Of course it is a combination of words, but you get the drift. The term has been trending since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and is showing no signs of fading away, unlike 'deep dive', 'synergy' and other annoying buzzwords. There are other claimants to the crown too - all COVID related - like 'superspreader', but 'social distancing' is going to endure, like some other recent words of the year, including 'selfie' and 'twerk'.

Another great thing is that this term is both a noun and a verb - I know this factoid will make most people go meh, but it gets wordsmiths like me excited. Some prefer the term 'physical distancing' to 'social distancing', but I think the former lacks the cachet the latter term has. Overall, the authorities, media and people in general have taken a shine to the term 'social distancing' and have overwhelmingly adopted it for everyday use.

But the real reason social distancing is so much in the news is mostly because of a lack of it. If everyone adhered to guidelines to stay apart, the term would've died a natural death. But it seems people don't want to give each other space - and roam around mask-less to boot.

Reminds me of the bumper stickers that go "If you are close enough to read this…" followed by an assortment of punch lines, mostly to do with hitting the brakes, backing off or being sued. I wouldn't be surprised if t-shirts are made emblazoned with slogans like "If you are close enough to read this, you are not social distancing" in small letters. There you go - a great business idea!

How much to social distance is also an issue - is it two meters, 1.5 meters of just one? Most folks see this as mere semantics, but for governments and health authorities, it's a matter of setting official policy, which determines how many people can safely gather in enclosed spaces, which in turn has real repercussions on businesses like restaurants, event halls and other places where people congregate, like places of worship.

It's a different story that whatever distance is finally set, it is going to be flouted. We have seen repeated appeals and even warnings by the government to avoid gatherings, but the papers are full of reports of people coming together for weddings, election primaries, funerals, etc. To add insult to injury, noses are still being rubbed, so what can be said about shaking of hands or pecking of cheeks?

With the pandemic showing no signs of abating, social distancing is here to stay. Now it is our responsibility to make sure it is actually implemented, so that when we look back a few years from now, we can claim that we acted out the word of the year, like we did with selfie, and helped to snuff out COVID-19… or we ignored it for that matter, like we did with, er, twerk. Socially distant twerking selfies, anyone?