PEOPLE PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

The current research study deals with the People Perception and Experiences of Social Distancing during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Mansehra, Pakistan. Till the outbreak of COVID-19 to the present ear, no medical treatment has been invented. The only way through restraining the virus is social distancing and self-isolation. The study was conducted in Mansehra, which is a business hub of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where every walk of life is living. For the study, the quantitative research approach was selected and designed a descriptive study. The close-ended questionnaires were designed, and data were collected through face-to-face interviews with respondents through simple random samplings. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used as a data analysis tool, where both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. The findings of the study showed that the majority of the people in Mansehra were aware of social distancing after the COVID-19 outbreak. People in Mansehra were following the policy of social distancing during the lockdown. People in Mansehra have closed all their business, postponed their visits, avoided the crowds, and encouraged people to follow the social distancing policy. Moreover, the majority of people were considered social distancing is very necessary, they avoid social contacts, isolated in the home. Furthermore, the lockdown and social distancing have negatively affected their psychological health where the majority of the people felt depressed, frustrated, and feel anxiety. Social distancing not only affects psychological health but also impact the financial status of people. Additionally, the majority of the people have stated that the social distancing policy has negative effects on their overall wellbeing. On the other hand, social distancing has some positive aspects, where it provides the state of the safest mood, allows them to spend more time with their family members. The study recommended that people need to cooperate with the health authority and adopt the social distancing policy and follow the Govt SOPs when coming to markets and workplaces. Keywords: Social Distancing, Mansehra, COVID-19, SPSS. Well-being, Descriptive, Pakistan, SOPs.