Social distancing is a construct currently being used in many western countries to reduce the spread of covid-19 virus. It is based on the premise that by reducing the number of contacts an individual make in a given time reduces the spread of the virus. The aim of social distancing is not to prevent the spread of the virus but to slow down the spread to a number that will not overwhelm local healthcare facilities, and also to “buy time” so researchers can develop vaccines for the virus. Social distancing model is not a treatment or cure of covid-19 but a virus-spread reduction measure.
Whilst social distancing may efficient in western countries, it might not work in many developing or 3rd world Countries,e.g Africa. This is because western countries uses social models based on welfare state which plays a crucial role in improving the quality of life of its citizens. These models generally include a commitment to full employment, social protections for all citizens, social inclusion, and democracy. Common among many western countries include universal health care, free higher education, strong labour protections and regulations, and generous welfare programs in areas such as unemployment insurance, retirement pensions, and public housing. With these in place western countries can afford to ask their citizens to stay at home and engage in social distancing whilst they continue to maintain the same quality of life. Take for example, the UK government is paying up to 80 per cent of wages - or up to £2,500 a month for people who are not working due to coronavirus, making it one of the biggest act by a government to protect its workers. The US government has also announced similar package to support its citizens and other western countries have followed suit.
Many developing countries, especially Africa countries, do not have coherent welfare state structure programmes. There no benefits or job protection for the unemployed, there is no universal health care systems, there is no unemployment insurance, retirement pensions, and public housing. People basically survive daily from “hand to month”. Given Africa’s natural reserves, one would assume the wealth creation generated from extraction activities could be channelled into welfare initiatives. But often the “resource curse”; has meant positive impacts on income but not on poverty reduction, as it benefited the non-poor rather than poor. Without welfare programmes to support people "Stay at Home and social distancing" measures are more likely to fail in Africa.
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