Finding love through social distancing

A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story, a couple in Italy have found each other during coronavirus lockdown.

After an exchange of glances from their respective balconies, Paola Agnelli and Michele D’Alpaos managed to get each other’s social media handles and have been messaging ever since.

With the couple hailing from Verona, Italy, (the city of Shakespeare’s famous love story) it’s a sure thing sparks will fly on their first date in person.

While on the topic of lockdown…it is not a totally crazy concept that social distancing can bring us closer together.

Image credit: Time Magazine

Until just a few weeks ago, many of us were unaware of the term ‘social distance’. Now, we are told to practice alien measures that keep us physically apart from each other.

The irony of it all is that for many years now we have often been together whilst all alone. Globalisation and the development of communications technology, paired with the increasing societal need for instant gratification, has given us a world that feels much “closer together”.

Constant streams of information flowing between people all over the world, and the ability to contact whoever you want wherever they are on the planet, has certainly made us all feel more connected than ever before.

In a digital era where communication is dominated via online and non-physical methods, coronavirus has provided a reminder that we all need physical interaction once in a while.

Just having the opportunity to instantly message family and friends is fantastic, but nothing beats a catch-up over a nice cup of tea, right?

Social distancing has also amplified mental health struggles for thousands of people.

Associated directly with the pandemic, individuals are suffering from fear and anxiety over catching the virus, as well as low mood and depression as a result of isolation.

Although social distancing has provided some of us the chance to connect with people we never thought possible, or wouldn’t have under normal circumstances, the ability to see and touch each other again is long anticipated.