I would love for New York City or New York State to make an official recommendation for people, who have been in solo isolation for the past 9 weeks, to create small groups of people they can “hang out with” for mental health purposes.

I know I can theoretically call up some friends and make the choice to selectively “break isolation”.

I don’t want to make a decision based on incomplete information. By formalizing this, people will be
able to be keep safer, without just some ad hoc execution.

Maybe have a website where people can register their “coven” of people you can be maskless around, and who can give you a hug without having a panic attack that you are not practicing safe social distancing.

It’s been 9 weeks. Give some sane epidemiological direction.

I know that we joke about going insane or having breakdowns (ok, maybe not joking), but what should we do?

A good friend asked me last night “would you trust my level of isolation?”

I have no idea. But also isolation wasn’t something I had time to prepare for. It just happened.

Do we even have a number of how many people are isolating alone in New York City?

Is it more than a million?

This article was from March 24th, more than a month and a half ago. https://thecity.nyc/2020/03/i-just-need-a-hug-solo-new-yorkers-tackle-self-isolation.html