State Responsibilities to Protect us from Loneliness During Lockdown.
Kennedy Inst Ethics J
; 31(1): 1-15, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1133662
ABSTRACT
One consequence of the lockdowns that many countries have introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is that people have become more vulnerable to loneliness. In this contribution, I argue that even if this does not render lockdowns unjustified, it is morally incumbent upon states to make reasonable efforts to protect their residents from loneliness for as long as their social confinement measures remain in place. Without attempting to provide an exhaustive list of ways in which this might be done, I identify four broad measures that I believe many, if not most, states ought to take. These require states to (i) help ensure that people have affordable access to the internet, as well as opportunities for learning how to use this medium so as that they can digitally connect to others; (ii) help people to have harmonious and rewarding intimate relationships; and try to make (iii) non-human companionship as well as (iv) various non-social solutions to loneliness widely available.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
State Government
/
Quarantine
/
Communicable Disease Control
/
COVID-19
/
Loneliness
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Kennedy Inst Ethics J
Journal subject:
Ethics
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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