With shelter-in-place orders and social distancing restrictions becoming more common, people are seeing less of each other. This “social recession,” aimed at controlling the outbreak of COVID-19, also is heightening a sense of loneliness. Connecting with neighbors and others may be more challenging, but you can still find opportunities to “dig deep and get connected,” Erin Peavey, an architect and design researcher on health and wellness for architecture firm HKS, told Curbed.com.

Twenty-seven percent of Americans over age 60 live alone. AARP is offering suggestions to how people can still connect, such as sending a letter, creating a virtual book club, playing board games, or ordering a hobby box. Nextdoor.com, a neighbor-based social network, has launched Help Maps and Groups, in which local residents can assist at-risk members of the community by running errands or bringing aid. Meetup is offering guidelines on how to host online-only gatherings and events.

An article at realtor.com® also suggests several ideas, such as curbside drop-offs for elderly neighbors, writing letters to a local nursing home, or becoming a virtual volunteer. Kathy Green started a Facebook group to organize residents in her hometown of Birmingham, Ala., who could sew or distribute homemade masks to those who needed them. The group quickly grew to a crew of 1,300 volunteers.

Also, consider creating inspiring window art to bring cheer to your neighborhood or sponsoring a block party with social distancing guidelines in mind. For example, in Eugene, Ore., neighbors arranged a dinner party from their front yards. They ordered pizza to eat on their front steps, and they remained separate from one another but were still able to connect. “We just wanted a way to communicate with one another when we can’t give each other hugs,” Mary Lou Vignola told the Register-Guard. “Just to be social when we’re being isolated.”

Supportive social networks are key to lessening the stress of the current situation, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor who has conducted research on the significant long-term effects of a lack of social connection, told Curbed.com. Reaching out to isolated members of the community with a text or video call can be very meaningful, she says. “When we are facing some kind of stressor or threat in our environment, the perception that we can turn to others for help and rely on them—and that they have our backs—lets us cope with them much better,” she told Curbed.com. “While we can’t be physically present right now, we can check in with people via email or text. Reaching out to people, asking how they’re doing, and listening to them—all these things can be beneficial.”

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a wide range of issues for commercial real estate. Building managers and owners should consider reviewing their operational strategies in light of the virus, experts said during an Urban Land Institute webinar last week, before many areas of the country issued or extended shelter-in-place orders.

Catherine L. Troisi, associate professor at the UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston, discussed some of the unknowns in the trajectory of the coronavirus that point to the need for long-term vigilance. “Most respiratory conditions subside in warmer weather. Even if this virus does significantly decrease, would it return in the fall?” Troisi said. “How long do we need to do physical distancing? Two weeks is probably not long enough.”

Places matter, especially buildings, given that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, said Whitney Austin Gray, senior vice president at the International WELL Building Institute. “It’s difficult to tell if buildings are healthy without third-party verification. The invisibles of water and air need to be made visible through performance testing.”

Gray also emphasized the role of prevention. “It’s important to increase ventilation—open windows if possible. Turn off air re-circulation. Consider how units and components of HVAC and filtration systems are cleaned and disinfected. Keep the humidity above 30%.”

Susan Bazak, principal of Bazak Consulting, recommended incorporating three key areas in building planning:

1. People, including tenants and staff. Encourage sick people to stay home, practice appropriate etiquette, use cleaning protocols, and follow travel guidance. Employees who have a sick family member should inform the employer, who should keep the information confidential. Revisit your HR policy.
2. Communication based on best practices. Pitfalls include mixed messaging, getting information out late, and failing to counter rumors. “Look at who your audiences are and what the communication modalities are,” Bazak said. “Use credible sources of information, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.”
3. Continuation of essential business. Think about how your business can adapt to long-term challenges in its supply chain and transportation. How will you deal with shortages?

“Certain factors—including increased trade and travel, deforestation, climate change—are pushing us into a new era of viruses,” Bazak says. “We need to include growing risk in our planning and work toward resilience.”