Editing 2276: Self-Isolate

{{comic
| number    = 2276
| date      = March 4, 2020
| title     = Self-Isolate
| image     = self_isolate.png
| titletext = Turns out I've been "practicing social distancing" for years without even realizing it was a thing!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is the second comic in a row in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}.

In this comic, [[Cueball]] is watching television and hears a suggestion that people may need to "self-isolate." This refers to the practice of {{w|isolation (health care)|isolating}} infected individuals, to keep the disease from spreading. If the pandemic grows more severe, going out in large crowds could also be discouraged, to avoid being infected by those around you. 

According to the [https://www.hhs.gov/answers/public-health-and-safety/what-is-the-difference-between-isolation-and-quarantine/index.html HHS], both quarantine and isolation help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, but they are different. Quarantine is for well people who might have been exposed to see if they become sick. Isolation is for sick people to keep them from infecting healthy people. So the suggestion for self-isolation means that sick people should stay away from healthy people.

Cueball's response to this advice is that he's "been practicing for this moment [his] whole life". xkcd frequently refers to social awkwardness, introversion, and difficulty with interpersonal interactions. Cueball (likely representing [[Randall]] himself) appears to find spending time in public and with large groups trying. It's implied that he prefers to spend time alone (or possibly with small groups of family and close friends) rather than going out. The joke is that this tendency is often seen as unhealthy and alienating, but in the case of a pandemic, actually becomes quite valuable. Cueball seems to take an odd sort of pride in the fact that he's skilled at remaining alone and uninfected, while more social people would be in danger. 

The comic image is a link to [https://web.archive.org/web/20200305015204/https://twitter.com/kakape/status/1235319133585248259 one tweet] in a thread of tweets about COVID-19 by [https://twitter.com/kakape @kakape], a science journalist according to their Twitter bio, which says "Social distancing may mean staying further apart from each other physically in coming weeks. We should compensate by caring even more about each other than usually, because we are, of course, all in this together." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200305015137/https://twitter.com/kakape/status/1235312559324114951 beginning of thread]). 

In the title text, Cueball continues to be proud of his introversion, claiming that he has been "practicing social distancing" for much of his life.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sits in an armchair watching television. A zigzag line from the TV indicates that the text is a voice from the TV.]
:Voice from television: Experts are saying people may need to "self-isolate" to combat the virus.

:[A slim beat panel with Cueball sitting silent in the armchair.]

:[Zoomed in on Cueball in the armchair. A starburst on the right border indicates the voice from an off-panel person.]
:Cueball: ... I've been practicing for this moment my whole life.
:Off-panel voice: I don't think that's&mdash;
:Cueball: ''Quick, make plans and watch how fast I cancel!''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

[[Category:COVID-19]]