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Social distancing prevents infections, but it can have unintended consequences – Science Magazine

Over long periods of time, social isolation can increase the risk of a variety of health problems, including heart disease, depression, dementia, and even death. A 2015 meta-analysis of the scientific literature by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a research psychologist at Brigham Young University, and colleagues determined that chronic social isolation increases the risk of mortality by 29%.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/we-are-social-species-how-will-social-distancing-affect-us