Abstract:
COVID 19 pandemic has been a challenge to the entire world. By
May 2021, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported
in Sri Lanka was 109,862, including 687 deaths. Social distancing
was recommended as one of the major guidelines to be followed by
the citizens to control the spread of the virus. The main objectives
of this research were to investigate the social influence of the
social distancing within rural and urban variations and to find out
both positive and negative impacts of social distancing. The study
was conducted based on Baddegama South, Yahaladuwa,
Diwithura, and Hamingala GN Divisions belonging to the Waliwita
Diwithura and Baddegama Secretariat Divisions in Galle District.
Sample sizes were calculated based on the population sizes of each
village. A total of 121 families were randomly selected for the final
sample. A questionnaire survey, interviews, and observations were
conducted to gather data. Quantitative data were analyzed using
SPSS (version 16.0) and Excel packages and qualitative data were
analyzed through the content analysis method. Fifty-eight percent
of the rural population and 36% of the urban population have
acquired economic advantages through home gardening. Among
economic disadvantages, employment loss (52% - rural, 46% -
urban) was found as the most influenced factor on the lifestyle of
both sector populations. Establishment of a proper and organized
network system among farmers, economic centers and local sector
vendors for the transportation and distribution of vegetables and
dry foods, development of online services in both public and
private institutions, enhancement of network ranges in rural
sectors, awareness programs with the prime consideration on the
social, educational, economic, and psychological factors would be
useful to reduce the negative influences of social distancing.
