The COVID-19 pandemic has awakened many of us to the importance of human connection for health, happiness, wellbeing and the betterment of society. Now more than ever, it is important for schools, businesses and community leaders to invest in building happier, healthy and more connected communities. Decades of research have demonstrated that social connection and social support are powerful positive determinants of mental and physical health, and that social isolation, disconnection, and loneliness have powerful negative consequences for individual health and well-being across the life course.
Yet, social health is often side-lined, deprioritized, and de-emphasized in our schools, workplaces, and even in our health and social care services. The time is now to ramp up the awareness and knowledge around the importance of human connection to our overall well-being.