Older age and medical comorbidity are factors associated with more severe illness and risk
of death due to COVID-19 infection. Social distancing is an important public health strategy
for controlling the spread of the virus and minimizing its impact on the older adult population.
It comes at a cost, however. Loneliness is associated with myriad adverse health outcomes,
one of which is impaired immune functioning, which adds even greater risk for coronavirus
infection, complications and death. Older adults, therefore, are at compound risk, making …