UKH

Why did we start using the phrase 'social distancing' when 'physical distancing' would be easier to understand? Find it weird going into shops seeing signs saying 'please abide by social distancing'.

Maybe because "social" distancing tells us it's about the distance between people, whereas "physical distancing" could be about the distance between atoms, or refrigerators, or galaxies?

Social distancing is a catch-all phrase that also includes non-physical distancing interventions such as increasing hand hygiene, mask wearing, etc. And also just reducing social contact rate.

That sounds a bit dualist for you Jon! Anyway, why not personal distancing then?  

Isn't social distancing about unfriending people and being careful not to be seen as sharing their opinions and values? 

Social relates to how we come together, meet and organise our society. 
 

ie create distance when we meet and come together when organising ourselves in groups. 

That’s political distancing. 

Who cares?   <--  emotional distancing

Yes I always think that too.

The other one that annoys me is when people say something like "in the current climate there are a lot of people being made redundant".

I mean there are, but that's got nothing to do with the weather.