ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the role of social and built environments on social interactions in Melbourne prior to, and during, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and discusses possible social and built environment interventions to increase social interactions. Social capital, which is formed by strong and weak social networks, is found to be necessary in effective crisis response and recovery. Socioemotional selectivity theory explains that peoples' social networks are changing over time. Restaurants, bars and coffees were allowed to be open for take-away only; beauty, personal services, entertainment, culture and sporting venues were closed. The COVID-19 pandemic may have adverse personal impacts, such as worrying about catching the virus, experiencing partial or full loss of income, worrying about job or housing security, uncertainty, home schooling, increased risk of family violence, and other mental, physical and social pressures caused by the lockdown and the resulting isolation.
