The US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, has issued an advisory highlighting loneliness and isolation as a public health priority. Loneliness has been linked to a gamut of issues ranging from premature death, depression, and diabetes to heart attacks, dementia, anxiety, and even crime. Murthy noted that millions of Americans are reporting emptiness arising from a lack of social connection and urged officials to give this issue the same urgency as tobacco use, substance abuse disorders, and obesity. The pandemic has exacerbated social disconnection in the country, but the issue had been building up since the 1970s due to social norm changes, technological innovations, and built environment changes.

He cited jaw-dropping figures such as the time Americans spent alone rose by 24 hours a month between 2003 and 2020, while time spent with in-person friends decreased by ten hours a month. Polls from the 1970s showed 45% of Americans reported having reliable trust in other Americans, which dropped to just 30% by 2016. The advisory lays out a framework for advancing social connection, aimed at individuals, governments, workplaces, community organizations, and health systems to improve overall health.