As long as the world has not found a cure or a vaccine for Covid-19, we may have to adjust to a “new normal”, meaning a new way of living and going about our lives, work, and interactions with other people. Please bear in mind that we may have to live in the “new normal” for a very long time.
Many diseases caused by viruses have no cure to this day, not even the common cold. There are no vaccines for many viruses either. But we have learned to adapt our lifestyles to live with them.
Look at HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). It has been around since the 1980s, and possibly even before then, although not as widespread. We still have not found a vaccine for it. We have anti-retroviral drugs that can control the disease, but not cure it. But we have learned to adapt to having HIV in the world. People use condoms when they have sex to prevent potentially spreading or being infected with the virus, as well as other sexually-transmitted diseases. Homosexuals, who are at higher risk of being infected by the virus, go for yearly HIV testing. We might have to adapt to Covid-19 too until a cure or vaccine is found, or if herd immunity develops towards it.
Unlike HIV, Covid-19 is a lot more contagious and infectious and is not really associated with a certain lifestyle. Therefore, our level of adaptation and the changes we have to make in our lives is much higher. These adaptations and changes are considered our “new normal”.
It’s time for us to accept that this pandemic, and social isolation, are here for a while. But in addition to that, our reality has changed, possibly for good. We’re in a new normal. Some things that have changed for many of us:
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Your new normal will keep changing, and it will change very quickly.
- You may have to wear a face mask outside all the time. Even if the Government does not mandate it, you will still feel better psychologically when you wear a face mask.
- Your employer may ask you to work from home and do virtual meetings a lot more than before.
- Schools may reduce the size of their classes and do a lot of virtual teaching.
- You may cook a lot more at home, or have food delivered a lot more often than before.
- E-businesses like online food ordering, online shopping, and video on demand, will thrive.
- Restaurants may no longer be able to seat the same number of people, due to social distancing requirements.
- There will be increased sanitation and cleaning everywhere.
- You will try to keep a 2m distance from everyone. Polite personal space will have a wider circumference.
- Temperature checks will be conducted everywhere.
- Cinemas and airlines will mandate spaced out seating, as will public transport like buses and trains.
- They may also charge you double the price to cover their operations.
- Same for live concerts and sports, or alternatively, those may be canceled indefinitely or only performed or played for broadcast
- There will be a lot more requests for a video on demand
- You may also be required to install contact tracing apps on your phone.