Life After Corona

In a rapidly changing world where a pandemic has fundamentally altered our futures, most are looking forward to returning to “normal”. What,

however, will be the new normal? What are the things that we've discovered through the past months that will forever become a part of our lives?

Which parts of our lives will we just have to look back upon fondly and what aspects of our old lifestyles will we be glad to shed? Predicting the future

in challenging times can be risky, but here are some likely ways in which life after corona will change.

PERSONAL INTERACTIONS

We have been rapidly conditioned to view other humans as virus carriers

and unclean. This will not return to “normal” in the foreseeable future.

Instead of shaking hands we will be using alternatives like touching

elbows, fist pumps, or a variety of potential head nods, waves and

even bows. Those who are non-huggers will appreciate these changes but

there will be those who will be slow to adapt. Camps will form between

those who believe it is human nature to interact physically and those who

believe maintaining social distancing is best. Sadly, this will also likely

give us something else to argue and debate about.

Whether hand shakes, hugs and random physical interactions return

or not, one thing is for sure. We will become a cleaner more sanitized

version of ourselves. There is no going back from using sand hanitizers

and washing hands more frequently. Hand santizer will become commonplace

everywhere from grocery stores to workplaces. Public places

like restuarants, pubs and coffee shops will be kept much cleaner than

previously with customers paying much more attention to how their food

is handled. There will need to be cleanliness retraining in restuarants.

Workers in retail locations will be encouraged to spend any down time

cleaning and santizing work areas. Restrooms will be kept cleaner. Even

though masks and protective gloves may largely be put away, our personal

expectations for cleanliness will rise.

PERSONAL STOCKPILES

One of the great lessons of the 2020 pandemic is to be prepared. Many

in the Southeast United States already were aware of such preparations

each year during hurricane season. Now, the nation as a whole saw how

important having a back-up of non-perishable goods, including toilet tissue

and paper towels can be. While there were few reports of shortages,

beer, wine and alcohol sales skyrocketed as fears of a total lockdown

grew. In the future, consumers will likely keep larger supplies of these

goods on hand. While the pandemic will probably increase the number

of serious “preppers” in the world, most families will respond by maintaining

a larger supply of toilet paper, paper towels, canned tuna and

peanut butter.

ENTERTAINMENT

One of the first significant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic was

the swift shutdown of entertainment and sports leagues and venues. Both

college and professional basketball cancelled seasons as did the NHL,

NASCAR and Major League Baseball. Movie theaters closed, nightclubs

and pubs were shutdown and concerts canceled. Few doubt the return of

these events, as they are important to our economy and mental health.

Theaters may become smaller with separate viewing stations. Filmakers

will explore making initial releases to at home viewers at premium

pricing. Drive-in movies may return to popularity. Sports leagues may

find themselves limiting seating to maintain at least some social distancing

and to account for a lighter demand in a post-pandemic economy.

Large theme parks, will at least initially, likely limit access to those who

are staying at on-premises hotels. These parks will promote a cleaner,

less crowded environment. Capacities will be limited at bars, cubs and

restaurants.

THE WORKPLACE

Although working remotely from home was already expanding in the

workplace, coronavirus helped validate its value to both employers and

employees. Rather than renting large, expensive office space, many employers

can have staff working remotely. This provides increased job

satisfaction and less commuting expense for employees. It obviously

decreases overhead for employers. Technology, like video conferencing

advances, makes meetings and group projects as efficient as being there

in person.

CONSUMER BUSINESSES

One of the biggest changes we will see in a post-pandemic world is how

consumers conduct business and who they decide to do business with. In

2019, over 10,000 bricks and mortar stores had already closed. Online

businesses were already growing by 15% annually. COVID-19 acclerated

and solified these changes. Consumers took to the internet in droves having

products delivered. The virus, however, expanded our desire for convenience

by including take-out delivery and grocery shopping services.

This is a convenience we won't be willing to soon give up. Businesses

who can convince consumers that they are safe, clean, efficient and convenient

will continue to win the day.

"WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF..."

One of the great unknowns about a post-pandemic world is how governments

will react to what has been, in essence, a massive social experiment.

How would millions of people react to being told to stay at home?

What effect would less cars on the road have in the real world? What

freedoms are people willing to give up in a crisis? How would we react

to this financial recession as opposed to the Great Recession of 2008?

Posturing is already taking place to see who will control what a post-pandemic

world will look like and what are considered "essential" services.

What we do know is that families can learn to put puzzles together and

play board games together again. That waving to neighbors on morning

walks can provide at least some satisfaction. That supporting local

business and restaurants does matter. Perhaps we've learned that sports

doesn't have to absorb quite so much of our time and attention.

The pandemic is leaving behind almost unimaginable sorrow and

heartbreak. It has crippled families financially and forced many others

to make changes. But it will also, in some ways, change us for the better.

It's time to start looking for those

positive changes and do what we

can to ensure they become a

lasting part of our lives.