However, there are unanswered questions that continue to plague the mind; how will the world be like in the post-covid era? Do we continue to wear masks? Will there still be an imposition of protocols for flight travels? How about social distancing; has it come to stay? We can’t help but consider these questions in this period of uncertainty.
The robust changes that followed the pandemic have no doubt altered global economic activities as well as our social environment. A few experts believe that people would continue to wear masks in public a year from now and even beyond. This is resulting from the predictions that there would still be individuals susceptible to COVID-19.
Furthermore, experts have expressed skepticism concerning crowded sporting events and packed concerts. With the reeling effect of the pandemic, especially in European countries, it would be hard to convince people to return to large gathering events simply for entertainment or the purpose of recreation. Significant events that involve tens of thousands of people coming together may take a while.
The restrictions of business trips and work will also result in fewer travels and more remote work opportunities. Furthermore, digital technology transformation has encouraged distant jobs with several platforms that enable seamless workflow even in the confines of people’s homes. This was witnessed during the lockdown that followed the hit of the pandemic in 2020. Several industries discovered how to function and operate remotely and yet achieve excellent results.
This current change might impact business in the post-COVID era. The pandemic has revealed that we do not require the physical presence of people in the same room to accomplish or carry out tasks. Hence, the contemporary prediction is that the business sector will experience more flexibility, especially in the area of remote work policies.
Furthermore, the pandemic was able to reveal the capacity of each country’s health system. Even the best of facilities were not sophisticated enough to handle epidemics and pandemics.
The post-COVID era will witness an upgrade of the public health system to deal with an unexpected pandemic such as this. Hospitals will be built to handle future health crises. One important lesson we learn in life is preparing for the unexpected before it comes. It is hard to tell for sure if the world would recover from another pandemic outbreak. Therefore, there is a need to put structures and systems in place and revive them for future emergencies.
Edwin Fisher, Professor of Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, disclosed that the psychological after-effects of disasters, for the most part, surface six months after the event ends. He also predicted the possibility of long-term mental health effects and societal changes owing to the pandemic.
‘Because it’s ubiquitous because it’s everywhere because it hits us 24/7, we tend to lose track of the effects of COVID on our daily lives, mood, and consciousness,’ the professor stated.
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According to Fisher, there will be many long-term effects of having lived through the greatest global pandemic in over 100 years.
Experts time and again have warned that it was not a case of if, but when the world would experience its next pandemic. The future depends on the response of both governments and society. We can only hope that the crisis will be a stepping stone to rebuild and create a better and more civilized environment.
