Life after Covid-19
Evolution and acclimation are the building blocks of human’s DNA. Since the creation of universe, humans are the only specie that has constantly being transforming their way of lives. From caves to luxurious houses, from camel rides to spaceships, from being ignorant to the mastermind of information and technology, from living in the darkness to building light houses, from worshiping sun to harvesting & capturing energy from sun, from not being able to see beyond few miles to the current era where one’s vision is as enormous till up to thousands and thousands of miles and as minute as small picometers through x-rays and microscopic technology, from the times where lives ceased due to minor disorders to the epoque where medical advances are touching the sky. Here we are 2020, where another challenge, another battle and another milestone are to be achieved as to surpass Covid-19, the novel coronavirus...that we will sooner or later.
Indeed, man is a social animal but it will change how this social interaction will change following Covid-19. People will meet and greet each other but there won’t be as much handshakes and hugs. Physical aspect of greeting will be very limited. We won’t see a grandmother kissing her grandchild, we won’t see a dad hugs his son for the birthday, we won’t see hugs at weddings, we won’t see casual handshakes at the convocation ceremony and we won’t see goodbye cheek to cheek kisses at the airport or a goodnight kiss by a mother to her children.
Hygiene is regarded as half-faith in Islam. People will take it seriously, we will see better hygiene practices, washing hands frequently, hands to be sanitize while entering the malls, parties, restaurants and grocery stores. It will help us in developing a good habit to sneeze or cough in the elbow to stop the spread of germs.
Information technology (IT) business will boost by leaps and bounds. Most business will adopt to online systems in order to keep pace with the time. Banks, pharmacies, grocery stores, tailors, cobblers and many other businesses will offer their services online and it will ease people and enable them to reach their needs which would just be a click away. Doctors and dentists will revolutionize their work by rendering online or telephonic diagnoses and checkup and the physical appointments will be done only when deemed necessary. We will witness more online transaction of money, at stores people will pay using debit/credit cards and will limit the use of paper/coin currency.
Education system will change drastically, more courses will be given online and students and teacher can communicate in the comfort of their houses. Most degree programs which are theory based can be completed by virtual education.
Life after covid, will not be same, It will strengthen the nuclear family bond that existed in the previous generation, thanks to Covid-19, we can reincarnate the past where family member of a household spend time together, because of the lockdown and restricted social gatherings, fortunately or unfortunately we have to spend more time with those we share the same roof. We can connect better, understand better and empathize better with our parents, siblings, children, spouse and grandparents. All these aspects were fading away in the last decade due to the surge of IT (social media) in our lives.
Covid-19 situation has forced us to stay homes to save lives, later, it will restrict one’s ability to play outdoor sports and to endure physical fitness. It will be a challenge to shine with firsts and blues when we are more inclined and addicted to play Xbox, PS-4 or lying with a bag of chips and streaming Netflix, Crave and Amazon prime. It will surely, boost the media business but at the cost of losing physical and mental fitness awareness.
On the other hand, covid has enabled us to explore our inner selves. After covid, People will spend time in constructive hobbies like painting, music, dancing, cooking, gardening and will add colors to the canvas of life. I believe after Covid-19 life will be different, it will be better, where we appreciate our doctors, nurses, grocery stores cashiers, janitors, pharmacists, maids, milkmen, policemen and policewomen, watchmen, firefighters and everyone around us that we neglect in the hustle bustle of life.
Let’s stay positive and united, through every thick and think there are glittering stars. The rainbow will shine after the storm is over and there is surely a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow arc. Afterall, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change”--- Leon C. Megginson
Insia Fatima