After the announcement of a pandemic in March 2020, and the subsequent stay-at-home order by most governments in the world, individuals have been facing the removal of their usual assumptions concerning work. Businesses have suffered enormous damage to their cash flow, and as a result huge numbers of people have been told not to perform their usual jobs. Instead, they have time on their hands.
OLD WAYS THREATENED
Certain old ways of doing things are under threat. Key examples that have arisen so far are:
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Physical socialising in groups is not going to be viable for the forseeable future
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In particular, those with vulnerable health will have to isolate from the rest of the population for a while
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Many businesses invested in travel, leisure and high street retail are unlikely to survive
A PERIOD OF SHOCK
Most citizens are still in a process of adjusting to the shock of the destruction of old busines models. People are staying in their houses; those medically vulnerable are acccepting isolation and limited care; and mothballed businesse are simply waiting to see what government help may come through.
AN APPROACHING PERIOD OF ADAPTATION
Coming up is a period of months where some will stay shocked, and some will begin to adapt. Adaptations are likely to include:
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Social interactions will shift online, with fast growth in technologies which facilitate electronic group interaction. In particular, sport and leisure activities will become enhanced in their ability to manage sound feedback, adding a sensory element to virtual audience participation. Screens, speakers, and virtual reality devices will enjoy a surge in popularity.
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Health systems may divide into two main types, with the handling of contagious disease being diverted to a new set of dedicated buildings and systems. Architecture will change to include buildings which incorporate physical distancing.
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High streets will change. Most shops will move online, and the limited businesses viable on the high street will redesign themselves for separate in-and-out doors, one way systems, and individually separable experience booths.
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Travel and leisure will change. Travel will become far less common, and leisure become subdued and local, with national and international leisure and sport experiences moving online.
PREPARING FOR THE CHANGES
These changes will take up to five years to create, by which time a vaccine is likely to have been found for the existing virus threat. However, the adaptations will be encouraged anyway, as governments will not be able to ignore the threat of future pandemics.
To prepare for the next five years, therefore, it is wise to allow in the mind for the likely adaptations.
Some tips might be:
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If you are dependent on group support, gain access to, and learn, as many online social technologies as possible.
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If you anticipate health problems, ensure you have access to the equipment, protective clothing, and buildings that will support you. Encourage your health service to separate support for contagious disease from other support, in order to enhance physical distancing.
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If running a business, adapt it immediately for online support and physical distancing. Be an innovator.
A SUMMARY
A wise response to the pandemic is to, as quickly as possible:
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Learn and access online social technologies
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Campaign for the separation of ‘contagious’ health services from other health services
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Adapt all businesses so that they can be conducted both (i) online, and (2) physically distanced and hygiene-controlled
Remindful UK 