Amid the shutdowns and tragic loss of life around the Coronavirus pandemic life has been ‘different’ recently. But, what awaits us after this storm?
There is really no easy answer to how we recover from this, nobody has the crystal ball to relieve the stress we’re all feeling.
Jobs
Some industries have been hurt badly by this pandemic, with the unemployment rate soaring in the US to an average of 14.4%! [Source: Statista – Unemployment Rates]
While it’s obvious that leisure/hospitality and retail unemployment has increased, it’s less obvious to note that manufacturing and construction is suffering as well.
How do we bounce back from that, considering 3 months ago there were twice as many construction job vacancies as there were people to fill them. Once the Country is back open for business, that reality will return.
But, will the workers return or change career paths to a more stable employment option that won’t be affected by outbreaks in the future?
I think it’s going to be a challenging road back to a new version of normal, since we’ll never return to the way we were.
School/Education
The most complicated place to re-open (apparently).
It’s hard enough to make ends meet with two parents working. What happens when some states are considering an alternative to traditional schooling?
By that, I mean governors in states like New York are trying to develop a continued distance learning option to keep schools closed indefinitely (or limit the density of children in school at one time).
These plans would either close school entirely, or set half of each grade to attend school every other week on a rotational basis.
How can one parent afford to stay home with their young children? Especially if it’s a single parent home? This question begs for a very creative answer, and hopefully that answer does not place a larger tax burden on the already shrinking middle class.
Social Gatherings
Are we ever going to enjoy getting together as groups with shared interests?
With the pandemic keeping us 6 feet apart, the future of gatherings may forever be changed.
Beaches, concerts, civil protests, family reunions, weddings, everything we’ve taken for granted hangs in the balance with the local and Federal government weighing their options.
It will be interesting to see how we move forward with this. If seating will be placed 6 feet from the nearest seat in all directions, or if all large gatherings will be outlawed entirely.
Traveling/Vacations
Probably the category that is going to take the longest to recover to a new “normal” is the leisurely activities we all look forward to.
I’ve heard multiple people in the older generation mention that they’ll never fly on a plane again, or go to a hotel.
They’re afraid of any future pandemics because of how unprepared we are to handle it internationally.
Looking Ahead
I’m not trying to paint a dark picture of the future of humanity after this pandemic, but with all of the uncertainty, I want to know how we move forward.
I would like to take a moment to give my condolences to the families who have lost someone in this time, COVID-19 related or not.
A little encouragement, looking forward to the new world and how we’ll come together to be stronger on the other side of this.
The Handy Writer 