Learning to live with the Coronavirus
Rev. Fr. Hans Igness SDB
Salesian of Don Bosco
Ever since the nationwide-lockdown came into effect, I feel very apprehensive as well as clueless about the situation of our country after the lockdown is lifted. Sometimes circumstances teach us great lessons. We need to learn lessons for our life from this global crisis because as they say ‘Necessity is the mother of all inventions.’ The Union Health Ministry and the CM of Delhi recently advised the citizens to ‘learn to live with the coronavirus.’ This exhortation is a clear sign of acceptance of the new normal, going forward. It is hard to imagine that any of us can totally return to what was (the old) normal. In this article, I wish to bring to your notice, 10 things that have completely changed since the lockdown and henceforth would become the new normal in the post lockdown scenario.
- Social interaction
Social distancing and self-isolation are a challenge to many people. This is because we, humans are innately social. From time immemorial, we’ve always lived in groups - in families, villages, bigger communities and the like. We now see that people have begun to use social media and other online communication tools more and more to stay connected with their family, friends, colleagues, etc.
- Work style / Culture of Work
Work, rest, recreation, pastime activities… all under one roof. The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the way we live and work. Indian companies however, are not built to adapt to work-from-home style, particularly because of their infrastructure. A large number of employees don’t have proper workstations at their homes, let alone Wi-Fi. This is why the lockdown left companies struggling to provide resources to their employees. In fact, internet service providers witnessed a major spike in the demand for dongles as the companies made bulk purchases after lockdown. Several also had to rent out laptops for their employees and there was an increase in sale of laptops and other gadgets needed for work. It’s a bitter truth, but one that has to be told. “India is not ready for a work-from-home model.”
- Internet usage
During the covid lockdown, India is learning to go online for paying bills, banking, shopping, working and even praying and this will be the new normal. This clearly indicates the high appetite for internet data in urban and rural areas, which in the near future can be pivotal in bridging the digital divide. Since people are unable to hang out with their friends, they’re connected virtually on every platform possible. Social media platforms such as Face book, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are facing an increased traffic; Zoom, Google Meet and Skype users have skyrocketed ever since the global pandemic began.
- Health consciousness
Human beings are, in many ways, creatures of habit and everyone creates a lifestyle that suits them. Currently, we are all faced with a situation that has totally upset our normal routine and has changed our lifestyle topsy-turvy. No one is able to say for certain how long the coronavirus will last, or when our lives will return to normal. This pandemic has indeed changed the way we live our lives. Many people have been experiencing difficulties with their fitness regime, eating habits and sleeping hours, among other things. However, health is the top priority now and staying-well is our mission says the government.
- Business models
A humane approach in tough times can go a long way in securing trust as well as people, particularly in the unorganized segments of the economy. Today, most companies do quarterly and monthly planning of demand (what needs to be manufactured.) People would now need to do daily and weekly planning, reassess the situation every week or so. Going forward, the industry would need systems that enable remote monitoring of processes and machines. You will have more automated vehicles moving inside the plants.
- Family time
Parents should make the most of this period. “If the goal is to raise well-balanced, well-adjusted children with a broad base of knowledge, we need to move away from the notion that education is only what is taught in schools. Use this time to connect with your children and create closer bonds with them. In this way, you may convert self-isolation into family bonding time. In testing times like these, no greater tools are needed to live life with authenticity. We may be facing a situation which is painful, tough or even frustrating; yet, there is always something to be grateful for - health, food, family, togetherness.
- Education industry
In the current situation, online education is becoming a substitute to traditional models. Is India ready for this shift in terms of its infrastructure and digital readiness of children? Needless to say, the pandemic has transformed the centuries-old, chalk–talk teaching model to one driven by technology. So, for a while now, educators around the world have been talking about the need to rethink how we educate future generations. As we educators, grapple with the new ways of communicating with our students away from our classrooms and lecture theatres (halls), it is a time to reflect on how this disruptive crisis can help us define what learning should be for the present generations and beyond.
- Food habits
No matter what people include in their meals, it is important to be mindful while eating. One doesn't need to do anything different to eat healthy. If you feel hungry at odd hours, try to consume roasted chanas and plenty of water rather than resorting to cookies, chips and other junk food. At this point, it is key to boost immunity, and it can only happen when there is a proper mix of all food items. In times like these, managing our food and exercise habits can be a challenge and maintaining a healthy diet is not easy at the same time.
- Entertainment
With people confined to their homes, our social lives have moved online and entertainment consumption has risen notably within the at-home segments of television, online gaming and over-the-top (OTT). On the other hand, movie theatres, theme parks, museums, and other external consumption models are suffering, due to the enforcement of lockdown norms and physical distancing. Big releases postponed, film, TV and web series shootings halted, theatres unable to screen movies, daily-wage employees struggling for their next meal. While big public gatherings and meetings have become almost impossible in these trying times, we are already witnessing the rising trend of video conferencing, where brands are maximizing by hosting live streaming events through various social media platforms.
- Environment
The ongoing covid-19 crisis is having an impact not only on health systems, global travel and work patterns, but also on our environment. The coronavirus has evidently played the role of a cunning villain to decide who shall bear its brunt. In a way nature is giving us a taste of our own medicine; while we feel suffocated and gasp for relief as we stay ‘trapped’ in our homes, the trees, plants and water bodies celebrate freedom from the cruel hands of humanity. But alas! We now reap what we sowed. Our history of insensitive and careless actions has denied us the permission to now savor the miracle of nature, which was considered to be a sight of yore not too long ago.
Conclusion:
Dear friends, all the walls and travel bans in the world will not prevent the transport of disease from one nation to another. This means that individual efforts alone is not sufficient. We need to stand by each other. We need our community, city, state, nation and global institutions. And while we are in the midst of it, passing the buck is a waste of time and useless. We need to overcome divisions and come together as a single human community to combat a threat that disregards national boundaries.
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