Reopening, returning, recovering: this is what we have all been wishing for as we wait isolated in our homes. Everyone is talking about adapting to a “new normal”, but deep down, all we want is the old “normal” back. But how? How will we return to a situation before all this?
Will “Normal” Ever Exist Again?
Obviously, society will function when this is all over, but many “regular” aspects of our lives and society as a whole will disappear. For one, people are more eager to work from home, and in a recent survey, 85% of Canadians expressed interest in working remotely after the pandemic ends. Working at home is definitely more comfortable than a regular office job. Remote working skips the long trip to work and what some may find, the uncomfortable office hours of a regular 9-to-5 day. However, face-to-face school is completely irreplaceable. Students learn best in physical demonstrations, and personal feedback is vital to growth. For a student who needs to learn new material, talking directly to a teacher is the most important step in learning.
Another thing that will change is the relevance of celebrities. The isolated state of the world has cut off the attention we usually give to pop stars, movie stars, and other famous personalities. People are choosing to watch talented, dedicated entertainers over the usual “drama queens” in quarantine. Will we no longer admire people shallowly telling us to “donate for the good of society” from their enormous mansions? Instead, will we listen to those who genuinely spread positivity and display their dedication?
Governments, including the Canadian government, have pledged to be more careful about disease in the future. More efficient hospital systems and stricter regulations on vaccinating children are only a few of the changes proposed by Prime Minister Trudeau. Hopefully, the leaders of the world will learn a valuable lesson from this pandemic and prepare better for the next outbreak.
What if we Reopen Now?
If there’s one thing we don’t want to do, it would be reopen too fast. We know that asymptomatic COVID cases exist, and reopening can put vulnerable populations at risk and create a second wave of the pandemic. In fact, an entire Japanese island went back into quarantine after reopening too fast. Scientists also say that the second wave of COVID on this island is much larger and much more lethal than the original outbreak. So don’t be impatient-wait until the government and the UN say everything is completely fine! Yes, the curve is flattening, but it will definitely un-flatten if we are too hasty. Stay at home for a bit longer and wait until the curve trends downward before you decide to go back out. Remember: patience is key during this uncertain time!
Don’t be Afraid to Recover!
But what should we do when everything is okay? Well, here’s a story that I often remember when I think about what my life will be like after quarantine. When I was ten years old, I met a weatherman from CTV news. This weatherman told me: “In the future, and I mean the very near future, there will be a very lethal tornado, so you better be prepared!” From that day on, I became paranoid. I checked the weather update every single day, and I hid in the basement whenever I heard thunder. I couldn’t do anything about the situation – the tornado would happen when it happened! But I wanted to prevent what scared me. (By the way, the tornado never actually happened.)
Right now, physical distancing and isolation are actually stopping the spread of COVID-19. However, observing self-isolation practices long after the coronavirus stops spreading is more like me attempting to control tornadoes. This video explains it well: After we get the all-clear from the authorities, we might be afraid to recover, because we want to prevent and control the virus. But then, why were we distancing ourselves in the first place? We should not be afraid – you should not be afraid to recover when it is safe to do so. These long months of isolation will only be “worth it” if we are brave enough to return ourselves to whatever the new normal may be.
One Final Word
No one knows exactly how we will recover. The pandemic has caused many changes, some of which will be permanent. Although we need to be patient and cautious in the process of returning to normal, we should fully release our fear after the pandemic ends. Ultimately, we will get through this dark time, no matter how we choose to do so.