The New Normal?

My Top Ten Outcomes Of The Pandemic.

With all due respect to the lives lost to the Covid-19 virus, it is time to focus on what the new normal could be as countries and their regions slowly start to reopen. The “shelter at home” order has forced us and given us the time to reflect and spend more time with family. These ten are in no particular order of importance:

1. Virtual Meetings and Video Calls – some services like FaceTime have been around many years but the ‘stay at home’ order has resulted in learning to work from home. While many of us have used video calls prior to this difficult situation, WebEx, Zoom, Viber and Meet have become ubiquitous – will this type of video communication, in a virtual way, continue at the current level of usage post-pandemic?

2. Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci – they are the ‘adults in the room’ during this crisis. Level-headed, balanced, and the voice of reason. Going forward, we will definitely rely on them and their peers to lead us through the next pandemic.

3. Family – Most of us have had the opportunity to spend more time with kids and other family at home. Dealing with this situation should give all of us a bit more appreciation for our loved ones, friends, and associates. Yes, this comes from me. 🙂

4. Virtual doctor visits – While telemedicine has been around many years, the reality of visiting a doctor’s office right now, for the most part, is not happening. What is happening is the ability to have a video call with your doctor, describe your situation, and possibly get advice and a prescription without having to get in your car, sit in a vulnerable waiting room, and waste hours of your time. Going forward, why would you take up so much of your time when you can meet your doctor virtually? Telemedicine is not applicable for all situations, but many.

5. OTT – Discovering and using Over-the-Top services has increased during the ‘stay-at-home’ period as we look for varied content, especially considering live sports is shut down. While we may have planned to ‘cut the cord’ from our cable providers, utilizing content delivery platforms like the Amazon Fire stick can deliver a wide variety of content via Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. At a minimum, this situation has probably raised the confidence level of many consumers that cutting the cable cord could be the new norm.

6. Knowledge base – Along with others, I did not pay attention to previous coronavirus outbreaks, for example SARS. The positive outcome of this situation: all of us, having endured the dire effects of Covid-19, will no longer not pay attention and take precaution early on. No more is an international outbreak “their problem” – Covid-19 has taught us it is everyone’s problem.

7. Music Appreciation 101 – For me, this time at home has given me more time to rediscover music – using Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora and SiriusXM. It has brought back some fantastic memories and I would think, even with the eventual return of live sports, listening to various music will continue post-pandemic. The ability to acquire and build your personal playlists using some of these platforms is great fun. While I like all the music services, Spotify is my current flavor of the month.

8. Hand washing and Hand Shaking – Yes, I know all of us always were diligent with consistent hand washing many times per day? Going forward, there is no doubt that this 20-second act will become way more prominent in our everyday lives. It better. As for handshaking, this one will be tough to completely forego – or will it?

9. Acts of Kindness – To the food banks, first responders, first-line healthcare workers, the supply chain providers, and all the companies who have pivoted what they manufacture to now produce protective gear, you have once again have risen above the call of duty. Thank you.

10. The Vaccine – It is on it’s way and yes, we really don’t know exactly when, though latest predictions tells us January. The vaccine will come and just as importantly set the stage for future vaccines to combat future pandemics.

Adios, stay safe, pay it forward and remember Mother’s Day is one week from today.