Even When COVID-19 Has Come And Gone, How Will It Permanently Change Our Lives?
In many ways, it already has
We say when COVID-19 has come and gone—not if. Because we'd like to believe that there is an end to this pandemic, that millions from around the world will one day again return to their work desks safely, children can see their friends at school again, hugs can be given and received freely once more, and we can turn this proverbial chapter and start anew.
But how "fresh" can our beginnings truly be once the pandemic has been successfully contained, whether that's via a vaccine or other ways? Does putting an end to the COVID-19 health crisis mean that we shed the new normal we needed to grow accustomed to in order to survive, or does that mean living a new normal, version 2.0, where we get to enjoy our freedoms from before but combine them with new practices and habits we picked from this time?
Research says it's more likely to be the latter, and really, we're glad that it is.
Check out six ways the pandemic has permanently altered the way we live for the better:
how covid will change the way we live forever
how covid will change the way we live forever
How COVID-19 will forever change us
Let's start with the most general: The COVID crisis has made us more conscious of our health. People are paying more attention to their bodies and are more observant of signs and symptoms of illness. Filipinos in particular are guilty of the "Wala ang 'yan" syndrome - downplaying any pain or discomfort felt, owing them to some temporary, fixable issue rather than treating it as cause to visit the doctor to investigate the cause. It's projected that even when COVID-19 has a vaccine (or another way has been found to address it), most people will continue this health-conscious behavior and learn to take health more seriously. Executive checkups will become common practice as well as other routine doctor's visits to check for serious illnesses (like getting mammograms, colonoscopies, and yes, even dental appointments) as people have come to see the value of early detection and have learned how one health issue can impact their whole bodies. We'll take better care of ourselves from now on.
How COVID-19 will forever change us
Following through on that thought, that means we'll also be more sensitive towards how we can affect others, health-wise. This means more frequent mask-wearing if we are ill, even if it's just with the common cold and cough, better hand hygiene because we know disease can be transmitted via hand-touching and infected surfaces, and even cleaner surroundings, even if that means simply becoming neater at our work stations or knowing how to clean up after ourselves if we dine outside. The pandemic has made us realize that how we treat our personal health can have very real effects on those around us, and that caring for ourselves means caring for others, too. Maybe Filipinos can take the lead of neighboring countries, Korea and Japan specifically, whose citizens have made it a must to wear face masks to protect others from catching what they have, or just as a daily practice to shield themselves from urban pollutants. If post-pandemic life means becoming healthier in this sense, we're all for it.
How COVID-19 will forever change us
The same goes for mental health. Mental health care could appreciate more attention in the future. because of the uptick in mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. More individuals have experienced dips in their mental wellbeing for the first time during the pandemic, leading them to realize that mental health issues are not to be taken lightly and that they have the power to affect every aspect of our lives. The crusade for mental health awareness was gaining traction even before the pandemic, but experts envision that the global grief and shared stress humankind experienced from this time could be the beginning of societies embracing the need to care for mental health the same way we would with our physical health.
How COVID-19 will forever change us
The way we work might never be the same anymore, and working from home might become a permanent setup for many companies and offices. This isn't to say that physical gatherings in the workplace won't ever happen again, but that they'll be reduced, and employees can enjoy a more flexible schedules that incorporates more days spent working from home. It's long been proposed that many 9-5 jobs can thrive even with a setup like this, but employers have been hesitant to formally give it a try. With the pandemic, there was no other choice but to implement the new scheme, and lo and behold, for many, the new setup proved successful and operations continued. It was the pilot test necessary to prove the effectiveness of flexible work from home options, and hopefully, they become part and parcel of office life even when work has gone back to pre-pandemic functioning.
How COVID-19 will forever change us
The importance of relationships will (hopefully) never wane. You'll see thousands of people reflecting on how the pandemic has restructured their priorities; if in the past they valued a fast-paced lifestyle that put work, deadlines, and making money before slowing down, enjoying a meal at the table with family, and spending time with their children, post-pandemic life will be the opposite, or at the very least, invite more balanced living where personal and professional lives are of equal footing. There never has been a time in modern history where entire countries were placed under lockdown and households spent endless days together under one roof, spending all 24 hours in a day together. It's been tough for some, but a blessing for the majority as it was something that would never have been possible in our "old normal." Relationships, family, and quality time - they'll enjoy a leveling up in the set of priorities of most people as the pandemic has taught us that more than the material and more than our quests for greatness/success/influence/power, these are what give life its meaning.
How COVID-19 will forever change us
Speaking of priorities, consumerism could go on a downhill trajectory with people learning that they can live life just fine with what they have without the constant need to update wardrobes, purchase the latest gadgets, or be seen in the newest restaurants. Many will of course want to shop, dine out, and travel again when post-pandemic life has stabilized, but the forecasted trend is that people won't be spending as much as they did before on material things. "Pandemic hesitation" will become an actual thing, and it's an effect of financial instability brought on by the pandemic that changed people's spending - and saving - habits for the better.
We've talked about the long-lasting behavioral and social consequences that the pandemic is projected to leave behind, but what about its long-term effects on health? COVID-19 was a health crisis first and foremost after all, and everything else was just an offset of this.
Aside from studying how COVID has changed the way we live, studies have also looked into how the disease has changed our bodies, especially for those who became sick and have fully recovered.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are a number of long-term physical effects left behind by COVID-19, even with a fully recovery, and they include:
- Fevers
- Chest pain
- Muscle pain
- Headaches
- Palpitations
These symptoms can be lingering or recurrent. There are have been more serious consequences recorded, such as:
- Lung dysfunction
- Inflammation of the heart and arrhythmia
- Vocal chord damage
- Dermatological issues
- Kidney injury
- Neurological issues (e.g.: dizziness, difficulty in focusing, and nerve pain)
Generally speaking, long-term effects of COVID-19 on the body are mostly still uncertain and not set in stone. The disease continues to baffle and posts different sets of complications on both the group and individual levels making it difficult for doctors and researchers to pinpoint a pattern.
Almost a year into the pandemic, the solution to keeping safe from COVID-19 and making sure we protect ourselves from these long-term effects is the same: follow health protocols to a tee, take quarantine seriously, avoid non-essential activity, eat healthy and boost immunity, exercise, get enough sleep, and watch out for each other.
Make sure to make it through this shared ordeal long enough to see the world transition into the new normal, version 2.0.
Images from Unsplash and Pexels
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