Post-COVID world - Do you think it will be different from the pre-COVID scenario? Justify your view.

Covid-19 has not yet been over. Despite the mass vaccination drive in countries like the USA, UK, India, and so on, the coronavirus is rapidly mutating. This has raised the concern of the health experts. Presently, scientists are working hard to deal with the Delta variant which is highly infectious.

Health professionals have not yet been able to answer when this Covid-19 virus and its variants will leave the world permanently. You need to be optimistic. The motivation of a Covid-free world should run inside you. The outbreak of coronavirus has brought many changes in our regular social and professional lives. Even children and teenagers are also witnessing these changes.

New Normal and Old Normal

The severe effect of the Covid-19 pandemic has unveiled two new terms- new normal and old normal. 

What is New Normal?

The present Covid-19 era is the new normal. Wearing a mask, using hand sanitizers, maintaining social distancing, stay healthy and stay home, work from home, rise in online classes and webinars, etc. are some of the notable trends of this current period. Such initiatives have received approval from the experts. Covid-19 and its variants are extremely contagious. All these steps aim to minimize physical contacting to a great extent.

What is Old Normal?  

The period before the Covid-19 outbreak is termed as ‘old normal’. This was the period when you were able to do offline and online activities simultaneously. It was the period when wearing a face mask is not mandatory. There was no social-distancing rule. You did have the opportunity to roam freely anywhere. Economic activities were hardly disrupted. You never had to segregate yourself from society. School and college classes used to hold normally. You had to work from the office daily. You have never had to witness strict hygiene protocols while entering shopping malls or multiplexes.    

New Normal Vs Old Normal

The uncertainty on the Covid-19 elimination is growing constantly. This has further raised the possibility of this new-normal continuation trend in the coming days. There is nothing wrong with these different new normal activities. The need of the hour is infrastructure improvement. It will help a large number of people to integrate with the new normal era within a shorter duration. In developing countries like India, not many people do have the chance to work from home. So, a hybrid workplace model has to be devised.

Similarly, not every organization has the requisite resources to observe the essential Covid-19 protocols strictly. They need to be properly funded and incentivized to follow such regulations until the situation improves. As the covid-19 vaccination is progressing, educational institutions should reopen. There is nothing wrong if classes were held at schools and colleges at least two days a week within the Covid-19 protocols. This shall help the students to establish contact with the outside world again alongside the virtual world.  

Covid-19 has brought the world to a standstill condition. It is really hard to predict when the pandemic will end. No doubt, the post-Covid-world will witness the continuation of the new normal trends like work from home, digital payments, e-learning, and so on. Moreover, it may also usher the era of 'Metaverse' where people shall have the opportunity to work, shop, and connect with each other in a single 3D digital platform to accomplish every requirement very smoothly.