Life After Corona

[aja8888]

One of my close friends owns 6 Burger Kings. It's a family business and his three adult children run it. They have about 80 hourly employees and now are laying off about half of them as the restaurants only now allow drive thru customers. And those are diminishing.

 

[Redbugdave]

When the crisis is contained, I think the average person will go on as before. Most will not save for a rainy day...just as in the past. Most of us here on these forums are not like that. It will take our economy a while to rebound...maybe 3 or 4 years. No one knows.

But my greatest hope is that all the different countries will be able to work together more cohesively than ever before. Things like pandemics will not be as much of a political issue as they have been. I am thinking big here...but maybe a chance at more world peace.

 

[razztazz]

When the crisis is contained, I think the average person will go on as before. Most will not save for a rainy day...just as in the past. Most of us here on these forums are not like that. It will take our economy a while to rebound...maybe 3 or 4 years. No one knows.

But my greatest hope is that all the different countries will be able to work together more cohesively than ever before. Things like pandemics will not be as much of a political issue as they have been. I am thinking big here...but maybe a chance at more world peace.

I must admit I too am looking for something of a brave new world (in the good sense) coming out of this. But previous opportunities at various levels over the previous 6 decades all having been blown down the pant-leg, have tempered my expectations.

 

[MuirWannabe]

The only thing I can say with certainty after Coronavirus is that I’ll be much much less wealthy. Heading towards busted. At least it feels that way. Why I’ve ridden this all the way down now, I’m not sure. Feeling pretty dumb right now.

So, life after corona for me? Finding work? Tiny vacations? Small to no discretionary spending? Not what I was expecting. Life will be different.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

 

[ncbill]

One of my close friends owns 6 Burger Kings. It's a family business and his three adult children run it. They have about 80 hourly employees and now are laying off about half of them as the restaurants only now allow drive thru customers. And those are diminishing.

I agree...I don't see a rapid bounce-back, but instead a severe recession and slow recovery.

Businesses across all sectors are finding they can continue to operate with far fewer employees than before...so why rush to add more?

 

[braumeister]

Went to the store this morning because I was low on heavy cream (gotta have that for my morning coffee). Everything appeared absolutely normal. Mostly stocked shelves, low number of customers, no overloaded shopping carts -- just like any regular weekday morning, except fewer people than normal.

So I think the panic buying is finally over, at least around here.

 

[travelover]

Went to the store this morning because I was low on heavy cream (gotta have that for my morning coffee). Everything appeared absolutely normal. Mostly stocked shelves, low number of customers, no overloaded shopping carts -- just like any regular weekday morning, except fewer people than normal.

So I think the panic buying is finally over, at least around here.

How was the toilet paper supply?

 

[GravitySucks]

Went to the store this morning because I was low on heavy cream (gotta have that for my morning coffee). Everything appeared absolutely normal. Mostly stocked shelves, low number of customers, no overloaded shopping carts -- just like any regular weekday morning, except fewer people than normal.

So I think the panic buying is finally over, at least around here.

Same here.
Didn't check the toilet paper aisle or soap section though.

 

[Sanstar]

Am still getting supplies from Amazon and doing local grocery store pick up once a week. Temps here will be hitting 90+ this week. High 80’s today.

I wonder if I put packages and bagged food from store in locked car parked in the sun for a couple hours, open packages in car and leave outer grocery bags in car, will this be enough to kill CV before bringing it in?

https://goodcalculators.com/inside-car-temperature-calculator/

 

[6miths]

I posted this in the toilet paper poll thread. Seems that the crisis is over! There weren't even any people in the aisle and only the rare person at checkout had a package of toilet paper. That said we didn't seem to have much in the way of panic buying here. I was in Vegas 2 weeks ago and the scene in the grocery store and Costco was impressive.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My step son called yesterday and said he is buying stocks and we should to. He had no clue about our financial reality. After I explained it he understood. We are okay but life is certainly changed.

 

[sengsational]

True, but I think he was talking about food.

Somewhat unrelated, I can't tell you how many kids want to become "game designers" or a "game programmer". Why? Because they like to PLAY games and think of it as a cool job. But they fail because playing something that someone else created is not the same skill set as making (creating) something. I saw that in my own child - he wants to figure out how to beat a level - while I look at it and want to figure out how they (the game designers) did something - i.e. how did they make it work that way. (And I care little about mastering the gameplay.)

My DD started her coding career writing code to help her beat games (scripts to do repetitive things that gave you money so you could do interesting things). I urged my kids to steer-clear of coding and I.T. Now both of them are firmly in I.T. and have from "a lot" to "moderate" coding responsibilities in their work

 

[harley]

My DD started her coding career writing code to help her beat games (scripts to do repetitive things that gave you money so you could do interesting things). I urged my kids to steer-clear of coding and I.T. Now both of them are firmly in I.T. and have from "a lot" to "moderate" coding responsibilities in their work

There is a lot of coding in a lot of fields. I have a nephew who studied astrophysics and robotics, and spent a ton of time coding. When he got a job it was much more lucrative to get a coding job than many of the more esoteric fields he could have worked in. And he's pretty happy with it. I always liked it, except during release week.

 

[DrRoy]

When there is a vaccine, I would not be surprised to see life go back to the old normal. There will most likely be better preparations for a potential future epidemic, and I expect that businesses will look differently on single country, overseas reliance on sourcing.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Here's how I see the world changing post pandemic...

More work from home
So many companies have been scrambling to set up remote work capability to keep their businesses afloat during the lockdowns. After having their hand forced to set up the capability and infrastructure, many companies will continue allowing more work from home. There will eventually be a glut in office space.

More delivery and take-out
Going out to eat will not go away due to the social aspect of breaking bread with friends. But many restaurants will have set up take-away and delivery capabilities and I suspect more people will continue to take advantage of it. I think sit down chains will have to tough go of it.

Grocery delivery and pickup
Grocery delivery services and store pickup will become more entrenched with many relying on such services during the lockdown.

Repatriation of some work and diversification of other work
The weak link in some companies' global supply chains have been exposed and they will take a closer look at where their offices and operations are located. Some work will be repatriated onshore where there is more control and under North American standards (reflected in multiple ways) while others will decide to not put all their eggs in one basket/county/region.

Shake-ups and changes in the travel industry
Cruise industry taking a few years to recover and struggling a bit with overcapacity with so many new ships in the last few years.
More rigid entry screenings (ie body temperature imaging cameras) at key airports
Marketing of travel insurance coverage for pandemics.

 

[statsman]

Lost businesses and products after COVID-19

I started thinking about life after we start the process of returning from the various COVID-19 shutdowns. I wonder how many businesses and products that were part of our lives that may not survive this crisis.

In my case, I have a hair stylist who is wonderful. She does a great job on my hair. But she has been solo in her shop for over a year. She has trained a few young stylists in the time she has owned the shop (5-6 years), but once they get a clientele, they move off to open their open shops. I am not even sure she's allowed to serve customers since the shutdown in Williamson County (Texas) a couple of days ago. If so, she may not make it, and she could end up returning to her home country.

 

[Sanstar]

I’m going to stay 2 weeks ahead on essentials. Always be ready to shelter in place.

 

[dixonge]

Y’all need to keep in mind this virus is NOT “going away”. It’s here and it’s staying. Just like SARS, MIRS, EBOLA, Malaria, etc.
What WILL happen is a vaccine will be developed that will help control it, people will - for a time - pay better attention to hygiene, and an amount of human immunity will get built up, just as we have to viruses now.
If you want an eye-opener about viruses and the possibilities of what’s to come go watch “Pandemic” on Netflix. A docuseries that just came out January 22, 2020.
This ain’t the big one, folks....

We don't know that. SARS disappeared and never returned. MERS became seasonal but still infects very few each year. COVID-19 seems more seasonal, but we won't know until next year really.

I'm concerned that every time a new virus comes along we are going to shut down and throw the world into a tailspin, for the sake of the "science" and letting doctors run the world. I don't recall this type of panic and lemming-like behavior when ebola, swine flu, SARS and MERS, etc., yet somehow we survived.

OK, go!

Others have addressed your misunderstanding here, but let me point out one surprising case w/ Swine flu. In 2009 three kids in Cibola, Texas got it and they shut down the schools. This article discusses that and social distancing, etc. It really was just a warm-up for COVID-19.

Texas On Front Line Of Swine Flu Battle

In the future, we need to handle killer viruses more like S. Korea, not Italy. This weeds out the sick and lets the rest of us go about our normal lives. No economic damage, no 'tailspin.' *that* is how science does it. The reason this time is so bad in so many countries is precisely because science and doctors do *not* run the world. Doctors don't order lockdowns, politicians do. Please aim your ire at the appropriate sector. Thanks

 

[gromit]

The home food pantry will make a comeback. The World War II generation all had them, but the popularity waned as we became more just in time purchasers of plentiful goods at well stocked supermarkets. More people will have an extra 6 pack or more of toilet paper and paper towels, along with a supply of non-perishable foods.

 

[BeachOrCity]

Post Corona won't be like an "on switch". It will be gradual, many industries will have serious long term issues that may interfere with viability.
Suppose we all get released to resume our lives in May:
-- Who wants to sit in a crowded restaurant being handed food by a waiter we don't know and prepared in a kitchen we can't see precautions of?
-- Who wants to go to a crowded theatre, sporting event, or concert?
-- Who want to get in a full airplane, bus or subway car?

I think you all get the idea. Bottom line is until a treatment or vaccine or most people have gotten it; life will be very different.

 

[audreyh1]

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I posted this in the toilet paper poll thread. Seems that the crisis is over! There weren't even any people in the aisle and only the rare person at checkout had a package of toilet paper. That said we didn't seem to have much in the way of panic buying here. I was in Vegas 2 weeks ago and the scene in the grocery store and Costco was impressive.

I’m watching Costco online for Kirkland TP and paper towels as an indicator of return to availability. Both are still shown as out of stock, at least in my area.

 

[audreyh1]

I do think there are going to be major changes after corona. Attitudes towards pandemic readiness will completely change, especially realization that pandemics are as big a threat to US security as war, hacking infrastructure, etc., and that we have to safeguard/stockpile some supplies. This is usually the only way such lessons are learned.

Unfortunately I think we’re going to have to keep facing outbreaks, so I’m not sure how “after” we will truly be. Rather we’ll have to learn better how to contain and mitigate.

Businesses will transform yet again like they did after 2008.

I really have no idea what the travel industry is going to look like a year from now, I’ll have to wait and see if is any where near the pre-corona situation.

Right now we’re hunkering down and trying to get through the next few months, so I’m not spending much time visualizing how things will be when the crisis abates or lessens significantly.

 

[Rianne]

I picture a world like "The Stand." Me and a few friends wondering the earth. Take out the "good/evil" part.

 

[Midpack]

Probably too soon to know, as we don’t know the full effects yet. It will vary from one person to the next but in general.

• I fear some industries will be radically changed, and only the strong will survive (duh?). Restaurants & bars, movie & theater > more streaming, travel, brick-n-mortar > online grows even faster, DIY grows at the expense of some services, medicine and education move online more (but not entirely), etc.
• Will media journalism change? I have no idea.
• I assume most of us will probably be more germophobic after, whether that persists or not we’ll see.
• I’d like to think we’ll all be a little more considerate of each other, but I’m afraid social silos and partisanship will divide us once again in time.
• As for spending, while we’ll cut back out of necessity for now, we seem to revert to spending more than we can afford soon enough - the mainstream population much more than this audience.

I hope I’m wrong and most of us are changed for the better - I know everyone in our neighborhood is genuinely on their best behavior toward one another, six feet apart...

Some changes will be permanent, others temporary.