What does the other side of Covid look like

[RetireBy90]

So I have found myself questioning what the other side of this pandemic will be. First, I'm counting on a vaccine by end of 2020 or early 2021. It may take a while for enough product to be produced and distributed to achieve herd immunity, but I believe we should be there early 2021. Once we get there, what will be left of pre-covid normal, what will be gone and what will survive but be different for some years.

Some thoughts
- Will masks be with us going forward ? in flu season ? On public transit ? in public places with lots of people ?

- Air travel - Will air travel return as it used to be ? How long will it take to return ?
- If air travel returns, what will change ? Will we have additional checks at TSA like temp checks ?
- Will cruise travel return ? What will change ? Will ships be smaller to host less travelers ?

- Medical care
- Have we seen enough of tele-health to make it permanent ? Will we seem more done from your house before visiting a doctor's office ? More remote testing before you visit ?
- Will you do more monitoring of your health on a regular basis ? More blood pressure checks, take temp each morning, check heart rate ?
- Will we see changes in personal tech to monitor your health ? Wearable tech to monitor BP, HR, oxygen levels ?
- Will hospitals change the way they intake or evaluate patients ?
- Will there be more private rooms in hospitals to limit infections ?

- Relationships
- Will personal relationships change ? If you don't go anywhere without a mask, will you still spend time with those who don't ? Will you meet romantic relationships the same ways ? Mostly today in large gatherings such as parties, church, or bars ? Will on-line dating be used more to meet ? How about forms like ER, will they be more meeting places for people with like interests ?

- Business
- Will the restaurant curbside pickup and at home delivery continue at today's levels or increase or decline ?
- Will on-line shopping and pickup taper off or increase ? On-line ordering and delivery will certainly continue to increase, it has been for years but what about at store curbside pickup ?
- What businesses will we see continue mask use ?

- Schools
- What changes will K-12 see ? More moving to private schools ? Smaller classes ? More pods for classes rather than entire student body in the halls every hour ?
- What will happen to school bus transportation ? Smaller bus sizes ? Less students riding the bus ? Return to "normal" ?
- What changes will colleges see ? Will some remote learning continue and perhaps become standard for some subjects that don't require in person interaction like lectures vs lab work ?
- What changes in campus life are likely for colleges ?
- Will there be more using community college for first 2 years then transfer to 4 year schools ?


- Will Covid and other pandemic related words make it into spell checkers ?


I've tried to list some topics to think and speculate on but lots of potential changes or snap back to pre-covid norms.

 

[Exrook]

Fascinating article in Nature about this here:


https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02278-5?utm_source=pocket-newtab


I recommend reading all of it, but here is what I found to be the key graphic:

 

[Midpack]

Same topic a couple weeks back FWIW https://www.early-retirement.org/fo...ons-for-the-post-covid-19-economy-105027.html
Covid has accelerated the existing trend toward moving more online. That will prevent travel (air, cruise, hotels) and brick-n-mortar from coming back for a long time if ever. Same with restaurants and most large gatherings (movies, concerts, live theater, sports, religion) - reduced demand may force lower prices? Schools will come back sooner if only because of their daycare aspect - allowing working parents, it appears online education can’t fully replace in person anyway. And learning direct social skills is important for kids, doesn’t happen online. Casual wear continues to displace formal. Some people will continue with masks/distancing after the guidance ends, but most won’t. I just hope credible experts have been elevated again somewhat, but the willfully ignorant population is HUGE in the US so I’m not betting on it...

 

[harllee]

Fascinating article in Nature about this here:


https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02278-5?utm_source=pocket-newtab


I recommend reading all of it, but here is what I found to be the key graphic:

Thanks for that Article. I just skimmed it--plan to go back and read it more thoroughly. Sounds like we are in for a very rough winter (I was afraid of that) and what happens going forward is very much dependent on getting a vaccine.

As for DH and me, I think we will be mask wearers from now on--especially indoors. We will also probably avoid crowded situations as much as possible going forward. We have gotten use to wearing masks--they really don't bother us. We are both around 70 and DH has an autoimmune disease and normally he would have periods of not feeing well. Since March when we went on lock down DH has felt much better. He thinks he was suffering from infections of some form or the other much of the time which made him feel bad. Since the lock down he has not had these infections and feels so much better. So we will probably have some permanent changes to our life style even if there is a Covid vaccine (we will definitely take the vaccine when its is available).

 

[pacergal]

I am not sure SARS-CoV2 will actually "go away". I think we can mitigate it with vaccines, however, there are enough among us who will not get vaccinated, or areas in the world that will not have access, that keep the virus going.
Personally, we will continue to wear masks, even if/when we get vaccinated. It will help with decreasing exposure to other cold and influenza viruses.
I have no desire to ever go on a cruise again, will probably fly and stay in hotels, etc depending on how things look. I have had a pretty good experience with curbside pick up for groceries and restaurant take out, so will continue. I never really enjoyed loud noisy places to eat anyway--mostly went out to be with friends and family.

 

[retire-early]

If there is a vaccine, it probably won't get to everyone until the end of 2021.
I will look to whether other countries approve them for their own citizens or not and which one(s) are approved.

I found I have mostly become accustomed to wearing a KN95 mask which is bulkier than a surgical mask but less bulky than a N95 mask (I have one I bought in 2018). I probably will continue to wear a mask.

I go grocery shopping once a week.
And bulk goods shopping once every two weeks or so.

I do not shop online at Amazon. I buy mostly on eBay. I just bought a wireless thermometer with two sensors.

I miss browsing in a brick and mortar store. Just being indoors these days makes me somewhat nervous, so I tend to go in and get what I need and get out. Shopping at the local Walmart on weekday mornings is fairly stressfree because there isn't that many people.

I do miss indoor dining. Getting takeout is so wasteful with the numerous plastic containers.

 

[RetireBy90]

Same topic a couple weeks back FWIW https://www.early-retirement.org/fo...ons-for-the-post-covid-19-economy-105027.html

Thanks for the link.