COVID 19 Impact

How COVID 19 will change our thoughts/beliefs forever.

COVID19 A New Normal | Work From Home | Digital Work Space| Home Schooling

I would not be lying if I say that I am totally consumed by COVID-19 and every small news affects me in one way or another. Never in my life I ever seen a situation where everyone is trying to maintain a distance as much as possible and staying home. Despite having all the freedom in the world. People are ready to give up maids/household helps just to stay safe. For those who can’t avoid going out are taking all necessary precautions.

You will have people walking wearing a mask on roads and there was a time when even in peak of pollution chaos in Delhi NCR this was not taken up. Avoidance of mass gathering is considered, and families are avoiding birthdays/parties/Puja/creative classes etc. I have a kid who is 6.5 years old and he also understands that he is not supposed to play out till month end. Hopefully!

Even if it goes off it will leave an impact in more possible ways we can imagine.

• First and foremost, we all will learn and appreciate the work done by our house helps/society helpers/security guard etc even with the money we pay them. If they don’t come for a day or two, we panic. With a lock down of weeks slowly we have adjusted to this routine and learnt to most of the work by our self. Things will never be usual self again.
• Ordering food from outside or eating out was common once or twice a week but now we are all eating inside and making most of it. Social Media is flooded with videos and post with respect to cooking. Especially with easy to make snacks items for kids. From baking to Dalgona Coffee everything is being tried at home with all available ingredient.
• This curfew like situation which has come up without any political mess up or any war. It’s unbelievable how things have unraveled over the past few days. You go to a grocery store and you don’t see any items used in your house on a regular basis, you get scared of things to come. From hand sanitizers to surf to fresh vegetables etc. This is much more than shortage of onions and salt which we had earlier.
• Prices of all essential goods will increase, transport cost etc.
• Wearing a mask would seem to be a new normal and instead of looking with a surprise we would be more considerate towards the person. This would be more like a norm as some would wear it against pollution and some would for cough and cold. Whatever is the reason we won’t be surprised if this becomes a part of uniform. 
• If we come to know that someone is sick the easiest thing to be done would be call up the person first and check on the person rather than visiting the person. Sad, but now I don’t think if someone falls sick, would be getting the level of personal attention we got from friends outside our families.
• Home schooling, will come to limelight and you never know in India also there would be a process and acceptance of students who are home schooled. Very recently I was inquiring with a teacher for my son. She said, she would take a web based or skype call to teach. Ofcourse at that time I refused to do the same. Now I think this would be a norm. As video call gets more accessible and cheap to people this would be very easily done. This is already working well in U.S.A and other developed countries. Would soon be very much possible and affordable. Kids will adjust to this video conferencing studies through Zoom or any other channels.
• We would keep washing our hands , avoid touching face as much as possible. 
• Any cough/cold or fever would be checked immediately to avoid any complication or issues. Even now I had to go through a CT scan and what came out was a cough due to Pollen allergy and season change.
• We would not be able to eat street side food with the same zeal and enthusiasm as we used to do earlier.
• Work from home is now a necessity as going to office is extremely difficult and may not esquire any questions hence forth. Neither it would be looked with anxious with a claim that your life is so easy as you have wok from home. We must understand that work from home makes you do more work than a normal day. Plus you don’t get a half hour lunch break/coffee break etc. No one to talk to and discuss the issues. No personal touches. 
• Going forward we would all think twice before touching any one or shaking hands. Hugging would be out of question apart from near and dear ones.
• More respect for people who clean your house, your roads to places you work at. This is required more than ever especially with so many diseases roaming around just to grab a host. 

More than anything else we must change our behavior and thoughts to support each other in good or bad times. May not be in person but through phones/emails or videos. Doctors/Medical industry would make lot of money as anxious parents would rush to them for consultation. I vividly remember when I was growing up no body bothered to take you to a doctor unless you are really sick. Hence, I have grown up avoiding medicines. Post pregnancy and two c-section I am more prone to pop up a medicine than endure the pain. Also, I believe age gets you as well. However, for kids it is totally different scenario one day of sneezing and coughing we take it to the doctor. Even if we know the medicines. Don’t want to take any chance.

Sincerely praying for us and everyone around that we are able to beat this and many other diseases that will come our way. Amazingly, so much of technology and machine learning is still not enough for curing this. God only knows what future beholds for our children.  However, we must appreciate every day that passes by. 

Thanks,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan

(19-03-2020).