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The coronavirus pandemic has taken a great toll on our country. As of June 22, 2020, the disease had taken life of around 13,700 Indians, according to data provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. But even after the daily death countdeclines and restrictions ease, life after corona is not going to be easy. COVID-19 is bound to have long lasting effects on how we live and work.
Fear of a Second Wave
One of the biggest fears about returning to the old ways is that there might be a second wave of the SARS-CoV-2. The novel coronavirus is highly contagious. On average, a person infected with COVID-19 infects 2 to 2.5 other people. On the other hand, seasonal flu affects 0.9 to 2.0 people on average. Plus, getting a vaccine seems to be quite far as well. The best estimates say that there are at least 18 months before we can develop a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. And this estimate is highly optimistic. Developing vaccines for viral diseases takes around 10 years!
The highly contagious nature of the virus, coupled with the lack of a vaccine, increases the chances of the virus making a comeback, especially if proper hygiene and social distancing norms are not followed in our life, post corona. We are seeing this play out in many places around the world, such as in China. As soon as the coronavirus seemed to come under control and the restrictions were lifted, huge crowds started to build up in the tourist spots of China. And this saw the return of COVID-19 to the country. After being 58 days without a coronavirus case, 36 cases emerged in the Xinfadi market in Beijing. And the restrictions returned with it. There is a great deal of uncertainty around how long the covid-19 impact will continue to be felt globally.
Life After the COVID-19 LockdownWave
After the lockdown is lifted, the way businesses, schools and offices operate would have to change considerably. Profits would be lower, things would be more complicated, but these would all be necessary to prevent a second wave. Some of the changes we could see in our life post coronavirus restrictions are:
1.Shopping Malls
Big stores and shopping malls may take steps to limit footfall and entry. This would be done to make enforcing social distancing norms easier and ensure hygiene of customers. There could also be prohibition on entry of people without face masks. Cashiers would also be asked to wear gloves and face shields. Some stores may even put thermal scanners at the entry points. Customers might even be given appointments to avoid overcrowding.
2.Air Travel
Air travel is set to change as well. Airlines are set to remove reading materials and stop serving meals in flights. Passengers would be required to wear masks on the flight. Plus, there would also be rules regarding distancing on planes. All these regulations could mean increased costs for airline companies.
3.Hotels
The hotel industry has also been severely impacted by COVID-19. It has downsized considerably because of coronavirus. And this means, they would not be able to provide all their services.
If you are wondering about life post COVID-19,remember that till a vaccine has been developed, things cannot go back to normal.
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