THE NEW NORMAL: How COVID-19 is changing us
The COVID-19 pandemic has been flourishing in the United States for 6 months now. I remember how disappointed everyone was in April, 2020 when pandemic restrictions were extended to the end of April and now we are in September. The virus has spread into every state, rural areas as well as the urban ones affected earlier. As time passes, restrictions are becoming the new normal in many places. Social distancing has changed how we relate to each other so significantly. But there are some good changes along with the difficult ones. Here are some possibilities:
Handling of all infectious illness will improve: Hand washing and mask wearing have become the new habit because of COVID-19. That is very good from an infectious disease point of view. As we are more fastidious we are exposed to fewer seasonal germs. We also gain a new respect for keeping ourselves safe from airborne toxins. However, as the pandemic continues on, resistance to these safety procedures builds with the opposite consequences.
- This winter's flu season may be mild or it may be severe: It all depends on us. If we increase measures like washing our hands frequently and wearing a mask and if we get a flu shot then not only will fewer people get COVID-19 but fewer will also get this winter's flu. If preventive action is not assiduously followed then the combination of the flu + the coronavirus may end up resulting in a far worse season.
- The flu has gained respect: As people make comparisons between the lethality of the flu versus the coronavirus it inevitably brings into view that having so much flu every year is preventable using the same precautions we now are using for COVID-19. The flu is already the enemy of those older. We all would be significantly healthier if we did not have to go through so many colds and flu each winter.
- Allergies can be more directly addressed: Increased protective measures also cause us to treat allergens more earnestly. Wearing masks when allergens are high should become the norm particularly for those allergic of course, but also for everyone. Foreign matter does havoc with our health. When pollen levels are high: wear a mask, stay indoors whenever possible and keep susceptible pets indoors.
- Smoke inhalation has been a problem in wildfire country of late. Wearing the right mask will reduce the toxins breathed in.
- In general, mask wearing will be far more common than before the pandemic, even after an effective vaccine arrives. This is progress. We should be protecting ourselves more vigorously against germs and pollutants instead of being casual and cavalier.
Unfortunately wearing a mask is controversial to some. It is as well the first safety measure to get abandoned as areas open up. But it is also the most important preventive measure we can take against this disease. Wear a mask. Don't get into discussion about it. Just do it. Set a good example for everyone else.
To understand the importance of masking:
186,000 people in the US have died from COVID-19 as of 9/8/2020.
By December that number is projected to be 410,000.
With 95% mask compliance it would be 286,000.*
* These projections were developed by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which has been cited by the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The researchers said that deaths could skyrocket to 3,000 per day in December if current trends continue. The projections are based on data including cases, deaths, antibody prevalence, testing rates, mobility, social distancing mandates, mask use, population density, age and pneumonia seasonality. The information was published the first week of September, 2020.
The New Normal: There are 2 New Normals, before and after a vaccine is made available. Until the latter happens the New Normal basically comes down to wearing a mask and avoiding being indoors with others unprotected.
Grocery shopping will never be the same: Gone are the leisurely days of pondering which product to buy. We used to linger here and there, reading labels, touching products before deciding to buy them. Instead of a relaxed trip to the supermarket, we now have to plan ahead and be brisk and safe in our purchases. In general it is prudent to buy as much online with home delivery as possible. When shopping in person we should follow certain guidelines until a vaccine is distributed. Eventually shopping will become more relaxed but many of these principles will become the new way to buy groceries.
When shopping in person:
When shopping in person:
- Wear a mask the entire time you are in the store.
- Clean your hands when you get back into your car.
- Know what you want to buy ahead of time and plan your journey through the store accordingly.
- Touch as few products as possible before deciding which to buy.
- Shop in stores with wide aisles.
- Avoid aisles where other people are shopping. Wait till they are done. One trick I have found is that if someone is between me and what I want then I will go around to the other end of the aisle to avoid passing them.
- Shop when the store is the cleanest and when there is the least risk of being close to other shoppers. In other words ...
- Shop when the store opens.
- Avoid stores that have many people stocking shelves in the opening hour.
One lesson we can learn from this: As things calm down and really return more to normal we can still use our experience in self protection when we are threatened by winter illness. So instead of companies requiring people to work if they are feeling poorly they can instead work from home and not risk passing it on to everyone at the office. When we feel a cold coming on we can mask up when we go out and socially distance from our friends. These are good lessons.
Visits to the doctor: Unless in person communication is necessary, we will be able to visit our doctor using video conferencing or over the phone. Hopefully smart phones will eventually be able to report statistics to your doctor's office automatically. The in person blood pressure checks that many have to trod to the doctor's office for will become a thing of the past.
Work: Remote working is here to stay. Office-centric habits will change even after a vaccine is available. Virtual meetings will take the place of many on site conferences. Employees won't necessarily have to live near their office in the future. One friend of ours lives in Portland, Oregon, works at home there and commutes to San Jose, California once a month for in person meetings. Another friend lives in Palm Springs, works from home and only has to occasionally visit on site in Woodside, 500 miles away. San Francisco property values have supposedly declined because some who work in nearby Silicon Valley have sold their SF homes and now live wherever they want to.
Social Interaction: Staying in touch by phone is one of the best ways to communicate with close friends and relatives as in person visits remain dangerous especially for seniors for the next few years. Exquisite long phone conversations with friends and family are coming back in style. That's a good thing. Online communication helps immensely to keep us connected but there are some disadvantages too. More on that below.
Social events require more planning and take longer to organize. For some time going forward, seniors should think twice before attending big parties. Same goes with all large audience in person events. Broadway and movie theater attendance will remain low, especially in urban areas, till a vaccine that works well is accessible.
Churches may have to take social distancing precautions seriously for some time, since indoor crowds are the most dangerous of all. This is unfortunately problematic as some religious leaders refuse to abide by pandemic restrictions. Church gatherings are the source for super spreader events, as are funerals, bars, family gatherings, etc. Essentially any indoor gatherings. The louder, the more singing, the more liquor, the more dangerous.
Social events require more planning and take longer to organize. For some time going forward, seniors should think twice before attending big parties. Same goes with all large audience in person events. Broadway and movie theater attendance will remain low, especially in urban areas, till a vaccine that works well is accessible.
Churches may have to take social distancing precautions seriously for some time, since indoor crowds are the most dangerous of all. This is unfortunately problematic as some religious leaders refuse to abide by pandemic restrictions. Church gatherings are the source for super spreader events, as are funerals, bars, family gatherings, etc. Essentially any indoor gatherings. The louder, the more singing, the more liquor, the more dangerous.
Education: In time in-person learning will return. There will always be a place for it, even though online classes are an excellent alternative in many situations. A focus on improving online education will help to make it more effective. Living on campus for college students may become less desirable with more students living at home. Fraternity and sorority life may be reduced as attention to college studies takes priority over social life.
Restaurants will eventually return to normal with more outdoor dining weather permitting. Vaccine availability will bring much business back. Going out to eat is one of America's favorite pastimes. That's unlikely to change as indoor activities become less risky.
Most service businesses like nail salons, dry cleaners, pet groomers will return to normal within distancing guidelines, no longer needed after vaccination. Some may choose to keep using them particularly during cold season for example.
Most service businesses like nail salons, dry cleaners, pet groomers will return to normal within distancing guidelines, no longer needed after vaccination. Some may choose to keep using them particularly during cold season for example.
Deeper and darker effects of the pandemic: These are going to require conscious effort to resolve. If we do nothing to address these issues then the pandemic experience may well end up taking our culture in negative directions.
Social Isolation: Our social skills are mostly dormant now. We are changing our habits to be less social than normal. Recovering that territory is hard for many. Children and teenagers are particularly affected as their exposure to others their own age is far more limited. Getting along socially needs practice for many. It would be wise to deliberately keep our social skills up during this time of dormancy.
Online Communication: As we have isolated and have become much less social, the Internet has taken over as a preferred way of staying in touch for many, whether through using programs like FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram or by reading and commenting on political analysis. Many of these forms are prone to exacerbation of underlying problems with much opinion and news sharing slanted and either deliberately or unknowingly false. Hate inflames hate. Fear begets fear. Online passion is very ungrounded and contagious. As a culture we should build in function that grounds us. This is one reason breathing exercises are so important. It is the most effective relaxation technique there is.
Stress: The combination of an extended pandemic, an unstable political environment and the extensive wildfire natural disasters is cause for so much stress. If we don't do something about reducing and releasing the stress our physical and mental health are compromised. Daily stress reduction techniques need to be utilized by all to maintain stability and balance.
Pandemic Inactivity: One of the most severe challenges for society is that exercise and activity have significantly decreased across our entire population. Sports are much reduced right now, both professional and school sports. Gyms are one of the first businesses to be closed during the pandemic. Physical habits that were very hard won after years of training suddenly get dropped from our lives with a resultant increase in weight for many. Obesity is already a terrible problem for our country. The pandemic will only make it worse.
We in the fitness business have fought so hard for so many years in an effort to convince people to become more active to regain and maintain their health. And so much of that effort now goes out the window as people cannot stay physically active under pandemic guidelines. The one plus is that the case for exercise improving health and well being is so rock solid that it is clear it has to be part of everyone's life if we want to be a healthy culture.
We in the fitness business have fought so hard for so many years in an effort to convince people to become more active to regain and maintain their health. And so much of that effort now goes out the window as people cannot stay physically active under pandemic guidelines. The one plus is that the case for exercise improving health and well being is so rock solid that it is clear it has to be part of everyone's life if we want to be a healthy culture.
For seniors this aspect of inactivity is most serious. The isolation plus the loss of senior classes plus the anxiety of the pandemic itself causes our balance in particular to deteriorate. Regaining activity is essential to maintaining a high quality of life for those older. The effects of being less active can be remedied by taking online or DVD classes in your own home now. It is not the most desirable method of exercising for many but it works! And it really is so essential for health and well being that we all should give it a good try.
As those older become less active an increase in falls is to be expected. Online and DVD balance training can prevent that. The Building Better Balance DVD series was designed to help you improve your balance and avoid falls, all in the comfort of your own home. These DVD classes have helped so many during this pandemic as we are all forced to isolate.
One customer has this to say about Building Better Balance: "I am doing the DVDs with you almost every day. I am getting stronger and more flexible, thanks to you! And I LOVE it when you sign off with your "Thank you SO much for being here with me today, Building Better Balance". I always send you an air kiss back. You give me such JOY!!!"
Published September 11, 2020