So, what’s likely to change, post pandemic?
It’s likely that a great deal will change, including the wearing of masks. In the old days, one might tune in to a program about something going on in China and see a whole bunch of people wearing masks that covered their mouths and noses. “Strange,” we would think, but now we certainly see the utility of mask wearing.
For example, it is extraordinary that we have seen almost no flu during what would have been our traditional flu season. It would stand to reason that, even after the pandemic has passed, we might want to consider wearing masks to protect us from all airborne diseases. A lot of people die from flu and many of us get a flu shot each year. Now, it may turn out that, while a flu shot is certainly a smart precautionary measure, wearing a mask may be an even smarter strategy. We might save a lot of lives.
Working from home is another major innovation many have enjoyed and embraced. I’m on the radio for several hours every day and that is possible because of a device called a tie line. It turns my voice into zeros and ones, and makes it sound as if I am in the studio. My biggest problem is the food right around the corner from where I sit. I am going to gain weight doing this. If you are at home, you are probably going to snack because the food is so proximate and so convenient. During my time on the air, I can take advantage of the underwriting breaks that last a few minutes. I can use them for bathroom breaks or for raiding-the-refrigerator breaks.
Bosses used to be deeply suspicious of employees who came to them and asked to work from home. Now that we’ve been forced to do this and have seen the results, it turns out many people are successful with this way of working and may well continue to do it. That means that, while I used to commute 50 miles each way, my car is probably going to last a lot longer. Not so good for the car dealers, but a hell of a money-saver for many of us.
Then, there is the issue of restaurants. I know someone who was in New York City last weekend and said the restaurants with outdoor seating were doing a bang-up business. While that certainly isn’t true of many of the restaurants in my home town of Great Barrington, people have to eat. They are learning to cook for themselves. We have an extraordinarily popular program called Food Friday on WAMC. People are really beginning to pay attention to new ways to prepare food. Not only that, there are preliminary indications that, since both partners are staying home, meal preparation is now more of a shared experience.
Exercise is another consideration. When you are working from home, it is much easier to get out for a long walk or run in what had previously been commuting time. During World War II, when the British were deprived of meat and had to rely on a more vegetarian diet, there were indications that heart health improved despite the enormous stress under which people were living. If it proves out that people are exercising more and their health is improving, they might continue to get out to run and walk. Of course, gyms have been closed and that may leave a permanent exercise deficit, but I have learned if you bundle up with several layers, you can walk in very cold temperatures, especially if you put little hand warner packets in your gloves and sneakers.
So, you had better believe some post-pandemic practices may stay the same.
