Excited for this day to come? All of us are praying that we will wake up one day with a good news of this pandemic coming to an end. But before that day comes, I personally believe that these things are happening to teach us important lessons in life. And for all our sacrifices not to be in vain, let us reflect and see what old ways we can leave behind and what new and better ways we can introduce to our daily lives from here on forward.
The ultimate goal is not to go back to our old lifestyle but to be a new person with a new mindset after this war. Yes, just like the many wars that happened in the past, there are a lot of lives that were sacrificed in the name of this WORLD WAR C [Global Fight Against COVID-19]. Heroes fought for different causes: freedom, peace, unity, respect, rights, recognition, etc. Now more than ever, we could think of many things that we can learn from this ongoing war: health issues, mindfulness to others, alternative ways of doing things, not to mention the absence of war and the positive effect on environment when we started slowing down on our life.
RELATED LINK: Some of these were already included in our previous blog post: BLESSING IN DISGUISE: A Positive Lifestyle Change
But what are some of THE NEW NORMAL that we can take with us once this Covid-19 scare comes to an end?
We saw that even WUHAN RESIDENTS are still “required” to wear masks even after the government announced the end of lockdown on April 8, 2020. So here are some of the personal observations and learnings that we can share, also taking special notice on the #bestpractices being adopted by other countries even prior to this pandemic:
1. WEARING OF MASKS WHEN OUTSIDE especially when you are sick to avoid spreading the virus. In some countries, we can see this as part of their culture of respect. People wear masks as a way to protect others from getting infected. Who knows, maybe we will see a global fashion trend in wearing masks as a sign that it is becoming an accepted norm by societies.
2. WASHING OF HANDS will also influence our social greetings and make us more conscious when eating and touching our face. Like in Japan and other Asian countries, bowing are used instead of a handshake. While this is not suggestive of a a change in tradition, but this may have helped them minimize the impact of Covid virus due to minimal to less physical contacts.
3. MINDFULNESS TO OTHERS by sneezing in your sleeves, using tissue papers, and avoiding contact with other people when you are sick. Aside from what was mentioned in number 1 and 2, being mindful of others will put order in many public places like groceries, prayer places, transportation hubs, etc. And talk about volunteerism and heroism in times of crises, it’s one of our proudest moments to show our unselfish love for others.
4. IN OUR HOMES: Putting a special area outside of our doors for groceries and deliveries to avoid direct contact, washing or spraying our groceries before consuming (as prescribed by the Ministry), putting off shoes and other accessories worn outside before entering the house, and taking a shower before going to bed or mingling with other members of the family, will also be a new norm that we can continue doing as part of our personal hygiene. This is to ensure safety and cleanliness – which is one of our best lessons and takeaway from Covid-19.
5. FOLLOW THE GOVERNMENT ORDERS. We have been given a lot of information on how we will take care of ourselves. But this will only prove effective not by the amount of fines or number of apprehended people, but how we abide by it as our civic duty being a resident of this country.
6. STRICTER IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING ON HEALTH-RELATED PROGRAMS IN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS. Temperature monitoring, wearing of masks, sanitizing equipment, and the likes should always be made available. Facilities for regular Corona virus checkup (like designated public testing or drive-thru testing just like how we are managing the global HIV and polio vaccination). For companies or even educational institutions, a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) like #workfromhome or #distanceeducation must be made ready and automatic in emergency cases like typhoon, pandemic, and the likes in order not to disrupt normal business operations.
7. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. Personally, it hit me hard knowing that everyone can be a victim of Corona virus. Moreover, the virus attacks the immune system of our body – making the old, the weak, and those with respiratory and heart diseases, very vulnerable to it. We don’t have to go into detail about this but just reminding everyone to see a doctor for regular checkup, and maintaining a healthy diet and exercise.
While it’s not something new, business will continue to maximize the use of social media for their promotion and marketing. It was just the right timing that our blog project READERS CHOICE 2020 and our followup event to introduce the use of social media in their business came right before this pandemic shaped up. Gladly, there are few who responded positively by taking on Instagram and Facebook marketing seriously paving the way for some restaurants to use delivery apps as an alternative when home delivery was the only option.
LASTLY, in times like this, we should be united in supporting our local and national governments, and doing our personal best to avoid getting the disease. PRAYER is our best weapon to gain divine protection, and wisdom to find solutions against this pandemic. And when it’s finally over, let’s not forget this experience and be grateful to God (not forgetting how we’ve become faithful and prayerful). Let’s praise the governments, the companies, and the front liners, and many volunteers who have fought this battle for us. By that time, we all deserve to celebrate!
