We are almost five months into the pandemic and probably one year from a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.
The COVID-19 pandemic forces everyone to confront deep questions of human existence, medical capacity, political will, and how to embrace the new reality… This crisis is testing every society’s agility to react to a rapidly changing landscape. COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we dress, eat, and travel to work; how we relax, study, date, and run our businesses.
Several enduring shifts will remain post recovery, as many learnt behaviors born out of the crisis will become central to the new normal.
The western corona-virus response has hugely expanded state powers and limited individual rights with little debate, and so far, numerous societies agreed to be deprived themselves of a free society to a new one where we restrict physical and digital privacy.
For older people, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a shock. Many can’t visit their doctor, see their families, buying groceries. Their life savings are melting as the global economy shuts down and financial markets plummet.
And as the pandemic gets worse and brings the disease within fewer degrees of separation for everyone, we may well find that the notion of loving thy neighbor as thyself becomes far more powerful.
Much comes to the leadership and local teams and its ability to work coherently. Look at our leaders and government, do they have leadership qualities, the ability to work coherently, and to build a strong team?
Once we have emerged from this challenging and uncertain time, will we see enduring changes at the individual, organizational and governmental level? Yes, the new normal will bring a new order and hopefully a better one. I sincerely hope so for my children and yours.
