The coronavirus pandemic has changed life in many ways that may be permanent. It has caused societies to adapt to restrictions like social distancing, mask wearing, and virtual work and school. It has also taken a mental toll through increased anxiety, depression, and isolation. The pandemic has introduced many new words and practices around hygiene. Vaccines now offer hope for controlling the virus, but uncertainties remain around their long term effects and when societies will fully reopen.

1. How Corona changed the world
for ever
2020 will be remembered in history as the year of the coronavirus pandemic. It has easily been
one of the worst pandemics humanity faced in nearly 100 years, causing irreparable damage and
mental scars that might never fade. As of January 2021, nearly 2 million people have lost their
lives due to Covid-19 and the virus continues to spread havoc even today in different parts of the
world. X It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives, perhaps
forever. The little virus has had an adverse effect on almost all parts of our life – from work and
recreation to even simple day-to-day activities like grocery shopping and walking freely in the
park. Today, we will look at the many different ways the Covid-19 pandemic transformed our
lives.
1. Adapting to a new normal It almost seems like a lifetime ago when we would travel freely,
visit restaurants, go to the movies, attend sports or music events, and hug our loved ones without
any fear. The coronavirus pandemic changed all that within a few weeks. So much so, that even
going to the nearby grocery store felt unnerving. Soon enough, the world began adjusting to this
new way of life. It was the “new normal” and it’s likely to be the way forward for some time to
come even though the vaccines against the virus have arrived. Dining has mostly shifted to
outdoors only, waiting rooms have almost become nonexistent, large gatherings and events are
still banned, traveling for leisure have taken a backseat, and even going to the gym requires a
reservation. Moreover, the way we work and the spaces we work in have changed since the
coronavirus pandemic.How long will this new normal remain a part of our life is anybody’s guess.
But we are all adapting to it and finding new ways to find happiness in our own little ways.
Hopefully, we would have all learned something valuable from this experience.
2. Dealing with anxiety and depression The coronavirus pandemic has taken a severe mental
toll on people across the world. As most of us were forced to stay indoors for a large part of last
year, cases of anxiety and depression peaked. In fact, according to a report from GoodRx (an
American healthcare company), prescription fills for depression and anxiety drugs reached an all-
time high in 2020.“Living through a stressful situation, such as financial insecurity, family
upheaval, trauma, loss, or of course, the current COVID-19 pandemic can certainly be a trigger
for worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety. For folks already managing their anxiety
and/or depression, life stressors can tip the balance from healthy functioning to poor mental
health,” says Sasha Guttentag, Ph.D., a research scientist at GoodRx.Indeed, all of these factors
combined have caused an immense mental strain on people. Social isolation, particularly, has
had a terrible impact on seniors. School and university closures have made students constantly
worried about their future. Then there’s the fear of the disease itself as well.Everyone has their
own way of dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression but given that this pandemic is expected
to last for a while, it’s important that we start taking steps towards that as we head forward. Start
by seeking social support and talking openly about your grievances with your loved ones.

2. 3. Rumors and myths Rumor-mongers have had a field day throughout the coronavirus
pandemic. From hoax coronavirus cures like killing the virus with a blow dryer or by drinking
bleach to spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine (like how it can alter your DNA),
the flurry of rumors just refuses to stop. What doesn’t help is that we are living in an age of
Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, where false information travels like wildfire. Unfortunately,
such rumors can have serious consequences as well.A study published in the American Journal
of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene revealed that the pandemic has caused more than 2,000
rumors, conspiracy theories, and reports of discrimination. The researchers of the study also
found that Covid-19 related rumors were connected with hundreds of deaths and an even greater
number of hospitalizations. As different countries of the world are gearing up for mass
vaccination drives, expect plenty more erroneous information to be floated around related to the
vaccine and its supposed side effects throughout this year and maybe more. It’s important hence
to be mature about this and trust only verified sources before believing any information of
sensitive nature.
4. Learning new words and phrases One of the few good things that happened during the
coronavirus pandemic is that many new words and phrases entered our vocabulary. “Social
distancing” is perhaps the most important word we learned in 2020. It made us aware that
maintaining at least 6 feet of space between yourself and the next person is so very important.
Then there was "flatten the curve”, which is described as “a visual display of the onset of illness
among cases associated with an outbreak” by the CDC.See Also: 10 New Words That Emerged
During the Covid-19 PandemicBefore the pandemic began, most of us were also not aware of
words and terms such as: Asymptomatic: “presenting no symptoms of disease.”Aerosols: “a
suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in gas.”Community spread: “when someone gets the
virus without any known contact with a sick person”.Incubation period: “the period between the
infection of an individual by a pathogen and the manifestation of the illness or disease it
causes.”PPE: “personal protective equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause
serious workplace injuries and illnesses
5. Living with masks Like By now, we are all well aware of the importance of wearing masks to
protect ourselves from the coronavirus. In the initial days of the outbreak, medical or surgical
masks were in short supply and people resorted to wearing homemade masks. In the days to
follow, as we were made aware of the benefits of wearing even cloth masks, several companies
came out with a variety of face masks and they have now become a crucial part of our wardrobe
and our day-to-day living. Today, you can't leave your house without putting on a mask and that
is going to be the case for some time come; at least until this pandemic is completely under
control. Experts have already suggested that even after getting vaccinated against Covid-19, we
will have to continue following all the safety norms, including wearing our face masks
6. Greater insistence on hygiene Like The coronavirus pandemic has, in many ways, made us
realize the importance of practicing good personal hygiene and disinfecting our homes regularly.
Today, cleaning our hands (with soap or sanitizer) regularly to prevent the spread of the virus
has become a known mantra throughout the world. Disinfecting high-traffic surfaces and keeping
your home sanitized is also equally important. We have also become used to practicing coughing
or sneezing etiquettes (into the crook of your arm or a disposable tissue) because of the
pandemic.While it took most of us some time to get used to these hygiene practices, they have
now become an essential component of our lifestyle. And even if and when Covid-19 is
eliminated, following good hygiene habits like washing your hands and disinfecting surfaces are
likely to be followed as they can help prevent the spread of any illness.

3. 7. The advent of virtual learning One of the lesser-discussed ramifications of the coronavirus
pandemic is the cloud it has cast on the future of many school children. So many schools across
the world were forced shut once the pandemic began and a majority of them are yet to open for
obvious reasons. Children can still act as spreaders of the disease and to control such large
numbers of kids in an indoor setting will be quite a challenge. So, we still don't know how will
schools adapt in the future to this situation whenever they do open.Virtual learning became the
order of the day as children were forced to take their classes from the confines of their homes. It
continued throughout last year and is likely to be followed for some time to come as there is still
no certainty when schools will reopen fully. Questions also remain on how will the schools safely
reopen and how many parents will allow their children to go back to schools until the situation
hasn’t normalized.For now, it looks as if virtual learning is here to stay, and is up to the schools
and the parents to ensure that children don’t fall behind in learning because of it.
8. The coming of a new vaccine As the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc everywhere last
year, people desperately prayed for an effective vaccine to come to their rescue. However, back
then, Covid-19 and the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, were largely unknown to science.
Developing a new vaccine can take years. Thankfully, however, the scientific community has
done an incredible job of producing vaccines against the disease in record time. In the next few
weeks, millions of people are all set to be getting the first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in different
parts of the world. The United Kingdom has already begun its rollout for the Pfizer vaccine
candidate, which has also been granted emergency use authorization from the FDA in the US.
Countries like Canada, Israel, and India, among others, have also started, or are all set to begin,
mass vaccination drives.See Also: Busting Myths & Misconceptions about the COVID-19
VaccineAll the major vaccines currently in production have proven to be highly effective in their
phase III clinical trials. More importantly, a successful vaccine against the coronavirus is
absolutely critical to help control the ongoing pandemic and bring the transmission rates
down.However, scientists have made it clear that coronavirus may never be eliminated and we
will all need booster vaccines for it every year, just like we take flu shots. Thus, the new Covid-19
vaccine, too, in all likelihoods, will eventually become a part of our life from now on.
Jayadeva de Silva for Humantalents International
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