Where do we go from here?
As BC slowly comes out from our *Coronovirus Hibernation(TM), we have to ask ourselves what now? By all account BC has done a great job compared to some of the other provinces as noted in the media like here, or here or here. Although nothing has been specifically announced by the Government yet, I would expect for BC to continue in its cautious approach with a very gradual reopening of the neighborhoods. It’s only a matter of weeks before the restaurants and other business open their doors to groups. Just think about everyone that needs a haircut or see a dentist! Schools to partially reopen to small class sizes. Large business to welcome back their workers into the office room or onto the factory floor. And eventually if there is no COVID flare-ups, in a few months time, the large scale sporting events and concerts.
But I truly believe there will be things that will not go fully back to old normal – instead we have found a new normal that will not completely return to the way things once were. I’m not just talking about washing our hands a little more or canceling that gym membership you weren’t using anyways. I speaking about after years workers of commuting back and forth from the office because they have been told that they must come into work and yet found themselves working from home being just as productive. Not saying every day at home, but why not a couple of days a week? When a Zoom meeting can replace travel and wasted chitchat, are we really jumping back to the old norm?
CTV has reported that grocery stores might not ever go back to to the way things were after being forced to move more online sales. Small business that also moved online and shut their brick and mortar doors, may never reopen them as online shopping for products and services may just change they way they thought they had to do business. As noted in The Vancouver Sun, even Stanley Park has been so happy with the success of banning cars to encourage social distancing, that the Park Board is wondering if this move should be a permanent one.
As the pandemic runs its course through our province, expect to see a lot of things go back to normal and some thing to become the new normal!
