I’m thankful that the coronavirus situation is so far in control in the New York City area. It is definitely a lot better compared with back in March and April.
Thank you to the brave frontline health care workers that spent the past few months taking care of the sick and needy. It truly is an honor to witness your situation.
It seems like people have begun to get back to normal. Or as normal as you can possibly be in the age of coronavirus.
There are more people on the streets now, walking around, albeit with masks on more frequently than ever. Hopefully, there will not be a second wave of this thing come the fall season.
But, you never know. It certainly seems like New York is getting this thing under control.
Unfortunately, other states across the USA that reopened sooner are reporting higher increased cases of coronavirus. So, this thing is not as easy to control nationwide as it initially seemed.
So, when exactly will we get back to normal as a country? As a society? As a world? Will we ever return to normal? Should we even get back to the normal of before?
The protests these past few weeks of George Floyd have shed light on the systemic racism present in our law enforcement community.
It’s hard to fathom, but maybe it’s better to not return to the normal of before. Maybe this age of coronavirus is the perfect time to blaze a new trail forward.
Even when things return to “normal” and our city is fully reopened, I don’t suspect that the restaurants will be fully operational. I don’t suspect that people will view taking the subway or bus with the same effortless naivety.
I don’t think the people will want to return to the office without taking all necessary precautions. It’s safer to work from home these days and I don’t blame anybody for wanting to do so.
So what exactly is normal? Is it an ideal that we should discard going forward? Maybe it’s time to move on and accept the present reality as it is.
We will have to wear masks more frequently when outside. Social distancing between individuals is still a must. And it remains more important than ever.
When the vaccine finally comes out, it will need to be produced on a massive scale in order to take care of the entire global population.
Some countries are faring better than others. Brazil, India, the United Kingdom, and Russia are seeing massive spikes in their cases.
Iceland, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Vietnam seem to have this thing under control for the better. But, it hasn’t exactly gone away for good.
I think this virus is here to stay for the rest of the year and perhaps the better half of next year. This is the new normal - regardless of whether we are locked down or not.
But, it’s not a time to despair. Now’s the perfect time to adapt and play to a new set of rules. To help each other in times of struggle. And to accept the new normal as a chance to grow and improve.
The changes that have been made due to the George Floyd protests have been significant. Choke holds have been banned. And calls to defund the police are ever-present.
It feels like a boiling point waiting to happen. So, why is there even a desire to return to normal? To a time of police brutality and systemic racism?
Shouldn’t we embrace the situation as it is, and plow forward with the necessary revisions? We are all in this together, and we should accept that maybe normal isn’t the best way to move forward.
Coronavirus or not, this is a new age. And we will have to live by the new standards set to us. Socially distance. Wear masks. Exhibit proper hygiene. Not just for the sake of yourself, but for the sake of our community as a whole.
Yes, we are better off now compared with back in April. Yes, the hospitalization rates are down. Yes, the deaths in NYC have come down as well. And yes, that is something to be thankful for.
But, we shouldn’t let loose just yet. We still need to watch out for each other in society. And the best way to watch out is to continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, and not rush back into the thick of things.
Taking care of yourself is the same as taking care of others. It will reduce the burden that is being placed on our healthcare system. And while we’re at it, now is the chance to trail blaze a new path beyond normal. Beyond the standards of 2019 and before.
Trying times are the best of times to test our resilience and adapt to the inevitably ever-changing world for the better.