Here in Ontario, things are changing. Although the coronavirus is far from being gone (so stay proactive and cautious!), we are tossing away all the mandates. Say goodbye to proving you are vaccinated to grab a bite to eat. Did you leave your mask at home? No problem, you won’t need it anymore! It appears that things are going back to ‘normal.’ The real question is, will it truly be the normal we once knew and loved?
It has been one heck of a decade thus far. 2020 came in full swing, and the chaos has not stopped since. Of course, one of the most significant events has been a worldwide pandemic. There is no good way to deal with something to this scale, so the governments made their choices. Almost two years later, we are saying “adios” to many of those choices. I have to admit that I have so many feelings about lifting all of the mandates. It is so exciting to think that life will resemble some normalcy but it is also terrifying. Just because the masks will cease to exist, it does not mean COVID will too! Apart from the fact that it will be much more likely for people to catch COVID, we cannot hide behind our masks anymore!
For someone as introverted as I am, these masks have been a blessing in disguise. They hide half of your face, making it harder to connect with people in public, and for whatever reason, they have made us unapproachable. I also love the masks in the winter because they keep my face so warm. I am considering using them every winter from here on out!
Do you think the masks are unquestionably gone forever or do you think they will be used in a more modified way? In Japanese culture, mask wearing has been customary for over 100 years. It is common practice that if you are sick, you wear a mask in public. I think this is a brilliant idea to help limit the spread of other viruses and germs!
We are going to take time to get used to seeing and interacting with people. Most of us have had very limited interaction with people outside of our family for two years. Going to restaurants now and it being at full capacity, or doing a live presentation in class will all be strange and unfamiliar. I believe life will be a mixture of what we once knew life to be and life with COVID. I think the use of hand sanitizer and excessive hand-washing practices will remain. I, for one, am now so aware of feeling the immediate need to wash my hands whenever I go out in public. It makes you question how sanitary we lived our lives prior to all of this. I sincerely hope face masks stay in restaurants and fast food places for the people preparing our food.
This time has taught us a lot about taking better care of the planet. When the initial lockdown happened worldwide, and the earth started to recover, it was shocking! We as humans are adaptable and capable of coming together as a species, and the past two years of distributing personal protective equipment proves it. COVID taught us how to practice hygiene much better, and I wish that we continue moving forward with this new knowledge/
Life after COVID might not be anytime soon, but we are officially starting to live life with COVID. How do you think everyday life is going to change?