What features of the COVID-19 lifestyle will remain after it is all over?
One might ask, in what areas are people adapting to a new lifestyle and, which of these changes are expected to continue after the virus has disappeared?
By MENI KOSLOWSKYGym use is down, as many have learned to exercise at home(photo credit: PIXABAY)
The coronavirus has caused many of us to rethink where we are now and where we will be in the future. The great uncertainty is partially responsible for our trying out new behaviors so as to cope with the stress that we are all feeling. One might ask, in what areas are people adapting to a new lifestyle and, which of these changes are expected to continue after the virus has disappeared?It is obvious that many behaviors that were needed during the crisis will disappear soon after it ends, to everyone’s satisfaction. This was clearly noticed when the government lifted some of the restrictions concerning home stay, and people were happy to go out and to return to the activities they had been doing before the crisis hit their communities.At first, it is important to distinguish between changes in behavior that are rules or regulations set up by the government to deal with the pandemic, and those modes of behavior that people have chosen to cope with the restrictions. Thus, the limitations on number of people on a bus or temperature checks at entrances to many public places are not expected to continue, but certain behaviors at home may very well become part of an individual’s or family’s lifestyle. Let us see what some of these changes are expected to be.Perhaps the most talked about change relates to the amount of time people stayed home. It appears that during the height of the crisis, except for emergencies, people spent very few daylight hours outside their homes. Either alone or within the nuclear family, this period presented many challenges, most of which people had never suffered before.For people who in normal times during daylight hours were at work or at school or shopping, this confinement caused frustration and a great deal of stress. The frustration was expressed in many ways. Domestic violence increased dramatically, and one can argue that many of the demonstrators, here and in many other parts of the world, were out on the street to release tensions.Working or studying or shopping at home became part of nearly everyone’s life. “Zoom” became a household term. It is hard to imagine that as late as January of this year the vast majority of people around the world had never heard of the word. Workplaces, professional conferences, virtual tours and learning in universities around the world, as well as many elementary schools and high schools, moved over to Zoom rather quickly to carry out their activities.Has Zoom participation been able to replace an activity that previously occurred in a live setting? It is hard to gauge, especially in the world of education. The teacher talks and sees his or her students, who can then ask questions directly or in a chat-like forum. The participants have a choice if they want to be seen or not. This particular feature has both positive and negative features associated with it.As such, Zoom has garnered some negative feedback from lecturers. It is much more difficult to teach, especially complex topics, if the teacher does not see the students’ faces and is not made aware if the students really understand the material being taught. Also, for younger children it is hard to keep them focused for hours at a time on the computer screen.One very special feature of Zoom is that the user of this remarkable program (and many similar ones, such as MEET, which are easily available to the consumer) is no longer required to live in a particular country or to be a member of a specific institution to enjoy a presentation from an outside expert. It is clear that Zoom has altered education for the near future, and this is true even if we go back to our normal teacher-student setup in a classroom.A social situation that has taken hold, more out of necessity than anything else, is the use of Zoom for dating. With the forced quarantine, unmarried men and women have had to resort to the Internet to meet people. Cosmopolitan magazine interviewed several people to hear how they would evaluate their dating experience during the pandemic. All had something positive to say about their experiences.One interviewee reported that it is much easier to handle a date that is going badly, as it can be ended rather quickly without having to spend excessive amounts of money and time. It’s also a very efficient way to screen potential matches.Another interviewee saw it as a great way for introverts to meet people, and plans to continue dating this way after the present crisis is over. It is expected that to some extent dating, especially the first date where people see each other for the first time, over the Internet will continue.WHAT DO people do to spend their time at home by themselves or with the nuclear family? One activity that has become even more popular than before is watching television. Instead of going to a movie theater, watching movies and shows on Netflix or some similar platform has become very popular. According to the recent financial analysis, Netflix added a record 15.8 million global subscribers in the first quarter – of which a large number signed on after lockdowns began in their countries. The company now has more than 180 million total subscribers.This change may have a major impact on movie-goers in the future. It is quite clear that going to a movie theater provides an experience that is not reproducible at home. Nevertheless, it would seem reasonable to expect people to reduce the number of times they go out to the theater or concert or ballgame if many of these attractions are available at home at a much lower cost and, in many ways, are much more convenient in terms of parking or during inclement weather.Another family change that might have lasting implications is that people are deciding to have fewer children. In a survey of 2,000 women conducted in early May, the reproductive rights organization, the Guttmacher Institute, found 34% of respondents wanted to delay pregnancy or have fewer children because of the pandemic.It is very possible that these attitudes may change as the virus disappears and people get back to a normal pre-coronavirus routine. The present decrease in the number of women who say they do not want to have children is actually a continuation of a phenomenon that has been observed in nearly every major country, and in particular, in Western European settings.Yet there are two additional features of the present situation that may have an impact. The first one relates to the uncertainty associated with the end of the pandemic and the anxiety associated with giving birth while in isolation or quarantine. An additional thought that may have a much longer effect on whether women decide to bear children is the feeling that there is so much illness and evil in general that bringing a newborn into this world just does not make sense. Whether the impact of the present situation on women is temporary and will disappear after a period of time or whether this generation has been scarred forever is hard to say.TELEMEDICINE, A CONCEPT that has become popular over the last few years, became part of many people’s health care during the crisis. Visits to the family physician or ordering medicine refills that were part of their regular health routine and often required an office visit, are suddenly available online. Although the use of distance health care is bound to continue in many areas, one change that is sure to continue is remote patient monitoring that allows transmission of certain patient data from a distance. Follow-ups may require an office visit, but often the physician will simply ask the patient to continue the treatment that is being used presently.Because of quarantines and closures, people have stopped going to the gym or exercise programs and have learned to exercise at home or close to home. Until recently, for many people, exercise and regular visits to the gym were an important part of their lives. The large number of cancellations for such activities led people to start their own individualized programs at home. This is likely to continue for a long time after this period of crisis is over.One final point about the last half year that must not be deemphasized is its psychological impact. For many people, especially those hospitalized or those who lost loved ones, the coronavirus period has been traumatic, and coming out of it has many of the features of post-traumatic stress.What does this mean in a practical sense? Data indicate that as many as 30% of patients who have suffered severe illnesses in infectious disease outbreaks have gone on to develop PTSD, with depression and anxiety problems among the most common symptoms.What are the long-term implications for these people as a consequence of the pandemic? It is hard to say clearly, but most are expected to recover after they return to the activities that were a natural part of their life previously, including work, family and other social interactions. However, for some, the effects can be long-lasting, as they relive in their minds the trauma, how it affected them, and the response of people around them. The negative consequences can be mitigated with therapy, social support and getting more into their lifestyle as it was before the pandemic.The writer is a professor of psychology, Ariel University and Bar-Ilan University (emeritus).
