We sense the tide gradually turning against the current Covid-19 era. Economies are stirring from the east across to the west as baby steps towards a post lockdown era begin. Life will be different but old habits die hard, they say. We borrowed a virtual crystal ball to peer into the future and this is what we think we saw.
Easy Going Baby Steps Towards a Post LockDown Era
Individual countries are charting their own steps in a giant, disorganized experiment. However, the overall approach seems to be a stepping stone one. With a foot on the brake pedal in case there’s a wobbly ‘stone’ and we need to retreat from an economic crisis.
National culture is also becoming evident. The Australians opened their famous surfing beaches first, while the Italian baby steps towards a post lockdown era will likely begin with shopping malls and museums opening first.
Will Technology Take Over With Virtual Exclusion Zones?
BBC World had our mind in a spin when it wrote about wearables that buzz when we come too close. New Zealanders see their world as a series of bubbles. Their lockdown model allows next-door neighbors to bump their bubbles together as social contact gradually expands.
Norway is staggering times kids arrive at school, creating sub groups for classes and avoiding queues. The kids remain in these for the rest of their school day. Italy on the other hand is painting its map white, yellow and red. Cities in white areas have more freedom of movement than yellow and red ones.
We hope these baby steps towards a post lockdown era do not evolve into a new form of social hierarchy. China has a plan to issue citizens with virus status certificates. We hope this does not cause us to regress into a caste system. Now, more than at any time we must be one and we must stand together.
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Preview Image: Stepping Stones Into the Future