(Washington Insider Magazine) -The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on public health all across the globe, causing immense loss of life and a catalyst for societal change. The pandemic and its impacts on society are evident in life around us. Millions of people have felt the impacts of the disruption of the pandemic through many forced changes. The pandemic has highlighted the fragility of our socioeconomic world. The impacts are sure to be felt for decades to come.
Work From Home
Covid-19 forced many businesses into a work-from-home model with little preparation. To the surprise of many employers, their employees are much happier with a better work-life balance and avoiding the stressful morning commute. Employees with improved morale have increased their productivity. Not to mention the reduced overhead from moving from large commercial office space to home offices. With studies proving work from home is practical, more companies are choosing to keep the work from home model – for good.
The Healthcare System
The healthcare system was hit hard during the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to be on the verge of collapse every day. Hospitals continue to fill with the constant change in mandates all across the United States. Healthcare workers are overworked and mentally and physically exhausted. Society has preached of their appreciation for our healthcare workers, yet their conditions remain the same. The pandemic has shed light on society’s need to address the healthcare shortage, prioritize their health, and prepare proper training in the event we face another pandemic.
Remote learning
With schools closed during the lockdowns of the pandemic, parents and teachers alike were left scrambling for solutions to educate our children and keeping them on track. Remote learning was a challenge for many parents worldwide, balancing acting as teachers and working their jobs from home. Educators were forced to get creative, and society banded together to provide many students with laptops or tablets to help with remote learning. Remote learning could potentially be the future of homeschooling. Hybrid learning could be a solution to the slow decline of funding for public education.
Mental Health
The world shut down, and many people were suddenly without work. The loss was a shock to their system. The isolation and listlessness made people feel lonely and anxious, and worried about their future. People were forced to be locked down with family they would usually only see a few hours a day to having constant interaction and caused fights and tension in the households. Many of the changes forced a lot of people to evaluate their mental well-being and seek help. More people sought therapy and continue to seek therapy, which is evident in the shortage of counselors and psychologists.
The long-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemics are slowly beginning to reveal themselves, and there are many impacts we have yet to face. The pandemic has highlighted gaps in our society in access, infrastructure, and connectivity. As we study the societal impacts, we hope to learn from our misgivings and make changes to improve our shortcomings.
References:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/6-steps-to-protecting-healthcare-workers-improving-pandemic-preparedness-jobs-reset-summit-2021/
