COVID-19 Affects Lifestyle Around the World
Every Way COVID-19 Affects Lifestyle Around the World
Since December 2019, when the virus was first reported, COVID-19 has surprisingly and unexpectedly affected the human way of living. Till the time this article was written, there have already been more than 1.5 million cases and 90, 000 deaths. With the number already this big and the virus still spreading like wildfire, it is only natural that humans are more and more alert each passing day.
In this article, we look briefly at how COVID-19 affects lifestyle around the world.
Lockdown around the World
Almost every country around the world has imposed a lockdown on its citizens. People have been urged to stay inside their houses, and public gatherings have been strictly prohibited. Furthermore, many nations have stopped international flights, and also the commute of the citizens between national states.
People are Getting More Health Conscious, but Some are Now Afraid of the Hospital
The Coronavirus pandemic has made us wash our hands more often and follow better health precautions. People have been reminded of how great the good old soap is, and how they shouldn’t be touching their nose, mouth, or eyes with their hands for no reason.
On the other hand, especially in disease-affected areas, people are getting afraid of visiting the hospital. Many states have built separate health centres for Coronavirus, but it still hasn’t reduced people’s fear of ‘just in case.’
Another thing about COVID-19 is that it is making people increasingly nervous. Even having a common cold is alarming for some.
All in all, we can say that people are frightened, yet more willing to take care of themselves during the pandemic. The health consciousness is going to continue after the outbreak, which is a positive to take.
Shortage of Goods
This is another way COVID-19 affects lifestyle. People have been experiencing a lack of essential items all around the world. The shortage of hand sanitizers, soaps, and masks have been highlighted the most.
This has also somehow shown the possessive nature of humans. Some people around the world had been stocking soap and sanitizers to the point that there was none left in their community’s grocery stores. Well, one thing that many still don’t realize is that humans are a team fighting the pandemic. For instance, you can buy all the soap in the world, but you will be affected if all your neighbours caught the virus because of the lack of soap.
Habits of Eating Outside
According to a survey, Millenials have been eating at QSRs 35% less often, and dining in restaurants 36% less frequently in the areas where there aren’t lockdowns. Furthermore, ordering via mobile phone and aggregators has also decreased by 18% and 22%. Eating outside can seem like a ‘small thing’ to talk about during the pandemic, but the stats above also show the habits of people’s movement during this time. They are less willing to go outdoors for the things they can do in their homes.
Schools and Colleges
With the risk of Coronavirus being the highest in crowded areas, it is only natural that schools and colleges have taken a break. Furthermore, the closing of educational institutes in many countries may also extend after the lockdown to become surer, as putting children or students in any kind of risk is not an option.
With schools and colleges closing their gates, homeschooling and online classes are being more prevalent.
Zoom, a live-video sharing site and one of the most preferable for online classes, has increased to 2.2 million active users already in four months 2020. The company had only added 1.99 million users in 2019.
People are Keeping as Much Distance as Possible
Many are inside their homes. When they have to be outdoors, people are practising social distancing. Handshakes have gone down, instead ‘Namaste’ and ‘Waving Hi’ have taken over the world.
Football matches, concerts, or the Superbowl, Festivals, or any other occasions of gatherings have been entirely stopped during the outbreak. Sports seasons have taken a break, and there are uncertainties if they are going to continue or finish on time.
Anyway, one significant way that COVID-19 affects livelihood is that it brings families together. People have more time to spend with their loved ones.
Changes in the Working Behavior
Similar to schools and colleges, offices have closed. Anyway, some haven’t stopped their operations, and work from home is a bigger thing now than ever.
The flexible schedule, not having to commute, and the ability to work from everywhere may actually cause companies to rethink the way they have been making their schedules. If the work during the COVID-19 is more effective, companies may actually make WFH a thing even after the lockdown is over.
The Coronavirus hasn’t stopped some sectors, while some are partially closed. For example, hospitals, police, and government organizations are busier than before, and banks open branches in places where ATM withdrawals are not possible.
A Budget-Oriented Livelihood
People aren’t travelling outside. Furthermore, restaurants, malls, cinemas, or other ‘places where people spend’ are closed down. So, even if the money flow for many has stopped, the spending has drastically decreased.
Right now, most of the only concerns are the basic necessities, which mostly include food, day to day items, and medicines. Some jurisdictions have decided to levy electricity and water bills, while others have even provided their citizens with money.
Ecommerce is gaining more popularity, but all in all, people aren’t buying as they used to when the virus wasn’t there.
Conclusion
COVID 19 affects lifestyle in many ways. It is mostly negative, which includes deteriorating health conditions for many, shortage of goods, closed schools and economy, and many more. Anyway, it has given us a huge lesson for maintaining personal hygiene and becoming more careful about our health.
Stay updated for more lifestyle news related to COVID-19.
