Like a tsunami, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) took the world by storm, shaking the very foundation of humanity as it sweeps across nations, taking its toll all along, with every wake of time.
Except for conspiracy theorists, the world never saw this coming. At the wake of the new decade when the world screamed happy new year on January 1st 2020, no one would have thought that the tiny virus that started in the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei province would hit the world this hard.
But just like a tsunami, everything that has a beginning, must have an end. And, in the case of COVID-19, it is either the curve will zero down to no more confirmed cases or the world will find a way of managing it, either with the discovery of a vaccine, or with the development of treatment options.
But then, the world will never remain the same again. Here are possible ways COVID-19, which broke out in Nigeria late in February, will leave us behind.
Work from home
Hitherto, many companies in Nigeria have only mouthed work from home, without actually giving it a try. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, many companies, including government ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals have been forced to work from home. Some of these organizations that might have been contemplating work from home options before, now have the opportunity to exploit the work option, and may likely sustain it long after COVID-19 is gone, especially if employees improved performance within the period the COVID-19 pandemic will last.
Family bonding
COVID-19 has provided the much needed time for family bonding to happen. Most parents, especially fathers, will wake up very early in the morning for work and return late in the night, most times, after the kids are fast asleep. With the COVID-19 pandemic, about 1.3 billion children are now at home across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, represents an opportunity for parents to bond with kids. In families where there are cracks, COVID-19 represents time for amends. As family bonding improves, certain relationships would be broken, and spouses, especially wives, would be happier. Likewise, certain relationships would be mended and certain new relationships will crop up; so that, by November, the world should be counting the number of COVID-19 babies.
Personal hygiene
Given the outbreak of COVID-19, governments have advised adherence to quality personal hygiene. There are radio and TV jingles raising this awareness. The internet space is not left out. With increased awareness in quality personal hygiene, many will imbibe the culture, as COVID-19 will likely change human behaviour on personal hygiene management. Many who have started maintaining high quality personal hygiene in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic will carry on the habit long after the pandemic is over, as this would have been etched in their behavioural pattern.
New ways of human interactions
By the time COVID-19 is gone, humans would have adapted to new ways of interactions. With the advent of technology, several means for human communication have cropped up, many of which have not been fully appreciated, and hitherto neglected. But with many people having to try them out as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, many will master them, and it will form a new normal. For instance, I chairmaned a virtual meeting recently due to the COVID-19 outbreak. I participated in a Google Meet training recently as well. And they were as effective as they would have been in real life. Tools such as Slack, Google Hangout, Zoom, Udemy, Flourish, Canva, and others running into hundreds, have seen spike in usage. Human interactions will not remain the same long after COVID-19 is gone.
Rethink religious worship
No one would have ever thought it is possible to close down religious worship centres. But as it stands mosques, churches, religious sites are closed down in efforts to curtail spread of the novel Coronavirus. Many are coming to the understanding that “the church is not just a building structure”. For Christians, already, many now partake in church programmes online, resulting in many families raising family altars. Therefore, for Christians, COVID-19 might define new ways for how many worship God, going forward.
Travel
COVID-19 affected the travel industry. Highways that have hitherto packed with traffic are now deserted. Most roads in the world are empty as it stands. The aviation industry is not left out, as the sky is left with only a number of delivery cargoes. Hundreds of aircrafts have been left packed on the runway of airports across the globe. In Nigeria, private jets could not rescue the high and mighty from the tiny hands of COVID-19. This should at least leave the high and mighty in deep thoughts, if they have thinking faculties at all.
Healthcare
The Nigerian government should begin to work on the nation’s healthcare delivery system because it is now evident that when the worse happens, there is nowhere to run to for health tourism. Hitherto, wealthy Nigerians are quick to run overseas for healthcare. However, with nations’ borders closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the high and mighty are left with no option than to make do with what is left of the healthcare system in the country. For any sane government, arising from this pandemic is to give attention to the healthcare sector. Nigeria spent about 5 percent of its budget on health in the past decade, falling short of the African Union’s recommended minimum of 15 percent. There has been little capital investment made in this sector over the years, according to BudgITng. This is now time for the government, and individuals to take the Nigerian health care system more seriously. Healthcare centres should be revamped. Dilapidated hospitals should be revived.
What ways do you think COVID-19 might change Nigeria? Please, leave a comment below. Thanks!