Will the World Ever Recover From COVID-19?

The first batch of Pfizer, BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are currently being administered in the U.S. and globally, leading to some hope concerning the ongoing fight against arguably the worst pandemic our modern times have yet to see. Assuming the congregate actions of these companies and others alike were successful, we should see a decrease in COVID-19 infections, diagnoses, and certainly fatalities in the upcoming year. If all goes according to plan, within the next few years the coronavirus should be nothing but a distant memory that tarnished everyone's 2020 plans and unfortunately resulted in many more deaths than the world had anticipated the introduction of the newfound decade to bring. But Will The World Ever Be The Same???

Think about it. Retrieve all your memories from December 2019 (something that feels like it took place way too long ago for it to have only been one year). The world had maybe only first heard of the first recorded case of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Quiet rumblings here and there, maybe the talk between some news junkies or quick-to-the-jump conspiracy theorists, but nothing substantial and certainly nothing that the majority of the world had presumed would directly affect their lives. You still got in your car, went to the hardware store or crowded market or sporting event or restaurant or book club or church or literally anywhere that involved a crowd of people. No masks. No distancing. No parallel thought in the back of anyone's mind. No heightened levels of anxiety or depression or thoughts of impending doom or hopelessness or what is the fate of humanity going to look like if this novel virus mutates and develops worsening side effects or anti-viral immunity or even just evades vaccination altogether. No similar thoughts occurred in anyone's minds. Kids still attended school (NORMALLY), teachers and parents alike still worked (NORMALLY), and everyone was simply trying to maintain and prepare themselves for the upcoming decade... normally, of course. Except, the difference between December 2019 and December 2020 is that the "normal" aspect of life had certainly changed. Possibly for good.

That is not saying past uses of the word normal, concerning activities and social scenes and the way the world operates will ever take place again. They certainly will. Companies like Pfizer and BioNTech and even the CDC and other health protocols that took place instilled hope and even relief in people's lives. Hospitals managed to operate semi-normally through the unprecedented times and overall treated those that were treatable and gave substantial care to those who needed it. There is promise moving forward that the world will become well-adapted to the not-so-novel-now coronavirus and I am sure everyone has their fingers crossed that the rest of the 2020's bring nothing but prosperity and advancements from the absolute setbacks that took place this year. However, the world will certainly look different. It will probably always be "normal" to exit your vehicle and put your mask on as you enter the grocery store. Sporting events, concerts, music festivals alike will probably always see participants distanced, coaches on the sideline wearing masks for the television but then pulling them down to yell at players, discuss with staff. Referees, security guards, volunteers masked up to work the job. One way aisles in grocery stores and other distancing protocols. Even those on the sidelines at events such as marathons, triathlons, cheering on their spouses, parents, even grandparents remaining in the clumps of other family members and friends with which they arrived. Children now growing up to recall their first year of middle school, high school, college classes looking a little ... different. Except, the thing is, will it be different? Or will it just be the first year that difference took place, the pioneer year that saw the world react to the pioneer virus as we enter the 2020's. Because 5, 10, 20 years from now, will we look back and think what a bizarre change of pace that was? Or will we still be masked up entering stores, going on walks, reminiscing on the year that the insane differences made in the world in 2020 was simply just the introduction to our new...normal.