LIVING WITH COVID -19: WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE

–Chinmay Sawant (Class of 2020-22, IBS Hyderabad)

Covid-19 a global pandemic that has brought our world to a standstill, all countries no matter how big or small have fallen prey to this new age virus. The whole world being under medical emergency and terminating international travel, with no vaccine in near sight, the only question remains is what is the way forward? how do we live with this virus and what will be the new normal.

Wearing masks, sanitising hands regularly and maintaining social distancing has become the new norms for the general public but let us take a look at how the corporate sector, local businesses, hospitality industries, transport sector have adapted to continue their businesses.

Impact on advertising companies

It will no longer be only products and services that will be advertised anymore. Use of standees, posters and audio-visual media to convey COVID-19 guidelines at restaurants have been made compulsory by the central government.

These screens and posters will tell the customers about the disease and the preventive measures one must take.
Awareness will be spread through private as well as government agencies, using all means. A prime example is the cell phone caller tune that acted as the first step in advertising about the disease. In several areas, authorities have also started using hoardings to display about the disease.

Adaptability by grocery sector

As consumers continue to stock up on essentials as well as hoard and panic buy — grocers, delivery services, and e-commerce companies are adapting at a rapid pace to meet consumer demand and deal with the unchartered territory of how to keep employees and shoppers safe from the virus while doing so.

The likes of Dominos, Zomato, Box 8 and many other restaurant chains have stepped up and started delivery of groceries and other essential items. E-commerce giant Amazon soon followed and started nationwide delivery of fruits and vegetables with even a first in class 2-hour delivery spectrum in select locations under its segmentation of Amazon Fresh. All delivery services have made the mandatory policy of “Zero-contact delivery”, where in the delivery partner will leave the food outside the door and call the customer to confirm the pick-up.

Adaptability by transport sector

Ride-hailing cab aggregators Uber and Ola had provided a hundred cabs with each to serve as emergency care vehicles during the ongoing lockdown. The cabs were earlier used for the moving of patients from home to hospital and hospital to home and not for other medical emergencies including the transport of suspected or positive COVID-19 cases. Both cab aggregators have also capped the number of passengers in their cars to two, both only in the rear passenger seat. The taxi-auto union of Mumbai also advised the drivers to install plastic separator sheets as safety precautions for their own health as well as to minimise contact with passengers.

Adaptability by offices

The health ministry’s latest workplace guidelines make it mandatory to maintain a physical distance of at least one meter to be followed at all times along with use of face covers/masks. In Maharashtra, the state that has the greatest number of covid cases, the government made it a mandate for the offices to not have more than 50% working staff at any given point of time and the employees to be temperature scanned at regular intervals. Offices have also been instructed to install hand sanitisers at accessible points and the office premises to be sanitised at regular intervals.

Conclusion

The road ahead is undoubtedly tough but not impossible, we are amidst a crisis that does not differentiate between races, gender or borders. We must come together as one and maintain safety precautions for not just us but also for the safety of others. Stay safe and Godspeed, we are in this together.