Covid 19 is a disease that has affected us the world over. It is a respiratory disease that is easily spread but it can also be easily contained with the right measures in place. In addition to the fact that the disease is spread from human touch and through the passing of droplets from one to another, the way we lead our lives and have evolved as humans has also played a significant contributing factor in the spread from Wuhan through Asia and across the globe. This is all before we even consider the survival rate the disease has on items of clothing, objects, materials and anything we come into contact with on a daily basis.

Whether it is for business or pleasure, our travel habits and the ease and accessibility to fly across the globe has given the human race its freedom and should be credited with the success of the global economies we benefit from. It has also been the very reason the disease has spread so quickly from country to country at an astonishing rate, a rate, that with hindsight is a given, but at the time was one our societies were not expecting and not prepared for.

Strict measures concerning human interaction as well as human protection are the starting blocks to limiting and stopping the spread of this disease.

So, how have our lives changed these past few months as a result of C19?

Physical human interaction is limited, which means that virtual interaction is a necessity for business, but also for us to keep our sanity and connect with each other during this challenging time. Having not spoken in detail with our industry service providers to understand the data analytics, I think it is fair to say that our broadband and any related/supporting/facilitating industries are at extremely high levels of capacity and will have never been under such strain as they currently are. Behind the scenes, I would imagine tech giants, governments and suppliers are working to ensure that the capacity to supply is increased and functionality maintained for all. 

Power supply, connectivity, software – our lives rely on – medical care, scientific research and development, communication, the list goes on…..

The communications industry must be thriving???

Although we are experiencing fatalities from this disease, and this continues to affect us all at varying levels, the world is still spinning, our lives do still go on, and although we have changed our habits and in some places stopped some habits, we have started new habits. What we are seeing is a re allocation of resources on a global scale. 

Retail has been hit hard. Food & Beverage and the high streets have been evolving for years, so much so that articles entitled “The Death of the High Street” amongst others have been published and discussed and will continue to be discussed. Jobs have been created in different areas, its just whether the re allocation of human capital can be done in a timeframe that will help people continue in employment meaning they can continue to put bread on the table and also help our evolving society and add value taking up a new role in the supply chain. This could be the shop worker who would support you on your retail journey who is now at a different end of the supply chain and more involved in logistics and supply. There will be many more examples where transitions can and should take place. Again, it is just how quickly this can happen.

A positive example of change and adaptation is that a number of restaurants and pubs have adapted and offer delivery services of hot meals or meals to be frozen, as well as using this chance to sell on their stock and take advantage of their industry supply chains and become an online supermarket for customers. 

Transportation is limited, which means pollution is down and the skies have never been so clear. Our time is being saved as we meet online as opposed to in person. 

As nations we are getting more exercise – this is of course a generalisation, but with our freedom taken away, our natural instinct as humans is to feel deprived and then react. An hour of exercise per day is a treat we all look forward to and so we are getting out (even if in confined measures) more than we may have done previously on a weekly basis for some “fresh air”. 

This is also a brilliant opportunity for us as humans, societies and nations to all take a pause and reassess our priorities and what really matters in life. This could be a shift in what we place value on, or simply a re-confirmation of what we need to do to survive.

Lessons can be learnt by us all, and positive change has already started to happen and will continue to do so. What will be interesting is to see which of the positive changes we implement during this crisis will continue after the dust has settled and our lives return to normal – or perhaps it is more accurate to say our new normal.

These are my initial thoughts. I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface and have so much not even touched upon. I look forward to writing and discussing more of the evolutionary journey we are all on over the coming weeks and months.

Thanks for listening. I’d love to hear your opinion. Maybe you agree with me, maybe you don’t, or maybe you relate to some points. Either way, please share your experiences and thoughts.

Stay safe one and all

Damon