Covid19: Embracing the New Normal

It was March 10, 2020 at 12:45pm as I stood in line at Jamaica Money Market Brokers when Jamaica confirmed its first case of the feared Covid19 virus. While we knew it would reach our shores, we were still hoping that God would yet again show us mercy. But it was not to be so, corona virus greeted us in true and living colors. Naturally, the country went into a frenzy with most shelves emptied of Lysol and hand sanitizers less than two (2) hours after the news broke. As the number of cases increased, life as we knew it changed drastically. Not only were we told to practise proper hygiene and social distancing; but, countries have closed their borders, hotels shut their doors, world tourists sites closed, airplanes parked indefinitely, events cancelled, job losses, non-essential workers being asked to work from home, children being homeschooled, churches closed, most businesses have asked customers to utilise online platforms, funerals and weddings being held virtually, the dreaded long lines at business places, all island curfew, the mandatory wearing of masks, and most of all being asked to #StayHome in order to curtail the spread of the virus. Whew! The world at a literal standstill. What a thing! There has never been a time in my almost 30 years on Earth that I have seen a sudden and total shutdown of almost every country in the world at the same time. Jamaicans take nothing seriously, we joke about everything so with Covid19 came the memes and lyrics coupled with the jokes on the nightly news. But fun and jokes aside, fast forward to April 26 as I pen this blog, our national tally stands at 350…yes, you read correctly….350 with majority of the cases linked to the work cluster Alorica BPO. Keep in mind, the numbers will continue to rise and Jamaica’s health care system isn’t equipped to deal with a crisis of this magnitude. Yet, there are those (with majority being the uneducated masses) who behave as if this pandemic that has disrupted our lives is something to be taken lightly. They continue to be defiant though the government is pleading with everyone to adhere to the safety protocols. Moreover the sad reality is that those who contribute little or nothing to the economy will be the ones who will be a burden to the country should there be a severe outbreak. With all this being said, the real question is will the world as we knew it go back to what is was before Covid19 or will we have to embrace a new normal? Most of us are growing rather impatient and praying for Covid19 to go so we can return to our normal lives. However, with Covid19 expected to linger for a while, I’m afraid there will not be a return to normal. It is clear that Covid19 will alter our lives for good. By the time a vaccine arrives, we would have already readjusted to deal with the effects on our social and economic way of life. With evidence of devastation caused by this pandemic across the world, it is imperative that we implement strategic plans to boost our economy after this crisis has passed. We can’t continue to depend on tourism, remittances, BPO’s, mining and agriculture as main economic drivers. With the severe whiplash being experienced in these areas, the time has come to formulate a diversification plan to fuel economic growth. We must take advantage of the resources available to us and utilize our skills to rise successfully out of this crisis and make Jamaica great again. Life as we knew it will be no more. Business, education, health care, security, technology etc. will be different. It will be a new day in the world and Jamaica better be prepared as it will not be business as usual. It will be a new world and we will be forced to realign our lives and foster a new way of thinking in order to “navigate the seas” when the Covid19 storm has passed. For me I have started to embrace the change in more ways than one. After my three year hiatus I have finally resumed blogging. As we continue on this fight together, please practise proper hygiene, adhere to the social distancing guidelines; and, if possible #TanAYuhYaad. Stay safe, be blessed and may we never take “outside” for granted again.