Our prediction for the future after Covid

The virus known as “Coronavirus” originated from a ‘wet market’ situated within Wuhan, China, with experts saying that cases began in late November. Upon effective identification of the virus, in December the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Care Centre published the virus’s genome code, allowing for global organisations to begin to find a cure. Interestingly, Covid-19 is a more malicious strain of the flu. Once entering your body via nose or mouth, it targets the alveoli within our lungs. Using its distinctive protein its RNA enters the cells in our alveoli, responsible for the oxygenation of our blood; once inside, it reproduces within the cell killing it within the process, then, spreading to neighbouring alveoli cells. This, therefore, causes symptoms such as SARS and/or Pneumonia. 

Despite the severity of the virus, several organisations around the globe are working tirelessly to manufacture a vaccine, whilst 150+ drugs are being tested around the world, and 5,000 patients already taking part in the world’s biggest recovery trial in the UK. So, how is the fight for a vaccine going? The most promising vaccine being tested, is known as “Convalescent Plasma” – survivors’ blood. Since the virus hides within our cells, and it’s extremely likely that we reside within the 80% survival rate, its evident that our body can overcome the horrors of the virus. In scientific terms, our bodies distribute and develop antibodies that fight and kill the virus, however, although we cannot yet isolate the singular antibody responsible for survival, its logical to carry out blood transfusions so that the hosts body identifies the new antibody and produces it themselves, copying the coding provided by the plasma within the donated blood.

But the main question we are all wondering is, what will future life be like? And that is a very good question. In current times of uncertainty, we want to reassure you that the future looks beautifully bright. The amazing global response to Covid are simply amplifying interconnectedness that drives other social and ecological crises. Firstly, a massive feature the future holds is for a cleaner world, already evident from the canal’s in Venice. The real reason for the deterioration of the global welfare is social interactions and reasoning. Therefore, in light of the current quarantine, the significant reduction of interaction both social and practical causes for a reduction of transport, thus, a reduction of energy leading to a hefty drop in the production of greenhouse gases, thereby establishing a cleaning atmosphere and global ecosystem. We are now all witnessing for the first time in decades the impact we have on our environment.

The most revolutionary change is likely to be that of the economy. A potential hypothesis is that the UK’s economy as we know it will collapse. Businesses aren’t able to open and collect profit therefore, their division of labour will drop rapidly leading to a massive hegemony of submissive labourers. However, to realistically counteract that is to state that business owners will continue to hold current staff employed ensuring for a capable division of labour for when the economy picks back up. Interestingly, James Meadway argues that a total renovation of societies values and focus is required. He states that for the economy to survive we need to shift to an “anti-wartime” society – massive scaling back of production, increasing social distancing and allowing the economy time to repair. Yet, how are the ways that we can continue to maintain the economies lifejacket when we scale back production? The answer lies within current proposals. The total probation of all production acts only to crash the economy, therefore, production must realistically remain at a consistently lower level to establish the continuation of our economy. Current debated proposals include reducing the length of the working week, or, allowing people to work more slowly in a less pressured environment.

In the further development of this, society at its core will be revolutionised. Nowadays society is a “commercialistic consumptive culture” – the value we assign to things is predetermined regarding their economic position. Despite this, society is evidently changing. Analysing the global effects of the “loo-roll pandemic”, we can clearly see that its realigned people onto the importance/value of primary items rather than those of luxury. Furthermore, it caused global cohesion through the sense of microcosmic damnation that it provided us with.

Overall, the crisis can only act to strengthen the interconnectedness between us, the unification of humanity establishes a transformation into a cohesion global society built upon mutual aid and respect.

In regard to the future of working conditions, it can only get better. Covid-19 has affected all of us, from the corporate owners to the fruit pickers on the fields, we’ve all felt the shock. With working from home on a drastic increase, workplaces will need to make “investments in platforms, and technology will need to be made to maximise efficiency in this new paradigm”, with “organisations and businesses will demonstrate greater flexibility to support a broad range of work situations and scenarios for their employees”. Therefore, the future holds many adaptions to the workplace environment. It will transition to a comfortable, flexible environment understanding every individual’s situation whilst accurately outlining work plans to fit. Furthermore, changing the concept of work as we know. Work, historically, was a concept only sued in relation to survival and a financial income, however, the revolutionization of work will focus upon a healthy work-life balance. Current times have led to a significant increase in the global cases of depression, whilst working with a hefty mental state reduces productivity.  Therefore, workplaces will implicate work-life balancing routines. These will successfully allow for a boost to both our mental and physical wellbeing, overall, causing for a happy home and work life.

Always remember – “we survived because the fire inside of us burned brighter than the fire around us”.  Many will suffer in the fallout from Covid and how it will reshape our economy, but history has shown us that the recessions are cyclical and those willing to change are going to be the ones that are most likely to thrive.