Pulaski

So the world is going to be different after the dust settles, in some very profound ways, sometimes predictable, and almost certainly in some unpredictable ways too, but I'm sure that there will also be many smaller changes in the way society functions .... What relatively little things do you think will change?

I'll start - I think that shaking hands as a greeting is done. Finished.

scrubbedexpat099

Definitely see this happening.

zzrmark

Visiting grandma (too soon?).

neill

Wearing of disposable gloves will be the norm at many customer-facing jobs, mandatory for employees at any federal or state building.

lizzyq

More mask wearing as in the Far East.
Faster and wider implementation of contactless payment systems.

scrubbedexpat099

How would you operate public transport, pubs, sporting events? Well just to name a few.

Pulaski

In many cases, you wouldn't - but if your office in Manhattan has sent you home and given you the tools to work from there, does it matter whether your home is in Brooklyn, the Poconos, or Colorado? I suspect not, and that some people are going to decide that paying $2,500 for a one bed apartment in Manhattan is no longer something that they want to do.

lansbury

I think online grocery shopping will become more popular here. The US lags a long way behind the UK on that front.

Ash UK/US

Not saying most people will hoard but I think going forward most will have an pack of TP, disinfecting wipes etc

Pulaski

I'm not sure about that, nor about bowing - it seems too alien to popular western culture, and also linked to royal protocol.

If asked, I would favour some sort of formalized wave, a "salute" you might say, though bowing would have the advantage of forcing people to keep several feet apart to leave room for the bow without bumping heads!

Nutmegger

I was thinking of just the hand gesture, sans bow.

sid nv

The practice of spitting into palms before shaking on it may well become less prevalent.

But what about human procreation? Contactless reproduction is available, but where's the fun in that? Our little things will not be happy maintaining a 6ft gap. I can't see this new world order being popular. It seems more likely that self-isolation will lead to a baby boom in 9 months. And/or a lot of divorces. This virus seems to be an 'out with the old, in with the new' kind of thing.

markonline1

I think once we are through this, and the dust has settled, everyone goes back to normal and nothing changes.

OldJuddian

I was thinking about this today.
Teenage pregnancies must be taking a dive as they cannot even see each other.
Then I expect a baby boom across all age groups when it is over. Although there may be two baby booms, one from couples that have too much time on their hands at the moment, and then a relief boom after this is all over and separated couples finally get back together.
Also expect a lot of divorces, too much time together.

SpoogleDrummer

Or the businesses decide that if they're not in the office anyways they may as well hire people who already have a lower cost of living for less.