Let’s face it, albeit with a mask, that the ubiquitous Indian ‘namaste’, social distancing, and gloves is going to be the new world order both at work and social gatherings in the post Covid-19 world.

We need to bring usher in a radical change in everything we do, how we work in offices, exercise in gyms, shop, educate our kids as well as take care of family members and manage our own health in the months to come.

Whether the government announces further extension of the nationwide lockdown beyond May 3 or starts phase-wise lifting it, depending on the Covid situation only time will tell. However, one thing is for sure that sooner or later when the lockdown is lifted certain precautions like the use of face mask and social distancing are here to stay. Surely we need to upend our way of life in some ways forever.

With practically every country trying to “flatten the curve”: and slow down the virus spread, no one expects life to be back to normal at least till we find a vaccine against Covid-19 in a couple of years. “This isn’t a temporary disruption. It’s the start of a completely different way of life”, says Dr. Soumya Swami Nathan, Chief Scientist Geneva WHO.

However, will this disruption of many businesses and livelihoods be possible to manage? Can we really live in this new world order? Hopefully-yes, but with awkward compromises to retain some semblance of social life, while protecting our health.

Maybe tomorrow we will find movie theaters taking out half their seats, meetings held in larger rooms with spaced-out chairs, gym conducting sessions in shifts with less members among others. While public carriers like the railways and aircrafts might also bring some changes in their seating arrangements. The world has changed many times. Remember how security at the airports changed after 9/11 and now this pandemic too has brought many changes again forcing us to follow a new social order.

Business organizations will look for a new environment keeping in mind the “Work from Home” experiment, which can certainly bring down the cost and downsizing their employees while going for flexi working hours. Perhaps “Stay at Home” economic model of businesses will become a reality as remotely working brings some change in the work culture with better results. While those already employed will have to follow new routines; for youngsters though acquiring new skill sets with competency and efficiency will decide their chances of employability.

Practically every country has learnt lessons and is going to invest heavy on improving the healthcare infrastructure in order to better face a pandemic-like situation in future. At the moment though, we will have to change our habits and lifestyle while adapting to an uncertain future. 

As usual, however, the true cost of this upheaval will be borne by the poorest and weakest. In a country like India this is all the more apparent with the brunt will also be borne by those living in disease-prone areas.The education sector will perhaps be the last in the list of priority for the government to bring back the economy on track. Most of the schools, colleges and universities