After many weeks of occupying our times indoors, many states, including Missouri, have recently lifted the stay at home orders. Businesses are beginning to open with some regulation. Many are hoping to return to a normalcy they had only mere months ago. Things are different now, and things are not going to remain the same. This virus will not go away like a faint dream, so this means things are going to change. How things will be different no one can give a clear answer. 

May 4 was the date everyone in Missouri had been looking been looking forward to. It is when the Missouri stay at home order was set to end. However, the counties have more say in it, and some counties that are heavily affected by it, like St. Louis County and metropolitan St. Louis are extending their stay at home orders. St. Charles County on the other hand is planning a phase by phase reopening in accordance with the Governor. The plan is to let some smaller businesses open and strongly recommended health screenings for its employees. Hair salons are only allowed one customer at a time and retail stores have to have plexi glass at their cash registers. They also want to help expand the ability to track down future traces of the virus via contact tracing. This is just a short term economic outlook. The question remains, how will the way we live begin to chance?

Things are never going to be the same, there is no doubt about it. There are varying opinions on what will be different. Many predict that social distancing is going to be in effect for a while. People may just have to get used to the absence from others or not in the close presence of something. It can also mean people will continue to be aware of what is happening in the world to better prepare for the worst. With many planning on returning to work the way business is done is likely not going to be the way it was. 

How we interact with each other is going to be different. There has been a surge of Zoom calls, Facetimes, texting and calling and there is a growing moan of disgust of talking on the phone for another minute. Humans are social creatures and because of being secluded from others, there is going to be a surge in social interaction. It will be a happy occasion to see friends in person again. And it may lead to a stray away from contact over the phone and non in person interaction. The environment has also been better as of recent, with fewer cars and fewer factories at work pollution is declining and a record better air quality. There are still many more changes that can or will happen.

As of right now, there is only a plan for a short term future. Looking forward in the next two or three years, the life that was before may not be the same. Change doesn’t always mean it’s a bad thing. It just means we all have some getting used to the new way. Right now, there is a somewhat clear plan of what to do. What this outbreak means for the future of the world is uncertain.