Until then, your best bet is to stick with the same healthy habits that got you this far: wearing a mask in public even if you’re vaccinated, washing hands regularly and keeping activities in closed-in spaces or with large groups of people to a minimum. Joseph Khabbaza, M.D., pulmonary and critical care specialist at Cleveland Clinic, hopes people also will remember what they learned this year about how obesity and/or a weak immune system raise the risks of serious illness, especially during a pandemic. “In the new normal, it’s important to manage your weight and boost your immune system with healthy foods and exercise,” he says. Here are some other “new normal” trends.
Masks Aren’t Going Away
Yes, face masks helped stop the spread of COVID, but it is also no coincidence that the CDC reports this year’s flu activity to be at historic lows. “There’s very little flu and other respiratory viral infections since masking and distancing have been the norm,” says Khabbaza. In fact, deaths from the flu this year, rather than being in the thousands as in previous years, hover around the hundreds. That’s why the global consulting firm Deloitte is predicting that what seemed to be a short-term regulatory intervention could be our new normal when we’re in crowds or when flu or allergy seasons hit again, especially now that masks combine function and fashion.
Cleaning Is Cool
COVID has made us acutely aware of hygiene—whether it’s the cleanliness of our hands or of high-touch items like our mobile phones. Now that we’ve adjusted to frequent handwashing, it’s tough to imagine ever abandoning the habit. Washing with soap and water is still one of the best ways to keep healthy and stop the spread of bacteria and viruses, say Cleveland Clinic experts. Use hand sanitizer when water isn’t available. And shaking hands? Maybe you should practice that elbow bump. Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, M.D., says that shaking hands should be a thing of the past (but handwashing is forever).
The New Workspace
If you’ve gotten used to rolling out of bed and starting your day in front of the computer at home, you’re not alone. Now that more companies support a WFH (work-from-home) and remote culture—and most professionals have found ways to make it work without a loss of productivity—the numbers of people working at home are sure to increase, according to Harvard Business Review. Employees can enjoy less commuting time and costs and spend more time with family, while employers save money on space, heating and cooling. Hybrid setups will be more common, as workers and employers figure out which tasks are best done in person and what amount of face time helps teams feel connected and mentally healthy.
Virtual Health Care
Cleveland Clinic’s on-demand virtual visits, which patients can schedule 24/7, 365 days a year, have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic—and it’s no wonder. With many offices closed and people hesitant to venture out, “providers had to pivot and patients quickly acclimated to telehealth,” says Howard Forman, M.D., a practicing physician and professor of management and public health at Yale University. During the last week of March 2020, the CDC reported a 154 percent increase in telehealth visits compared with the same period in 2019. With growing acceptance and improved reimbursement policies, telehealth will continue well past the pandemic, Forman predicts.
Lingering Stress
Unemployment, financial hardships, illness and loss: The collective experience of living through this pandemic has been traumatizing for almost everyone, says Anita Kanti, author of Behaving Bravely: How to Mindshift Life’s Challenges. More than 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are experiencing anxiety or depression—up from 1 in 10 the previous year. And a study in JAMA Psychiatry reported about 30 percent of recovered COVID patients developed post-traumatic stress disorder, suffering flashbacks, nightmares and disturbing thoughts. These unprecedented mental health challenges are likely to extend well into post-pandemic life, says Donald Malone Jr., M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology and director of the Center for Behavioral Health at Cleveland Clinic. That makes it extra important to make your mental health a priority and check in with a professional if you’re suffering. As with physical health, some mental health checkups and therapy sessions can be done remotely. If you or someone you know is suffering a mental health emergency, contact your doctor, 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255); or text the Crisis Text Line (text CONNECT to 741741).
At-Home Fitness
With many gyms and fitness clubs shuttered, people took their workouts home, attending virtual classes (which come with built-in motivation), equipping their own gyms or taking it outside where nature provided an added health boost. A survey by fitness company Beachbody found that even when gyms begin to reopen, many Americans will stick to their at-home workouts, or perhaps some will make it more of a hybrid activity (similar to employees who split their time between home and the office). Next, If Your Social Skills Feel Rusty as We Near the End of the Pandemic, You’re Not Alone—Here’s How to Get Them Back on Track
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Decreased Influenza Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic—United States, Australia, Chile, and South Africa, 2020” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic—United States, January–March 2020” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the United States—2019–2019 Influenza Season” Cleveland Clinic: “Hand Washing” Cleveland Clinic: “Will Telemedicine Be the New Normal for Primary Care?” Cleveland Clinic: “COVID-19’s Challenges Can Ultimately Make Behavioral Health Offerings Stronger” Today: “Dr. Anthony Fauci: I Was ‘Somewhat Serious’ When I Said We’ll Never Shake Hands Again” Harvard Business Review: “3 Behavioral Trends That Will Shape Our Post-COVID World” Washington Post: “Americans Might Never Come Back to the Office, and Twitter Is Leading the Charge” Kaiser Family Foundation: “Adults Reporting Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder During COVID-19 Pandemic” JAMA Network: “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Patients After Severe COVID-19 Infection” Beachbody on Demand: “The Future of Fitness: Home Workouts”
