For the last month, Americans have prepared for an outbreak of COVID-19. This new disease has changed almost every part of current life, from work and school to recreational activities and social interaction. Life under social distancing has affected us all.
The way we work has changed. With social distancing implemented throughout the U.S., many businesses have closed, leaving some people without a job. For those who are still employed, Telecommunication programs such as zoom are used to allow employees and employers to work from home and get things done.
The way we learn has changed. Schooling has also gone online, using much of the same technology businesses are using. Teachers and Professors have transitioned from in-person classes to teaching online.
(Jason Yearout) “It’s been way easier for me to just forget and not show up to a class because everything just kind of feels the same right now.”
The way we shop has changed. Grocery stores around Johnson County have placed limitations on the amount of people that can go inside, and as a result lines can form for those wishing to enter. Inside the stores, people are encouraged to maintain social distancing by staying six feet away from other customers.
(Corbin Kinsch) “When you go to the self-checkout line, they actually have “x”es on the floors and you have to stand six feet away from each person.”
Items such as soap, disinfecting wipes, meat, and toilet paper are almost always sold out.
(Kinsch) “We went to the store and there’s no toilet paper at all. No paper towels or anything. It’s just completely cleared.”
For non-essential items, people are forced to go online to sites like Amazon. Amazon itself has primarily focused on selling necessary items, meaning orders on non-essential items take much longer to arrive.
The way we interact has changed. Under social distancing and the stay-at-home order, people rarely leave their homes, making social interaction difficult. However, People have still found ways to keep in touch. One of those ways is through technology. Friends are communicating more via FaceTime, text messaging, email, zoom, and social media. Places of worship are using technology to make services accessible as holidays such as Easter and Passover approach.
How we serve has changed. Though people are not able to volunteer in ways they used to, people are still finding ways to help their communities, whether it be through sewing masks or making Personal Protective equipment for doctors.
The world is changing rapidly because of the coronavirus. However, amid this challenging time people are still finding ways to connect, to learn, and to serve their communities. From The Campus Ledger, I’m Zion Lang.