When Will We Go Back To Normal

Written By Ous Badwan

It is unlikely that we/life will go back to normal but we/life will go to a new normal that will return in doses, at different paces in different parts of the country.  But life will not look like we remember.  Within the next week or two, many cities and and states will lift the stay-at-home order but to meet the US timetable of May/June, the US will have to significantly reduce the spread of the virus, build up adequate testing capacity, and build enough medical infrastructure to be able to test, isolate, and track new cases.  Given the US’s lack of preparedness, this will be challenging.

Responsibly easing off social distancing will only be possible as the number of new cases level off and it depends on extensive testing to avoid another surge of infection.  We are still facing shortage of supplies needed to make and conduct tests, and it takes several days to receive test results. 

The notion that we are going to be out of this any time soon, and that football stadiums are going to open in the fall is a fantasy.  If we all go out again, things will look good for a week or two, then the virus will pick up again and emergency rooms will fill. The belief that the virus will slow down as temperatures rise is not totally clear.  We must assume that the virus will continue to do it’s thing.

When will a vaccine be available?  

A year or eighteen months is optimistic and there are production problems.  Most vaccines are made in batches of five to 10 million doses.  But, if we have a vaccine that everyone needs to take that’s 300-600 million doses.  Because of the lag in testing in the US we still don’t know the full extent of what mild and moderate versions of the disease looks like and proof that infection rates have dropped steadily for two weeks won’t be soon.

What will K-12 schools look like post-Coronavirus?   

Well over a billion children and adolescents are cooped up at home, possibly for months to come.  Authorities will have to determine when it is safe for children to resume their lives     beyond their homes.  School leaders should start planning on how to deal with the fact that students are getting very different quantities of learning while schools are closed.  

What are children and adolescents missing without school? 

One of the most important components children are missing is socialization, learning to get along and work with people that are not part of their family.  What parents are missing is the purpose that schools serve best, which is that they take our children and keep them safe and secure so we can go about our lives for six to nine hours a day.  Authorities have begun to think about how kids might return to school in the fall. There are thoughts around staggering students so some arrive in the morning and others in the afternoon. What also needs to be thought through is how to serve food and conduct P.E. with large groups of kids.  It will also be necessary to clean schools-massive deep cleaning. 

What will be the effect on mental health?

There are several steps you can take to prevent this stressful time from derailing your mental health.

  • Maintain a routine.  Creating a new teleworking routine will help you get into the right mindset, feel more productive and keep the boundaries between work and home from blurring.

  • Take reasonable precautions, but don’t go overboard.  Use only reliable sources of information, such as the CDC to inform and, make a plan for your health habits.

  • Find ways to get going.  You might find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. Motivate  yourself to accomplish a chore or get started on a work project.  Exercise is an excellent stress-reliever and mood booster.

  • Stick to consistent meal times.  Rather than stress snacking though out the day, nourish yourself with healthy foods.  However, it’s perfectly fine to build in some comfort foods.

  • Follow your regular mental health routine.  Make sure you have an adequate supply of medication and take as prescribed.  Continue with therapy appointments.  Many therapist are now offering tele-therapy to comply with social distancing.

  • Practice mindfulness and acceptance techniques.  Use mediation, yoga or prayer to focus your attention on the present moment, rather than ruminating about a catastrophe, uncertain future.

  • Be kind to yourself.  Research has shown the value of self-compassion for coping with emotional challenges and easing feelings of isolation.

This time is challenging for everyone.  Recognize that millions of people world-wide are sharing your experience right now.  We are social creatures.  So, we are finding ways to remain socially connected while physically disconnected.  Perhaps we will emerge from this crisis with a better appreciation and respect for others.

https://www.webmd.com/the-road-ahead-with-covid19

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/4/20/cornavirus-schools

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/25/Coronavirus-advisor-fauci-says-we-will-never-get-back-to-normal.html

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/getting-the-u-s-back-to-normal 

https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-life-get-back-normal-coronavirus-pandemic-2020

https://www.edsurge.com/news/k-12-schools-post-Coronavirus

https://www.wired.com/an-oral-history-of-the-day-everything-changed 

Ous Badwan

Dr. Badwan is the founder of Birch Psychology and currently serves as director of Child and Family services at the practice. Dr. Badwan also provides clinical and assessment services through his practice at Birch Psychology, as well as supervision to post-doc and practicum trainees. Dr. Badwan works clinically with people across the age span, and has specialties in areas including early childhood and infant mental health, parent-child dyadic therapy, PCIT, play therapy, family therapy, refugee trauma, and other general mental health concerns.

https://www.birchpsychology.com/dr-badwan
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