So what will be the long term effects?

[coldwarenigma]

Out on my 1 daily walk with Ddog I was thinking dangerous I Know! What will be the long term repercussions from all that is happening?
Some thoughts went through my head:

disclaimer:- this is fantasy/dogwalk musings, no research, sources etc.

• Employers will be judged on their reactions to the crisis. Many companies will go under.
  

-zero hours will be banned
-Childcare will be viewed differently. -The mantra on here is 'its not childcare' but clearly for some when push comes to shove it is exactly that. There will be a reversal in reliance on outsourcing of care.

• Every day counts in education, attendance is everything. This has now been debunked. Education can be through other means and forms. A change in how education is delivered may develop. eg online will be used in conjunction with attendance.
  
• Housing - gardens big enough to grow food will become popular again. Mortgages- the need for 2 wages- people will become more wary now incomes have been shown to be very precarious.
  
• self employment - again shown to be precarious- there will be demands for protections. I did also wonder how many will be shot in foot by not declaring all income but just a minimum if it comes to government compensating wages.
  

Has anyone else had similar thoughts or do I need to buy earphones, to distract me, from thinking when dog walking?

[bigchris]

More home working

Public services will take a massive hit in a year's time, libraries closing etc , the money has to come from so where, another 10 years of austerity, oh and of course more Boris .....

[rjebgf]

I personally hope that business travel is severely cut. It’s so wasteful.

[coldwarenigma]

rj Yes, business by video conferencing. No need to fly round the world.

[sleepyhead]

I'm hoping the hand washing habit will stick.

Maybe face masks when you've got a cold like like you see in places like Hong Kong.

More acceptable not to come into work when you're sick rather than feeling the pressure to suck it up and soldier on.

All resulting in lower rates of community infections generally maybe?

[Doihavetogotoworkdotcom1]

I’d like to think that we become less materialistic.

[boredboredboredboredbored]

People happy to just be rather than rushing around all of the time.

[sleepyhead]

What will definitely happen is someone will make a lot of money out of this - new cash-rich ogliarchs able to snap up bankrupted businesses maybe?

Bad times always benefit somebody.

[hauntedvagina]

A much more positive view of home working / flexible working.

[coldwarenigma]

sleepy yes, another one, the sick policies of employers that result in people who are genuinely ill being treated in the same as the Friday night clubbers who ring in next day 'sick'

[Letseatgrandma]

Childcare will be viewed differently. -The mantra on here is 'its not childcare' but clearly for some when push comes to shove it is exactly that. There will be a reversal in reliance on outsourcing of care.

Do you mean schooling?

[coldwarenigma]

Lets yes...sorry...should proof read better!

[GreenTulips]

Less coffee shops
Less ‘shared’ food bowls in restaurants
Less people in PJs in the supermarkets
Home schoolers will be given medals
Parents will teach their kids some manners at home!!

[elshajd]

DD and I were talking about this last night, we doubt that there will be a big social change like there was after WW2 with women going out to work more. Depressingly we concluded that nothing would change and we'd continue to be a self centred nation of me me me people on the whole.

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

I think for some young children it will be the best thing that will happen to them. We send children to school too young imo. This is going to have a massive positive effect on my youngest. More middle-class people will see home schooling as a viable option that is more relaxed and better for their children, allowing them to excel without distraction.

For some children this is the worst thing that could happen to them..and I don't know what we do or how we reach them...they will be left to fend for themselves and develop behaviours for coping that will not help them at all socially or for their future development.

[coldwarenigma]

elshajd I hope for all our sakes there is some good that comes out of this, or we really are doomed.

[doadeer]

Better adoption of technology. People have realised lots of services can be delivered virtually to good affect. Also customers have become more tech savvy.

Increase in online shopping. Those who didn't before will find it a new routine.

[coldwarenigma]

I think the development of a state version of 'interhigh' and smaller 'hub' schools may help some children who struggle now.

[doadeer]

Perhaps greater focus on health. I've read threads on here from people very worried if they ended up hospitalised with corona that they wouldn't be prioritised for ventilation because they have a high BMI / smoke etc.

And also perhaps due to boredom at home more people will get into exercise.

Also realise we don't need as many materialistic things as we thought... Consumerism could go down.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Id like to think the Number of anti Vaxers decreases

[VioletCharlotte]

It depends how long this all goes on for. If it is 12-18 months then we could see a lot I'd change.

Use of technology is a big one. Lots more video conferencing. Being forced to use it has made many people use it who have avoided it up til now.

Workplaces will realise they can be more flexible and understand the advantages to the employer and employee.

I hope people will become more mindful about not wasting food - I'm not convinced how far reaching this will be, but I think some people will at least.

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

I'm hoping that governments will realise that too much money is locked up by the ultra-rich, and society doesn't need them. The current flood of public money can't all come from borrowing.

[TimeAintNothing]

Working from home will become more prevalent. A lot of employers are going to wonder why they're paying £xxxx in rent and utilities for a large office for everyone when they could pay far less for a small office just for senior management and occasional team meetings with the majority of their staff working at home. This will be good for people with caring responsibilities (let's face it, mainly women) and people with disabilities as it will give then access to jobs that they previously could not have done due to the insistence on staff being office based.

A far few companies will go to the wall, on top of those that already have, and some others will be forced out of business due to backlash over their actions during this time. Looking at Sports Direct and Wetherspoons here whose management have acted like utter cunts over the last few days.

Depending on when schools get back, I can potentially see the academic year shifting its start/end dates so as to accommodate the gap in this years studies. For example they go back in September and complete this academic year from September to December then the new academic year begins in January and school years then run January to December with a mid-year gap for the summer holidays which would also act as study leave for GCSE/A-level students.

Optimistically, I'd hope for better funding for the NHS off the back of the current tidal wave of goodwill. Could you imagine BoJo saying no to it after all of this? Although I agree with a PP who said about further cuts to services to pay for the current spending - those fuckers quickly found the magic money tree when it was needed, didn't they?

Sadly another long term effect I can see is that the Tories will win the next election off the back of that same tidal wave as they will be able to campaign on a platform of "we saved the country".

I think there will be a lot of health anxiety when all of this is over as well as other mental health problems. Divorce rate is going to go up.

[Redwinestillfine]

This has really shown people's and companies true colours. Hopefully people will boycott those companies who have behaved disgracefully, and support those who did the right thing.

[Zenithbear]

Hopefully people will be more respectful of jobs such as supermarket workers.
Contingencies for speedier response to future viruses.

[Cinammoncake]

People will fly a bit less. Less judgement of unemployed people and more care about our benefits system and the NHS. A house price crash I'd say is inevitable. More crime. Far fewer shops and cafes and restaurants. Greater inequality is a real danger because only those with a lot of money behind them won't be severely hit by this. But a real resentment of billionaires and hoarders could lead to change. Plus companies seeing how well positive actions go down with the public (and vice versa)