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AIBU?

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Original poster

what will be the new norm

60 replies

woofmachine · 29/03/2020 21:34

I'm thinking that we will see an end to some things we take for granted like cash, handshakes, etc. as well as a rise in others like permanent glove-wearing, and a major fear of germs leading to some people maintaining social distancing outside. What else could change dramatically?

OP posts:
Rubyupbeat · 30/03/2020 00:34

No, it wont happen. We will be so glad to get back to reality and put it all behind us.

ralphwreckedit · 30/03/2020 00:38

people always having a stash of toilet paper

Balonder · 30/03/2020 00:39

I think the political ideology "the market will sort it" is being shown to be absolutely false so we might possibly have a new social contract after this. Huge corporate bailouts/Jeff Bezos making even more billions on the markets just before they crashed/underfunding the health service....

TimeAintNothing · 30/03/2020 01:35

Consumerism, day to day life, cash, not taking social distancing precautions, etc. will go back to normal.

One thing I can see changing though is how business is conducted and that many companies will downsize their premises. A lot of employers right now are learning how working from home can be carried out and I think many of them will decide that there is no sense paying ££££ in utilities and rent for a large office space when 90% of their employees could be put on permanent working from home with senior management based in a much smaller office space. To save even more money some of them will stop hiring employees and instead will take on staff as self-employed contractors. No tax/NI/pension/sick pay/holiday pay obligations for the employer. They'll be the new version of a zero hours contract, sounds great in theory but in reality will benefit the business far more than the employee and will promote unfair working conditions.

givemeacall · 30/03/2020 01:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

yatapina · 30/03/2020 01:45

I don't necessarily think that much will change after the initial fallout but I would like;

Improved health screening before travel.
Less reliance on imports and a comeback for local produce stores/markets.
Less consumerism in society as a whole (myself included).

I think that we may see some changes in how people interact, social distancing might become the norm (as in not being so physically close to people rather than not seeing anyone!). I hate being hugged as a greeting/goodbye so this works in my favour 😁

Pishposhpashy · 30/03/2020 06:33

Raging OCD in multiple children given that some people are actually bathing their shopping and quarantining their post.

As a sufferer of severe ocd, it is very worrying.

Pishposhpashy · 30/03/2020 06:35

To save even more money some of them will stop hiring employees and instead will take on staff as self-employed contractors

I doubt that, given the IR35 rules.

user1493413286 · 30/03/2020 06:51

I think it depends how long this goes on too. I know for me I’ll probably always keep a bit more food in than I have previously as I’ve been frightened by how quickly supermarket shelves have cleared and we keep no extra supplies at home

Mintychoc1 · 30/03/2020 06:58

I would like to think that future governments will learn that chronically starving the NHS of resources is a dangerous false economy.

Littlemissdaredevil · 30/03/2020 07:53

I think we will see -

A generation of children with MH issues who were unable to process what’s going on
Different ways of schooling - possibly more online schools becoming the norm
Hopefully employers encouraging more home working and having the necessary IT network. My employer doesn’t have enough laptops or network capacity to allow everyone to wfh.
The demise of cash as a much more quickly as a payment method
Less food waste
People having a little stash of essentials just in case - I remember my parents having uht milk and candles just in case

Pishposhpashy · 30/03/2020 07:59

I do think employers realising home working is actually doable will be a positive outcome.

Silversleeve · 30/03/2020 08:18

I hope we will all start to value what's important - respecting real hero's like doctors and nurse who die for us - and stop respecting/following the vapid, insipid, useless celebrities.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 30/03/2020 09:03

given that some people are actually bathing their shopping and quarantining their post

Washing shopping that others have touched is hygienic and not wanting cardboard inside the house where germs can live for days makes sense. Most children wouldn’t even know if parents left post in an outbuilding and could easily wipe down shopping without much attention.

I think more will become far more hygienic and conscious of germs but that it will fade over time.

TildaTurnip · 30/03/2020 09:06

some people are actually bathing their shopping and quarantining their post

That’s me. I can feel myself getting increasingly anxious about this sort of thing but no idea where to draw the line.

Pishposhpashy · 30/03/2020 09:07

Most children wouldn’t even know if parents left post in an outbuilding and could easily wipe down shopping without much attention.

Well mine would, as we live in a 2 bedroom flat with no "outbuilding" (Hmm) and my kitchen is the size of a broom cupboard.

I have discussed this multiple times on other threads and honestly I don't feel mentally well enough to explain again here but I have raging OCD myself which caused me to attempt suicide 3 times, and things like quarantining my post are liable to send me right back there. So I will continue to wash my hands, and maintain social distancing guidelines, and go out once per day, but I have assessed the risks and I will not be taking additional precautions. Thank you.

TimeAintNothing · 30/03/2020 09:28

have assessed the risks and I will not be taking additional precautions

Same.

My anxiety can just about handle being at home for the majority of the time, one walk a day, homeschooling, keeping the DC entertained, and 60% of y online shopping order being either missing or a sub. It can just about handle not seeing my parents, siblings, and friends, and not having any real alone time.

Bathing my shopping, quarantining my post, and disinfecting the front door and hallway after a delivery a little bit too much for me. That would tip me over from being in control of my anxiety to being an obsessive mess. I have had far too much therapy and worked far too hard to move away from that. I open my deliveries, shopping, and post as normal, bin the envelopes/boxes, and then wash my hands. That is enough.

TENDTOprocrastinate · 30/03/2020 09:33

I think our taxes will be increased, a lot.

TexanBlueNeck · 30/03/2020 11:28

many of them will decide that there is no sense paying ££££ in utilities and rent for a large office space when 90% of their employees could be put on permanent working from home with senior management based in a much smaller office space. To save even more money some of them will stop hiring employees and instead will take on staff as self-employed contractors. No tax/NI/pension/sick pay/holiday pay obligations for the employer. They'll be the new version of a zero hours contract, sounds great in theory but in reality will benefit the business far more than the employee and will promote unfair working conditions

This with bells on.

Companies will use this as an excuse to cut costs, be that real for their survival or false for more profit from a reduction in profitability. Employees will be at the brunt.

cstaff · 30/03/2020 12:04

Being as affectionate with family and friends like hugging and kissing when you meet up which I find very sad.

MrsKypp · 30/03/2020 12:06

Top UK universities give unconditional offers to all UK school leavers.

Lower level universities go bankrupt.

Treaclepie19 · 30/03/2020 12:11

@Pishposhpashy and @TimeAintNothing I'm so relieved to see you both saying that.
I have OCD and had a horrific time of it the other year. I'm desperate not to go back there so quarantining post and wiping down shopping is not happening here.
I could do with some advice about a hospital appointment on Wednesday but not sure where to turn as the general population aren't following sensible methods at the moment.

OmgThereAreNoPlanesAboveMeNow · 30/03/2020 12:12

given that some people are actually bathing their shopping and quarantining their post

What concerned me more than that was that I saw someone mention drying it on radiators.

AmputatedSoul · 30/03/2020 12:19

I think it depends how long it goes on for.
I work with the elderly and a huge number of them still ration food/toilet roll/toiletries etc like during war times and I think if this goes on for long enough we could be the same.
I know I'll be keeping a few extra tins in my cupboards from now I'm just in case.

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 30/03/2020 12:24

@Pishposhpashy
I am fortunate to not have OCD but I am absolutely with you on this. I cannot let myself do this because it will spiral out of control for me.

I was on a FB group for cleaning and the number of people cleaning their shopping, including fruit and veg, with a bleach based solution was worrying.