Today we know every member of the workforce is extremely valuable because when we went home in March, everything fell apart.
The stock market (and our retirement savings), our incomes, companies, and a good slice of our dreams, at least in the short term. Not to mention our friends and family who suffered with the virus that has been the top of our minds.
But now that we see the end of the virus in sight, what do we do?
People have different ideas
Harvard Business Review recommends the following:
- Test every worker — Open the parking lots and make sure every person is well.
- Certify patients as ready to work (and not shedding virus.)
- Employers, retailers, restaurants, even friends and neighbors insist on verification that each person is virus free. Everyone maintains social distancing.
- States would optimize the plan.
Meanwhile, the Imperial College of London says stringent controls will be required to keep people safe.
They suggest: Impose social distancing every time admissions to intensive care units spike. Relax when they fall.
Their advice is to do this until a vaccine is discovered, possibly 18 months. So schools would close and social distancing practiced in two month blocks, with one month off.
Meanwhile, until a vaccine is available, everyone mostly stays in quarantine, minimizing social contact.
Under this model, we just accept that restaurants, cafes, sports, gyms, theaters, malls cruises, and airlines basically shut down.
A dour existence in which we live the pandemic daily?
Not everyone is so downbeat.
Most observers think that mass testing is really the main requirement for getting back to work and a social life.
In China, traffic jams and smog are back and sales of housing and cars are ticking upward, according to Foreign Policy.
One problem in China that is slowing a return to growth: People are not spending money, especially on big ticket items. Maybe everyone, everywhere is saving an emergency fund.
