Will a COVID-19 vaccine save us from a permanent new normal?

The Pfizer announcement has renewed hope that the new normal will soon be lifted. Meanwhile, Oxford University says its own vaccine might be ready before the end of the year. What will this mean for 2021? Can we go back to our lives before the pandemic, or are masks and social distancing here to stay?

A vaccine will allow us to go back to our normal lives

A COVID-19 vaccine will reduce the risks of contagion and lives will go back to a pre-pandemic normality. Social distancing will no longer be necessary and people will return to the office.

We will go back to the office

A vaccine will allow us to return to our usual schedules and routines. Public transport, our morning coffee and office desk will once again become the norm.

There will be no more social distancing

A vaccine will allow us to return to our usual lives. Handshakes and hugs will once again become the norm.

A vaccine will not erase the changes to our daily lives

A COVID-19 vaccine will certainly help us rebuild our economy and autonomy. But some of the changes we've seen this year may be permanent.

Remote work is the future

Working from home during the pandemic has become the norm for many of us. It is likely that even with a vaccine, there will be less people going into offices every day.

Wearing masks will become more widely seen

Before the pandemic, wearing masks was an oddity in most Western countries. Even after a vaccine is developed, wearing a mask will remain more common.

One vaccine will not be enough

It is unlikely that a vaccine will bring the end of COVID. Some scientists are advising that we will likely need regular vaccinations.

Implementing the vaccine will be difficult

From logistics to anti-vaxxers. How the vaccine will be provided and how long this will take will play a large part in what we consider the new normal. Can we all be vaccinated?
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This page was last edited on Thursday, 12 Nov 2020 at 10:57 UTC