Where Do We Go From Here?

Despite the fact that the number of new cases has started to slow down in many countries, many health experts and epidemiologists warn that we’re still in the early stages of the pandemic and that a complete return to normal life will only be possible once a vaccine is found. Like all crises, this too shall pass eventually though, raising questions about what we can learn from it.

According to Statista’s COVID-19 Barometer, which gauges consumer sentiment on matters surrounding the pandemic, going back to business-as-usual is not an option for the majority of Americans. When asked what should happen in their country in the aftermath of the pandemic, only 9.4 percent of U.S. respondents said that things should go back to exactly the way they were before the crisis.

Like many crises do, this too exposed the weaknesses in our system, hopefully leading policymakers around the world to the right conclusions. Among Americans, 60 percent think that countries should be better prepared for global crises in the future, while more than 50 percent think that the U.S. health care system should be improved. 37 percent hope for better working conditions for low-wage workers, as this crisis has exposed that nurses, cashiers and delivery workers (among others) are critical pillars of society that are widely underappreciated.