The emergence of Covid-19 has changed the world immensely. We witnessed a big shift in how we work, travel, learn, and go about our day-to-day lives. Let’s look at some of the biggest changes to our everyday lives caused by Covid-19.
Energy
With national lockdowns in place around the world, the energy sector was among the first to feel the economic effects of Covid-19. The pausing of various industries and people adopting the ‘work from home’ lifestyle has led to many companies being forced to close down. These closures reduced electricity use by about 12% in commercial usage and 14% in industrial.
On the other hand, residential electricity usage increased by around 10% due to the sheer number of people staying indoors, whether isolating, working from home, or learning while at home. However, this increased demand for residential electricity led to a low supply as well as rising electricity costs worldwide. Here’s a table showing the countries with the biggest increases in electricity costs.
The rise in electricity prices has seen many homes looking for other options. Alternatives for electricity like natural gas have received remarkable attention in recent times. But before jumping to other energy sources, it’s crucial to do a little research to make informed decisions. You can compare electricity and gas costs to decide which one is more affordable, as per the figure from this Australian website. Once done, settling on your preferred energy source would be easy. Plus, you will be sure you’re not paying more than you should and therefore saving on costs.
Travel.
Covid-19 has dealt a significant blow to the travel industry, particularly the tourism sector as people canceled or postponed their trips. The pandemic has seen a decline in both domestic and international travel around the world.
Airlines were the first to feel the pandemic’s effects as travel restrictions began to be imposed. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), net industry losses are expected to reduce to $11.6 billion in 2022 after a $51.8 billion loss in 2021 (worse than the $47.7 billion loss estimated in April). Net 2020 loss estimates are $137.7 billion (from $126.4 billion). In total, industry losses from 2020-2022 are expected to reach $201 billion.
Digital Learning
Restricted movements and strict laws on gatherings have led to many schools and learning institutions closing down their campuses. This closure resulted in a shift in digital learning. Students could virtually attend classes and do examinations through different apps like Google Classroom all through a device and an internet connection. Nowadays, even after a decline in Covid-19 cases, many schools and institutions still resort to online instead of physical learning.
Healthy Eating
Covid-19 has significantly affected how people practice healthy eating, with many people now eating healthier thanks to Covid-19. With many people isolating and staying indoors, eating out in restaurants reduced and consumption of home-made meals increased. Besides healthy eating, the emergence of Covid-19 prompted many to find ways of boosting natural immunity to overcome Covid-19 if they were to contract it.
Online Purchases
Lockdowns, isolations, and people generally staying indoors more have seen many businesses closing their doors and going online instead. Through various websites and apps, companies could launch their stores in the online space and sell. Advertisements through different online platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become the in-thing. Furthermore, online selling was not exclusive to online-only stores. Even physical shops nowadays prefer contactless payments, and many banks are digitizing their services in response to this.
Stronger Families
Covid-19 has shown many people the importance of spending time with their families. Reduced working hours, digital learning, and remote working increased the time many spend with their families, strengthening family bonds and ties. Movement restriction also made many families develop creative ways of spending holidays together at home, further bringing them closer.
As with anything, nothing is permanent. The emergence of Covid-19 changed everything, some for the better while others for the worse. There’s also nothing we can do about the changes except accept and adapt to a new life. And the earlier we adapt, the better.
