Throughout 2020, the coronavirus caused massive loss of life, sweeping changes in the lives of nearly every American, and brought the US economy to its knees. What started as an inconvenience for many quickly turned serious as the death toll continued to rise. People saw friends and loved ones fall ill, and some saw those close to them lose their lives to the respiratory illness.
The big-picture effects of the virus have been obvious. Schools and businesses closing their doors for months on end. Hospitals overwhelmed by huge surges in the virus. The economy grinding to a halt as stay-at-home efforts tried to slow the spread of the disease.
There have been other, smaller effects, however, that some people may have missed. You’ve read and seen a lot about the major impacts of the pandemic, but today we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the smaller impacts.
Alone but Connected
Many who were stuck at home throughout the pandemic noted that, while they were alone, this year offered some unique comforts that wouldn’t have been present in prior years.
Had this pandemic happened in, say, 1990, it’s likely that the isolation felt by many would have been amplified. The internet allows for instant transfer of data, so video calling and instant messaging allow for the illusion of proximity to our loved ones.
While it often felt like the isolation was suffocating, there was a release valve in being able to talk to friends and see them. In fact, one of the most dissonant aspects of the pandemic, for some people, was how calm and “normal” things could feel while just staying at home playing video games online with friends.
The Slow Panic
While social distancing and staying at home, the illusion of things being slow and quiet caused a dissonance for many. Thousands of people were dying in hospitals around the country, yet the smartest thing the average person could do to help was… nothing.
Literally, actively choosing to do nothing at all was often the best choice. That caused a sort of sinking feeling of helplessness for many and spoke to a pervasive sense of unease that defined much of the year.
Now, with vaccines for the virus finally becoming a reality, many hope that the worst is behind us. With any luck, the vaccines and a proper top-level response to the virus will see it finally expelled from the world at large and banished back to dark corners in medical labs and under microscopes. Until then, it’s worth remembering all the little things that changed when the world tried to adapt to a sudden pandemic.
