By now almost all of the billions of people on Earth know what Covid-19 is, and some of us have already been infected or know someone who has been infected. Covid-19 is probably one of the most trending topic of all conversations in the world today.

It has caused a lot of chaos and changed what we called “normal” to the “new-norm”. Some are content with this “new-norm”, and some are not- change can be relatively good or bad, so let’s take a look at some of the things that Covid-19
has really done.

For starters, parents are now getting more time to spend with their children as well as teach them a few of their skills. University students have the opportunity to spend time at home now more than ever before! Moreover, many teachers are adapting to the new circumstances by learning how to operate online classes and deliver their lectures successfully.

Parents now realise how difficult a teacher’s job can be when it comes to answering the questions of these smart children. Students, who rarely made it to class, now have the opportunity to attend their lectures or classes at any place,
and in the case of pre-recorded classes, they can learn at any time.

However, the same students are unable to attend lectures that require a classroom setting such as labs/practicals or experimental classes. Still, at least some learning is continuing despite the closures of schools and universities.

Moving on to the working population, employees now have spare time to develop new skills, learn new knowledge, and can further explore their potential in their respective careers through various
free or paid courses available online.

This spare time comes as a result of remote working and reduced workload due to the pandemic. Some in-person conferences and businesses have moved online, making it easier and more accessible to the relevant audiences.

Other businesses that can not be operated online have shut down or laid-off employees, affecting the company, employees and their families, as well as the consumers.

Another impact of Covid-19 is the closures of areas of social gatherings and public places such as parks and restaurants. Staying at home can be fun for a while, but after a certain period of time, it takes a toll on one’s mental health. Mental-health is as equally important as physical health and is crucial for a healthy life. Laid-off employees and senior citizens staying at home or indoors have a high risk of developing mental-health related illnesses.

As a way to cope with this situation, many have considered adopting pets for support and company.  As a result, animal shelters are almost running out of pets, and this has not happened in many many years!

Looking at some of these impacts of the pandemic, one thing is certain- change is inevitable and regardless of the type of change, all we can do is remain prepared for the unforeseeable future.

It is safe to say that life is not a simple ride- it is upon us to decide whether we want to concentrate on the negatives or positives. Just like on a roller-coaster, it would be no fun without the highs and lows. So, is Covid-19 a hero or villain? I will leave that to you to decide.