Many social events have been completely cancelled in the wake of the virus. While some events like the Olympics or Coachella are tragically postponed until further notice, other events like conferences, summits and workshops have gone completely online. Even everyday social interactions like getting a haircut are going online! You Probably Need A Haircut pairs people with professional barbers that will guide them step by step through the process of cutting their own hair via video chat.
While it might be a bit lonely staying home all day long, many people have also taken advantage of the extra time at home to pick up a new hobby or develop a new skillset. Online education tools like Udemy and Masterclass have had sales on their classes as a response to the increasing demand. Now, more than ever, people are listening to podcasts, watching home fitness videos and working on self improvement during quarantine.
As the outbreak spread across the globe, there was expressed optimism that this pandemic would lead to global unity. Unfortunately, tensions have risen between countries. Countries have closed their borders. Germany has accused the United States of modern day piracy over diverting shipments of protective gear. Italy's prime minster, Giuseppe Conte, speculates the virus could cause the collapse of the EU, as its calls for aid have gone largely unanswered. With the exception of China, nations are showing that in this war it is every country for itself. As China has passed the brunt of the virus, it is positioning itself to be a savior. While countries turn their back on one another, China has been providing much needed aid to countries around the world.
Many companies have been forced to adopt a new working from home (WFH) model. According to a recent article from TechCrunch, Microsoft has reported that calls in their work collabaration software Teams grew 1,000% in March. Other video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet have also experienced a massive increase in users over the past few months. Many companies have even forfeited their office spaces for a more economical long-term WFH model.
With schools still closed throughout the world, education has moved completely online. Last week we spoke to some expat teachers in China who have been teaching online, and now there are some rumors that schools will open back up in China next month. In the rest of the world, it remains unclear when schools will open. In California, the curriculum has become a combination of Google Classrooms, instructional video lessons and minimal to no homework as local districts work on developing their own "virtual school" for the remainder of the school year.
The world is entering the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Before the virus hit, the IMF was predicting per capita income growth in over 160 countries for the year 2020. Now, that number has been turned on its head with the latest predictions showing that over 170 countries will experience negative per capita income growth this year. Western economies are battling to keep their economies afloat with stimulus packages of unprecedented sizes. However, as long as people are afraid to go about their daily lives, there is a risk that stimulus packages will simply bury nations with unsustainable debt and provide only temporary relief.
Millions of people throughout the world are now practicing "social distancing", and as a result many innovative new tech solutions have been developed over a short period of time. Robot food delivery services have become increasing popular, and some hospitals are even using 3D printers to transform standard medical equipment into livesaving ventilator substitutes.
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