Over the past two years the covid-19 pandemic has taken us considerably away from what we considered to be a normal life.
Covid-19 has transformed that normalcy that we all now seem to long for and remember fondly. Nothing used to be perfect, but since a few months ago, everything has been worse.
All of us on the planet have learned new and painful terms like “social distancing”, “quarantine”, “flattening the curve”, etc.
Never before have we been so eager for scientists to find a solution, a vaccine that will allow us to reconnect with each other again.
The coronavirus pandemic has meant unprecedented social change. We have not experienced anything like this. The globalized world has never experienced anything like it. The social and psychological after-effects of the virus will persist beyond the threat of the disease, experts say.
Several studies suggest that the pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new way of living, both digitally and physically. Here are some of the areas where covid-19 is likely to have long-term effects.
Covid-19 suddenly introduced tens of millions of people to telecommuting.
Initial research suggests that many of these workers like to work at home. Four out of six respondents said the experience has made them want to work more.
Sixty percent of workers reported that they enjoy being at home and dressing casually, also highlighting the flexibility and pleasure of not having to commute to work. Nearly 80% of respondents said they feel more efficient when working from home.
Some preliminary conclusions of the researchers state that telecommuting could be a good thing, although negative aspects are not ruled out. Families and workers will be able to spend more time together, even if it is not the best quality time.
Online medical consultations
Online medical consultations had been advancing since before the pandemic, but with covid-19 they received a major boost.
A survey conducted before covid-19 came into our lives indicated that, in Michigan, USA, only 4% of those aged 50 and over had had a virtual doctor’s visit.
More than half of the respondents did not know if their doctor offered online consultations. Most expressed interest in telemedicine, but it seemed like a thing of the future. Covid-19 changed that landscape and accelerated the changes. Virtual medical consultations are a reality today when yesterday they only seemed like a future possibility.
Before the pandemic, physicians and patients considered telehealth only for very specific circumstances. Now, however, they believe that telemedicine can provide a wider range of services.
Tele-consultations make it possible to avoid parking problems when traveling to health centers and waiting times in waiting rooms at doctors’ offices. For family members, teleconsultations allow them to observe and participate in the health consultation.
The rise of online gaming
Undoubtedly, the covid-19 has significantly altered our habits and customs. One of the most notable changes has been in online gambling, whether as use or abuse.
The strict confinement measures caused the consumption of online games, including gambling, to skyrocket in most countries.
There was a shift from physical casinos to online casinos, something the latter have taken advantage of. It is no coincidence that during the pandemic, online casinos have multiplied their investment in advertising.
Few businesses have experienced such growth during the hard years of the covid-19 pandemic. The area of online gambling and online casinos is one of those businesses that have grown rapidly during the health crisis.
In virtually every country where online gambling is allowed, the number of players in online casinos has grown. The average time spent playing and the money spent per player has also grown.
Online casinos all over the world, even in remote regions, see the example of online casinos in New Zealand, have taken advantage of the confinements and the thirst for gambling of people locked up at home, to grow at a good pace for more than 20 consecutive months.
This boom, this growth, has driven online competition between casinos everywhere. There is a battle for positioning on the Internet. Casinos apply many strategies to position themselves, from advertising investment to link building techniques, which includes not only the West, but also link building in Japanese, and other languages of the world.