COVID-19 Virus Shutdown, Day 96

Thinking about the effects of Social distancing

                                             

This is like those stories where we are in the future and only one thing has changed, but it changes everything. 

Only this is real and the one thing is we need to keep our distance from each other if we are not part of a family that lives together. 

So Let's say we are in this pandemic another 2 years before a vaccine comes out. 

In response, the stores are spreading out their merchandise to make room for social distancing. 

They don't have more room, the building is a finite space, so they will need to carry less things and more purchases will be online

thus causing more need for deliveries. Now people going back to work are driving around and among all the delivery trucks.  

Also restaurants are spreading out their tables, running at half capacity for social distancing. 

They also don't have more room, the building is also finite, so they will need to serve less people. How do you turn away customers because the 

building is full? All restaurants would take reservations?

They will make less money. And if their threshold to break even is higher than what they could make, they will close. 

Only those with higher margins will survive. So we end up with high end or really cheap restaurants?

Likewise, lets say concerts are now held outside, they can't social distance and still have the same number of attendees. 

Who gets to keep their seats? Who gets a refund? 

Will prices go sky high for the next series of concerts because they have to make more money with less customers?

Consession lines will need to be carefully managed... unless they can create a job like a runner that comes by delivering your consessions

and you just order with a phone app. 

But bathrooms will be a problem... bigger than before. Now you have to stand on the X. the line would wrap around... then again if they have

half the people it may not be as bad. 

I wonder if that would even out. 

And how do you police wearing masks ?

Do you kick people out of the concerts/games/stores for not wearing them? 

Imagine the lawsuits if it's not a law but a company policy. We've seen how company policies hold up. 

I forsee a lot of businesses closing because they can't keep up with the lowered customer base. 

But I also forsee a few other things. 

People like me will just not go to concerts, games, comedians.

We will wear masks 

We will go to outdoor restaurants only for special occasions, get reservations in advance, and be willing to pay more. It will become more special. 

We will spend more time working from home, gardening, making the home space better, spend more time as a family because we can without wearing PPE. 

I can see more extended families moving in together since many have lost jobs and then houses and cars. 

I can see families getting closer, relying on each other more. 

I can see, as some goods become unavailable in stores, we spend more for farm to table food. We get to know who grows and raises the goods. 

The farmers become personal friends instead of unknown entities. 

Of course, as in any of those fiction stories, this is only my perspective, partially my hopes, if I"m honest, from my narrow viewpoint. 

This is only one story. 

There are many more - comedy, horror, science fiction stories, that I could not possibly write. 

I'd be interested in your ideas, what do you think will happen?