Preparing to live with the Covid-19

Editor: Wearing of masks, social distancing, and sanitizing would become a normal part of our routine as we live with the coronavirus.

Classrooms with a maximum of 10 students would also be the norm. Rather than team teaching in our primary schools, we would have to revert to one teacher per class to minimize exposure of both teacher and student. In secondary schools each group of 10 students would all do the same subjects to stay within their own bubble and also to minimize excessive exposure.

Vaccination may not take effect until the next school year and immunization may not be effective until 2022. Medical self-assessment would become commonplace in order to reduce the exposure of our precious medical personnel. Therefore, we, the common people need the requisite training to assess and treat ourselves as we try to cope with the Coronavirus and the expected more virulent strain.

This does not imply no need for Trained Medical Personnel but rather indicates the need for a higher level of training for them to include telemedicine. They would still guide the process and determine how patients are treated in all cases.

Students and parents would have to take more responsibility for their own learning and Multiple-Choice exams would become the Assessment tool of choice. Various electronic platforms including Microsoft Teams and Zoom would increasingly be used to deliver lessons electronically.

Classroom windows and doors would have to be kept in good repair to allow for maximum ventilation as this physical factor favours a healthier learning environment. Some teachers, however will be encouraged to hold their class of 10 students out in the open or under a tree.

Rather than the closed-up buses that we travel in now, more open ones like the board buses of long ago seem more desirable.

The limitations placed on gatherings reduces the cost of weddings and funerals. New jobs are created for delivery persons for Restaurants, Supermarkets and Stores. Online banking and purchases would also increase.

Anthony Stewart, PhD