The COVID-19 Crisis: Impact and Implications

Sociocultural and Religious Implications

How Society Will Change as the Coronavirus Crisis Abates

by Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: As they begin to ease their coronavirus lockdown and distancing measures, Western governments will be confronted with a huge set of problems, many of which cannot be foreseen. From a policy point of view, it makes sense to try to return to the pre-pandemic reality, though this will not be entirely possible.

Western governments will have many complex problems to deal with as they begin to relax their lockdown and distancing measures, many of which cannot be assessed ahead of time or even foreseen. Most government leaders in Western countries have gained popularity during the coronavirus crisis, but they will face unprecedented new challenges as the danger to public health begins to abate.

From a policy point of view, it makes sense to try to return as much as possible to the pre-pandemic reality. For the most part, pre-virus society functioned in a reasonable manner. Western economies were growing, albeit slowly. Unemployment varied between low and not very high in the major countries. The pre-virus situation was certainly much better than the untried pseudo-realities promoted by various ideologues.

A full return to the way it was before can never be completely accomplished. Governments’ first priority must be the revival of the world economy. There will be battles over resources no matter how they are distributed. Words such as “optimal,” “fair,” and “solidarity” have limited meaning in this context. Future generations will have to carry some of the costs resulting from the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic. We do not yet know what the overall financial impact will be.

Unemployment has reached huge percentages in several countries. This has to be brought down rapidly. The general picture hides many personal tragedies, with vast numbers of lives severely disrupted by the abrupt tearing away of the former reality.

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