Social Life in the Time of COVID-19

The short version:  There ain't no social life in the time of COVID-19.

No large meetings.

No going out to eat at a restaurant.

No going to sports events.

No taking classes.

No parties.

No church services.

The phrase these days is "social distancing."  A nice term for, in some cases, social isolation.  But there is the telephone.  There is e-mail.  There are social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and many others.  People can "congregate" electronically, in what we refer to as "the virtual world."

Colleges and universities are offering their students their classes online. 

Restaurants are trying to keep their heads above water by offering call-in and pick-up, rather than dining in. 

Our nearest pet supply store is also offering call-in and pick-up.

Grocery stores have been ahead of the curve -- many have been offering such service for years before this pandemic began.

People are being encouraged, wherever possible, to work from home.  Our son-in-law had been doing that part of the time for a few years now, maybe one or two days at home, and the other three at the office, or something like that.  Now he's working from home, period, but had begun doing so before COVID-19..

Social media are full of funny photos and jokes about people working from home.  It has caused many to become creative, as their children are also home as public schools have closed.  But the upside, as stated in a number of jokes, stories, and photos, is that working from home allows the worker to do so in pajamas.  Or less.  One friend told of attending an online meeting dressed in shirt and tie, and pajama bottoms!  Only what can be seen needs to be dressed up.

For my husband and myself, our lives are not very different.  We have been homebodies all along, happy to stay at home, with visits with friends and family,  occasional evenings going out to eat, or sometimes to a movie.  We're not doing any of that now.  People who traveled for business or pleasure are staying home.  My major professor in graduate school goes to Seville, Spain every year to do research at the General Archive of the Indies.  He's facing the prospect of not being able to go this year, as Spain has pretty much shut down.

So has Italy.  So have a number of states here in the U.S. 

I wonder how many of the changes being wrought by the need to avoid infection by this highly virulent virus will become permanent.