𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗙? 𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵

Text by Ryza Reign Dizon | Graphics by Leanna Manuel | Layout by Angilene Dableo

If COVID-19 had never materialized, our lives probably would have seemed remarkable in comparison. The pandemic has left its heavy mark on the collective psyche, turning society and lives upside down in every corner of the world. The reality of speculating about a world without COVID-19 reveals just how deep the pandemic has changed our current life.

𝗔 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆

Without COVID-19, the technological advancement could have very well followed a different trajectory. The accelerated rise of remote work and virtual communication tools may have unfolded more slowly. In such a scenario, platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and others that became lifelines for millions may have developed in a slower trajectory and possibly taken the form of a different work culture and societal interaction norms by the time this was viable. Innovations driven by the need for social distancing-in this case, vaccine distribution technologies and telehealth services-may well have arrived at a different time or in some other form.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀

Going personal, the absence of COVID-19 might mean the version of us known today would not have existed at all. The pandemic forced many people to reassess their priorities, adapt to ways of life without other known ways, and face personal challenges in unprecedented ways. In this case, personal growth, resilience, and adaptability, which many people went through, would have taken a different turn or trend.

Family members we lost to the virus would still be with us, and thousands of families would not have crossed the extremely painful and heart-breaking threshold of losing loved ones. There would be no pain and stress of grief without closure during a pandemic. Family members would celebrate milestones in each other’s presence instead of through screens or distanced gatherings.

𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

Without the shadow of COVID-19, there would be no prevalent fear and anxiety around the threat of the next outbreak. The pressure to be cautious, not only about our own and the health of our family but also the kind of societal pressure that keeps reminding us to be on guard in case the crisis returns, would be nonexistent. If it had been a pandemic, the collective psychological impact of living through it may have shaped our worldview in quite different ways as well, leading to a rather different cultural climate of hope, fear, and resilience.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲

The healthcare sector would likely have gone down a very different road without the impetus to create vaccines and treatments at speeds that were unprecedented in history. Preparedness for pandemics and public health infrastructure may not have seemed quite so urgent, impacting responses down the line in general health crises.

The world untouched by COVID-19 very well highlights how deeply the pandemic has shaped reality. Ranging from technology development to self-growth and community influences, there are rippling effects of the pandemic that may surface as being vast and diverse. Of course, it is not possible to predict all the minute details involved in an alternate reality, but it’s quite apparent that the influence of the pandemic on our lives and the world overall is deep and lasting.