COVID-19 has led humanity into a social, emotional, and physical turmoil that is unparalleled and the impact of which will be visible for ages to come. Apart from losing invaluable lives, the pandemic has completely transformed the world we all grew up to know. But, of course, all of us would guess this right. It is technology! A phenomenon that has seeped into our daily levels in a form and pace that is unprecedented. Five such technological trends that have defined and reformed our lives during COVID are as follows:

1.   Laptop Plus Home Internet = Office: Remote working, till two years back, was a Wishlist item for a few professionals, more so females, who were capable but needed the flexibility to be able to continue working. Pandemic has changed that forever, and technology has been the enabler that made remote working a real and practical option. Just connect to the workplace through VPNs, manage teams and joint work through small tools such as G-suite, interact seamlessly on conferencing apps and even set up smart offices using laptops and large expandable screens, and one is all set to working remotely. Well, as one says, time is valuable. The calculation is straightforward if one counts the number of hours one saves. But then some people argue that nothing can replace the magic of personal touch and face to face interaction. As I envision, the workplace will finally settle in a hybrid mode where teams can meet occasionally as and when required.

2.   Shopping = Ecommerce: The last decade saw several consumer goods categories making a shift to online, but the pandemic has pushed many more categories to the list, all in a short span. Consumers are now comfortable ditching visits to a shopping mall or showroom for categories earlier reserved for a personal visit. They are experimenting with e-commerce in categories like Home Décor, luxury watches, cosmetics, personal care, designer dresses. Ecommerce vendors are enticing customers with easy credit options of BNPL (buy now, pay later), check out financing and easy delivery and refund options. Platforms are also experimenting with recreating the magic of personal shopping by creating virtual shopping rooms and trials, augmented reality, live streaming etc.

3.   Healthcare is Centrestage, Thanks to Healthtech: While jet hopping is now a phenomenon of the past for humans, the pandemic has undoubtedly put the healthcare sector on a jet speed. Regulators, doctors, and scientists have raced against time to roll out medical facilities, vaccines and medicines to help fight off the grave danger staring at humanity. So, whether it is building a 1500 bed hospital room in 5 days in China, the shortest launch of a first of its kind mRNA technology-based vaccine, a swift ramp-up of vaccine production capacity or even the launch of the most extensive vaccination program in the world’s second-most populous country, India using apps and software; all have been enabled by the significant strides in technology.

4.   Education is now Ed-Tech: Pandemic has been particularly harsh on children at serious risk of losing out on many valuable years of education, learning and development. The plight of kids in developing and low-income countries is even more discernible. While the losses on this aspect are immeasurable, my heart still swells with pride when I see my househelp’s daughter taking a lecture on mobile through a conferencing app. The teachers and schools did a commendable job by shifting to online classes within a matter of few days allowing kids to continue their education in some manner and form using mobile and app technology. The day is not far off when there will be 100% digital formal schools that reach out to the remotest part of the country without necessarily building an extensive physical infrastructure. Of course, the need to blend digital education with the right balance of social, emotional, and physical development may require more innovation and thoughts.

5.   Social is Real and not so Virtual: Virtual Social to make up for the restriction of physical gatherings and parties is the new trend that’s revolutionizing the fundamental character of our society. Today, one can do doctor’s consultations, make investor pitches, conduct court proceedings, convocation ceremonies, weddings, funerals through conferencing apps that are getting innovative by the day. The virtual experience of being seated with our best friends in a classroom got back some zing to our studies for many of us. Facebook’s planned VR social media platform META stretches the realm of technology a little more, which may thus revolutionize human interactions, emotions, and behavior even further.

Many argue that many of the above changes may be temporary and may reverse to some extent once humanity emerges out of the pandemic. It may be correct as humans still cherish their old normal over the new normal. However, what is irreversible is the mark technology has made on our daily lives and the new horizons it has opened for mankind for continuous development and innovation.

About the author: Tanya Gupta is a science student from Amity International School, Delhi, who is enthusiastic about reading and writing about various subjects. An avid Harry Potter fan, she dreams of making the world a better place to live. Her passion in life is environmental protection, women empowerment, and education for all.