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OBSOLETE COVID THREAD The New Normal – or not?

OBSOLETE COVID THREAD
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Turga

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There is much talk of a New Normal and how it will affect our lives and how it will be to walk a Camino during those conditions. I almost become a bit depressed when reading these predictions of times to come. Personally, I do not believe in a New Normal, I think we will be going through a transition period towards something resembling the Old Normal.

During The Spanish Flu that raged in 1918 and into 1920 killing around 50 million worldwide, many of the same precautions as we see today were employed, like quarantine, shutting down of public institutions, schools and theatres. People were encouraged to wear masks or scarfs covering nose and mouth and in some cities, people were only allowed into public transport if wearing masks. That was the New Normal of those days, which lasted around 18 months.

Also during the Black Death, which raged Europe for decades from the mid-1300, measures such as isolation and travel restrictions were widely implemented.

These states of New Normal have only been temporary, though sometimes they have lasted for quite a while. Today, of course, we are in a much better position to control and even stop the pandemic than was the case in the 14th century and the early 20th century. I choose to be positive. We will pass through this New Normal and into something resembling the Old-Normal where again we can travel and gather freely, sleep in dormitories and have communal dinners without fear.

We just have to wait and that can be hard enough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and the tunnel may not be very long. I choose to be optimistic.

Poster from 1919.jpg
Poster from 1919.​
 
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These states of New Normal have only been temporary
Yes, but only in the sense that they evolve into the new Normal. Events like this pandemic do change the way we think and live. Some of the control measures (masks, quarantines, etc) are not permanent, at least in their current intense form. However, some measures may well be incorporated into our "normal" lives. For example, the idea that sick people really should stay home from work, that wearing a mask is not totally weird and is a good idea in some circumstances, more attention to hand washing and sanitizing, perhaps dropping hand shakes and using other forms of greetings. This period of sudden change feels like hard and scary work, but we will learn to incorporate some of the changes into our habits.

I choose to be optimistic.
I think that I am very optimistic, in thinking that we can regain our sense of freedom and enthusiasm for the world, while improving our "normal" with some of the lessons we've learned.
 
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We just have to wait and that can be hard enough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and the tunnel may not be very long. I choose to be optimistic.


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One of the things I tried to practice and continue to practice is "PATIENCE". It was part of my daily mantra on the Camino. I, too, think (and pray) that we will eventually return to the old normal (with a few exceptions). We just have to be patient. I know that is easier said than done sometimes, but think of the alternatives. For all of those who are so keen to rush back to the Camino, take a look at the daily news to see what impatience has wrought. Be patient, my friends. The Camino has been there all this time and will continue to be there waiting with open arms if you just give it time.
 
This period of sudden change feels like hard and scary work, but we will learn to incorporate some of the changes into our habits.

I believe you are right, I hope you are right - that's why I wrote that we will return to "something resembling the Old Normal. I should have elaborated that further, but you have done that well. Thank you.
 
It's highly speculative as to what the "new normal" will look like more long-term, though I'd suspect that it would concern international travel more than anything else (though this would affect more adaptive "travelers" such as pilgrims maybe a bit less than "tourists" ?)

Thankfully, the Covid19 seems to be less deadly than was feared, except in certain particularly vulnerable sections of the population ; but moving forward, if some future Covid20, Covid21, or other related coronaviruses mutated from the 19 evolved that were similarly infectious and similarly bad in the worst cases, there might be some lasting effects on international travel similar to those at the worst of the AIDS epidemic or after 9/11, not excluding fear of traveling in many people.

As to the Camino, pilgrim numbers may very well take a lasting hit, as some people contemplating a first Camino might be more fearful than such people have been in the past.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
There is much talk of a New Normal and how it will affect our lives and how it will be to walk a Camino during those conditions. I almost become a bit depressed when reading these predictions of times to come. Personally, I do not believe in a New Normal, I think we will be going through a transition period towards something resembling the Old Normal.

During The Spanish Flu that raged in 1918 and into 1920 killing around 50 million worldwide, many of the same precautions as we see today were employed, like quarantine, shutting down of public institutions, schools and theatres. People were encouraged to wear masks or scarfs covering nose and mouth and in some cities, people were only allowed into public transport if wearing masks. That was the New Normal of those days, which lasted around 18 months.

Also during the Black Death, which raged Europe for decades from the mid-1300, measures such as isolation and travel restrictions were widely implemented.

These states of New Normal have only been temporary, though sometimes they have lasted for quite a while. Today, of course, we are in a much better position to control and even stop the pandemic than was the case in the 14th century and the early 20th century. I choose to be positive. We will pass through this New Normal and into something resembling the Old-Normal where again we can travel and gather freely, sleep in dormitories and have communal dinners without fear.

We just have to wait and that can be hard enough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and the tunnel may not be very long. I choose to be optimistic.

View attachment 77148
Poster from 1919.​


Love this Turga, my sentiments also! Ultreia
 
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