Though it’s difficult to find a bright side to the coronavirus outbreak at the moment, one positive is that this period of global upheaval may change some of our less-than-desirable habits. Well, some habits need to change for lives to remain same!

Will we see a lot less buffets and salad bars?
A lot less people will now be inclined to eat from an open buffet / communal spreads. If we think of it, it’s just not the sneeze or cough or speech. After all, just how many people use the restroom or poke their fingers in their noses or mouth and don’t wash their hands and then help themselves via their very dirty hands using the common serving spoon.

Could Hugs and hand shakes be out?
There is going to be a cultural shift in the way we all greet one another. Shaking hands, high fives, hugs, and kisses are going to be abandoned more and more. Social greetings may now entail a namaskar, a hand on the heart, a head nod, or pretty much any action that enables one to avoid direct touch or contact.

Will Hand sanitizers be made mandatory in public places?
We are probably going to see hand sanitizer made available in offices, at public gatherings, stores, malls, gyms, restaurants, atm, elevators and other establishments.

Are more people going to skip crowded restaurants and street food joints?
Though it’s still unclear, there will likely be changes to our habit of eating out. For example, delivery and takeout options might be preferred over dine in, and likewise we may see more explicit information posted in the restaurants about its hygiene practices.

Is there an increase in popularity for bidets and health faucets?
Companies that make attachable bidets have reported sales of over 10 times what they were ever since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak. Given that bidets are an alternative to (or an addition to) toilet paper, it makes sense that more people are interested in them now. Now that bidets and health faucets are becoming more popular and commonplace in western bathrooms, we’ll likely continue to see that trend after the pandemic is over.

Could socially acceptable personal distance change?
One of the main policies in combating coronavirus is the idea of social distancing. This involves staying at least six feet away from other people. And while that six-foot rule may not remain once the outbreak is over, people will likely be more conscious of whom they let approach them in their personal space. We may be inclined to avoid crowded spaces and the socially acceptable personal distance could change.

Will businessmen spend more time now at home with family than their associates?
One aspect of conducting business that was curtailed in this time of corona, was travel. Even though major business houses were already using online meetings, many others were less impressed by the idea. However, the lockdown has forced most to solely rely on online meetings and video conferencing. Some believe that this may initiate a new culture, as more and more people get to grips with the ease of online meetings and consider the time and money saved in travel. So more of family time, hopefully!