As it becomes clear that the coronavirus won't suddenly disappear--even if or when a vaccine is released--anytime soon, governments, communities, businesses and individuals around the world have begun to find ways to safely live with the threat of the virus. This is what people have begun calling "the new normal."
And while social distancing measures and hygiene protocols will indefinitely remain in place, the new norm for people who want to go out into the world will look slightly different from what we've all been used to.
How you can enjoy outside life during COVID-19
With the lockdown still in full swing despite some countries already loosening their rules, there have been major changes in both private and public sectors when it comes to doing business.
In a restaurant in Rome called Da Enzo's, waiters no longer hand out menus. Instead, they hold up QR codes that customers use with their smartphones. Upon scanning, the menu appears on their screen together with the day's specials. QR codes have always been around, and applying simple codes to adjust to your business is something many enterprises should consider as we all move towards cashless transactions with minimum to no physical contact.
In Amsterdam, ETEN restaurant is trying something. Dining companions who live in the same household can eat around a candle-lit table inside a glass booth nested on the banks of a canal in Amsterdam.
Meanwhile, French designer Christophe Gernigon suggested a concept where diners wear a see-through lampshade on their heads to protect themselves and others while they dine. Gernigon said, "I wanted to make it more glamorous, more pretty."
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What about entertainment?
If you're missing going to the movies with your friends or family, that and other large gatherings won't probably be coming back anytime soon. However, efforts to bring back the old way of watching movies outdoors are gaining ground. Old school drive-in cinemas have popped up in Lithuania, Dubai, as well as the United States.
If you're missing the nightlife, look to the Germans who have started drive-in raves. In the car park of Club Index located in the town of Schüttorf, clubbers can rave and party with a limit of only two people per car parked in rows in front of a DJ.
Holger Boesch, who operates Club Index, said, "The night had quite a party vibe here. It was perhaps even better than a normal club night would be." People had glowsticks, flashing lights, lasers, and confetti.
Fancier ways to stay safe
Fashion has responded the best way they can to the coronavirus. Those who choose to maintain a healthy lifestyle while looking stylish at the same time in designer protective gear, have found ways to merge their passions. Designers from all over the world have begun creating face masks and protective clothing that appeal to trendsetters..
In Lagos, Sefiya Diejomaoh is a designer who believes that a global pandemic should not get in the way of style as she creates gold-colored and studded with diamante jewels on her facemask that match her floor-length dress.
If you ever think that the pandemic is stopping humans from doing the best in a bad situation, you'd be surprised as to how far human creativity can go.
