What will the long term effects of the virus? Will something never be the same?

[Mugshot]

Someone observed on the news last night that there'll be many wonderful domestic gardens out there with all the older folk self isolating through spring and plenty of time to garden in the fresh air. My dad reckons there'll be barely a weed in sight

I'm keeping my fingers crossed they don't shut the garden centres before I get my compost!

 

[vickster]

I keeping my fingers crossed they don't shut the garden centres before I get my compost!

I might invite my dad to self isolate in my garden

 

[swee'pea99]

If working from home becomes the accepted and practical way of working for lots of firms. Just think how much commuting will be cut back. There will be less need to further reduce carbon emissions and we can all go off and live in remote country locations. Property prices in the city, especially inside the M25 will fall as there will be no need to work within commuting distance of the office.

Life is never going to be the same.

Could be the best thing in years for the environment. Widespread try out for working from home. Many - companies & individuals - will find it works; many will stick with it, to a greater or lesser extent, when all the hubbub dies down. There'll also be other positive consequences, in terms of people's quality of life, work/life balance, that kind of thing. But the environmental impact alone could be huge.

 

[silva]

As soon as the governments remove their bans, people will return to work and do the jobs together known as "economy".

 

[fossyant]

I think we will all have fabulous gardens this year ! Already done the second cut.

 

[Fab Foodie]

The current situation demonstrates that Supermarkets will remain dominant. They have the critical mass, supply-chain infrastructure and supplier leverage that small independents will not.
still on the whole the cheapest and most convenient shopping method for the masses. There will be no return to the 1940’s except in some niche communities.

 

[matticus]

The current situation demonstrates that Supermarkets will remain dominant. They have the critical mass, supply-chain infrastructure and supplier leverage that small independents will not.

Probably true.

I was going to say that in general, any crisises tend to accelerate the demise of all businesses/sectors in decline

 

[Yellow Fang]

I am worried pubs will close and not re-open.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Could be the best thing in years for the environment. Widespread try out for working from home. Many - companies & individuals - will find it works; many will stick with it, to a greater or lesser extent, when all the hubbub dies down. There'll also be other positive consequences, in terms of people's quality of life, work/life balance, that kind of thing. But the environmental impact alone could be huge.

I am not convinced. For a start the money that will have to go in baling out the economy and paying people to stay at home *might* have been spent on say wall insulation or electric car charging posts. Also, if you work at home, you have to heat your home during the day, possibly air conditioned on summer days. So instead of heating or air conditioning one big office, you heat or air condition one smaller office and a lot of homes.

 

[PaulB]

Income tax will increase massively to pay for it. The age at which you receive state pension will rise by at least two years. The value of your private pension will be considerably lower than you'd expected. The unemployment level will be several millions. Some football clubs will go out of business. Surveillance on us will increase massively. There will be more restrictions on the freedoms we previously took for granted. Young adults will get more illnesses and the bad ones like TB will be on the increase; this will be due to the children of today being unable to be in each other's company and they will consequently miss out on getting the usual childhood illnesses and therefore having no resistance to them in the future. The selfish will be more selfish. There will be a very worrying rise in the incidence of mental illness.

 

[steveindenmark]

I might invite my dad to self isolate in my garden

I was self isolating on the beach today. I feel quite guilty. It sounds like I should be locked up and be on a register for self isolating 😁

 

[ColinJ]

Someone observed on the news last night that there'll be many wonderful domestic gardens out there with all the older folk self isolating through spring and plenty of time to garden in the fresh air. My dad reckons there'll be barely a weed in sight

A friend of mine will be doing some of her 'social distancing' on a quiet allotment. I have been helping her make some raised beds for it. We plan to protect them with an electric slug defence system...



Love the sound effects! I'm amazed at how quickly the slug learns not to try and cross the wires.

There is something curiously relaxing about that video!

Income tax will increase massively to pay for it. The age at which you receive state pension will rise by at least two years. The value of your private pension will be considerably lower than you'd expected. The unemployment level will be several millions. Some football clubs will go out of business. Surveillance on us will increase massively. There will be more restrictions on the freedoms we previously took for granted. Young adults will get more illnesses and the bad ones like TB will be on the increase; this will be due to the children of today being unable to be in each other's company and they will consequently miss out on getting the usual childhood illnesses and therefore having no resistance to them in the future. The selfish will be more selfish. There will be a very worrying rise in the incidence of mental illness.

True, but apart from those problems, everything will be just fine...

 

[welsh dragon]

With a bit of luck more people might be encouraged to take up gardening and growing their own vegetables etc. This might also encourage more people to cook fresh foods rather than buy takeaways or ready meals.

Another upside might be that more people will get to know not only the next door neighbour but also the neighbours in the neighbourhood as a whole. This has to be a good thing for everyone.

 

[Mo1959]

This might also encourage more people to cook fresh foods rather than buy takeaways or ready meals.

That might be a step too far for me!

 

[vickster]

With a bit of luck more people might be encouraged to take up gardening and growing their own vegetables etc. This might also encourage more people to cook fresh foods rather than buy takeaways or ready meals.

Another upside might be that more people will get to know not only the next door neighbour but also the neighbours in the neighbourhood as a whole. This has to be a good thing for everyone.

What about the millions who don't have a garden?

And social distancing from neighbours?