Will things ever return to normal?
On April 16, the Swedish government decided to extend the temporary entry ban by 30 days, until May 15. This mainly applies to foreign citizens who try to enter Sweden from countries outside Europe. Swedish citizens and people residing in Sweden will continue to be able to enter, as will people with extenuating circumstances. While these kinds of measures won’t be permanent they may very well alter what we view as “normal.”
There’s a new virus season every year. Few viruses evolve into pandemics, but the new awareness of their impact will be lasting. In our part of the union, the Northeast, people are changing their way of life. Families cook together and they bake together. Due to such high demand, fresh or active dry yeast is next to impossible to find (turn to p16 for a bread recipe that doesn’t require yeast).
Organizations and industries have had to rely on digital meetings for a long time, and everyone seems to agree it has worked beyond expectation. Going back to the old world with two, three flights a week to attend meetings won’t happen after corona, not because of the fear of starting another pandemic but for a variety of reasons, climate change among them.
Education has benefited from the same measures. Perhaps the classes consisting of 20, 30, sometimes hundreds of students being in the same room for hours have passed. We’ll find more efficient ways to run our schools, possibly engaging a far greater number of people.
The fallout and impact of this virus will change the lives of many and there is much discussion of its disruption. However, we should take this time to appreciate what we’ve missed and embrace the changes that could form a world more equipped to deal with these challenges and those yet to come, “the new normal.”
Travel will return, the stores will be stocked, and people will go back to work. In the mean time we hope you will enjoy this issue’s feature on a visit to Sweden’s westernmost populated destination, the Koster Islands, half a mile west of Strömstad in the province of Bohuslän.
Dream of trips to come, stay safe and be healthy,
Ulf
We may not always store extra toilet paper, but after experiencing the corona pandemic, will we ever stop considering how we interact with others, wash our hands, use face masks on flights?
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The Editor & Publisher
Inte som andra bloggar.... this entry will be sometimes in Swedish, sometimes 'på svenska' - Just så händelsrikt är livet som utgivare av Amerikas äldsta och numera enda Svenska tidskrift.
Här ovan poserar jag “on location” kl 6 på morgonen i Minneapolis St. Paul för två år sedan. Henrik Olund tog bilden som förberedelse för en porträttbild av Vice President Walter Mondale. (Det var en bra intervju med en bra person) Jag skriver sällan med byline i Nordstjernan men jag är alltid ansvarig för innehållet, även om jag inte alltid håller med om allt.
(PS. Intervjun med Mondale hittar ni på nordicreach.com DS.) |