© iStock.com/Gilnature
A Changing World
Wayne Spencer
Until a few weeks ago the terms self-isolation and social distancing were virtually unheard of in Europe. Now they are mentioned routinely on the news and a google search of the term social distancing returns over 600 million results! Many people across the world are working from home where possible, avoiding close contact with others and living in isolation because of a virus that until a few months ago was unheard of. A pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan, China was first reported to the WHO Country Office in China on 31 December 2019. That is less than 3 months ago as I draft this. This new corona virus was only given a name on February 11th 2020.
Normally when I draft my editorial I am conscious of the fact that by the time it goes to print and is distributed, an event or situation I have referred to may have passed or become irrelevant. I am always uncertain about how our world might have changed slightly in that gap between drafting and publication and am careful to write my words accordingly. Well readers, this time there is a great dichotomy – there is both a risk that things will change much in our working lives over the few weeks but also the likelihood that we’ll still be facing this same challenge. COVID-19 and irrelevance are not words that go together at the moment.
Image Source: iStock.com/Gilnature
