There will be huge changes in life after Covid 19 in Iran. A lot has been advised to be observed in our everyday lives. Everyone follows them for the sake of their wellbeing and health. It’s a matter of life and death. So, several aspects of our social life, as well as economic life, have already gone through major shocks.
Life after Covid 19 will not be the same in Iran, like other parts of the world. Is it good or bad? Well, one can argue it can be either this or that. However, there are certain lessons to be learned without a doubt. I just hope people use their common sense to follow what’s best for all of us, human beings, animals, plants, and our planet!
Essential Lessons to Remember for Life after Covid 19 in Iran
Personal space in Iran used to be closer than some could tolerate, but it continued as Iranian courtesy did not allow anyone to offend others by mentioning it to them. Now, it is a serious matter. So, people frown at each other if it happens.
Iran has spent the Covid 19 Pandemic through its New Year, Nowruz. It’s a time for socializing, visiting friends and relatives. Families reunite and meet each other. They all hug and kiss each other 2-3 times on the chicks. This year, nothing happened. It’s against all the traditions we’ve had for centuries. I must say, most of Iranians, who abide by the traditions, have followed the health organizations’ guidelines.
2. We should wash our hands more often and more properly.
Some health organizations had distributed guidelines and infographics on “how to properly wash our hands” and placed them on public toilets here and there. People cared less as they thought they knew how to do it. Now, they tell each other how it must be done! We should consider these matters seriously.
It’s for certain that Iranians will change their styles of hand-washing dramatically as the worst has happened to them. Many have friends and relatives affected by the Coronavirus outbreak in Iran. Therefore, lessons have been learned.
3. We should go out only when necessary.
Some people used to go out and hang out with friends for hours on a picnic in a park, etc. Some went out window shopping and hanging out in shopping malls or local marketplaces as the only entertainment in their lives. This has ended for now.
Many have learned that one can focus on other things indoors as well. Good or bad, it is the new norm for some people now. Maybe it’s a wise solution for the society in which driving around for fun was an entertainment. Imagine the amount of pollution produced and energy wasted.
4. We should work remotely from home if possible.
Many organizations and companies have realized they can trust their staff to work from home. It’s being agreed upon and many are working this way these days to save their wellbeing. It has been an eye-opener and a solution to highly-congested traffic jams across the large cities of Iran.
If there are some wise employers who have learned their lessons through this Covid 19 Pandemic period in Iran, they must focus on remote working instead of asking their staff to be present at a place where they must pay for the office and its furniture.
5. We should differentiate genuine and scientific news from fake news and nonsense.
We have seen so much misinformation and false data on Coronavirus news, prevention, and precaution measures. Every day, one hears about vaccination accomplishments that we do not easily believe them anymore. Politicians talk about scientific issues with economic concerns. This is quite clear to everyone now.
The fake news doesn’t come only from social media. It shows up on official traditional media as well. Therefore, no matter where the news comes from, lots of people have learned that they must follow reliable related sources for each type of news.
This is a great lesson that we all have to learn that during our life after Covid 19 in Iran, we should be careful about where we get our news.
6. We should follow a healthy diet to enhance our immune systems.
People have realized that it’s possible to live without fast food after Covid 19. We have learned that it is much healthier to do without them. Junk food used to appear in front of our eyes everywhere when we were outdoor. Sitting at home, we were not exposed much to them. We learned it would be possible not to eat them or drink them at every meal.
7. We should reduce stress anyway we can.
To enhance our immune systems, one of the great things we can do is to keep away from stress. When you feel there is a virus at the corner that can take away your life or the life of your beloved ones, you won’t focus on unimportant issues.
This is of course for wise people. Unfortunately, those who couldn’t learn their lessons and behaved instinctively instead of thoughtfully, have gone through major traumas. During Covid 19 lockdown time in Iran, domestic violence has increased. Some families have been shaken hard. Family members have experienced very rough times. We should learn how to manage our relationships so that we can enjoy it instead of escaping from it.
8. We should reduce extra weight and workout.
When we receive lots of warnings about the issues in us that attract external life-threatening factors like Covid 19, we begin to eliminate them including obesity. Regular exercise becomes more important in our lives. So, we find out it’s possible to work out even at home without taking much time. It’s fun too.
In recent years, Iranians have consumed junk food more than ever, they sat at their desks for work more than before and took a ride instead of walking like no other times. The result of such a lifestyle without looking at working out as an essential part of our daily lives has led to extra weight. I hope this lockdown and warnings about the extra weight have woken up some and change their priorities.
9. We should have a fixed schedule for enough sleep.
Lack of enough sleep and low-quality sleep, which is originated from various reasons mainly depending on our lifestyles, have affected our lives very much. Somehow, we knew proper sleeping was vital for us but thought we would be OK.
Now, we have realized it affects our immune systems negatively. To do the opposite, we should have a fixed sleeping and wakeup time and sleep enough without exposing ourselves to the factors endangering our sleep quality.
10. We should keep away from smoking.
Needless to say, we all know that smoking isn’t good for our lungs, heart, skin, etc. Now, we have realized that it does no good for our immune system. I hope people learn this and keep away from all sorts of inhaling any type of smoke into their lungs as a lesson from Covid 19 pandemic.
11. We should keep away from guggling alcohol.
This may seem ridiculous, but there have been some people who have guggled alcohol to sterilize their mouths. Some have washed inside their nostrils with alcohol to make sure part of their respiratory system is clean!
The worst part is that they have used methanol for doing so. Therefore, many have died of it in Iran during the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, I hope the others have learned the lesson although in a hard way. Covid 19 pandemic has brought up to surface certain ideas existing among us we would never think of otherwise!
12. We should change our consumerism attitude.
We are a generation that purchases a lot of things that are not necessary. We shop for fun. We buy things just because we feel better or we like them. Some marketing and sales experts say that we buy with our heart first and then try to find a reason for it later. This is insane.
Now, we have realized that we don’t need all those things we have purchased, because life has got other things that are more valuable and we can spend our money on them. It is the capitalist world that requires us to make purchases for no good reason every day.
13. We should spend time on learning online more than before.
Previously, many used internet mainly for social media sharing and networking for fun. Now, people are using their time more wisely. Many educational organizations have offered their online courses for free during the pandemic self-isolation. Some Iranian museums have offered free virtual tours online at certain times for their visitors.
Therefore, many have started planning to learn online or take courses online soon. This is becoming a new norm after Coronavirus pandemic in Iran.
14. We should focus on careers that can also continue under such circumstances.
Some businesses have halted. There’s no demand for others. People have different priorities now. In certain businesses like groceries, fruit shops, etc the idea of online selling is becoming dominant.
In general, People have begun to think more seriously about how they can survive if a similar situation occurs again. Life after Covid 19 in Iran is certainly a different one. The above list mentioned some of the lessons we have learned.
What about Travel Business?
On a separate post, I will explain what happened to travel businesses across Iran during Covid 19 pandemic. So far, as you know, such businesses are closed in the absolute majority of the countries in the world. Frankly, I doubt if anyone travels anywhere these days although some airlines still operate!
