Ever since COVID-19 broke the world in March of 2020, all of us have wished for the year 2021. As COVID runs its course through the world, society has been transforming drastically. Although this year is supposed to bring a sense of normalcy back, our lifestyle after the pandemic will never be the same. 

There are a number of changes to be expected in the upcoming years. The first major change to be expected in the U.S. is the distribution of the COVID vaccine. Bill Gates, one of the cofounders of Microsoft, predicted that this vaccine will emerge in the first half of 2021. Although the vaccine is expected to be released in those first few months of 2021, it will take a long while to distribute it to everyone in the U.S. This is because there will be a high demand for vaccines but a low supply. Not only this, but the vaccine will need to be tested to see if it is effective. By the time everyone has been vaccinated, 2022 will be here. 

Now, pretend that 2021 has passed and everyone has been vaccinated. Schools are starting to fully open up, and students are now allowed to take their masks off for portions of the day. Everything from daily habits to politics has changed. If President Trump wins the election again, there will be no new economic legislation and big businesses will get bigger. If Joe Biden wins, Republicans will most likely become more open to government action. Not only will these changes take place, but sanitization will be one of the most important aspects of life. 

“I have always been really good with my hygiene and washing my hands whenever I feel dirty, but now I’m extra aware of the importance of doing so,” State High freshman Allie Peters said. Not only have her habits changed, but many other small changes will take place for everyone. The New York Times predicts that online shopping will take over, and small businesses will crash. Not only this but working from home will become the norm for many and there will be less travel. Very few theme parks will be left standing, and movie theaters will have also lost millions.  

The cautiousness of getting sick is another major change resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Prior to COVID, we all might attend work or a social event at the start of a cold,” freshman English teacher Danielle Ambrosia said. “Now, I might personally choose to wear a mask on those days to protect who I care about in my community.”

Although this pandemic has brought many negative changes, there will be some positive outcomes. “The separation and lack of social contact will bring our community together,” Peters said. “I hope that everyone will slowly ease back to the way things used to be.” As we journey through these next few eventful years, many things will change. One thing that you can always count on to be there is our support for each other and our community.