We’re all sick of COVID. But while COVID-19 has been devastating for the world over, it has also inadvertently prompted important digital developments across a variety of industries. Here are a few of those specific trends that have developed at a quicker pace due to the coronavirus.
Restaurants
Because restaurants have always been places where a high level of interaction and contact between people occurs, they were some of the first establishments to be majorly affected by COVID-19. As a result, most restaurants improved and expanded their online take-out options.
Businesses that did not have take-out services beforehand were able to adapt, develop their own apps, or work with others like UberEats and DoorDash to enable contactless delivery of their food to customers at their homes.
Healthcare
Another sector that has been significantly affected has been healthcare. As much of hospital capacity has been dominated by treating COVID-19 patients, healthcare providers have had to adapt the way they provide their services to minimize the spread of the disease and still treat patients suffering from illness other than coronavirus.
As a result, many healthcare providers have embraced online platforms. For example, healthcare providers are adopting messaging platforms to communicate appointment details. Using these platforms is more convenient for the patient and is also contactless.
Schooling
In addition to changing how healthcare has functioned and subsequently digitized, COVID-19 has also significantly impacted schooling. Students at all levels of education—whether in elementary, high school, college, or graduate levels—have had to adapt to having a significant amount of their education online. Initially, going online felt like a struggle for many.
And while it continues to pose challenges, it has also increased and highlighted areas for meaningful expansion and progress. For one, having school online has allowed students significantly more flexibility. Many students have been able to live at home in a different state or even country where their school is.
Additionally, having school online has reduced costs in a meaningful way. While schooling will likely return to being largely in-person, it is also likely that more schools will embrace online options because of their flexibility.
As summer comes around the corner, we’re all excited to take off our masks and get back to normal. But before we throw out all the ways we adapted to a COVID-world, it’s important to reflect on some of the inadvertent digital advances resulting from the pandemic. These are just a few among many.
