Disclosure: collaborative post
The issue of the global pandemic had reached epic proportions. What many first predicted to be a short term inconvenience has turned out to be a global crisis. So far, the Covid-19 virus has claimed just over 4 million lives and has disrupted far more. Loss of earnings, broken homes, and uncertain futures are among some of the significant issues facing the world.
The pandemic has also brought the world to a standstill in a certain way. The widespread disruption has caused chaos in the travel industry. Millions of families have had to cancel holidays, postpone weddings and delay family gatherings. In addition, the restrictions placed on offices and workplaces have caused severe delays in workflow, even within government buildings themselves.
Document Processing Backlogs
Just as with privately-owned companies having to force people to work from home, so did the world’s governments. As a result, employees have not been permitted to enter their workplace. They have instead had to work from home. For the most part, this is a good idea. But there are specific scenarios where an active workforce is required. Such as document processing.
The skeleton crews that have been permitted to work in government buildings worked very hard. But the diminished capacity means that there is now a backlog of documents. For example, it has been announced that the UKs’ DVLA is behind on millions of driving license applications. It is probably safe to assume that other legal documents such as passports or processing for a work or spouse Visa in the UK and other countries are most likely behind as well.
Restriction of International Travel
One of the worst-hit sectors is the travel industry. At the peak of the pandemic, just 10% of the world’s aviation was active, and millions of holidays were cancelled. This has cost the global travel industry a staggering $935 billion, and many tour operators are now at risk of folding. Despite this and because of recently lifted restrictions, many are still travelling during Covid.
However, international travel is still severely restricted, and travel conditions are at an all-time high uncertainty level. For example, the UK keeps adding and removing nations from its green, amber, and red lists. These lists dictate nations from which you can safely re-enter the UK without restrictions or quarantine. But these lists change at the drop of a hat. So, for now, it’s best to forego the international vacations and travel somewhere a little closer to home.
Rapidly Spreading Delta Variant Among Children
Recently, the Delta Variant has become rampant among school children. Thankfully, the summer holidays have begun for most, but the future of the mutation is uncertain. There is no guarantee that by the end of the holiday in September, that the highly contagious variant will have cleared up among children or adults. In addition, events such as the Euro football final and gatherings because of the current weather may cause super-spreader events. Combined with a lifted lockdown, this could mean the onset of a new wave.
For now, it might be best to carry on with specific social distancing measures such as mask-wearing when in public. You may also want to keep within your bubble and limit social interactions between your children and others. However, because Covid is so unpredictable, only time will tell whether it is too early to have lifted restrictions.
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