We are now at another significant moment in time, reeling worldwide from the ravages of the coronavirus. This pandemic has taken more than 5 million lives. The resulting grief and loss are now part of the fabric of every society. Anxiety and depression affect a staggering number of people. In 2019, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that 8.1% of U.S. adults ages 18 and over had symptoms of anxiety disorder, 6.5% had symptoms of depressive disorder, and 10.8% had symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder. In fall 2021, those numbers had risen to 27.3%, 21.8%, and 31.6% respectively. Social isolation may have caused or contributed to these high rates of depression and anxiety, and studies point to the disease itself as a culprit.
We don’t yet know the long-term effects of this pandemic, particularly on children. For some, the battles with anxiety and depression will be lifelong, while others will suffer the effects of long COVID. In an August 2021 New York Times article, Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, cited a study that suggests that between 11% and 15% of infected youths might “end up with this long-term consequence, which can be pretty devastating in terms of things like school performance.”
As the post-pandemic landscape begins to take shape, we have choices. What will we rebuild differently? Where will we make investments as a society? How can we change ourselves? In the policies we develop, the people we elect, and the choices we make as humans, we will write the next chapter.
Addressing Mental Health in Children
Let’s begin with our children—their challenges could be massive in the years ahead. But one possible positive outcome of this terrible ordeal may be increased attention on children’s mental health, which has long been understudied. According to UNICEF, as cited in an editorial appearing on Nature.com, “Although most mental-health disorders arise during adolescence…only one-third of investment in mental health research is targeted toward young people.” Imagine the difference we could make in children’s lives if we invested in supporting their mental health early on. We could change the outcomes for so many and interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline that robs so many children of their futures, particularly BIPOC children who disproportionately suffer from this consequence. In our schools, we can examine our systems to understand where and how we can redesign to improve mental health.Using Technology and Mitigating Harmful Effects
We also have an opportunity to create a new societal pact with technology. In a 2021 Pew Research Center study, 915 innovators, developers, business and policy leaders, researchers, and activists responded to a query about what life would look like in a post-pandemic 2025. A thread through their forecasts was the acceleration of technology and the potential impacts on our society. On the negative side, they commented that we could see:- Worsening economic inequality as those who are tech-savvy pull further ahead of those who have less access to digital tools and less training or aptitude for exploiting them.
- The growing power of big technology firms as they exploit their market advantages and mechanisms such as artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that seem likely to further erode the privacy and autonomy of their users.
- Heightened spread of misinformation as polarized populations wage warring information campaigns with their foes.
- The emergence of new reforms aimed at racial justice and social equity.
- An enhanced quality of life for many families and workers as more flexible workplace arrangements become permanent.
- Increasing technology enhancements in virtual and augmented reality and AI that allow people to live smarter, safer, and more productive lives, particularly in health care, education, and community living.
Building Equitable Communities
We can leverage the remote work movement to create a better world for families, particularly those who have long been economically disadvantaged. Before the pandemic, wealth was concentrated in a few cities in the world. As workers are no longer tethered to a particular location, many are now able to move to more affordable locations to improve quality of life. Some states, such as Vermont, Oklahoma, and Kansas, are already offering cash incentives for workers to move there. Many businesses are moving out of major cities, creating more opportunities throughout the country. According to Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, the two cities most impacted by this new mobility are New York and San Francisco. The research indicates that “San Francisco residents have spread out throughout the Intermountain West, leading to a boom in cities like Bend, Oregon, and Boise. And New York residents have increasingly looked far upstate, to long-depressed cities such as Buffalo and Syracuse, which are seeing a revival. Texas cities are benefitting too, as they are less expensive and perceived to be places of opportunity.” Imagine a world in which opportunity is distributed more evenly across the country opening opportunity and access to a better quality of life.Another movement in the wake of the pandemic that may contribute to more affordable lifestyles is the use of 3-D printing in construction. Communities across the country are experimenting with this technology to attract workers and put people in homes who could not compete in a competitive housing market. Experts say that this will make construction cheaper, quicker, and more sustainable in the long run. In places like Virginia, nonprofits are partnering with universities and builders to create more equitable communities. We can make the choice to collaborate and invest to ensure that every family has a quality place to live in a safe and thriving community. Our schools can become part of these community collaboration efforts.
Reconnecting for Solidarity
How has the pandemic provided an opportunity for us to rethink our own intentions and actions? We know that polarization is high and trust is low today, but we can change that. The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley interviewed 57 scientists on their predictions on ways our lives could be better or worse after the pandemic. They agreed on the three top opportunities for positive change:Solidarity. Pandemic struggles could foster solidarity and bring us closer together, both within our communities and globally.
Structural and political changes. The pandemic has exposed inequalities and injustices, and with that, the hope that their visibility might encourage societies to address them.
Renewed social connections. In limiting our ability to connect face-to-face, the pandemic highlighted just how vulnerable some of our family members and neighbors are. For many among us, it also reinforced our will to connect with and support them.
They suggested that to move ahead positively, “We need a certain set of psychological strategies promoting sound judgment: perspective taking, critical thinking, recognizing the limits of our knowledge, and sympathy and compassion.” How can we incorporate these strategies in our school communities?
Change begins with each of us. What steps can you take today to build a better post-pandemic world?
