What: A paper about the necessity to anticipate the needed post-pandemic behavioural and operational changes and assume that this will not be the last one to occur.

Why it is important:  We anticipated as early as end of 2020 in our White Paper the need of planification from our members for such outbreaks : no one can assume that they will not reproduce. However, the IADS members collectively learnt a lot and might be in a better position next time such an unfortunate event takes place.

We are now looking at the end of the tunnel regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, even though some parts of the world are still struggling with the vaccination process and the Delta Variant. The most important lesson learnt has been that the “zero covid” policy does not work, as shown in Australia, New Zealand and even China. As a consequence, we are collectively preparing to learn how to live with an endemic virus, which will be probably a more persistence menace year after year than a regular seasonal flu.

As a consequence, and a challenge, we will have to learn how to adapt our work and leisure activities to this new normal, knowing that a total worldwide closure as experienced in 2020 will not be economically viable for any one a second time (for the US, the Covid-19 pandemic itself is estimated to bear a total cost of ISD 84 bn, to be compared to USD 40bn for all other regular annual diseases combined together).

The impacts are multiple, and challenging for businesses, public buildings, schools… as they all have now to deal with respiratory threats and address these challenges in their daily operations (be it structural, with a total renovation of their air filtering capabilities, or operational, with a more flexible approach to people insulation when needed and at first sight of suspicion).

Even with these deep changes, the virus will not be eradicated. As stated by the author, “our goal must be to weaken its punch so that it becomes a risk we adapt to”. However, this is the only way for the collectivities to be prepared for an y potential other outbreak, however unwanted they may be.

Retailers, please prepare for the next pandemic