8. Predictions


The coronavirus has changed so much about our lives. Most people are working from home, schools are online, churches can’t meet, and we all have to stay apart before we can come back together. This kind of disrupts how we would predict future trends. It’s so hard to look to the future when our present is changing every hour. Everyone is looking forward to the day that we will be released from our quarantines, stay-at-home orders, and the social distancing. But what will our lives actually look like after the quarantine?

It’s hard to tell how we all will react after being released from quarantine. On one hand, it is very likely that people will go right back to what they were doing. Humans are creatures of habit, and I don’t think that 2 months of quarantine is enough to break most of our habits. On the other hand, some of the habits we have picked up might stick with us as we transition back to life outside our homes.  
When quarantine is over, I think that most people will celebrate with their friends and families. I am lucky to be at home with my parents and twin sister. My older sister regularly posts pictures of my niece and I don’t see her all the time anyway. My life is largely the same as it is over a break, except for the fact that I have to do schoolwork all the time. Other people aren’t that lucky. They haven’t seen their friends or family for close to 2 months, and they will want to get back together with them as soon as they can.

Even though I think people will have gatherings, I also think video calls or digital interfacing will stay popular for people. Through social distancing we have realized the importance of human interaction and the quality of that interaction, but we have also learned how easy it can be to stay in touch with those we aren’t physically close to.

In Japan and China, as well as some other Asian countries, a person will wear a mask when they are sick, to protect other people from getting sick. (BBC) I think that practice will become more popular with Americans. We have now seen just how easily a virus is transmitted between people. The World Health Organization (WHO) says if you are healthy and are not a caretaker for someone, you do not need to wear a mask. (WHO) Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that we wear cloth masks now when we have to leave our houses, but it is to protect ourselves. After the quarantine, if we decided to wear masks, it would be to protect others. A few celebrities have started endorsing masks, which has helped to give masks a “stamp of pop-culture-approved normalcy,” (Vox) that I think will carry into lives after the lockdown.

There has been a huge rise in the use of social media during the coronavirus. While being stuck at home, people are logging into Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. According to an Instagram spokesperson, the app has seen a 70% increase in the Live feature. (Business Insider) But after the quarantine, I think those people are going to get swept back into their lives and schedules and the usage on the apps will go back down.

TechNext created an article about Instagram Live, and how the livestreams have surged during the quarantine. So many people have gotten on Instagram Live, from musicians playing music, to comedians telling jokes. But there are mixed ideas on whether Instagram Live will continue to be as popular as it is during the quarantine. (TechNext) Personally, I think that most of those people will drop the app when they go back to work. There will be less content to watch, because the comedians will be able to go back to the bars and clubs and the musicians will have their concerts.


Technology is always changing. It can sometimes be difficult to predict what is coming next, because what we have now is so advanced. But some things are coming soon in technology, such as 5G and telemedicine, while others are much farther away, like electronic voting.

During the quarantine, we have discovered the importance of data and being able to access the Internet. We need the Internet to do course work for college, a Zoom meeting for work, or to look at TikToks so we don’t have a mental breakdown. Data carriers are running out of LTE capacity in a lot of cities. In some cities, people are already seeing slow connections during busier times of the day. 5G is the not so new solution to this problem. (Digital Trends)

5G has actually been in the works for a few years. It is the fifth generation of mobile broadband, and will at least boost the 4G LTE connection. With the use of 5G, not only will you have more broadband to watch TikToks, but you might be able to watch the latest Netflix show in HD, a feat that has not been accomplished with 4G in phones. (Digital V Europe)


 5G could also be integrated into cars. Your car could communicate with other cars on the road, and provide information about road conditions. Performance information could be recorded and sent to manufacturers. The integration of 5G could save lives, too. If a car stops too fast in front of you, your car could learn about it as soon as they hit the brake and preemptively break as well. (Digital Trends)




From a healthcare standpoint, 5G can cause improvements in telemedicine. Telemedicine has become more of a focus in the last few weeks during the quarantine. Doctors need a way, especially in rural areas, to keep seeing their patients. But they also need reliable internet to do that. My dad goes to a lot of doctors. Sometimes we sit in a waiting room for 40 minutes only for him to go in and come back out 15 minutes later. I have asked before why that appointment couldn’t have been done virtually. The problem comes with healthcare. But now, doctors are pushing for telemedicine to be more available so that patients do not have to be compromised for a checkup. I think this is a great idea, and it should definitely take off, even after the quarantine ends. It makes the healthcare process much faster when you can do your doctor’s appointment from your house. (Digital Trends)

Predictions are always important to keep in mind. We need to be ready for what is coming next, and it can be fun to look ahead and see how technology can change. Even though we are not at The Jetson’s level of tech yet, we can work towards it and finally get that flying car. Or we can just plan for after the quarantine, and make sure we remember what we wished we had while we were stuck at home.

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