Preparing ourselves for the new normal

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has talked about Scotland pivoting to a ‘new normal’ as the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are gradually eased. In what has been the most discombobulating and disconcerting of times, many are understandably looking forward to the time in which they have their freedoms back and can go about their daily business as before.

But if that is unrealistic in the short to medium-term as the virus continues to stalk our communities, it begs the question of what the new normal will look like.

Plans being made by Dundee City Council and its counterpart authority in Perth give a glimpse of what might transpire. The councils – and others across Scotland – are looking at how a busy city centre can operate successfully whilst respecting social distancing rules.

In Dundee, the council envisages the new normal – at least for an initial period – as being more cycle and pedestrian friendly and less car and bus friendly.

But each urban area offers up its own challenges that will require to be overcome if the public are to be able to move around safely and the economy restarted effectively.

For an easing of lockdown to work in cities, towns, villages and in rural settings, compromises will have to be made, routines amended and individuals and organisations will have to show greater levels of patience and understanding.

A new and different world awaits us all post-lockdown. We must prepare ourselves to embrace it.