How the pandemic redefined condo living
Social distancing is harder when you have a lot in common.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change the way people interact with each other, the ones who are affected the most are those living in closer quarters.
With more Metro communities being built around condo developments with shared amenities, there has been a community spirit that binds people living in buildings more than ever before even though they keep their distance. Here, we look at the new normal through the fish-eye lens of a condo dweller’s peephole. Cabin fever is more pronounced.
Condo living means making do with limited space, and the question is what does one do when your living area is but a few square meters? Some are lucky enough to live in units that have two or three bedrooms but there are also properties often defined in brochures as “cozy” that are at 18 or even 15 sq.m. This is why some property experts are already advocating for small patios in each unit so inhabitants can have more breathing space, with a view.
Unutilized amenities. The swimming
pool, often the sparkling clear-water centrepiece of a condo development is off-limits for now, even though the coronavirus is not a water-borne organism. Pool use encourages residents to come in close quarters of each other and presents a hazard for transmission. It is a good thing that a lot of the condos also feature open spaces for walking or meditation and these are now open to a limited number of users, who are required to wear masks. Elevator etiquette on the rise. Lifts are now confined to ideally a maximum of four people staying at each corner, and as much as possible, buttons are pushed by elbows or fingers covered with tissue. Needless to say, each person getting on the lift should be wearing a mask. The good news is that transmission through elevator use is at a low risk. According to Dr Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health in Weymouth, Massachusetts, findings of a study in Seoul, South Korea showed that the spread in a 19-floor building was not vertical but among people living in the same floor. Stricter entries. Almost all residents are now reliant on deliveries and almost all deliveries are now met at the lobby by residents or are taken care of by the building personnel if the resident is not around to receive it. Many condo developments discourage visitors for the time being.
Community building. While in ordinary time, people living in larger developments hardly knew each other, more residents are getting to know their neighbors and this is mainly fueled by online selling. Condo dwellers are now patronizing each other’s products or availing of someone else’s expertise. This offers both convenience and at least some form of social contact from someone close by.
While isolation inside the smaller spaces of a condo development is not ideal, it is one of the best ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission within a dense vertical community. Residents can find ways to keep their mental health in check by taking time to go outdoors for a breather (while wearing a mask) and finding new friends by reaching out to the people in their neighborhood.