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Working from home has grown exponentially amidst the infectious spread of the novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19. In the world we knew before the coronavirus, working from home was primarily seen as a privilege – a way to accommodate travel plans or time to recover from sickness.
In fact, many states casually embraced this method of working, with places like North Carolina, Texas, and Colorado having record high populations of working remotely according to a study by Moneypenny.
As the surge in cases continues, workers from these states blend with the millions of Americans who have been ordered by the government and state officials to work from home to prevent the spread of infection. NPR news has even shared that COVID-19 is putting “remote work to a gigantic test and a totally unprecedented scale”. We all knew remote work was growing as we navigated through a digital age, but none of us could have expected the rapid, mass increase that would sweep the nation amidst the virus impact. Moneypenny also revealed that from 2012 to 2017, there was a 4% increase in remote work. In 2020 and to the upcoming year of 2021, we can only imagine what this percent increase will look like.
Since there is currently no vaccine for COVID-19, limiting our exposure to others is our primary method of prevention. In fact, staying at home and social distancing are cited as some of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) top recommendations for ways to stop the spread. This is also the reason why the only places allowed to stay open during this time are essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and a few others.
For those falling outside of the essential business sphere, there is a likely feeling of imbalance because of the drastic change in daily routine and social activity. While this is a hard time for all of us, we can take solace in knowing we are equally doing our part in protecting one another.
The coronavirus remains a very unpredictable sickness with limited information on how to cure those suffering from its ailments. To ‘flatten the curve’ and save the lives of countless Americans, it’s crucial that we all follow the regulations and guidelines put in place to keep us safe.
