Experts Weigh In: What Should We Expect in The Next Normal?

As a society, our progress against the pandemic isn’t as fast as one would hope, but we’re certainly budging. The vaccine rollout that we could only look forward to during the early days of lockdown is now underway, for one. And from there, we can finally count down the days until we’re able to move on to the next chapter of our lives. But, really, what’s in store for us on the other side of the fence? 

Harvard experts, as early as December 2020, have identified the things that would shape the post-pandemic future. Though they’re already here, their further acceleration is unquestionable: cashless transactions, widespread remote work, and reduced physical shops in parallel to the burgeoning of online stores.

It’s also starting to be apparent how the use of personal protective equipment or PPE will remain, even long after the world is cleared of the pandemic. 

In fact, a discussion about the continued use of PPEs was discussed in a Facebook Live called Reframe Your Future: The Path to the Next Normal, which was hosted by Medtecs International Corporation Limited—a decades-old PPE supplier renowned both in and out of the country.

There, William Yang, the company’s CEO and Executive Director, emphasized what health professionals have been saying, and what a lot of us probably already know: “Vaccines, no matter what brand, don’t offer hundred percent protection. So even if you already have two jabs, you still need to wear [your] PPEs especially in private places or where ventilation is poor.”

This reality prompted Medtecs to come up with products—outside of face masks and coveralls— that can help protect individuals as we navigate our way to the next normal. The new lineup is called the Medtecs Shield Collection, which includes the following antiviral products: 

•     Phone case
•     Screen protector
•     Stylus
•     Air purifier necklace
•     Bottled spray
•     Weekly disposable antiviral mask

The slightly complicated duty of PPE makers

Fact: Millions of PPEs are being disposed of every day. And this certainly poses the question of how we can possibly find the middle ground between protecting ourselves without hurting the environment.

Yang was upfront about the reality that it isn’t sustainable to recycle used PPEs, even on the grounds of reducing waste. Who would be at peace with the idea of using recycled and pre-owned PPEs, anyway?

He explained, “We’re trying to figure out a way to recycle these used PPEs but it’s actually very difficult. First, it’s very cheap [to produce PPE], so it’s not economical to recycle. And second, after use, people would have concerns whether it’s safe to gather these used PPEs. 

“It’s very difficult, which is why we try to use the alternative way to do it: We try to prolong the life cycle of these products instead of one-time use,” he added.

For example, there’s the reusable isolation gown from Medtecs’s flagship line. Another solution is the weekly disposable antiviral mask from the Medtecs Shield Collection, which is treated with cutting-edge nanotechnology that allows its wearer to use it for up to seven days without odor and with the same filtration power. 

There’ s no way to tell how soon we can transition to a post-pandemic world, but we can definitely prepare for it as we continue to live out the current reality where masks and PPE continue to provide the most cost-effective protection against the spread of the viruses.  

Watch the full live discussion, Reframe Your Future: The Path to the Next Normal, on Medtecs’ Facebook page here. 

For more information, visit medtecsphilippines.com.