Mid-March 2020 Predictions

Roshan Fernando

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Mar 22, 2020

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Predictions

1. I’m predicting that there will be outrage about the disparity in access to COVID-19 tests after the pandemic is over, unless it becomes taboo to talk about the situation.
2. Talking about the pandemic will be taboo to some extent after it’s over.
3. The media barely touched on unemployment. Blue collar workers who can’t do their jobs remotely seem to be the ones getting laid off. I’d guess that people barely have 1–2 months worth of savings, and that there is a gap until unemployment checks start to come. People are tame now, but looting may start once the laid off workers can no longer afford food, water, and essentials.
4. I have two theories on the effect of the pandemic on professional sports. The pro sports halt highlighted and underscored the gravity of the pandemic, as sports leagues and seasons are a constant source of structure and happiness for many people. Cancelling all sports is fairly unprecedented and called incredible attention to the pandemic. Depending on how long the pandemic and the sports halt lasts, I predict that the infatuation with pro sports will either skyrocket or decline. First, the argument for skyrocket. There will definitely be a period of of celebration after the pandemic. People go to sports games, chat about sports, support their teams, etc. However, if the pandemic lasts 1 year or more, we might see a decline in interest in pro sports. For one, people may subconsciously feel like pro sports “abandoned” them when they needed sports the most to quell their stress and fears. Additionally, people may find new past times during the quarantine period and therefore think less about sports. In my opinion, the NBA and sports teams should be doing more to stay on the forefront of people’s minds right now. Perhaps talk about old games, run marketing campaigns with trivia nights and skits with players, etc. Still, a decline in societal emphasis on pro sports would be shocking, given what a pivotal role sports has played in societies since the dawn of time. Predicting a decline may be wrong simply because sports are a manifestation of our communitarian human nature.
5. I don’t think most people will educate themselves on what is going on with the airlines. For that reason, I don’t think there will be much outrage on the stock buybacks and questionable business practices of the industry, or the impending bailouts. I don’t think people will care about the airline bailouts. The airline industry isn’t seen as so evil and greedy as the financial industry was in 2008, although its executives probably are just greedy and unethical.