At the beginning of 2020, the world woke up to a nightmare. The COVID-19 pandemic began. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC). None of us was prepared for such a thing. Governments were also surprised. Faced with death reports from all over the world, the seriousness of the situation became clear. Measures began to be taken on a global scale.

This was the first time the world had experienced such a global catastrophe in modern times. We knew that in the past, when the world’s population was not so large, and a large part of the population lived in rural areas, epidemics claimed many lives. But in today’s world, where people travel side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, where thousands of people stand nose-to-nose on public transport such as buses and trains, and where there is a risk of carrying the virus by flying to the other side of the world on the same day, how could precautions be taken against this?

The period from March 2020 to the beginning of 2021 saw the most severe impact of the pandemic. Deaths peaked, and hospital intensive care units were overwhelmed. The pandemic nightmare was even more acute in crowded cities like New York and in nursing homes for the elderly. From mid-2021 onwards, as vaccinations became more widespread, death rates began to decline. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the officially reported number of deaths worldwide during the pandemic was approximately 7.1 million.

Now let’s look at the lasting effects the pandemic has had on our lives…

Sensitivity to hygiene and social distancing habits has increased. Behaviors such as maintaining distance in crowds have become permanent. Previously, people wearing masks were considered diseased, and people would stay away from them. Today, however, standing close to masked people is preferred because it is perceived as a sign of hygiene sensitivity. Encountering someone wearing a mask is no longer considered strange. The habit of avoiding crowded environments still remains effective.

Life has rapidly become digitized. The world has entered an era of remote communication in many areas. The value of remote communication and shopping applications has increased incredibly. Due to transactions that can be done digitally, many businesses have either gone bankrupt, reduced their number of branches, or closed down. Habits of going to banks, restaurants, cinemas, and theaters have decreased. Today, many companies and educational institutions prefer a hybrid working model. Parent-teacher meetings are largely conducted via video, and gatherings with friends and family are often planned online. Face-to-face socialization has decreased compared to the past. Everything is now ordered to be delivered home.

Mental health illnesses and depression have increased. The traumatic effects of isolation during the pandemic are still being felt. Social anxiety is also on the rise. Feelings of loneliness are deepening. Governments have felt the need to take measures to address this. For example, due to the increase in suicide rates (especially among women) and problems like “kodokushi” (death in solitude) after the pandemic, the “Minister İn Charge of Measures for Loneliness and Isolation” was established in Japan in February 2021.

The loneliness of the elderly has increased. The pandemic’s greater impact on the over-65 population has led to increased distance from them, partly due to concerns about protecting them and partly due to fears of contracting the virus from them. Visitor restrictions in nursing homes and hospitals have been significantly increased. This has deepened their loneliness even further. I experienced this myself. We couldn’t see our elderly family friends face-to-face for almost two years. We would either wave to them from outside the hospital to their rooms, or we would communicate from a distance through the windows of their nursing homes.

Family ties were also affected by the pandemic. In some families, the time spent together strengthened family bonds, while in others it increased family conflicts. Large family events decreased. Interestingly, divorces dropped sharply at the beginning of the pandemic. For example, a decrease of 12-43% was seen in the US, and as much as 30% in some countries. The reason was actually simple. The courts were also affected by the pandemic. Therefore, divorces were also postponed. Stress related to economic uncertainty encouraged some couples to consider staying together until the overall picture became clearer. Stress related to long-term relationships, job loss, and health concerns further affected relationships. However, a wave of divorces also occurred after the pandemic. For example, in the US, the divorce rate in 2022 increased by 10 percent compared to the pre-pandemic period.

The pandemic had a significant impact on children. School closures and restrictions on parks, playgrounds, and entertainment particularly affected pre-teens. Friendships were formed online. Those born between 2015 and 2012 are now being categorized as the “pandemic generation.” This generation, forced to stay home during their formative years, experienced increased complaints of social skill deficiencies, shyness, and difficulties in peer relationships. According to data projected for 2025-2026, social anxiety and emotional regulation problems remain significantly higher in this generation compared to pre-pandemic generations. Children spending excessive time on virtual networks also increased child abuse cases. Children developed adult friends whom their families had never met.

The pandemic affected fun gatherings as well as farewells. It wasn’t just fun events that couldn’t be held with large crowds. Large funeral ceremonies were also canceled. Funerals were held with a limited number of family members in attendance. Many were buried by officials in special suits resembling spacesuits, as if they had died in a nuclear attack. People who lost a loved one had to mourn alone, not with friends. This situation deepened feelings of loneliness and trauma.

Interest in pets has increased. During the pandemic, people who spent long periods at home developed a greater tendency to acquire pets as companionship during their loneliness. This increased interest also led to a rapid rise in pet prices at the beginning of the pandemic.

The longing for life outside the city has increased... Pandemic measures have made city life unbearable, causing people to be afraid even to use elevators and public transportation, thus increasing the desire to live in rural areas. Interest in nature and hobbies related to outdoor living has also increased.

Religious life was also affected by the pandemic.. Some of those who regularly attended communal worship and activities at their religious sites before the pandemic abandoned this habit after the pandemic. Visits to places of worship decreased.

Debates about interference with freedoms have intensified. Measures taken in response to the pandemic have increased state intervention and repression of society. Curfews, restrictions on daily life, debates about mandatory vaccinations, and impositions such as not being able to board a plane without being vaccinated have led to discussions about state interventions. Debates centered on rights and boundaries have increased. Trust in governments that managed the pandemic well has increased, while trust in those that did not has decreased.

Undoubtedly, everyone can add new points to these topics based on their own experiences and observations. Numerous doctoral theses and scientific studies will also be conducted on this subject. For now, let’s suffice with stating this much within the scope of this article.

Our final words are a prayer: May God never let us relive the days of the pandemic.

Written by Prof. Dr. Osman OZSOY