We’ve all been so busy protecting ourselves and our families these past couple of months that we’ve yet to fully realize the effects of the pandemic. It’s not just the people that are affected, businesses and even entire industries are reeling in from the pandemic as well. Currently, many industries are struggling to operate as normally as possible.
Small businesses are taking the huge chunk of the disaster that is the pandemic. Simple businesses like family-owned restaurants, makers of outdoors business signs, and many others are feeling the full effect of the pandemic. It’s tough to say when or if they’ll make it through the pandemic but all we know is that people in the industry are trying their best to survive.
Almost all industries are struggling but obviously, some are struggling more than others. It’s easy for others to transition into what’s called the “new normal” but not everyone has that privilege. Here are the industries that’ve been hit the hardest during this time.
Restaurant And Bars
Once lockdown restrictions were imposed, the most immediate casualties are restaurant and bar owners. These businesses were forced to close down in many regions to prevent people from having to dine in. It was lighter in some countries as these businesses were still allowed to operate but only for take out and delivery purposes.
After a few months, these businesses were eventually allowed to operate but not at full capacity. They can only take in a limited number of customers which is far beyond what they are used to. Aside from that, they also had to implement safety measures inside the restaurant such as installing plastic barriers on their tables to prevent face-to-face interaction.
Education
It’s not surprising anymore that schools and universities are temporarily closing their doors to students who are hoping to proceed with their studies. Letting classes resume as usual puts the student at risk of infection. As with most industries, schools are trying to limit face-to-face interaction for the time being.
On the other hand, schools are still able to proceed with the classes as they have adapted well. Now, a majority of classes are being held online via online conference tools such as Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet. This is great as students are still able to proceed with their studies despite the present conditions.
However, we can’t deny that there are compromises being made in the education industry. Teachers and other school staff are being laid off to keep up with the costs. Even students themselves are struggling as they are forced to secure a good device and internet connection to connect to their classes.
Sports And Performing Arts
Sports and performing arts mostly rely on ticket sales for a chunk of their profit. With lockdown restrictions being imposed, it’s nearly impossible – nor legal, for companies in this industry to hold grand events as they used to. The only companies and associations keeping up are those that are already large such as the NBA, UFC, and MLB.
Smaller sports and performing arts associations are struggling even further. As they are forced to temporarily shut down, their artists and athletes mostly have no means to make money as well. Some try to make due by launching online live performances instead but this is still not enough to help them make the same money they used to.
Dentist And Oral Health
While hospitals remained very active during this pandemic, the same can’t be said for dentists and other healthcare professionals. As the virus is spread mostly via fluids coming from the mouth, it has become a hazard for dentists to proceed with their usual operations.
The good news is that now, people are more aware of what they need to do to make sure that everyone is safe. As that is the case, even dentists have begun opening their doors as well. Of course, sacrifices have to be made to ensure everyone’s safety. Aside from proper social distancing protocols, dentists can only allow a limited number of patients inside their clinic at a time.
Amusement Parks And Casinos
Casinos have to shut down to prevent people from going inside. This resulted in countless people losing their jobs which is more than heartbreaking. Some casinos decided to operate online through online gambling so the industry is still able to keep up somehow. It’s a growing industry so people are still partaking in gambling.
On the other end of the spectrum, amusement parks were also hit heavily. Even Disney World faced financial issues when the pandemic started. Again, this resulted in people losing jobs. Some amusement parks have opened their doors to a limited number of people per day. Still, it’s hard to deny that amusement parks are never going to be the same again.
Travel And Accommodation
Simply put, most industries that are inline with leisure and vacation are hit by the pandemic. For the travel industry, it has become a major issue for them to proceed with their regular operations because of travel restrictions. Airlines, for instance, can take a limited number of people per day only. That’s not considering the fact that people are discouraged to travel because of the pandemic as well.
Aside from airplanes, public transportation options are also affected as well. Subways, trains, and other mass transit options are either operating limitedly or they have completely shut down. Taxis are also affected as they can only take a limited number of people per day.
Hotels are a bit luckier as they can still take clients so long as they follow standard protocol. In some countries, hotels were contracted to accommodate front liners which at least helped them operate somehow.
As the pandemic goes on, these industries and the businesses that are in them will need to find ways to keep up with the new normal. In truth, there’s no telling exactly how long the pandemic will be. On the bright side, at least vaccines are already being rolled out now so we can expect things to go back to normal in the coming months or years.
