2020 was a year we won’t soon forget. What started as a promising new decade has turned into an unprecedented era of pandemic. Even as you read this, more than half of the world’s population are stuck at home due to COVID-19. That’s around 4.5 billion people, or six out of every ten individuals.

Even in Malaysia, the feeling of déjà vu is around us as we are in yet another round of Movement Control Order (MCO). The current phase of the MCO may or may not end soon. The decision will be based on data provided by the Ministry of Health. Whichever way the lockdown plays out, there has been one near universal aspect to the past year or so – it abruptly disrupted our daily routines and living arrangements in ways that would not normally occur.

Since the MCO began, Malaysians have shown just how creative and versatile we can be. Many of us have begun working from home. Some of us have completely change our career field, picked up new hobbies, and even joined in the TikTok revolution. However, these are more than just temporary muses. On the contrary, we should expect these to be the new norms of society. Because even after the MCO ends, life would likely never return to the way it was before.

Despite the tragic loss of life, the damage done to economies, and the impact on individual livelihoods, we believe that there are some positive aspects to this crisis. Those of us who spent the MCO at home surrounded by family probably now have a much deeper understanding and appreciation of those we live with. Along the way, we learnt things about ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, limitations and capabilities. We developed our own systems to co-exist in the same space efficiently.

Companies also had a lot to learn from the MCO. All sorts of new policies that includes working from home (WFH) and flexi hours are now implemented to accommodate the imposed restrictions. Increased productivity were reported and a lot of inefficiencies in operations were realised and weeded out. While some businesses have since folded under the pandemic, many others grew resilient. They came up with ways to quickly pivot their businesses and open up new revenue streams to keep themselves alive.

Along with the new normal came more people embracing cashless solutions and appreciating the time-saving value of virtual meeting. We have practically been forced to accelerate our adoption of digital technology in line with Malaysia’s agenda, which should further propel the country’s developments and innovations in theory. However, there are still gaps in society (like the B40 or rural residents) where this new technology cannot reach, so as we progress, we must ensure we address these gaps so no one is left behind in our new, heavily tech enabled world.

There was not a single nation in the world that was fully prepared for the impact of COVID-19, but the speediness and efficiency of certain countries’ healthcare systems played a huge role in mitigating it. Malaysia hasn’t been doing too badly herself, with our healthcare facilities and systems being lauded by foreign parties.

We have also seen an increased in hygiene awareness amongst the public. People are wearing masks and carrying hand sanitisers wherever they go, as well as washing their hands with soap more often. Commercial businesses like shopping malls, cinemas, theme parks and F&B outlets are implementing new SOPs which include all kinds of increased hygiene practices, not just in volume but in frequency too.

Before the MCO, who would have expected that logistics workers, food delivery riders and the likes would become essential workers who are keeping the nation’s economy moving and its people safely home? These were jobs people used to look down upon. But those of us who have seen them in action, relentlessly powering through the challenges of the pandemic to complete their work, appreciate them greatly. Healthcare workers have always garnered some form of respect, but the pandemic has shed light on just how crucial they are in this fight against COVID-19. They’re the ones constantly at risk of contracting the virus themselves as part of their jobs, yet they do it diligently, making sacrifices of time spent with family in order to aid patients. There isn’t much that us ordinary folks can do to help these frontliners except to avoid contracting the virus and spreading it.

Hopefully, the experience of MCO that we have all endured recently will make us all more appreciative of human contact. Indirectly this might also make us more tolerant, more respectful and more patient, which will also have an enduring effect on our society as a whole. Such attributes cannot easily be acquired through education but much more through life-changing experiences.

So, despite the significant threat from the COVID-19 pandemic and the many enormous negative aspects of it, there are some reasons to be both optimistic for the future and to be extremely proud of what the nation has achieved so far.