The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic is that everyone is staying apart from everyone else. Because they fear that the other person has it and will pass it on. So we stay in our own little circles and hope that no one in our circle will get infected by anyone in their circle. Our tribes are very small right now.
This is probably the most noticeable effect of the situation. When we walk down the street, we now have an excuse to act unfriendly and pass to the other side or around the sidewalk. Common interactions have become fraught and we just avoid the risk of contact. Our neighbourhoods are under attack from anxiety and fear.
Now that vaccines are becoming a reality, there is a new complication. For people who have gotten the jab or have survived the virus, they are not distinguishable from everyone else. The fear that stalks us and The Other that we encounter on the street is still there. Regardless of people’s actual status, how can we tell that they are safe and that we can return to normal relations with fellow humans? The digital virus passports and the yellow cards are an argument that is only useful for a system that has gatekeepers, like airlines or concerts. What is needed is a system that is visually obvious so that we can recognize people who are safe again.
In India, when they have an election, everyone gets a dyed purple finger when they vote. This makes it visually obvious that they have voted. (And cannot fraudulently vote again, LOL) There is no equivalent for this with the digital standard. Perhaps a permanently dyed middle finger would be a good solution for Covid survivors. Then we could greet each other on the street with our raised purple index fingers and shout how good it is to see you again. Such a greeting could outlive the current epidemic and become a feature of world society.
Random Thoughts 