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Scenarios toward the New Normal Defining the New Normal While scientists worldwide are pushing forward with efforts to develop vaccines and treatments to slow the COVID-19 pandemic and lessen the disease’s damage, there is still no drugs available to the general public for COVID-19 treatment. In the absence of specific vaccine or treatment, countries took a variety of measures from mass testing, travel/border restrictions to community quarantines in a bid to contain the virus. While these non-pharmaceutical interventions helped in mitigating or suppressing the transmission of infectious disease, the health crisis confronting countries around the world has translated into an economic crisis. This is inevitable considering that part of the response to address the pandemic is to slow down economic activity. Failure to succeed in navigating through this pandemicinduced economic will likely result to social and political crisis.21 Despite the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the region 22, where Region VI provinces and highly urbanized cities were categorized as low risk areas, the COVID-19 threat will likely remain. There is a need to find ways to resume social and economic activities at the same time sustain efforts to limit the spread of the virus. In this regard, it is essential to characterize the New Normal and identify the appropriate government interventions and policies that will facilitate transition into the New Normal. In defining the New Normal, the result of the online survey conducted by the IATF TWG for Anticipatory and Forward Planning (AFP) with various government agencies and private organizations and as well as the online public consultation, was taken into consideration. The online survey was designed to obtain the stakeholders’ views on the characterization of the New Normal and the perceived challenges that it will entail. Results of the consultation indicate that the desired New Normal is one that is more resilient and better prepared for emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also provided inputs for the possible realignment of existing policies, programs, and projects, including possible legislative actions needed to help society adjust to the New Normal. The World Health Organization outlined six criteria that need to be met before restrictions could be lifted: 1. Transmission is controlled; 2. Health system capacities are in place to detect, test, isolate, and treat every case and trace every contact; 21 Addressing the Social and Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, NEDA Report, March 19, 2020 22 IATF-IED Resolution No. 35, May 11, 2020 Western Visayas COVID-19 Regional Recovery Plan Scenarios toward the New Normal 64
