Did you hear? Many countries around the world are easing restrictions on social distancing and quarantining. After all, we couldn’t stay inside forever, right? Here in Malaysia, we are now in a stage called the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). The authorities have been very careful to not remove the words Movement and Control. There are announcements on both TV and radio so Malaysians don’t forget it. This isn’t a sign to go straight back to normal, things need to start moving again but at the same time, we still have to be careful. This has lead to an interesting in-between phase becoming the new norm in public areas. Going to the mall or to a dine-in restaurant is possible, but officials have advised against doing so and there are many control measures in place. Here are some measures we’ve seen around the country that may be staying around longer than we expected.

Get used to queues

What’s worse than waiting in queue at the supermarket checkout while the attendant goes to get a price check? Literally any queue in the COVID new norm. Queues are actually not that new, even before the CMCO, many shops had quotas of customers and you had to wait outside if their quota was full. Many establishments now have increased their quotas but there is still a lot of queueing up at different businesses. Before the Eid al-Fitr holiday people were lining up in front of bakeries and cake shops that stocked traditional cookies and cakes for the season. The one time I went to the mall, there were incredible lines queueing up in front of both H&M and Uniqlo. It’s good to see many Malaysians coming out for shopping despite new fashion not necessarily falling under the essentials category.

Make sure to be connected

Almost every shop is temperature checking each person in the queue, giving them hand sanitiser, and writing their personal details down in a logbook. The idea is to be able to contact all customers within a time period, in case of an outbreak being traced back to a particular store. Many larger stores are going digital and requiring shoppers to scan a QR code with their phone which will then mark them as having visited the store. From what I understand it seems like most Malaysians have their ID cards connected to their phones as a form of identity. My advice for those who do not have Malaysian data or don’t have their ID connected to their phones is to be prepared. Bring your physical ID or learn the phrases necessary to communicate with guards who are doing the temperature checking; in some cases, you might still be able to write your details down on paper.

Choose where you want to stand

Restaurants telling you which tables you can sit at and which ones you can’t. Security guards telling you which doors to enter and exit from. No this isn’t some kind of draconian dystopia, these are some methods which establishments are using to stop the spread of infection. It is not uncommon to see a table at a restaurant in between two other tables with red X’s all over it. The elevator in our apartment has squares marked, each the required distance apart from each other. Many businesses are closing their doors and attempting to control foot traffic through specific entries and exits. These are practices businesses have had to put in place to comply with health safety standards but also still encourage people to come inside their stores. It feels a little awkward, however, there are some really great consequences of these measures. People will decide to wait instead of barging into a crowded elevator. Foot traffic in and out of businesses is so much more orderly. It’s been months since I have been in the shops or in a queue and I’ve felt someone’s breath or pot-belly rubbing up against me. These are all great things! There is a certain respect for people’s personal space, and I really like it. I’m hoping this becomes a habit and a new norm for people even once things have settled down.

The new norm feels awkward and maybe even a discouragement for people who want to leave their houses. There is something to be said for the fact that despite all that’s going people are still willing to line up in long queues for their creature comforts, but that was happening before the pandemic too! I’ve noticed that a lot of people here now are questioning whether or not they really need to go out, or if it would be better to just stay inside. Only a few months ago I would’ve thought you were a clean freak if you were wary of seats, door handles, and buttons in public places, but even I can’t be too careful. In some ways, I hope that we keep some of the practices we have developed and that they become the new norm. The Coronavirus has forced many of us to become more conscientious with regards to our shopping, cleanliness, time, and space; and that can’t be bad.