Be innovative to survive Covid-19

PEOPLE all over the world are coming up with creative and clever ideas to beat the bug and all it has caused.
Papua New Guineans have to do likewise, not to remain in the past and cry over their losses.
There is a need to realise the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic and accept that things will not be the same again.
This may include the very source of people’s daily survival, their income and nature of business.
Households and businesses have already suffered huge losses in the major lockdowns last year and the past weeks.
The old adage that necessity is the mother of invention should ring true again in this pandemic.
Last year, while most parts of the world were reeling from the devastation caused by the pandemic, we have remained largely insulated from it for a while, except for international travel and certain industries.
However, what we are facing now is an exponential increase in the number of cases and deaths as well.
Government authorities and medical professionals have tried to warn us against treating the virus as a hoax or remaining complacent about it.
Yes, many small businesses have been hit hard and already lost money.
It is not only the business owners or investors who are feeling the pinch of the restrictions in terms of lost revenue.
Individuals employed by these affected businesses, their families and dependents are being deprived of their means of survival.
The seemingly heavy-handed approach by police and metropolitan authorities in enforcing pandemic regulations under the “Niupela Pasin” regime may be going a little too far but this should be the time to rethink our means of survival, especially in this tough time.
Such aggressive behaviour is sadly necessitated by the negligence and complacency of the public.
People involved in roadside markets, for instance; have continually defied warning and instructions.
Concerns by businesses losing income in millions of kina are an unfortunate reality and a result of the strict restrictions in place.
But the hard truth is that some of these business will simply have to rethink their nature of business, change tack and invest in other activities.
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning is right: There is a fine balancing act with what industries are necessary at this time and what we can do without because of the potential risk of transmission.
All should accept the risks, not only of the disease but the losses that would arise from restrictions imposed for the greater good as well.
During the pandemic, some small businesses in other countries changed the way they conducted business.
They are today reaping the rewards.
From internet sources, we have learnt of businesses such as cleaning services, e-learning, virtual healthcare and contactless technologies making more money during the pandemic than before. These are all information technology and internet-based.
But what can a Papua New Guinean street or market vendor, having no internet connectivity, do to change or improve his or her operations?
Perhaps, as far as information technologies goes, there is limited opportunity.
However, that does not stop people thinking up innovative, perhaps better ways of earning an income.
As for small business owners that are most affected, the losses in revenue are real.
But this should be the time to change tack and invest elsewhere to make money during the pandemic and into the future.
It is quite possible that a few years later, some might actually be thanking the Covid-19 for their fortunes.