Meat+Poultry - July 2021 - 8

COMMENTARY
Coming out of the dark
Stepping gingerly back into routines
that were considered normal prior to
the COVID-19 pandemic put almost
every aspect of life on hold, is nothing
short of surreal. As more people
around the globe are cautiously easing
back into their pre-pandemic routines,
what used to be part of a typical day
has most people pausing to reflect on
the significance of taking another baby
step outside our quarantine bubbles
into the bright light of normalcy. Like
millions of others, in just in this past
month, I've found myself pausing
almost daily in " first-time-sinceCOVID "
realizations, professionally and
personally, which serve as a source of
gratitude. And while the percentage of
Americans opting to receive vaccines
has flattened, there is evidence that
millions more are feeling safe to
move about the country as airlines'
flights are increasingly sold out, hotel
bookings are on the rise, rental cars are
running low and restaurant traffic is
trending higher.
In the past 60 days, not only did I
confirm dates to visit two processing
plants in the coming months and
registered for two upcoming in-person
industry conferences and booked
flights and hotel stays, I even visited
and toured a processing plant for the
first time in more than 18 months.
Soaking in the sights, sounds and
energy of a processing plant was
another surreal experience I relished
when I realized it was just one more
example of how a seemingly innocuous
part of life can be taken for granted.
However, in many cases, certain
aspects of business and leisure life
have likely been changed forever.
With several industry conferences
and trade shows slated for this
summer and fall, many have
speculated if attendance at such events
will reflect a pandemic hangover.
And for exhibitors and participants at
such events, it remains to be seen if
interactions with customers and other
attendees will reflect an awareness of
the potential risks of large gatherings
under a shared roof.
During my latest plant visit, my host
and I discussed whether the practice
of handshakes would become a thing
of the past in a growing number of
business interactions, including trade
shows and conferences. In larger
meat processing plants, workers on
the fabrication floor have already
been spread out and divided by
plastic partitions, many donned in
head-to-toe PPE, and workers are
encouraged to not come to work if
they are feeling sick. Many of these
precautions could become permanent
in the post-pandemic era. Pandemic
prognosticators suggest some themes
will resonate well after COVID-19
updates move below the fold and are
just a secondary nightly news topic.
Among some of the business
practices expected to be a sticky
part of life, according to a recent
report from the US Chamber
of Commerce, are cashless and
contactless transactions to ensure
safety of workers and customers;
product delivery (of almost everything)
ranging from automobiles to margarita
cravers and using traditional means
as well as driverless vehicles
and drones to facilitate delivery;
e-commerce ubiquity; reliance on
robots by businesses and consumers;
an emphasis on sanitation; localcentric
consumers; safe and secure
technology; virtual events; and
continued videoconferencing and
working from home.
So, while many of us are ready to
begin making a gradual transition of
resuming work the way it was done
prior to 2020, business leaders are also
showing sensibility in adopting many of
the business practices that never would
have been attempted prior to being
threatened by a global pandemic. I look
forward to seeing everyone at the next
in-person industry event. If you're like
me, you'll welcome a hearty handshake
or hug from your industry cohorts but
be just as happy to bump fists or share
a squirt of hand sanitizer.
JOEL CREWS, EDITOR | jc rews@sos land.com
Pandemic prognosticators suggest some themes
will resonate well after COVID-19 updates move
below the fold and are just a secondary nightly
news topic.
8 MEAT+POULTRY | 07.21 | www.meatpoultry.com
http://www.meatpoultry.com
Meat+Poultry - July 2021

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