Life as an expat can be a challenge no matter where you go, and the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus is raising concerns amongst the expatriate population around the world. The pandemic status of the new coronavirus is hitting countries hard, negatively impacting businesses, schools and major events around the world.
While the rapid virus spread might be giving anyone a pause on travelling, global relocation is a key consideration of moving abroad as it can affect the quality of life. It is expected that the outbreak might last till the end of the year, so time is of the essence when it comes to arranging for relocation services. And with the professional help of international movers in Singapore, they can help to address practical needs of the move to be as stress-free as possible.
Let’s explore how the new COVID-19 virus is creating an impact in one’s life.
Healthcare
While there might have been pandemics in the past that are much worse with a high mortality rate, this coronavirus is still deadly – only for around 2-3% who are infected. The world is dealing with a pressing health problem and healthcare is at the forefront of the battle to fight the virus. One thing to know is that the COVID-19 has a similar disease presentation to the influenza, both causing respiratory disease that can be asymptomatic to severe disease and fatality.
For people considering a move abroad, the availability to access quality and affordable healthcare is important. Efficiency is also a factor, especially in the case of an emergency, that determines how far you will be from accessing quality medical care. In some countries, there are options of telemedicine where you can avoid going to a hospital unnecessarily and risk catching the virus in crowded hospital waiting room settings. This allows you to consult with a doctor online and receive the prescribed medicine via delivery to you, so you can reduce face-to-face contact with anyone else and practice social distancing.
Education
According to the World Health Organization, children are one of the most-at-risk for severe influenza infection, including pregnant women, elderly and those who are immunosuppressed and have underlying chronic medical conditions. As such, numerous countries have shut schools nationwide to prevent or contain the spread of COVID-19, which impacted millions of students worldwide. While it is for the betterment of society, school closures impact educational performance and learning achievement. This also includes inconveniences to families and reduced economic productivity as parents struggle to balance childcare with work obligations.
And without making the shift to learning online, this affects the continuity of learning and poses educational disruption. This varies from school to school and each institution’s ability to implement large-scale distance-learning programs and platforms to reach students remotely. To provide the best for their children, it is understandable for expat parents to look at education systems around the world that can readily prepare for distance and homeschooling with access to digital learning portals.
Employment
This panic-stricken atmosphere of the COVID-19 outbreak has also impacted the daily operations of businesses. Business leaders are pushed to strategize and evaluate how they can operate and get more digitally enabled for their staff to carry out their duties with minimal disruptions. More companies are adopting the remote working concept for employees to work from home, supplemented by a wide range of technology tools that are already available to increase worker efficiency.
But for some employees and businesses, the threat of unemployment looms as businesses struggle with the spread of the virus. Employees are also seeking temporary evacuation or extended home leave from their work assignment overseas. With so much uncertainty and instability, expats are looking into global relocation services to help make their move to an alternative location away from countries that are hit the most. At the same time, they may also wish to return temporarily to their home country with great urgency and be with their families during this time of crisis.
Be sure to register with your local embassy or Foreign Ministry/State Department in the country you are in. Account for passport, visa and home country travel restrictions as part of your decision-making process. To help you in your move, we are a removalist in Singapore that provides relocation assistance and the capability to ship your belongings. As the virus is evolving globally, we are committed to monitor and adapt to this developing situation, provide relocation solutions and keep you informed for a safe travel journey.