General Discussion

brooklynite

(94,727 posts) Fri Dec 10, 2021, 09:13 AM Dec 2021

17 pandemic innovations that are here to stay

Politico

Cocktails to Go

As lockdowns were imposed nationwide, struggling restaurants looked for ways to keep revenue flowing in. Alcohol is a high-margin item for many establishments, and as restaurants shifted to focus on takeout, they asked cities and states to allow them to also provide cocktails-to-go. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, 35 states plus the District of Columbia adopted ordinances allowing the sale of cocktails-to-go.

Making Cannabis essential

The cannabis industry got a boost of legitimacy in the early days of the coronavirus crisis, as state after state declared cannabis businesses “essential,” allowing them to stay open during lockdowns. Only one state — Massachusetts — ordered its dispensaries to close its doors. The essential business designation often came with a whole host of temporary regulatory changes — for instance, some states started allowing marijuana home delivery and curbside pickup for the first time. Many of those states are now moving to make those changes permanent.

Telehealth

When the Covid-19 pandemic began to sweep the country, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services eased regulations on telehealth use to permit patients to access health care from home to reduce the spread of the virus. Much of that new flexibility is still in place. States also made a number of policy changes to expand access.

Hotels to Housing

Two factors came together to provide a new solution. First, hotel occupancy plunged when the pandemic brought travel to a standstill. Second, state and federal policymakers worried about the spread of Covid were willing to spend money on moving homeless people into private hotel rooms. They were able to lease — and eventually purchase — hotels at discount prices and convert them into housing.