From the start of the pandemic, many industries around the nation have taken a hit. People aren't going to restaurants like they used to. They aren't going on shopping trips, vacations, and so many other things we've taken for granted.
But, there are some industries that haven't struggled nearly as much as others. In the HomeLight Q2 survey, it was very much a seller's market in February. However, over the next few months, the market dropped by 48%. Fortunately, by June, the market bounced back and in June, it rose to pre-pandemic levels.
So, what industries experienced similar changes during the COVID crisis? Let's take a look!
Education technology
Although schools across the nation closed due to the pandemic, it didn't mean students were off the hook for keeping up with their studies. Online learning has always been a thing, but there are 89% more education tech products being used post-COVID than during the 2018-2019 school year and it's highly likely that these tools will continue to be used going forward.
Manufacturing
The American supply chain relies predominantly with China, and when Chinese factories closed their doors during the virus' spread, international trading suffered. However, regions where there's manufacturing infrastructure can expect a resurgence of manufacturing jobs. These jobs include auto assembly, office furniture manufacturing, and of course, PPE manufacturing.
Telehealth
With person-to-person contact being severely limited, telehealth became the go-to option to see a doctor. All a person would have to do is have a video conference with your physician for 15 minutes and that's it. Gone are the days where patients would have to adjust their schedule to fit in a doctor's appointment. Healthcare companies like Nashville's AdhereHealth have created programs such as predictive analytics, home-delivery services to ensure patients are receiving their prescribed medications.
Robotics
Before the pandemic, it wasn't that uncommon to find businesses using some form of automation. Yet, when the virus caused the nation to shut down to some degree, businesses had to think on their toes so that they can protect their employees but still have a functioning business. In professions where workers must work closely with one another, such as farming, meatpacking, assembly lines and such, it's likely to see more robots working alongside humans.
Delivery services
As many people remain holed up inside their homes, online shopping has grown exponentially over the past few months. Not only are people ordering things from Amazon, Walmart and even grocery stores, people are ordering take out from their favorite restaurants. As A result of so many people ordering online, delivery services like DoorDash and UberEats have become highly popular. Fast food chains that you'd never think would deliver have partnered with these delivery services so they can stay open. Even pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens give customers the option of having their medications delivered right to your doorstep!
COVID won't impede on all businesses
Across the nation, businesses have had to come up with innovative ways to continue to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Yes, it's true that many industries have taken a big hit and many businesses have closed their doors permanently. Yes, it's true that our nation has a long way to go to return to normal, if that's even a possibility!
Whether it's buying a house, seeking medical advice, or learning online, COVID-19 has created challenges we could have never foreseen. Yet, with a bit of forward-thinking and creating innovative ways to make life a little more bearable for the time being, there are some industries that have been thriving.
