Never will I ever... Mumbaikars take the post-COVID pledge

Pic/Shadab Khan

The Coronavirus pandemic has upended life as we knew it. And, this applies to the small things we took for granted too. OnePoll, an international agency that specialises in data visualisation and online quantitative research, recently conducted a survey of 2,000 people in the UK to figure what people would do differently post-pandemic. Kissing a stranger emerged one of the popular answers.

‘I'll say no to fish bowl cocktails'

Pooja Bajaj Chaddha, entrepreneur
If you're a woman, you'll likely to know that your gaggle of girlfriends are always treasured. Pooja Bajaj Chaddha, CEO, Burlingtons brandy, says despite the love she shares with her clique, they have been compelled to draw boundaries. "For instance, we make it a point to not borrow each other's lipstick or gloss which we did so often. It is also the end of fish bowl cocktails. We now prefer individual drinks." The change has affected spontaneity, she admits, since so much thought now goes into a simple get together: where to go, how many to call, how to commute? She says, "The fear has slowly weaned, but not the responsibility."

‘I won't celebrate with a birthday cake'

Apurva Padgaonkar, restaurateur
Apurva Padgaonkar has been privy to many a birthday bash at his restaurant Pot Pourri in Chembur. "Most guests happen to be friends, so it's only natural that they want me to be part of their celebration. But with a cake, you have to blow the candles. The person may or may not be infected. And then if an immuno-compromised person eats a slice, it's asking for trouble," he says, adding that more than one person taking a bite of the same slice for photos should now be history.

‘I won't do contact sports'

Robin Chhabra, entrepreneur
Robin Chhabra, founder and CEO of Dextrus, a co-working space in BKC, was into football, rugby and water polo until the pandemic. "One has to make time for oneself, and for me it was through sport. Unfortunately, that has become difficult given the risks, and I have turned to running." He admits running is lonely business and he isn't a fan, but he is now trying to derive pleasure since there isn't much choice. "Early sunlit mornings through leafy Bandra make the runs special."

‘I won't wait inside a health clinic'

Bhisham Chawla, restaurateur
Bhisham Chawla, co-owner of Mumbai's century-old restaurant chain Bhagat Tarachand, has put an end to waiting at the doctor's clinic. "I prefer online consultations and, if absolutely required, I'll wait outside the clinic and ask the receptionist to call me once my number comes up." Which is what he did when he recently visited one for an X-ray of his wisdom tooth. "Being in enclosed, air-conditioned spaces with strangers makes me feel vulnerable," he says.

‘I won't touch a colleague's laptop'

Pic/Shadab Khan

Misbah Kapadia, interior designer
Misbah Kapadia, founder and CEO, Design Konstruct, believes there couldn't be a better time to ponder on Socrates' famous line: The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. "There is much deliberation involved even for the smallest of tasks. Now I think twice before borrowing a pen or putting aside someone else's glasses. I have decided not to share iPads or laptops while discussing designs or at meetings. This was a commonplace practice for designers like me, especially on site where we spend most of our working hours."

‘I won't be part of physical meetings'

Protima Tiwary, digital creator
For many of us, it'll be a year since the office moved to our drawing rooms and working in pyjamas became a thing. Protima Tiwary, founder of the themill_in, says
the transition has been rather seamless. And, if there's one thing she cannot go back to, it's holding long drawn group meetings. Calls and mails effectively do the trick. "I love the fact that scheduling calls is a common practice now rather than picking up the phone and expecting the person to be available for you. Simple decisions would depend on meetings. I find that online meetings held now are streamlined and so much more productive, while saving on time."

‘I won't call assistants to shoots'

Pic/Bipin Kokate

Vandana Sarawgi, silverware designer
Entrepreneur Vandana Sarawgi runs SR Artefacts, a silverware business, which means design meetings, production visits and shoots are all in a day's work. "In fact, my product range and new launches entail at least three shoots a month." Pre-pandemic, Sarawgi would have no less than four assistants by her side. "For the foreseeable future, I have decided to do things on my own. Right from packing to unpacking, setting up, and assembling, I intend to manage the whole show." Although this is likely to triple the workload, Sarawgi feels safety is first priority.

‘I won't touch elevator buttons'

Dr Namrata Jadwani, cosmetic dentist
Elevator buttons are dirty and we know it. Studies have found that they have more bacteria than toilet seats. Dr Namrata Jadwani says, "With the unending number of people touching these buttons, it's one of the first places of indirect contact and exposure [to the virus]." She has resorted to either taking the stairs or using her elbow to press the keys. "By and large, I've managed to avoid touching them, but I have freaked out if I have accidentally done so. I keep my sanitiser handy in my bag anyway."