Trends Americans Hope Will Continue After the Pandemic

Despite a yearning for the normalcy of pre-pandemic times, there were some changes in the coronavirus era that Americans would like to preserve. Among those? Fewer handshakes, less business travel and more masks. That's according to a December Harris Poll conducted for Fast Company. During the survey, 1,015 participants were asked which COVID trends they hope will continue after the pandemic subsides. Here's what they said:

30% of respondents said they'd like to shake hands with other people less often than before the pandemic, and 26% said they wouldn't want to do it at all. Overall, 54% agreed with the statement, "I would be happy to never shake someone's hand again."

40% said they want to resume business travel less often, or never again after the pandemic. Overall, 51% said they would probably travel only "a few times a year" for business.

People want to go back to the office, just not all the time: 43% of respondents said they'd like to be back in office in the same amount that they were before the pandemic, and 25% said they'd actually like to be in office more often than pre-pandemic. However, a total 66% agreed that they would prefer "a mix of in-office and remote work" after the pandemic.

A total 63% of respondents said they'd continue using telemedicine after the pandemic, with 25% saying they'd use it the same amount and 23% using it more often.

20% said they would like to attend more video get-togethers with family and friends even after the pandemic, and 26% said they'd keep doing them in the same amount. People seemed to prefer video for meetings with co-workers more than socializing, with 61% saying they enjoyed videoconferencing for work purposes and 53% saying they enjoyed it for virtual visits with family.

39% of people said they'd wear a mask in public more often than before the pandemic, and another 27% said they'd wear one in the same amount. Overall, 82% said they would continue wearing masks after the pandemic if required by law, and 80% said they would if recommended by public safety guidelines.