You could go on the entire day about all the things that COVID-19 has ruined or affected in some way. We’ve now had to adjust our entire lives around it on a planet-wide scale, and likewise our hobbies and pastimes have taken a backseat to it

Consequently this concerning photo illustrates what may be the new normal for people around the world, at least until we can reliably vaccinate against the new coronavirus. It isn’t mean to make you despair and give up all hope, of course. Think of it more like a glimpse at what’s worth fighting for.

The photo, taken in France, illustrates a chilling scene showing why we should continue our efforts in fighting COVID-19

Six children are in the photo with an adult guarding them in a large, empty back lot – presumably the play ground of the school. Around each child is a roughly 2 square meter box drawn in chalk to let them know how much distance to keep from each other.

Likewise, the adult woman guarding them stands in a square of her own. In addition to the chalk squares to aid social distancing, she wears a face mask. Furthermore, the scene is even more strange when you notice how strangely empty the playground is.

This is also, presumably, to minimize social contact. Only a few kids are allowed to play here at a time. But the simple concept of a playground like this is all kinds of uncomfortable to think about.

Another photo from the same source provides a different scene, yet one that is discomforting for all the same reasons

In the second photo, an adult inspects the children one by one. This takes place while the kids sit in crossed marked with spray paint on the ground, denoting how much distance to keep.

“And if these photos sadden us, imagine what the teachers feel … “it makes me sick, you can’t imagine” an institute told me” – said the Twitter user who originally shared the photos

Finally, a third photo shows a classroom with the small children donning face masks as the teacher presumably reminds them to maintain social distancing. There is a line on the floor, marked with tape, to give the kids visual instructions on how far apart to stay from each other.

Our world has been shaped, and it’ll take a while before things return to the way they were

There is no reason to throw in the towel and give up hope. Work is hard for the development of a vaccine, and many deadly diseases have been eradicated almost entirely with the help of vaccines.

However, this doesn’t mean we should bank solely on the hardworking scientists developing a vaccine.

We should continue taking every single precaution – wearing a mask, washing hands, social distancing – for the time being. This itself makes it less difficult for the already overwhelmed medical workers.

These children in this school are going to have kindergarten years unlike any of us ever had

By rights this shouldn’t be called a school, and it most definitely should not be the idea of a school that these kids will grow up with. But unfortunately, no one has a say in that anymore. We’ll have to brave the new COVID-shaped world and adjust to life like this for the time being.

“The picture of the children in the chalk squares will eventually illustrate this very strange situation in the history books later …” – says Twitter user Antoine Diot

The statistics for COVID-19 cases in France record over 28,000 deaths now, compared to 64,000 recoveries (according to Google news).

This serves to remind us even more why hand-washing, face masks and social distancing matter so much. Because their effectiveness can be measured in lives saved

Although it is disheartening to see the children having to go to a school like this, it’d be a lot worse if classes resumed at normal capacity and led to many of them contracting the virus. The world of COVID-19 is a scary one, but it’s not permanent. Not at all.

So the best we can do is be hopeful and be responsible. Having hope for the future is one of our strongest weapons in the fight against COVID-19.

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Source: [Twitter/Lionel Top]