After a bone breaks, there is a short period of time during the reparative stage of the healing process where the area around the fracture is stronger than it was before the injury. Having broken a few bones over the years, this period of extended staying at home feels a bit like a period of recovery after an injury. There is reduced movement, a focus on wellness, and a paradoxical sense of both peace and impatience towards an anticipated return to something approaching normalcy, while also recognising that things may never quite be the same even once the healing is over.
The political, economic, social and public health ramifications of all of this will undoubtedly be profound. As such, it is both a turning point and a time for reflection. With luck, the path forward will see us strengthen, rehabilitate and rebuild to a future state that is stronger, more resilient and more supportive than that which we leave behind.