The new normal is a challenge.

A very real health threat is impacting our daily routines.

The resulting anxiety is magnified by the unknown, particularly not knowing how long all of this will last.

“It’s going to be at least a matter of several weeks,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

He said we can expect eight weeks minimum. But it could be longer.

In New York, some officials are projecting that classes will not resume at all for the current school year, aside from online education.

Virtually all sports and concerts have come to an abrupt halt.

At this point, I’m not sure about those large June weddings that draw hordes of guests or even the upcoming school graduations.

On Monday, several states agreed to ban dining in restaurants, although takeout and delivery would remain an option.

It’s a new normal. It’s sudden and shocking. It’s something we have trouble wrapping our heads around.

Some are hoping the virus will disappear in the summer, similar to the common flu.

That would be nice.

But there’s no evidence to say so.

“We have to assume that the virus will continue to have the capacity to spread,” said Dr. Mike Ryan of the World Health Organization.

“It’s a false hope to say, yes, that it will disappear like the flu.”

In the meantime, people are afraid to go to their regular workouts at the gym or even a day spent visiting the mall.

In some states, gatherings of people are being banned.

More than ever, it’s becoming important to focus on what we can do as opposed to what we can’t.

We can still take a walk and get some fresh air. We can go for a casual hike or do yard work.

We can clean out a closet, organize the attic or listen to favorite music.

We can read and sing and call our friends.

We can check on elderly neighbors and offer help.

We can go for a drive in the country.

We can read, we can sing, we can laugh.

We can gather our hope and plan for the future.

None of this has been canceled.

And there’s been a dose of good news.

Research groups worldwide are working on a COVID-19 vaccine.

On top of that, the first participant in a clinical vaccine trial was expected to receive it Monday at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Full production would still be a year to 18 months away, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Other researchers are looking into temporary vaccines. These would be shots to boost a person’s health a month or two at a time until a vaccine is perfected.

Uplifting signs of hope are emerging during these troubled times.

So it was nice to see that after a frenzied weekend some of the panic buying at the markets has begun to subside.

Shelves will be stocked again and life eventually will return to normal, even if nobody is sure when.

Email Donald R. Serfass at the Times News at dserfass@tnonline.com.