Millions of office workers were driven out of their workplaces this spring by the coronavirus, and many are still working from home. Even though that forced experiment has worked far better than almost anyone anticipated, sooner or later, corporate offices will reopen. And many landlords and tenants are getting ready to drastically increase their buildings’ ability to protect health.

Wellness experts are also preparing for this new world.

“We have been mobilizing,” International WELL Building Institute Senior Vice President Jaclyn Whitaker said July 23 during Bisnow’s Chicago Deep Dish: Sustainability & Wellness webinar.

The New York-based firm created the pioneering WELL Building Standard, the first rating system to focus exclusively on how buildings impact human health. It was also readying WELL v2, the follow-up rating system, when the coronavirus hit and sent them back to the drawing board.

The prevention of infectious diseases hadn’t been given nearly as much weight as providing occupants with light, fresh air and fitness opportunities, all of which mean higher ratings from IWBI, which can help tenants decide where to lease space. But the institute began consulting groups of experts to update WELL v2 to reflect the office world’s new concerns and will start unveiling new guidelines in late summer or early fall.