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February 14, 2018#COVID19 – Stories around the World
March 22, 2020
World Health Communication Associates (WHCA) & INSPIRIT Creatives UG NGO,
MediaWise and MediaFocusUK
Strengthening connections
while keeping distance
News You Can Use
We are all equal before this virus. This is a unique time for our communities all over the world as we work to combat this massive global threat. This blog aims to collect and share your stories and reflections that can help others to cope, thrive and build resilience…
Our communities are at different stages of response in different parts of the world. We can learn a lot from each other. Building on World Health Organization and other evidence-based guidance, this blog will gather and disseminate stories that inform, inspire and hopefully strengthen social connectiveness while we all practice physical distancing.
We invite you to contribute. At present we are looking for stories in the following areas:
May the force be with all of us.
Sabrina, Mike, Steve, Tuuli and Franklin for the Connecting Communities team
BLOG: https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/coronavirus-connecting-communities
Email: cccov19@gmail.com
See: https://www.whcaonline.org | https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/humanity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12385075/ | Twitter: @connecting_comm
| Disclaimer – We try to include stories that respect World Health Organisation COVID19 guidance. Links take you to full published stories. Our Connecting Communities team screens and selects stories but can not guarantee accuracy of reporting and mentions of any products does not indicate endorsement. |
While we grieve for the tremendous loss of lives in Italy and elsewhere, we can see and feel that the need to connect communities and share learning grows everyday. Please attach your comments and stories to this blog or send them to cccov19@gmail.com or attach them to this blog. We welcome stories in all languages and from all countries. Here are some first examples of stories and links. Send us yours and make this blog useful.
We are looking for stories in these eight categories.
Isolation tips – what are you doing to make this a healthier, less stressful and more positive time?
Framing isolation as community protection (Italy)
“Hi Ali and everyone! I managed to reach Italy yesterday from Greece. I traveled from Rome to Padua, my university city and I am now staying with some friends. The situation is extremely severe. In Rome central train station I was waiting for 2 hours and I saw maybe 30 people in total. Now nobody is allowed outside except for getting groceries and medicines, walking the dog, doing sport, but strictly alone. Nobody can travel outside of the town they are except for work reasons or to reach home.
If the police find you outside, even walking, and you cannot provide a reasonable justification you receive a 200 euros fine that goes on your criminal record. This type of measures are getting more severe literally day by day.
At this moment all bar and restaurant are closed, while cinema theater gym and similar have been closed for at least a week. Hospitals are extremely crowded, ventilators are not enough for everybody and doctors have to choose who to save, so people over a certain age are not treated anymore, in order to save younger people.
To sum up, it is a lovely day in italy as well, but we cannot go outside. I do not want to create panic, this is just my witness. Please take precautions so the situation does not reach such a severe level wherever you are. The exponential growth of the infection can be bent only if everyone does their part.” Private e-mail 11/3/20
“Let’s stay away today to embrace each other more warmly, to run faster tomorrow. All together we will make it.”
Prime Minister’s Conte’s speech 11/3/20
Political leadership (Ireland)
Here is a masterful, clear, honest and humane address to Ireland and the world, from Minister Leo Varadkar
Ministerial Broadcast by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about the Covid-19 pandemic
Keeping active but staying physically separated (France)
The place and conditions for physical activity is included in the movement certificate that the authorities may request during the confinement period. This depends on locations and stage of infection.
Daily Monster by Stefan – for your children – LA. (USA)
“During Covid-19, I’m live streaming Monsters for housebound kids on my YouTube channel. Please come join the virus-free fun there! “
https://youtu.be/JPA0G6P9SQk
Hygiene behavior helpers– what are you doing to keep you and your family safe from Corona infection?
Alcohol producers (Ireland)
“The producer of the Jameson and Powers whiskey labels is to provide [Irish] healthcare authorities with large-scale quantities of alcohol gel to cope with unprecedented demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
See – https://bit.ly/2WtkPZt
Perfume makers (France)
Mobilisation exceptionnelle de nos équipes LVMH pour fabriquer gratuitement du gel hydroalcoolique en grande quantité au profit de l’AP-HP, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, et bientôt d’autres institutions publiques. Comme ici à Saint-Jean-de-Bray, elles travaillent depuis samedi sur la formulation et sur l’adaptation des lignes de production et de conditionnement. Ce lundi matin, dès 5 heures, elles étaient à pied d’œuvre pour commencer la fabrication pour des premières livraisons parties dès cet après-midi. Au moins 12 tonnes seront livrées cette semaine, avec une montée en cadence à venir. Merci et bravo aux équipes de Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain et Parfums Givenchy, leur engagement et l’excellence de leur savoir-faire font notre fierté collective.
Wakanda Salute – Aya Chebbi – (Africa)
“Prevention is better than cure #COVID_19”
Community actions – what are you and your neighbours doing to help each other?
Growing extra veg for neighbors (UK)
“I am the market gardener working on Webbington Rd xxxx and wanted to say that I have altered my farm plan in response to Coronavirus so that I can focus on feeding local people as far as possible as this becomes necessary with large scale self-isolations over a long period. I will be happy to drop boxes or bags of veg on doorsteps.
I will work out prices and availability, but I want to make clear that should you be unable to pay, for whatever reason, I will still be happy to deliver veg to you. We shouldn’t let anyone go hungry. Furthermore, as we will be around xxx my partner, Anna, and I are happy to support anyone in the local area self-isolating. If you need something, but are unable to go out, please call or email me. I’m sure there will be others willing to help too.“
Crossroads, UK e-mail 18/3/20
Working remotely – how are you making new work realities productive?
Setting a schedule and many other tips ( UK)
‘Trevor: Outside of repair needs, I generally only allow myself to do three non-work things:
- Load/unload the dishwasher during lunch or conference calls where I’m not an active participant,
- Start (but not fold) laundry; I find it makes me feel good to get a head-start and have dry, ready-to-fold laundry at day’s end,
- I have hardwood floors, so I can sweep, again if I’m just listening in on a call.”
Virtual classrooms – how are you learning and training from home?
Using different social media platforms (Liechtenstein)
Students are currently sent homework and weekly plans with instructions to be solved via WhatsApp and email. The time window required for this is tailored to each individual as is the form of the task and its size.
Exercise classes (UK)
The Body Coach will be running Exercise classes for school children
Announcing “P.E with Joe” | Daily LIVE workouts for kids | The Body Coach
Public Policies – what policies are easing your burden?
Supermarket rationing (UK)
Britain’s biggest supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, limited purchases of all food products on Wednesday after frantic shoppers stripped shelves to prepare for possible isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.
Mortgage and eviction holidays( UK)
The government is promising emergency legislation to suspend new evictions from social or rented accommodation for the duration of the coronavirus crisis. Under urgent new laws, landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least three months, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Ministers have also confirmed the three-month mortgage holiday announced on Tuesday will be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing difficulties due to coronavirus.
Maintaining essential services – what is being done to keep food, mail, delivery, water, gas, telephone, internet, sanitation function well in your community?
Contactless Tasks(UK)
In order to protect your health and safety and in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, we are asking clients to request “contactless tasks.”
For example, you can request that essential food or medications deliveries be left at your door, or that a Tasker maintains a safe six-foot distance. Contactless tasks can be requested in the booking details or when chatting with your Tasker. ..
We are in close communication with Taskers, encouraging them to implement preventative measures to ensure the wellbeing of both themselves and their clients, including declining or rescheduling tasks if they believe that completing the job would jeopardize their or their client’s health. “ Task Rabbit e-mail 18/3/20
Health Care – how are you as health worker managing, what are you doing to protect yourself and others, what innovations seem promising?
Frontline doc(UK)
“Hi everyone- Just want to say – I’ve seen quite a few people with Covid 19 since Sunday. The vast majority are fine. They seem to have one week of fever, a few days of dry cough and then sometimes breathlessness on day 8 or 9. Most people are fine to stay at home and recover in about 10 days. If it is going to be bad it is around day 9 or 10 and the breathlessness gets rapidly worse at that point. We have had five patients who needed ITU but they all have heart or lung disease, and are quite elderly. Thankfully children seem to be invincible.
I’ve never known anything like this – but we’re planning for huge numbers of people needing intensive care and working out how to cope. We’ve managed to segregate our whole hospital into unknown (in single rooms), positive and negative areas. We’ve moved a whole intensive care unit and 4 other wards in 3 days flat – this sort of change usually takes at least 6 months to get agreed!
I think we need to worry about our elderly relatives but not our age group or our kids. It seems pretty clear that a large proportion of the UK will get this, hopefully spread out over months … So if the frail elderly can hibernate for a few months hopefully we can keep mortality down!” e-mail MD UK 17/3/20
“Corona virus is affecting everyone. Regardless of nationality and race. We are all in this together. Be kind. Share, help and show solidarity. Together we can beat #COVID19”
This blog is updated regularly. Please share your stories as comments or use the email address: cccov19@gmail.com
Useful links:
King’s Critical Care – Evidence Summary Clinical Management of COVID-19
https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A51f98ae4-1b0d-44c7-8fe4-081dd0b807f1
COVID19 advice in different languages:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=193qQN9l04Dvf0N9L5zeWTiXK_DRbrAxg
Resources to help reporters cover coronavirus – The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Organisations and resources
John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace:
Next Door app – a neighbourhood network
Join a Covid Mutual Aid group where volunteers are organising help for people in their community – find your local Greenpeace group
More from us – read Five ways to stay connected and fight the coronavirus
Greenpeace local groups – we have local groups around the UK who will be meeting online
Donate: a fundraising appeal by the National Emergencies Trust to help those most affected by COVID-19
Extinction Rebellion
‘Unofficial how-to guide to community organising during the Covid-19 outbreak’.
The Bristol Cable
- Bristolians are self-organising a phenomenal coronavirus fight back in ways that will outlast pandemic
- ‘The government threw us under the bus’: How Bristol food businesses are working to survive coronavirus
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