Excellent return on investment during #COVID19 pandemic – Humanity over financial return
April 2, 2020
#COVID19 Placing people in the center
April 9, 2020
Dr Zubin Damania
World Health Communication Associates (WHCA) & INSPIRIT Creatives UG NGO,
MediaWise and MediaFocusUK
Strengthening connections
while keeping distance
News You Can Use
We are all vulnerable to 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
Newsletter: https://www.cccovid19.org
| 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. |
Isolation tips – what are you doing to make this a healthier, less stressful and more positive time?
Isolation art (California, USA)
The Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenged art fans to post photos of themselves recreating their favorite works of art from the safety of their homes. People responded with a lot of enthusiasm and flooded social media with their unique artistic interpretations. Scroll down to see the best examples!
Museum Asks People To Recreate Paintings With Stuff They Can Find at Home, Here Are The Results
Slow Cooker Recipes for the Weekend (New York Times, USA)
Here are more than two dozen recipes to cook in the slow cooker while you’re doing other things — or nothing at all! You could make white bean Parmesan soup (above), chicken tortellini tomato soup, BBQ pulled pork, or any of the recipes in the collection below.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/950138-31-amazing-slow-cooker-recipes
Let’s spend some social isolation time together in this time of crisis. I’ll draw some Daily Monsters for you, and maybe you can leave some stories in the comments.
Stefan G. Bucher
Hygiene behavior helpers– what are you doing to keep you and your family safe from Corona infection?
UK Guidance on COVID-19: infection prevention and control
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
Mask recommendations may change ( Guardian, UK and others)
“For several weeks, health professionals, political leaders and even the World Health Organization have told the public that people do not need to use protective face masks unless they are sick or caring for someone with Covid-19.
Experts agree that medical-grade protective gear, such as N95 respirators, should be reserved for health workers, but officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US said on Monday they were reviewing their recommendations after new data showed nearly a quarter of those infected did not show symptoms, meaning they were infectious perhaps without realizing it.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/02/face-masks-coronavirus-covid-19-public
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/all-uk-hospital-staff-and-patients-should-wear-masks-says-doctors-group
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/coronavirus-face-mask-cdc-n95-surgical-fabric-homemade
Local production of Nose-marks underway in Ghana ( Maxwell Awunah, Ghana)
Ghana has begun the local production of nose masks as part of efforts to combat the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease in the country. The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Aboagye, made this known at a press briefing in Accra on Friday.
Frontline health workers in the fight of the Coronavirus disease have been complaining over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs) with some threatening to withdraw their services. But Dr Aboagye in his submission acknowledged that PPEs remained a major challenge globally. That notwithstanding he said, “We will continue to provide as many that can be pushed and distributed.” He also urged heads of the health care facilities to ensure appropriate distribution of the PPEs.
Dr Aboagye also noted that Ghana has started some local production of the nose masks and urged the public, especially people showing flu-like symptoms to use the masks.
“We’ve started process of having some local production of nose mask. And what I’m wearing is a local production. It is comfortable, can be washed and re-ironed. So a lot more is being done to provide PPEs,” he said.
“We want to encourage everyone to wear masks especially those showing flu-like symptoms,” he urged.
Ghana’s Coronavirus case count is 205, 5 deaths and 3 recoveries as of noon Saturday.
Community actions – what are you and your neighbours doing to help each other?
Six ways to recreate parkrun at home (Uk and global)
https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2020/03/31/six-ways-to-recreate-parkrun-at-home/
Working remotely – how are you making new work realities productive?
Smart working for women in time of Corona (Ansa, Italy
A “smart working” which, for women, is not very “smart”. This is what emerges from the #IOLAVORODACASA research conducted by Valore D with the aim of analyzing the world of work in Italy in this period of great criticality due to the Coronavirus emergency.( use Google translate )
Gender concerns re home working (UK)
Mothers with school-age children are being told they cannot work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, while fathers at the same companies are encouraged to do so, according to organisations providing legal advice and support for parents
Virtual classrooms – how are you learning and training from home?
ReadtheWorld initiative ( UNICEF,WHO et al)
With so much of the outside world currently out of bounds, the #ReadtheWorld initiative will bring the creative and imaginative world of children’s stories into the lives of children across the world. As part of a collaboration between UNICEF, theInternational Publishers Association, and the World Health Organization, popular children’s authors will read extracts of their books to millions of children and young people currently living in isolation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative kicked off on 2 April, International Children’s Book Day, with a reading by Italian author Elisabetta Dami, creator of Geronimo Stilton.
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/read-the-world
Public Policies – what policies are easing your burden?
Eight Emerging Lessons: From Coronavirus to Climate Action by Otto Scharmer
“The coronavirus crisis is prompting us to improvise new ways of collaborating and coordinating. Data-driven Awareness-Based Collective action (D-ABC) operates by attending to a situation together, and then adjusting one’s behavior accordingly. Another way of describing this type of governance is to coordinate by letting go and letting come, based on what we are seeing together: letting go of previous plans, and letting come what is about to emerge.”
https://link.medium.com/QKnSqU1LU4
SINGAPORE:
Most workplaces will be closed from next Tuesday (April 7) and all schools will move to full home-based learning a day later, as Singapore puts in place a “circuit breaker” to pre-empt escalating Covid-19 (coronavirus) infections, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Maintaining essential services – what is being done to keep food, mail, delivery, water, gas, telephone, internet, sanitation function well in your community?
#AllInThisTogether
Message to customers – We are all in this together (Marks and Spencers,UK)
Our stores are carefully managing the number of people shopping at any one time. We have introduced floor markings to ensure a two-metre space is maintained between customers as well as installing protective perspex screens at checkouts. Our stringent hygiene procedures mean colleagues are washing their hands every 30 minutes as well as thoroughly cleaning trolleys and baskets throughout the day, and cleaning self-checkouts after every customer.
We are also deep-cleaning all stores every evening. To encourage contactless payment, the limit has now been raised to £45. Additionally, all our frontline colleagues are receiving a further additional 15% pay reward in recognition of the work they are doing to support the national effort. Any of our colleagues who are required to follow government advice and self-isolate are also being supported and are receiving full pay.
„This week we added to the many things we are doing across the country to support the communities we serve. We extended our popular dedicated shopping hours to include health and social carers.”
See here for more details.
We also introduced a brand-new initiative to provide an easy in-store payment method to support volunteers shopping on behalf of our most vulnerable, older and self-isolating customers. Our ‘We’re All in this Together’ E-Gift Cards can be purchased online, and work using a barcode which is sent to the email address provided during online checkout. The volunteer shopper then simply scans the barcode on their phone at the self-checkout or reads their E-Gift Card number to the colleague at the till, and the value is deducted from the customer’s E-Gift Card balance. You can purchase these cards here.
In our 46 stores located in hospitals, we have added new product ranges to provide more essential items. This means hospital workers can get all they need for lunch, evening meals and to stock their cupboards with the basics. We are continuing to maintain food surplus redistribution through our Neighbourly scheme. Over the coming weeks and months we will keep you updated on everything we are doing to support your local community.“
Health Care – how are you as health worker managing, what are you doing to protect yourself and others, what innovations seem promising?
Mindfulness practices for coping with pressure (UK)
The Mindfulness Initiative (MI) has drafted a resource paper for health and care staff to access easily available practices to help cope with the pressures being experienced https://bit.ly/34iu3tL
MI grew out of a programme of teaching for politicians in the UK Parliament. It provides the secretariat to the MI All-Party Parliamentary Group and works with legislators around the world who practice mindfulness and press for the capacities of heart and mind to be serious considerations of public policy. MI investigates benefits, limitations, opportunities and challenges in accessing and implementing mindfulness training www.themindfulnessinitiative.org
Copernicus provides vital information to advance COVID-19 research
“Amid the COVID-19 crisis, there is widespread interest in up-to-date information about the climate and atmosphere. Our services are helping researchers, policymakers and citizens alike with quality-assured data and tools.
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS*) already monitors atmospheric conditions around the world on a daily basis. A dedicated microsite now provides updated air quality information on a daily and weekly basis. This site includes maps, time series and animations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM10) for 50 major European cities.”
https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/copernicus-provides-vital-information-advance-covid-19-research
Feature – Social Justice – Equality results to Unity
The importance of Social justice in face of #COVID19 pandemic in developing countries.
Video: Mary Bassett: Why Your Doctor Should Care About Social Justice
Policy Advocacy – Tuuli Sauren, Germany
“Profits earned without humanity are profits without true value.”
Racism present in #COVID19 vaccine testing (France)
‘Africa is not a laboratory’ – Drogba joins Eto’o in denouncing ‘racist’ remarks by French doctors
French doctors blasted for saying coronavirus vaccines should be tested in Africa
https://nypost.com/2020/04/03/doctors-say-coronavirus-vaccines-should-be-tested-in-africa/
New Post
17.04.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/covid19-life-after-easter/
12.04.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/covid19-the-unforgettable-easter/
09.04.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/covid19-placing-people-to-the-center/
Previous Posts:
01.04.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/covid19-truthful-communication/
29.03.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/covid19-staying-a-live-stay-inside/
26.03.2020
#COVID19 – Strengthening communities while keeping distance
22.03.2020
Strengthening connections while keeping distance
#COVID19 – Stories around the World
18.03.2020
https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/coronavirus-connecting-communities/