Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Sees Lockdowns Surge in Week Since Covid Policy Adjusted
Covid control restrictions now weigh on a fifth of China’s economy as infections continue their upward march, defying the central government’s call for more targeted, less disruptive Covid Zero measures. There were 27,307 new cases recorded for Monday, just shy of the previous record 28,973 reached in April when Shanghai’s outbreak sparked a surge in infections. The southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou remains the epicenter of the current wave, reporting the bulk of the 8,588 infections in the broader Guangdong province. The metropolis of Chongqing detected 6,297.
22nd Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina eases coronavirus restrictions, causing confusion and angst
Lockdown arrived in Shijiazhuang with little warning this month. At the time, the northern Chinese city had only a handful of covid cases. Then 12 days later — just as abruptly, even as infections continued to rise — the restrictions were lifted. The reaction to China’s most significant easing of coronavirus controls has been a jumble of conflicted priorities and public sentiment since Beijing announced the changes a week ago. City governments are facing renewed demands that they not respond in ways that disrupt daily life. At the same time, months of official warnings about disastrous consequences should the virus run wild have many people fearful of the country’s soaring case numbers.
20th Nov 2022 - The Washington Post
Beijing district urges staying home for weekend as COVID cases rise
Beijing's biggest district urged people to stay home during the weekend and COVID-19 outbreaks grew in numerous Chinese cities on Friday, even as China further fine-tuned its COVID rules by removing capacity limits at entertainment venues. Under a series of measures unveiled last week, authorities have sought to be more targeted in applying COVID-19 curbs that are taking a heavy toll on the economy and fuelling public frustration and anger, sparking investor hopes this week for more significant easing.
18th Nov 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullVisiting curbs at hospitals, residential care homes to be extended 2 weeks due to COVID-19 situation
The Ministry of Health (MOH) will extend current visiting restrictions at all hospital wards and residential care homes for two weeks until Nov 23. This is to relieve pressure on hospitals and homes and to protect vulnerable patients and residents, said the ministry in a press release on Wednesday (Nov 9).
12th Nov 2022 - CNA
China’s manufacturing hub Guangzhou partially locked down as Covid outbreak widens
China's southern metropolis of Guangzhou has locked down a third district, as authorities rush to stamp out a widening Covid outbreak and avoid activating the kind of citywide lockdown that devastated Shanghai earlier this year.
10th Nov 2022 - CNN on MSN.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau reimposes COVID curbs as China loosens visa rules for gambling hub
Macau authorities reinstated tough COVID-19 curbs including locking down a major casino over the weekend after a handful of cases were detected, even as China announced a loosening of visa rules for visitors to the world's biggest gambling hub. Authorities locked down the MGM Cotai casino resort owned by MGM China on Sunday, with staff and guests ordered to stay inside until Nov. 1. More than 1,500 people are sealed inside the property, the government said on Monday.
31st Oct 2022 - Reuters
Chinese cities clamp down on COVID as cases rise before winter season
Officials in Chinese cities and provinces across the country are pulling no punches in stamping out sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks as winter nears, quickly closing venues and enforcing longer temporary lockdowns on millions of people. Cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day and pressuring the country's controversial zero-COVID policy, which has hamstrung the economy and exasperated its citizens.
31st Oct 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina locks down part of Wuhan, nearly three years after first Covid case emerged
Chinese cities from Wuhan in central China to Xining in the north-west are doubling down on Covid-19 curbs, sealing up buildings, locking down districts and throwing millions into distress in a scramble to halt widening outbreaks. China on Thursday reported a third straight day of more than 1,000 new Covid cases nationwide, a modest tally compared with the tens of thousands a day that sent Shanghai into a full-blown lockdown earlier this year but enough to trigger more curbs and restrictions across the country.
Wuhan, site of the world’s first Covid-19 outbreak in late 2019, reported about 20 to 25 new infections a day this week. The city has registered 240 cases over the past 14 days. Local authorities ordered more than 800,000 people in one district to stay at home until 30 October.
29th Oct 2022 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullChinese capital steps up COVID measures as cases quadruple
China's capital, Beijing, has dialled up measures to stop COVID, strengthening public checks and locking down some residential compounds after a quadrupling of its case load in recent weeks, just as a key Communist Party congress entered full swing. The city of 21 million people on Thursday reported 18 new locally transmitted cases for the previous day, bringing the tally for the past 10 days to 197. That is four times more than the 49 infections detected in the previous 10-day period. While the number of cases is very small compared with other countries, China's zero-COVID policy has compelled the capital to ratchet up preventive measures, particularly with the Communist Party holding its once-every-five-years congress this week, during which President Xi Jinping is expected to win a precedent-breaking third term as its leader.
20th Oct 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Lockdown Fears Back as China Covid Cases Rise Before Party Congress
China is stepping up efforts to contain Covid-19 outbreaks ahead of the Party Congress, with national cases climbing to the highest in almost two months and concerns about widening lockdowns rippling across the financial hub of Shanghai.
The country reported 1,878 cases for Sunday, the highest since Aug. 20, as the week-long National Day holiday saw cases flare among returning travelers. Shanghai posted 34 new local infections, the most in almost three months, with two infections found outside of its quarantine system.
11th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullZero-Covid measures cause chaos as China prepares for Beijing summit
Lockdowns and travel restrictions are continuing to cause chaos across China in the run-up to a crucial political meeting next week as the government holds fast to hardline zero-Covid policies. As thousands of Communist party delegates prepare to descend on Beijing for the twice-a-decade congress meeting, where Xi Jinping is expected to start his third term as leader, local authorities are under pressure to control contain outbreaks. This week 2,883 cases were reported across more than 25 provinces, including 227 on Wednesday. The number is small compared with global cases but relatively high for China’s zero-tolerance approach. China’s government has remained committed to its zero-Covid policy, despite major damage to the economy and growing opposition from the general public to frequent sudden lockdowns that trap people inside their homes, shops and workplaces, and other overzealous reactions to handfuls of cases.
8th Oct 2022 - The Guardian
Hong Kong's U-turn on quarantine is a sign Beijing still needs its gate to the West
As China doubles down on Covid lockdowns, restricting movement for tens of millions of people, a very different scene is unfolding in Hong Kong. The mood in the Chinese-controlled city is perhaps the lightest it has been in three years, after authorities scrapped mandatory hotel quarantine for incoming arrivals in September – prompting a mad rush to book flights out of the city among travel-starved residents. It was a significant U-turn, given how stubbornly city authorities had stuck to the quarantine requirement, despite a nosediving economy, a worsening international reputation, and an ongoing exodus of residents.
8th Oct 2022 - CNN
Australia’s tough Covid quarantine rules finally end
Australia will finally end some of the world’s toughest pandemic restrictions when it abandons mandatory five-day quarantine after testing positive.“We want a policy that promotes resilience and capacity-building and reduces a reliance on government intervention."
30th Sep 2022 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Scraps Hotel Quarantine Requirement
Hong Kong has scrapped hotel quaratine stays as a requirement of its Covid-19 quarantine practice.
26th Sep 2022 - Regulation Asia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: China sticks to zero-Covid as management failures and misery mount
Public apologies from government officials in China for mishandled duties are extraordinarily rare events. After all, career success is largely determined by their supervisors, not by the people they serve. But since the coronavirus pandemic began sweeping across China, public admissions of failures have become more frequent. From food shortages to denied hospital access for sick people or pregnant women during lockdowns, from the eastern financial hub of Shanghai to Lhasa in Tibet, several local government officials have claimed deep remorse for their blunders. In the latest case, officials from the Guiyang municipal government bowed to say sorry for the deaths of 27 people on a bus that had been making an early morning journey to a remote quarantine facility.
25th Sep 2022 - South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Won't Return to Zero Covid Cases as City Weighs Easing
A Hong Kong health official said the Asian financial hub is unlikely to again see a day without any Covid-19 infections after keeping the virus largely at bay for the first two years of the pandemic. While cases won’t return to zero -- a feat the city managed for most of last year due to some of the world’s strictest quarantine policies -- the daily tally is likely to continue its downward trend, health official Albert Au said at a briefing on Thursday. “We expect coronavirus will linger in the community and will have certain transmissions,” he said. “Before the fifth wave, we could do Covid Zero. After the fifth wave, this is not necessarily feasible.”
22nd Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Hong Kong Reaches Consensus on Ending Hotel Quarantine
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and his officials have reached a consensus on ending mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals, the South China Morning Post reported. The government plans to replace it with seven-day home monitoring, according to the report, citing unidentified people. The new arrangements would be announced after thorough preparation by government agencies, the report added.
21st Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Covid lockdowns leave residents short of food and essential items
Residents under Covid lockdowns in areas across China are complaining of shortages of food and essential items. Tens of millions of people in at least 30 regions have been ordered to stay at home under partial or full lockdowns. "It's been 15 days, we are out of flour, rice, eggs. From days ago, we run out of milk for kids," said one resident in western Xinjiang. Authorities are scrambling to contain local outbreaks ahead of the Communist party's congress in October. China's zero-Covid policy requires strict lockdowns - even if just a handful of cases are reported. On Monday China recorded 949 new Covid cases across the entire country.
16th Sep 2022 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullOn COVID alert, more Chinese cities advise residents to stay put for holiday
More Chinese cities advised residents on Wednesday to avoid unnecessary trips for the upcoming holiday long weekend, adding to COVID policies that are keeping tens of millions of people under lockdown and exacting a growing economic toll. Nanjing and Wuxi, major cities in eastern China's Jiangsu province, recommended residents not leave town during the Saturday-Monday mid-autumn festival, echoing similar advisories made by other cities this month.
7th Sep 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong Targets Removal of Hotel Quarantine Requirement
Hong Kong is targeting November to end hotel quarantine for visitors to the city, Bloomberg reports. Hong Kong has already reduced the hotel quarantine requirement from 21 days to 7 days to 3 days, although a further 4 days of “health monitoring” is still required during which people can leave their homes but may not enter high-risk premises like restaurants and bars. The end of hotel quarantine altogether is planned to occur ahead of a summit of global bankers and a popular international rugby competition later this year.
5th Sep 2022 - Regulation Asia
Taiwan Covid Travel Restrictions: Visa-Free Entry Resumed With 3-Day Quarantine
Taiwan will resume visa-free entry for travelers from countries it currently shares diplomatic ties with but will maintain a three-day quarantine requirement as the island takes halting steps toward easing its Covid-restrictions. Arrivals from more than 60 countries -- including the US, UK and Australia -- are eligible for visa-free entry starting Sept. 12, though the duration of their permitted stay varies, Taiwan’s Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a statement on its website Monday.
5th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's Shenzhen to adopt tiered COVID measures; Chengdu extends lockdown
China's southern tech hub of Shenzhen said it will adopt tiered anti-virus restriction measures starting on Monday, while the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu announced an extension of lockdown curbs, as the country grapples with fresh outbreaks. Shenzhen, which went into a weekend lockdown on Saturday, announced a new round of COVID-19 testing, and vowed to "marshal all available resources, mobilise all forces, and take all possible measures" to stamp out the pandemic.
4th Sep 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong's Lee Gets Nod for Reverse Quarantine Into China
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has secured China’s support for a “reverse quarantine” program to boost travel into the mainland, after two years of strict Covid curbs thwarted cross-border ties. The city leader said at a Thursday news briefing that officials from neighboring Guangdong province had backed his plan for travelers to first isolate in Hong Kong and then enter China quarantine-free during a virtual meeting. “The main purpose is to first of all alleviate the burden of hotels in the mainland,” he said. “The second goal of this proposal is to ensure that we will have a system to allow a regular flow of people from Hong Kong into Shenzhen.”
1st Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
China Locks Down Megacity Chengdu as Covid Zero Rolls On
The Chinese metropolis of Chengdu locked down its 21 million residents to contain a Covid-19 outbreak, a seismic move in the country’s vast Western region that has largely been untouched by the virus. The capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu is the biggest city to shut down since Shanghai’s bruising two-month lockdown earlier this year. The move -- which will upend the lives of millions of people and businesses, with repercussions for China’s economy and beyond -- shows the country’s commitment to the Covid Zero approach espoused by President Xi Jinping, despite the disruption it’s causing.
1st Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Hong Kong Officials Target End to Hotel Quarantine in November
Hong Kong is targeting an end to hotel quarantine in November, ahead of a summit of global bankers and an international rugby competition, even as a resurgence in Covid-19 cases prompts health officials to push back on the plan, according to people familiar with the debate. Chief Executive John Lee is leaning toward scrapping hotel quarantine before the November events to signal Hong Kong is back in business, despite the objections of some in his administration, the people said. Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau is among those who want to tighten restrictions as cases surge, one person added, on the hope that suppressing cases will lead to the reopening of the mainland border.
1st Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina places millions in new Covid lockdown after fresh outbreaks
Millions of Chinese citizens were placed under a new lockdown on Tuesday following a fresh outbreak of coronavirus as the government remains committed to its “zero- Covid ” policy. The tougher curbs on activities have sparked concerns over the health of the barely-growing economy
1st Sep 2022 - The Independent on MSN.com
COVID-19 isolation period shortened to five days
National Cabinet has agreed to shorten COVID-19 isolation requirements by two days for most workers. The AMA fears the reduced period could worsen workforce shortages. Pandemic payments will be reduced, and mask rules for domestic flights dropped
31st Aug 2022 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's big cities, from Dalian to Shenzhen, ramp up COVID curbs
Several of China's biggest cities imposed tougher COVID-19 curbs on Tuesday, further crimping the activities of tens of millions, and sparking fresh concerns for the health of a barely growing economy. Metropolises from the southern tech hub of Shenzhen to southwestern Chengdu and the northeastern port of Dalian ordered measures such as lockdowns in big districts and business closures aimed at stamping out fresh outbreaks
30th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChinese province neighbouring Beijing expands COVID lockdown
Another city near Beijing imposed a partial lockdown as COVID-19 infections climbed, taking extra precautions even as cases nationwide continued to ease. Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital of China’s Hebei province that borders Beijing, said mass testing will be done on residents in four major downtown districts and they are required to stay at home for three days from 2pm on Sunday. It reported 25 local COVID cases for Saturday.
29th Aug 2022 - Sydney Morning Herald
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Could Tighten Social Distancing Restrictions If Covid Cases Worsen
Hong Kong health officials said tighter social distancing restrictions could be considered if rising Covid-19 cases increase the pressure on the city’s medical system. The financial hub reported 7,884 new Covid cases Wednesday, the highest number since the end of March and up from fewer than 5,000 a month ago. Increasing hospitalizations have put pressure on the health-care system, prompting hospitals to scale back non-emergency services and spurring the reopening of community isolation facilities. Expanding virus-related restrictions would be seen as a step back for the international city, which has struggled to balance reopening its borders with mainland China’s conservative approach to the virus, known as Covid Zero.
25th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Chinese State Media Defend Covid Zero, Warn Against 'Lying Flat'
China’s state media defended the country’s increasingly costly zero tolerance approach to Covid-19, saying inactivity from “lying flat” would be disastrous, as outbreaks in its tourism hotspots abate. The dynamic Covid Zero method created a safe and stable environment for China’s development and brings greater certainty to the world economy, the State Council-affiliated newspaper Economic Daily said in a column on Thursday. The recent damage to the country’s growth stems from Covid itself, not measures to contain it, the paper said.
25th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Could Tighten Social Distancing Restrictions If Covid Cases Worsen
Hong Kong health officials said tighter social distancing restrictions could be considered if rising Covid-19 cases worsen the pressure on the city’s health system. The city reported 7,884 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday, the highest number since the end of March. Increased hospitalizations have put pressure on the health-care system, prompting hospitals to scale back non-emergency services and the reopening of community isolation facilities. Expanding virus curbs would be seen as a step back for Asia’s financial hub, which has struggled to balance reopening its borders with mainland China and the rest of the world.
25th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Japan to ease COVID-19 border controls from Sept. 7
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced plans to ease border controls from early September by eliminating requirements for pre-departure COVID-19 tests for travelers who have received at least three vaccine doses, and he will also consider increasing daily entry caps as soon as next month. Japan, which has imposed some of the toughest border measures for the coronavirus, currently requires negative PCR test results within 72 hours of departure for all entrants, a practice that has been criticized as cumbersome.
24th Aug 2022 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina reopens the door to foreign students after 2 years of Covid lockouts
Students with valid residence permits will be able to re-enter the country from Wednesday, according to notices at various embassies. Decision only applies to long-term academic study and not to vocational courses
24th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Chinese tourists stranded in Tibet as coronavirus cases in China reach three-month high
The Tibetan local government says more than 4,000 tourists are stranded in the region. The outbreak in the south-west province is spreading across China, inlcuding to Shanghai. Coronavirus cases numbers in China are at a three-month high
24th Aug 2022 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullMarshall Islands Face First COVID-19 Outbreak
Covid-19 infection numbers have recently surged in the Marshall Islands, days after the first detected local spread of the virus. In the capital city of Majuro, total cases have nearly doubled since Friday. Reportedly, approximately 75% of the islands’ rests were returning as positive. Previous stringent COVID-19 restrictions meant that several Pacific islands were able to keep COVID-19 at bay. On Monday, the first local spread was confirmed. The government declared a “state of health disaster”, closing schools and introducing a variety of public health measures.
22nd Aug 2022 - YAHOO!News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Reopens Major Covid Site as Cases Hit Four-Month High
Hong Kong will reopen one of its biggest Covid-19 isolation facilities as case numbers hit the highest in more than four months, putting strain on the hospital system and sparking uncertainty around whether the city can further ease virus policies. Officials will have an additional 200 beds at Asia World Expo starting next week, with 100 health care workers to staff the facility, Lau Ka-hin, chief manager of quality and standards at the Hospital Authority, said at a briefing on Friday. It’s part of a new stage of Covid management to alleviate pressure on the health-care system. Non-emergency services at hospitals will also be further reduced in order to free up beds and manpower, he said.
19th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullQuarantine hotel rush: Hong Kong arrivals hit a high of more than 7,400, but tens of thousands of non-local students set to miss start of school year
Sunday’s figure of 7,428 airport arrivals was a new high in recent months under city’s eased ‘3+4’ travel rule, but this means competition is fierce for quarantine hotels. City records 5,162 new infections on Tuesday, including 272 imported cases and 11 related deaths
16th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullThe end of quarantine? What people should know about the CDC's new Covid-19 guidelines
Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced key changes to its nationwide Covid-19 guidelines. Among them was the end of required quarantine after someone is exposed to a close contact with the coronavirus. The CDC also revised isolation guidance for people infected with Covid-19. With the required quarantine ending, what should people do if they've been exposed? How long should they isolate if they do get infected? What's the rationale for making the changes? And are there exceptions—who should take precautions above and beyond the new recommendations? To guide us through the changes, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
17th Aug 2022 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullMarshall Islands, haven from Covid for two years, gets 3,000 cases in space of weeks
After dodging the Covid-19 pandemic for two years, the Marshall Islands is grappling to control the spread of infections, which have tripled since the first community transmissions were detected a week ago. The number of positive cases in the north Pacific nation, which has a population of about 60,000 people, has skyrocketed to more than 3,000 cases with four Covid-linked deaths and seven hospital admissions. One thousand cases were reported in the capital, Majuro, on Sunday, which was “almost double from the previous day”, said the health secretary, Jack Niethendal.
17th Aug 2022 - The Guardian
China Covid Cases Near Three-Month High With Hainan, Tibet Outbreaks
China reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections for a fourth day as outbreaks flare across the country, raising the prospect of more disruptive restrictions in line with its Covid Zero strategy. Nationwide, there were 2,368 cases for Monday, near the highest level since May. More than half the infections are in the tropical island of Hainan, where an outbreak has stranded more than 150,000 tourists who have faced lockdowns, frequent testing and a dearth of flights.
16th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullIkea Shanghai Lockdown: Panic After China Authorities Try to Quarantine Shoppers
Scenes of mayhem unfolded in an Ikea in Shanghai as health authorities tried to lock down the store on Saturday and quarantine those on site after learning someone who had been in contact with a Covid-19 patient had visited. News of the flash shutdown sent shoppers fleeing and screaming in an effort to get out of the building before the doors were locked, videos on social media showed. Shanghai’s 25 million residents are well versed in lockdowns, after being barred from leaving their homes for two months this spring in an effort to eradicate the virus.
16th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan to ease rules for last four days of arrival COVID-19 protocol
Travelers arriving in Taiwan will face slightly less restrictive protocols on where they can stay starting Sept. 1, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced Monday. After entering Taiwan and remaining in quarantine for the standard three days, travelers will be allowed to spend the four-day "self-initiated epidemic prevention" period on a one person to a room basis, and will not need permission to change locations, the CECC said. At present, arrivals must complete both the three- and four-day periods on a one person per residence basis (if home quarantining) and need to apply for permission from local authorities if they wish to spend the two periods at different locations. (Current quarantine rules)
15th Aug 2022 - Focus Taiwan
China Covid-19 Cases Top 2000 as More Lockdowns Imposed
China reported more than 2,000 local Covid-19 cases on Friday as infections in the southern Hainan island edged higher despite stricter curbs imposed earlier this week. The southern province, a popular tourist destination, reported 1,426 cases. More than 1,230 of them were in the beach resort city of Sanya, where more restrictions were added on Thursday. Hainan’s authorities had aimed to eliminate community transmission by Aug. 12.
15th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullParts of China's Hainan extend COVID lockdown, Lhasa in Tibet tightens curbs
A few cities in China's tourism hub Hainan extended lockdowns on Friday, with some of the measures expected to last through the weekend, while Lhasa in Tibet also tightened restrictions, among the latest curbs to contain COVID clusters in the country. Under the "dynamic COVID zero" policy that aims at quickly stopping each outbreak from spreading, local governments have imposed shorter lockdowns where people were barred from unnecessary movements for a few days or weeks until clusters were contained within narrower areas.
12th Aug 2022 - Reuters
CDC ends recommendations for social distancing and quarantine for Covid-19 control, no longer recommends test-to-stay in schools
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the nation should move away from restrictive measures such as quarantines and social distancing and focus on reducing severe disease from Covid-19. In new guidelines released Thursday, the agency no longer recommends staying at least 6 feet away from other people to reduce the risk of exposure -- a shift from guidance that had been in place since the early days of the pandemic. The shift is a sign of how much has changed since the beginning of the pandemic more than two years ago. Nearly the entire US population has at least some immunity through vaccination, previous infection or, in some cases, both. "The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years," Greta Massetti, who leads the Field Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at the CDC, said Thursday.
12th Aug 2022 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullThailand's hotel-based COVID-19 isolation facilities to be phased out from September
Beginning September 1st, all hotel-based COVID-19 isolation services will be phased out and private and state hospitals will get direct access to supplies of antiviral medication, as the country is transitioning into a post-pandemic period. Prof. Dr. Udom Kachinthorn, chairman of the national reform committee on public health said today (Thursday) that both private and state hospitals can claim refunds from the government for the drugs prescribed to COVID -19 patients. He said that, as COVID-19 is to be re-classified as an “infectious disease under watch”, instead of a “dangerous infectious disease” on October 1st, pharmacies should have access to antiviral drugs as well, pending an announcement to be issued by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), adding that drug stores can dispense the medications to patients, but they need a doctor’s prescription to prevent misuse.
12th Aug 2022 - Thai PBS World
CDC Drops Quarantine Recommendation After Covid-19 Exposure
Federal health officials scaled back guidance for quarantining and testing to screen for Covid-19 in settings including schools, a relaxation of pandemic precautions that reflects higher protection from vaccines, treatments and prior infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday said it no longer recommends that people quarantine after being exposed to the virus, as long as they don’t feel sick, get tested after five days and wear a high-quality mask around others for 10 days. People should still isolate from others for at least five days if they test positive, the CDC said.
11th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Several cities in China add COVID curbs as millions still under lockdown
Several COVID-hit Chinese cities from the country's east to west imposed fresh restrictions and lockdowns on their populations on Thursday to contain flare-ups that are again threatening to disrupt local economies. Reducing people's unnecessary movement for a few days - a softer type of lockdown - as soon as dozens of new cases emerge is a key practice of China's "dynamic COVID-zero" strategy. The aim is to avoid turning efforts to halt an outbreak into the extended nightmares seen in Shanghai and Wuhan
11th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Hong Kong firms, schools urged to provide separate eating spaces for ‘amber code’ holders under eased quarantine rules
Health secretary says restaurant staff can discuss arrangements with bosses while education chief notes schools have basic pandemic guidelines to follow. Respiratory medicine expert warns that allowing those with amber codes into crowded venues may increase the chance of a superspreader event.
10th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina races to contain COVID outbreaks in tourism hubs Tibet, Hainan
China raced on Tuesday to stamp out COVID-19 outbreaks in the tourist hubs of Tibet and Hainan, with the authorities launching more rounds of mass testing and closing venues to contain the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Mainland China reported 828 new domestically transmitted cases across more than a dozen provinces and regions for Aug. 8, with over half of them in Hainan, a highly popular tourist destination, official data showed on Tuesday.
9th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Cuts Covid-19 Quarantine to 3 Days
The city’s government cut the Covid-19 quarantine period for inbound travelers to three days from seven, easing a restriction many saw as excessive but falling short of what businesses say is needed to restore the connectivity vital to its role as Asia’s leading global financial center. From Friday, travelers arriving in Hong Kong will be allowed to leave their quarantine hotels after three days, officials said at a briefing Monday. Over the following four days, they won’t be allowed into places now requiring a vaccine pass, such as gyms, bars and restaurants, but they will be able to go to work, shop at supermarkets and use public transport, provided they test negative for the coronavirus. The city has been caught between sticking to stringent antivirus controls in line with Beijing’s zero-Covid policy and trying to retain its appeal as an open and globally connected base for business.
8th Aug 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
China's Tibet region faces rare COVID flareup, fresh curbs imposed
The Chinese autonomous region of Tibet, which had barely reported COVID patients for more than two years, is facing a spate of new infections, forcing it to impose various restriction in its second largest city. Tibet reported one infection with confirmed symptoms in January 2020, and then remained clear of cases for over 900 days, the best record among Chinese regions and provinces under China's "dynamic zero COVID" policy. Its disclosure of asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately, was less clear.
8th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to Announce Hotel Quarantine Cut as Soon as Monday
Hong Kong may announce a reduction in the amount of time international travelers need to spend in mandatory hotel quarantine as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter, with discussions over the scale of the change still ongoing. While officials had anticipated making an announcement on Friday, it has been pushed back to Monday at the earliest since no firm decision has yet been made on the parameters of the cut, according to one person, who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations.
5th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Resort Town Sanya Is Covid Hotspot, Stranding Summer Vacation Tourists
The Chinese beach resort city of Sanya has become the nation’s latest virus hotspot with more than 100 Covid-19 cases recorded Thursday, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded in one of the country’s most popular summer destinations. The city in the southern province of Hainan -- often called the “Hawaii of China” -- reported 107 new infections since noon Thursday, a sharp jump from the 11 cases found Wednesday, according to CCTV. Authorities partially locked down the city on Thursday, closing indoor venues like karaoke parlors and bars. People in areas categorized as high-risk are banned from leaving their homes or lodgings, while others can only venture out of their compounds once every two days to purchase necessities.
5th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Eastern Chinese export hub Yiwu imposes COVID restrictions
Article reports that the Chinese city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province has suspended some public gatherings and dining at restaurants, closed multiple entertainment venues and locked down some areas to cope with COVID-19 flare-ups, the city government said on Wednesday. In light of the latest COVID-19 infections, city-wide mass testing will be conducted on Aug. 4, Yiwu's health authorities said late on Wednesday. There were 38 new coronavirus cases in Yiwu since Tuesday, of which nine were symptomatic and 29 were asymptomatic, the city's health authorities said.
4th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullEastern Chinese export hub Yiwu imposes COVID restrictions, locks down some areas
The Chinese city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province has suspended some public gatherings and dining at restaurants, closed multiple entertainment venues and locked down some areas to cope with COVID-19 flare-ups, the city government said on Wednesday. In light of the latest COVID-19 infections, city-wide mass testing will be conducted on Aug. 4, Yiwu's health authorities said late on Wednesday. There were 38 new coronavirus cases in Yiwu since Tuesday, of which nine were symptomatic and 29 were asymptomatic, the city's health authorities said.
3rd Aug 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau to reopen city as no COVID infections detected for 9 days
Macau will reopen public services and entertainment facilities, and allow dining-in at restaurants from Tuesday, authorities said, as the world's biggest gambling hub seeks a return to normalcy after finding no COVID-19 cases for nine straight days.
Beauty salons, fitness centres, and bars too will be allowed to resume operations, the government said in a statement on Monday. The announcement came as authorities also reported on Monday that July monthly casino revenues dropped 95% year on year to 0.4 billion patacas ($49.5 million), the lowest on record.
1st Aug 2022 - Reuters
New Zealand's borders fully open after long pandemic closure
New Zealand will welcome all international travellers from July 31. Jacinda Arden says the final stages included welcoming back those on student visas and letting cruise ships and foreign yachts dock in the country. The country imposed some of the world's strictest border controls when COVID-19 first hit
1st Aug 2022 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullSerious self-harm in young people jumped during strict COVID-19 lockdowns - study
Serious self-harm among young people jumped during strict COVID-19 lockdowns, new research shows. The study found that boys needing urgent support from emergency services doubled, and then tripled for children in care. Meanwhile, girls continued to be over-represented in self-harm figures, researchers said. It comes after another study suggested that people living in poverty are more likely to suffer with long COVID. Psychiatrists have called for more funding and development of community mental health services due to the findings, which have been published in the Royal College of Psychiatrists' BJPsych Open
29th Jul 2022 - Sky News
Shanghai's Baoshan district orders lockdown on some steel warehouses
A district in China's financial hub of Shanghai has ordered a three-day lockdown of some of its steel warehouses from July 26 after a residential neighborhood in the district was classified as high risk following the detection of a coronavirus case there. Three out of six warehouses in the Baoshan district that Reuters contacted said they were required to enter a "closed-loop" system with no staff or materials allowed in or out of the warehouses. Operations inside the warehouses, however, are running normally.
29th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid: China places one million under lockdown in city of Wuhan
Nearly one million people in a suburb of Wuhan — China’s central city where the coronavirus was first recorded — have been placed under lockdown following four new infections. Wuhan’s district of Jiangxia, with over 900,000 residents, said its main urban areas must enter a three-day restriction from Wednesday, during which it has banned many large group events and dining at restaurants; closed various public entertainment venues, agricultural product marketplaces and small clinics,; and suspended bus and subway services.
28th Jul 2022 - The Irish Times
China Covid Zero Success in Chongqing Shows Why Xi Keeps Lockdowns
Chongqing has logged just 165 cases of Covid since February 2021, the fourth-lowest of any province -- the manufacturing hub twice the size of Switzerland counts as its own municipality, as do only Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The city hasn’t seen a major lockdown since early 2020, even as Beijing and Shanghai stay on high alert and more than 28 million people are living under citywide restrictions as of Monday, according to Bloomberg’s Lockdown Tracker. Thus, tourists continue to flock to Chongqing, to soak in its shimmering skyline, spicy hot pot and history as China’s capital during World War Two. And the city isn’t unique. Across China, many cities are business as usual, as the ruling Communist Party’s border curbs, mass testing drives and lockdowns stop the virus from a cross-country spread -- the nation of almost 1.4 billion reported 521 local cases for Wednesday.
28th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullWuhan Locks Down 1 Million Residents in Echo of Pandemic’s Start
A district on the outskirts of Wuhan has been locked down, the first time the Chinese city that saw the world’s first Covid-19 lockdown has imposed such a measure since 2020, underscoring how far the country is from post-pandemic normalcy. More than two years since the city was sealed off to contain what was then a mysterious pneumonia, almost 1 million residents of Wuhan’s Jiangxia district have been told to stay in their homes and not go out unless necessary. All public transport has been stopped and entertainment venues shut for three days after four asymptomatic cases were found in the district on Tuesday.
27th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Shanghai's Baoshan district orders Covid-19 lockdown on some steel warehouses
A district in China's financial hub of Shanghai has ordered a three-day lockdown of some of its steel warehouses from July 26 after a residential neighbourhood in the district was classified as high risk following the detection of a coronavirus case there. Three out of six warehouses in the Baoshan district that Reuters contacted said they were required to enter a "closed-loop" system with no staff or materials allowed in or out of the warehouses. Operations inside the warehouses, however, are running normally. "It's like quarantine, we are not allowed to leave the warehouses. Steel can't be transported in or out, but we still work and we have food stored in advance," a worker at one of the warehouses in Baoshan district told Reuters, who did not identify himself as he was not authorised to speak to the press.
27th Jul 2022 - The Straits Times
Austria ends COVID-19 quarantine for those with no symptoms
People infected with COVID-19 will no longer have to quarantine themselves in Austria if they don't exhibit any symptoms, the country's health minister announced Tuesday.
27th Jul 2022 - Business Standard
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullHow COVID-19 lockdown measures — and their outcomes — varied in cities around the world
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese cities have repeatedly imposed lockdowns following their central government’s stubborn pursuit of Zero-COVID. But lockdowns weren’t limited to authoritarian regimes such as China. Many democracies also imposed some form of lockdowns to curb the virus transmission.
How effective were they? Was it worth it? And who was the most adversely affected? These are meaningful questions to reflect on, especially as drastic COVID-19 measures have been lifted as the severity of the virus’s impact has waned.
26th Jul 2022 - The Conversation Indonesia
Isolation facilities for covid-19: towards a person centred approach
Chuan De Foo and colleagues argue that isolation facilities have the potential to interrupt the transmission of infectious agents, particularly in the earlier stages of infectious disease outbreaks, but they must deliver person centred care. Two years into the covid-19 pandemic, footage from isolation centres in Shanghai showing unrest have raised questions about the safety, utility, and appropriate use of such facilities
26th Jul 2022 - The BMJ
China Covid Cases Rise as Shenzhen Flare Up Ensnares BYD, Huawei
China’s Covid-19 infections rebounded, with an increase in cases in the south threatening the operations of industry giants including BYD Co. and Huawei Technologies Co. Nationwide, cases were 868 for Monday, CCTV reported, up from 680 a day earlier. Attention is shifting to the southern manufacturing hub of Shenzhen, where 19 local cases were detected and authorities have ordered some of China’s biggest firms to operate within a “closed loop” system for seven days, raising concerns about disruptions to global supply chains. The city government asked its 100 biggest companies, including iPhone maker Foxconn and oil producer Cnooc Ltd. to restrict operations only to employees living within a closed loop or bubble, with little to no contact with people beyond their plants or offices.
26th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullH.K. to Cut Hotel Quarantine With Health Code, Report Says
Hong Kong plans to cut hotel quarantine for arrivals with the introduction of a two-color health code system, local media reported on Monday. The government is considering moving to five days of hotel quarantine, after which arrivals will be issued with a so-called yellow health code for two days that would prohibit them from entering high-risk areas where masks can be removed. Another option under consideration is four days of hotel isolation followed by three days of yellow code restrictions, according to Sing Tao, which cited a person it didn’t identify. Hong Kong currently requires seven-day quarantine for arrivals. Separately, the South China Morning Post said authorities could even shorten the hotel quarantine to three days as they put the finishing touches to the China-style health code.
25th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina considers further easing Covid quarantine rules
China is considering a further reduction in its quarantine requirements to lessen the economic impact of strict Covid-19 controls. The announcement came on the heels of promises by Premier Li Keqiang this week that China would continue to refine its Covid-19 response with more targeted measures in terms of visa access and testing policies as well as allowing more international flights to China.
Wang Liping, an infectious diseases expert with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told a media briefing on Thursday that the centre is constantly looking to improve its epidemic control playbook.
23rd Jul 2022 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's top Covid official denies authorities are easing controls
Some moves by Beijing in recent weeks - including shorter quarantine requirements for inbound travellers and allowing more international flights - have raised hopes that the country will move away from its zero-Covid approach. But Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said: "The latest Covid-19 control playbook is not about relaxing rules, but about precision, which requires greater efforts to grasp prevention and close loopholes." Speaking on a visit to Hebei province earlier this week, she warned officials they need to act swiftly to stop outbreaks spreading in the run up to the Communist Party congress, the country's main political event of the year.
21st Jul 2022 - ฺBangkok Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina braced for renewed lockdowns as Omicron subvariant spreads
China is at risk of more frequent lockdowns and mass testing as officials struggle to contain the spread of the highly transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant despite the damage pandemic restrictions have already wrought on the world’s second-biggest economy. Forty-one Chinese cities are under full or partial lockdowns or district-based controls, covering 264mn people in regions that account for about 18.7 per cent of the country’s economic activity, according to an analysis released on Monday by Japanese investment bank Nomura.
20th Jul 2022 - Financial Times
Authorities in south China city apologise over COVID-19 break-ins
Authorities in southern China have apologised for breaking into the homes of people who had been taken to a quarantine hotel in the latest example of heavy-handed virus-prevention measures that have sparked a rare public backlash. State media said that officers had forced their way into 84 homes in an apartment complex in Guangzhou city’s Liwan district in an effort to find any “close contacts” hiding inside and disinfect the rooms. The front doors were later sealed and new locks installed, according to the Global Times tabloid. The Liwan district government apologised on Monday for such “oversimplified and violent” behaviour, the paper said. An investigation has been launched and “relevant people” will be severely punished, it added. China’s leadership has maintained its “zero-COVID” strategy despite the disruption to the lives of residents who are subjected to regular testing and quarantines, and mounting economic costs.
20th Jul 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullAustralia reinstates COVID quarantine pay amid fresh Omicron wave
Australia will reinstate support payments for casual workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday, as a fresh wave of Omicron-driven infections sweeps the country.
16th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai Continues to Lock Down Areas Even as Cases Stabilize
Shanghai’s latest Covid-19 outbreak appears to be stabilizing, with most new cases already in government-mandated quarantine, but authorities are taking no chances, still locking down areas of the city and housing compounds as infections arise. The financial center recorded 45 infections for Thursday, down from 47 on Wednesday. While daily cases have jumped from single digits last week, they are no longer rising precipitously, and all the latest cases were already in isolation.
16th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Macau Extends City-Wide Lockdown Amid Struggle to Contain Covid
Macau will extend a city-wide shutdown as the gaming hub struggles to contain its worst ever Covid-19 outbreak, prolonging the plight of casinos which are burning through millions of dollars every day and earning no revenue. All non-essential businesses are required to remain close through July 22, authorities said in a statement Saturday, extending measures that began July 11 and were initially due to last a week. The government will allocate another 10 billion patacas ($1.24 billion) to fund alleviation programs for those affected by the outbreak, it said in a separate statement. Macau reported 31 infections for Saturday, suggesting the lockdown wasn’t enough to stop local transmission.
16th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullAnalysis: China makes tweaks, but tough COVID policy still drags on economy,
China has been tweaking its stringent COVID curbs but shows no sign of backing off from its "dynamic zero" policy, and has lagged in vaccination efforts that would enable it to do so, casting a heavy shadow over the world's second-largest economy. The absence of a roadmap out of zero-COVID and expectations that it will persist well into 2023 leaves residents and businesses facing a prolonged period of uncertainty.
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai sweats over small, but stubborn COVID outbreak already hampering economy
Anxiety levels rose along with temperatures in Shanghai on Wednesday, as medical workers sweated beneath their hazmat suits while administering compulsory mass testing for COVID-19 in a city that recently emerged from a painful two-month lockdown. China's commercial hub is battling an outbreak that has seen dozens of new infections recorded daily for the past week, and though the numbers are relatively low it has unnerved many among the city's 25 million people, after their ordeal in April and May.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau starts lockdown, as HK mulls health code app
Macau casino shares yesterday plunged as the Chinese territory embarked on a week-long lockdown to curb its worst COVID-19 outbreak, while neighboring Hong Kong said it was mulling a mainland-style health code system. Share prices of six gaming conglomerates — Sands China, Galaxy Entertainment, SJM Holdings, Melco International, MGM China and Wynn Macau — fell by between 6 and nearly 9 percent in yesterday morning trade. It is the first casino lockdown in more than two years, overriding a previous deal between the industry and the Macau government that only those found with infections would need to close temporarily.
12th Jul 2022 - The Taipei Times
China Covid News: Anger in Shanghai on Fears of New Lockdown
Tension is spreading through Shanghai as residents watch the Covid-19 caseload tick higher, fueling fears they’re headed back into lockdown little more than five weeks after exiting a bruising two-month ordeal. The city reported 59 new infections for Monday, the fourth day in a row case numbers have held above 50. The sharp rise from single digits about a week ago follows the detection of the more contagious BA.5 sub-strain of the omicron variant, which has triggered two additional rounds of mass testing between Tuesday and Thursday this week across nine of the financial hub’s 16 districts, as well as other areas where cases have been found.
12th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
H.K. May Loosen Quarantine by November, Health Chief Tells SCMP
“Is nothing required any more? I think that would be a bit tough,” Lo said in the interview. “At least PCR testing is needed. But does quarantine have to be confined to a fixed location?” He floated a scenario where arrivals could be subject to PCR testing and prohibited from attending high-risk venues like bars. The city is also planning a China-like health code system to manage social distancing. A yellow code will allow people to go to work but prohibit them from high-risk places like aged-care homes or venues where masks are removed.
12th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau Shuts All Casinos as City's Worst Outbreak Widens
Macau will shut almost all business premises including casinos for a week from Monday as a Covid-19 outbreak in the gambling hub showed few signs of abating.
Essential services such as water and gas utilities as well as businesses including supermarkets, pharmacies and hotels will remain open, according to a government announcement Saturday. The measures, which follow multiple rounds of mass testing, return the enclave to its toughest pandemic restrictions. Macau announced on Sunday that it recorded 93 new cases the day before, bringing the total number of infections in the latest outbreak starting June 18 to 1,467.
11th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Hong Kong mulls movement restrictions as COVID cases rise
Hong Kong authorities are considering implementing a health code system in the city that would restrict the movements of those infected with the coronavirus and overseas arrivals, as infections rise again. The system is similar to that of mainland China, in which a red code completely restricts a person’s movement, a yellow code is for partial restriction, while a green code means freedom of movement. The colors would appear on Hong Kong’s risk-exposure app LeaveHomeSafe. Hong Kong’s health chief said Monday that if such a system is implemented, real-name registration would be required and those who test positive for COVID-19 would be given a red code “to identify those who have been infected” and prevent them from interacting with the community. Authorities are also considering reducing the current seven-day hotel quarantine for incoming travelers, and moving part of it to home isolation and health monitoring.
11th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau Shuts Casinos as City Enters Weeklong Lockdown
The gambling enclave of Macau will enter a citywide lockdown early Monday, as authorities seek to contain a spiraling Covid-19 outbreak. Aside from essential services such as supermarkets, healthcare facilities and restaurants selling takeaway, all other businesses have been ordered to shut for a week, with residents required to stay at home. City officials urged the public not to panic-buy food, asking people to make purchases at staggered times to enable social distancing in queues. The order, issued Saturday by the territory’s chief executive, Ho Iat-seng, comes as Macau struggles to contain an outbreak that had already shuttered venues such as cinemas, salons and swimming pools. The Chinese gambling hub has recorded hundreds of cases in recent weeks, its worst-ever outbreak after keeping to China’s zero-Covid strategy for most of the pandemic.
10th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai back on alert as China battles COVID outbreaks
Millions of people in Shanghai queued for a third day of mass COVID-19 testing on Thursday as authorities in several Chinese cities scrambled to stamp out new outbreaks that have rekindled worries about growth in the world's second-largest economy. Unless local officials succeed in preventing the virus from spreading, they could be compelled to invoke prolonged, major restrictions on residents' movement, under China's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong's Hotel Quarantine System Buckles Under China Demand
The non-resident rule has also prompted Chinese travelers to use Hong Kong as a gateway to the mainland, where international flight connections are scarce as President Xi Jinping tries to shut out the virus. Monthly mainland Chinese arrivals at Hong Kong airport jumped nearly 11,000% between April and June to 30,222 -- accounting for one-third of airport passengers last month. In that environment, travelers are struggling to book quarantine rooms, scalpers are entering the market and properties have raised their own prices. Foreign business chambers last month told the Liaison Office, Beijing’s main body overseeing Hong Kong, the city must end quarantine to remain a finance hub, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.
7th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Fresh COVID-19 Outbreaks Put Millions Under Lockdown in China
Article reports that tens of millions of people were under lockdown across China on Wednesday and businesses in a major tourist city were forced to close as fresh COVID-19 clusters sparked fears of wider restrictions. Chinese health authorities have reported more than 300 infections in the historic northern city of Xian, home to the Terracotta Army, with new clusters found in Shanghai, Beijing and elsewhere.
The outbreaks and official response have dashed hopes that China would move away from the strict virus curbs seen earlier this year, when its hardline zero-COVID policy saw tens of millions forced to stay home for weeks.
6th Jul 2022 - Voice of America
Macau locks down landmark Lisboa hotel after COVID cases found
Macau has locked down one of the city's most famous hotels, the Grand Lisboa, after more than a dozen COVID-19 cases were found there on Tuesday, with infections spreading rapidly in the world's biggest gambling hub. At least 16 other buildings across the special Chinese administrative region are also under restrictions with no one allowed to exit or enter.
Authorities reported 146 new infections on Wednesday taking the total to more than 1,000 cases since mid-June. More than 14,000 people are in quarantine as the city battles to contain its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began. Macau had largely been COVID-free since an outbreak in October 2021.
6th Jul 2022 - The Star
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Covid News: Shanghai Cases Rise, Fueling Lockdown Fears
Shanghai reported the most virus infections since late May, fueling concerns China’s financial hub may look to ramp up restrictions to curb transmission. The city announced 54 local Covid infections for Wednesday, including two that were found outside of quarantine, with the latter raising concerns that the virus could be quietly spreading through communities. Shanghai has already increased its mass testing, with with 10 districts and parts of two others -- out of the financial hub’s total of 16 -- conducting two PCR tests over a three-day period. Elsewhere, Beijing announced four cases. Authorities said Wednesday that they had detected the highly infectious BA.5.2 subvariant in the capital.
7th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau locks down landmark Lisboa hotel after COVID cases found
Macau has locked down one of the city's most famous hotels, the Grand Lisboa, after more than a dozen COVID-19 cases were found there on Tuesday, with infections spreading rapidly in the world's biggest gambling hub. At least 16 other buildings across the special Chinese administrative region are also locked down with no one allowed to exit or enter. The authorities have placed more than 13,000 people under quarantine orders as the city battles to contain its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong considers shorter COVID quarantine for travellers -Lee
Hong Kong will look into shortening COVID-19 quarantine requirements for travellers, while still aiming to curb the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, the city's new leader John Lee said on Tuesday. Lee spoke at his first weekly news conference as the city's chief executive after being sworn in on Friday by China's President Xi Jinping following celebrations marking 25 years since the former British colony's return to Chinese rule.
5th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Imposes Fresh Restrictions as Covid-19 Cases Rise
China is imposing fresh restrictions in some eastern cities as Covid-19 cases have spiked to near their highest levels in more than a month. The country recorded 380 locally transmitted coronavirus cases on Sunday, China’s National Health Commission reported on Monday. Two thirds of Monday’s cases came from the eastern province of Anhui, the commission said. The bulk of those cases stem from a growing cluster in Si County, a busy transit hub of 760,000 residents located in Anhui, according to state-run media, citing local government officials. Coronavirus case counts in China have jumped almost 10-fold in less than a week. On June 29, China had recorded 39 such cases. By Saturday, nationwide locally transmitted cases had jumped to 385, the biggest tally since May 25.
4th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Covid Outbreaks Widen With More Cases Found in Anhui
China’s virus cases continued to climb over the weekend with hundreds of infections detected in Anhui province, where two counties were already in lockdown. Anhui, the center of the latest outbreak, reported 287 cases for Sunday. A lockdown was imposed in Lingbi county in northeastern Anhui from Friday afternoon, while the neighboring Si county conducted its sixth mass testing on Sunday. While China seems to have brought earlier outbreaks in mega cities Shanghai and Beijing under control, its Covid-Zero goal is facing a test again in its eastern provinces. Shanghai’s neighboring Jiangsu province reported 59 cases on Saturday, while the city of Wuxi found 35 infections on Sunday.
4th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID restrictions ease in Shanghai as case numbers drop
Shanghai is moving to allow in-person dining and reopening its Disney Resort theme park as domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 in China’s largest city remain at zero following a more than two-month lockdown. Chinese officials hail their hardline “zero-COVID” policy for stemming the growth of cases and deaths from the virus, despite the enormous cost to the Chinese economy and international supply chains reliant on China’s manufacturing and shipping abilities that have been thrown askew. China has repeatedly defended the policy and indications are it will maintain “zero-COVID” at least through the spring of 2023, when President Xi Jinping is expected to be installed for a third five-year term as head of the world’s second-largest economy and a rising competitor to the United States in the Indo-Pacific region. In remarks carried by the official Xinhua News Agency, Xi on Wednesday said China’s policies against the virus have “protected people’s lives and health to the greatest extent.”
30th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Quarantine Cut Just First Step in Ending Global Isolation
China cut in half the length of time inbound travelers must spend in quarantine, making it easier for citizens to return and foreign companies to tend to business in the world’s second-largest economy after two-and-a-half years of isolation. Experts on topics from economics to health to business welcomed the move, though they said the reduction to 10 days of quarantine, from as long as three weeks previously, was just a first step toward reintegrating with the world. Health leaders in China said it wasn’t a major policy change, but a subtle adjustment as the virus itself continues to mutate.
30th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Searches for overseas flights surge after China shortens quarantine
Online searches for air tickets on international routes with China surged after Beijing unexpectedly said it would slash COVID-19 quarantine norms, travel platforms said on Wednesday, a sign of pent-up demand after two years of tough curbs.
30th Jun 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com
China removes indication of travel through COVID-hit cities on mobile app
A state-mandated Chinese mobile app that shows whether or not an individual has travelled in a city with COVID-affected areas will no longer specify such travel history, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Wednesday. The asterisk mark indicating an individual has travelled in a city with COVID-19 cases will no longer appear on the app as part of efforts to make domestic travel more convenient, the ministry said.
29th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina reduces quarantine for people arriving from abroad
China on Tuesday announced an easing of its quarantine requirement for people arriving from abroad but stopped short of lifting what remains a stringent COVID-19 policy compared to most other countries. Anyone coming from outside the country will be required to stay in a quarantine hotel for seven days, followed by three days of home quarantine, the National Health Commission said in its latest pandemic response plan. The previous plan called for 14 days in a hotel plus seven days of home quarantine. Some cities, including Beijing, have already reduced the hotel requirement to seven or 10 days in recent weeks, according to Chinese media reports. China has kept tight restrictions on international travel under a “zero-COVID” strategy that seeks to keep the virus out and stop any infections from spreading through lockdowns and mass testing.
28th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai’s Covid Lockdown Legacy: Confusion, Despair, Departure
Elizabeth Liu began to sob at the dinner table one evening in late March. She had just returned from the daily Covid-19 test that was the only time her family could leave their 10th-floor Shanghai apartment. That was when Mrs. Liu realized that the mental toll of living under China’s zero-Covid policies had become unbearable. It was also when she and her Singaporean husband agreed that by year’s end, they would leave the city where they’d met and which is the only home their four children—aged two to 12—have known. “It had just been building, this sense of anxiety and stress,” said the 39-year-old Texan, who moved to China in 2005 and Shanghai two years later. “It got to the point where I just thought: I want to get on a plane and I don’t care who comes with me.”
25th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau extends COVID shutdown of city, casinos stay open
Macau extended its COVID-19 restrictions including the closure of bars, cinemas, hair salons and outdoor parks from Thursday, its chief executive said as the world's biggest gambling hub battles to curb a rise in locally transmitted cases. Casinos are allowed to remain open while theatres, fitness centres, and leisure facilities must halt operations from 5 p.m. local time on Thursday, Ho Iat Seng said in a statement on the government's website.
23rd Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullMacau hotel locked down after COVID case, 700 people to be quarantined-media
A hotel and casino resort in the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau was locked down by authorities with 700 people inside on Tuesday due to a coronavirus infection outbreak on the property, local broadcaster TDM reported. The lockdown comes as the Chinese special administrative region carries out a two-day mass testing of its more than 600,000 population after dozens of locally transmitted coronavirus cases were discovered over the weekend.
21st Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Covid News: Shanghai Testing Blitz Shows Cases Contained
Shanghai’s weekend Covid-testing blitz found the virus seemingly contained, after a spike in cases last week had fanned concern the city would be plunged back into lockdown. The financial hub added 2 local cases on Monday, both outside government-mandated quarantine centers. The city reported 13 Covid cases on Sunday and nine on Saturday, with just one case each of the two days outside the quarantine sites. It was the first weekend of a mass-testing drive designed to stamp out the virus after community cases rose in the days after the city emerged from a punishing two-month lockdown.
20th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai surprise: How I survived 70 days confinement in the world's strictest Covid lockdown
When I left a Covid-ravaged Hong Kong, I was in search of a sanctuary. It was early March and the city was in the throes of the biggest coronavirus outbreak per capita in the world. Little could I have known as I boarded the plane that my cunning escape plan would take me from the frying pan into the fire; that as I landed in Shanghai I would be swapping the world's biggest outbreak for the "world's strictest lockdown" -- and 70 days of enforced confinement. Still less could I have foreseen that, after serving three weeks of government-mandated quarantine on arrival, my housing compound would be hermetically sealed for a further 49 days straight, or that my mom and I would catch Covid, or that I would be carted off for a further spell of isolation at one of the government's notorious "fangcang" camps.
18th Jun 2022 - CNN
China turns Winter Olympics villages into quarantine camps to stamp out new COVID-19 outbreaks, report says
Villages that housed athletes at the Beijing Winter Games being used as COVID-19 quarantine camps. Hundreds have been sent to Olympic villages after an outbreak in Beijing's entertainment district. Olympic villages offer ideal infrastructure for quarantine, the Financial Times reported.
18th Jun 2022 - Business Insider on MSN.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing declares initial COVID victory as bar-linked surge eases
The city of Beijing on Thursday declared an initial victory in its latest battle with COVID-19 after testing millions of people and quarantining thousands in the past week to stem an outbreak prolonged by a sudden wave of cases linked to a bar.
The flare-up at the popular Heaven Supermarket Bar known for its cheap liquor and rowdy nights emerged just days after the Chinese capital started to lift widespread curbs. Restrictions had been in place for around a month in Beijing to tackle a broader outbreak that began in late April. The surge since June 9 is very modest by global standards, with a total of 351 cases found so far, but reflects how challenging it is, with the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, for China to make a success out of its strategy of stamping out each cluster of cases as soon as it materialises. "After eight days of hard fighting and the concerted efforts of Beijing residents in the battle, the swift and decisive measures have shown their effect," Beijing city government spokesperson Xu Hejian said.
16th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Covid Cases Top 1000 as Home Isolation Tweaked Again
Hong Kong reported more than 1,000 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest in two months, with the rise in infections spurring officials to continue to tighten rules around who can isolate at home. There were 971 new local infections, including many among school children, their families and patrons of nightlife venues, Department of Health official Albert Au said at the daily virus briefing. Another 76 infections were detected among travelers who recently entered the city, bringing the total to 1,047 -- the highest since April 14.
16th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Beijing in 'race against time' to contain COVID surge
Authorities in China's capital warned on Tuesday that a COVID-19 surge in cases linked to a 24-hour bar was critical and the city of 22 million was in a "race against time" to get to grips with its most serious outbreak since the pandemic began. The flare-up means millions of people are facing mandatory testing and thousands are under targeted lockdowns, just days after the city started to lift widespread curbs that had run for more than a month to tackle a broader outbreak since late April
15th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Parts of Beijing placed under lockdown after spike in Omicron cases
Beijing has locked down parts of the city as it once again struggles to contain the Omicron COVID variant, with 74 new cases registered in the last 24-hour period. In Sanlitun, a popular shopping and nightlife area in the Chinese capital, all bars have been shut and restaurants have moved to takeaway only, while 123 non-essential stores have also been closed. Around the city, various residential neighbourhoods have been sealed off following the detection of cases, with those testing positive being taken away to quarantine centres. Chaoyang district, Beijing's biggest region and where Sanlitun is located, will continue to conduct daily mass testing of its 3.5 million residents until Wednesday at least.
14th Jun 2022 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullThousands of Queenslanders in the dark over COVID-19 hotel quarantine fee waivers
As of this month, Queensland Health has issued 84,463 invoices for hotel quarantine. 21,401 people had applied for a quarantine fee waiver, and so far 4,639 have been approved in part or in full. The remaining 16,762 people are either still having their applications processed or considered — or they've been rejected
13th Jun 2022 - ABC News
Beijing tests millions, isolates thousands over COVID cluster at 24-hour bar
Authorities in China's capital Beijing on Monday raced to contain a COVID-19 outbreak traced to a raucous 24-hour bar known for cheap liquor and big crowds, with millions facing mandatory testing and thousands under targeted lockdowns. The outbreak of nearly 200 cases linked to the city centre Heaven Supermarket Bar, which had just reopened as curbs in Beijing eased last week, highlights how hard it will be for China to make a success of its "zero COVID" policy as much of the rest of the world opts to learn how to live with the virus.
13th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid Flares Again in Shanghai, Putting Areas Back in Lockdown
Shanghai will lock down seven city districts this weekend to mass test millions of people as Covid-19 cases continue to emerge in the community, risking more disruption for residents and businesses that have just exited a grueling two-month shutdown. Authorities said late Thursday they would lock down the Pudong, Huangpu, Jing’an, Xuhui, Hongkou, Baoshan and Minhang districts of Shanghai, with residents to be tested for the virus -- a key tool in China’s Covid Zero arsenal. It comes after infections found in the community rebounded to six on Thursday, from zero the day before.
10th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Another district in Beijing shuts entertainment venues to contain COVID outbreak
China's capital city of Beijing shut down entertainment venues in its Dongcheng district from Thursday in an effort to contain a new outbreak of COVID-19, the state-backed Beijing Daily said late on Thursday. The move came after Beijing's largest district, Chaoyang, also ordered entertainment venues and internet cafes to shut from 2 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Thursday.
9th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullAfter lockdown, Shanghai tries to mend fences with foreign firms
Shanghai officials are seeking to revive confidence among multinational companies bruised and frustrated by the city's COVID-19 lockdown by holding multiple meetings with foreign firms and easing a key border requirement for overseas workers. The image of China's most cosmopolitan city and its biggest business hub was badly damaged by the two-month lockdown, with countless expatriates relocating and foreign businesses warning that they are reconsidering investment plans.
8th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing, Shanghai Reopenings Speed Up: China Lockdown Tracker
China’s worst Covid-19 outbreak is ending, with cases continuing to fall, all major cities loosening restrictions and daily life mostly returning to normal. Infections are trending down nationwide, thanks to the ebbing outbreaks in Shanghai and Beijing. Of China’s top 50 cities by economic size, none currently have widespread restrictions in place. Tianjin hasn’t reported any local cases for the past 3 days and most public transport has resumed, while Beijing is resuming dine-in services and reopening parks and entertainment venues.
8th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing Cautiously Reopens After Covid-19 Wave
China’s capital took tentative steps toward reopening on Monday as much of Beijing lifted restrictions on dining in restaurants and many workers returned to their offices. But new flare-ups of Covid-19 clusters around the country and fresh lockdowns in parts of Shanghai continued to pose major risks for China’s economy.
For more than a month, Beijing health authorities imposed increasingly stringent measures on the city’s businesses and residents’ personal movements in a bid to stamp out the Chinese capital’s worst Covid-19 outbreak since the early days of the pandemic. City officials say those efforts are working as new daily infections have dipped to around a dozen cases or fewer in recent days, following weeks of mass testing of much of the city’s more than 20 million residents. By allowing restaurants, gyms and other businesses to reopen, Beijing authorities are signaling that they believe they have managed to control the latest outbreak without having to resort to the sorts of harsh lockdown measures experienced recently in Shanghai and elsewhere.
6th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullS.Korea to lift quarantine requirement for non-vaccinated foreign arrivals
South Korea's prime minister on Friday said the country will lift its quarantine requirement for foreign arrivals without vaccination from June 8 and also start lifting aviation regulations imposed for international flights. However, the government will maintain the requirement of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result prior to entry and a PCR test within 72 hours after arrival.
3rd Jun 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai neighborhoods return to lockdown a day after restrictions eased
Multiple neighborhoods in Shanghai were placed back under lockdown only a day after city-wide restrictions were lifted, as China's stringent zero-Covid strategy continues to haunt the financial hub. Shanghai lifted its two-month lockdown on Wednesday, allowing most of its 25 million residents to leave their communities. But nearly 2 million people were still confined to their homes in areas designated as "high risk" by the government. At a news conference Thursday, Shanghai officials said seven new Covid cases were detected in the city's Jing'an and Pudong districts, resulting in four neighborhoods being swiftly sealed off and designated as "medium-risk areas" -- meaning residents will be confined to their homes for 14 days. Their 26 close contacts and 106 secondary contacts had been placed in government quarantine, and more than 470,000 people had been tested, according to officials.
3rd Jun 2022 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing Says Outbreak Under Control as City Eases Curbs
China’s capital Beijing will loosen mobility curbs in several districts from Sunday after authorities said its outbreak is under control, while total case numbers in the financial hub of Shanghai continued to decline. Most public transportation services including buses, subways and taxis will resume in three districts including Chaoyang, according to Xu Hejian, a spokesman for the Beijing city government. Shopping centers outside of controlled areas in the city will also be allowed to reopen with capacity limits on the number of people. Chaoyang is home to Beijing’s central business district, most foreign embassies and expatriates.
1st Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Shanghai moves toward ending 2-month COVID-19 lockdown
Shanghai authorities say they will take major steps Wednesday toward reopening China's largest city after a two-month COVID-19 lockdown that has set back the national economy and largely confined millions of people to their homes. Already, a steady stream of people strolled in the Bund, the city's historic waterfront park, on a pleasant Tuesday night, some taking selfies against the bright lights of the Pudong financial district on the other side of the river. Elsewhere, people gathered outside to eat and drink under the watch of police deployed to discourage large crowds from forming. Lu Kexin, a high school senior visiting the Bund for the first time since late March, said she went crazy being trapped at home for so long. “I’m very happy, extremely happy, all the way, too happy," she said. “I could die."
1st Jun 2022 - Yahoo Finance
Israel to cancel quarantine for coronavirus patients?
Professor Salman Zarka, Israel's coronavirus czar, estimates that quarantine for coronavirus-positive individuals will be canceled. Speaking to reporters, Prof. Zarka estimated that in the middle of June, those testing positive for COVID-19 will no longer need to quarantine. Though both the infection coefficient and the percent positive have held relatively steady since mid-April, Prof. Zarka also claimed that the fifth wave of the virus is continuing to slow down
31st May 2022 - Arutz Sheva
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai declares lockdown end from June 1 after two months
Shanghai on Monday announced an end to its two-month long COVID-19 lockdown, allowing the vast majority of people in China's largest city to leave their homes and drive their cars from Wednesday. The news brought an outpouring of relief, joy and some wariness from exhausted residents. "I'm so emotional that I'm going to cry," said one Weibo user. Most of the city's 25 million residents have been confined to their homes for almost all of the lockdown which began on April 1, with curbs only slightly relaxing in recent weeks to allow some to go out for short periods of time.
30th May 2022 - Reuters
N. Korea moves to soften curbs amid doubts over COVID counts
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials discussed revising stringent anti-epidemic restrictions during a meeting Sunday, state media reported, as they maintained a widely disputed claim that the country’s first COVID-19 outbreak is slowing. The discussion at the North’s Politburo meeting suggests it will soon relax a set of draconian curbs imposed after its admission of the omicron outbreak this month out of concern about its food and economic situations. Kim and other Politburo members “made a positive evaluation of the pandemic situation being controlled and improved across the country,” the official Korean Central News Agency said.
29th May 2022 - Reuters
Beijing, Shanghai ease COVID restrictions as outbreaks fade
Shoppers returned to the malls of Beijing on Sunday as the Chinese capital relaxed pandemic restrictions after declaring a small but persistent COVID-19 outbreak effectively under control. A partial reopening of stores and offices in Beijing was welcomed by a weary populace and struggling shopkeepers eager for life to return to normal. Coupled with a gradual easing of restrictions in Shanghai, it signaled that the worst is over in the twin outbreaks in China’s most prominent cities. The lockdowns and other restrictions under China’s “zero-COVID” strategy have increasingly frustrated residents as they see other countries ease up and re-open their borders. Some have resisted and staged protests at apartment complexes and university dormitories, in an authoritarian country where people think twice about speaking out publicly because of possible repercussions.
29th May 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing Says Outbreak Under Control as City Eases Movement Curbs
China’s capital Beijing will loosen mobility curbs in several districts from Sunday after authorities said its outbreak is under control, while total case numbers in the financial hub of Shanghai continued to decline. Most public transportation services including buses, subways and taxis will resume in three districts including Chaoyang, according to Xu Hejian, a spokesman for the Beijing city government. Shopping centers outside of controlled areas in the city will also be allowed to reopen with capacity limits on the number of people. Chaoyang is home to Beijing’s central business district, most foreign embassies and expatriates.
29th May 2022 - Bloomberg
Shanghai takes baby steps towards ending COVID lockdown
Shanghai took more gradual steps on Friday towards lifting its COVID-19 lockdown while Beijing was investigating cases where its strict curbs were affecting other medical treatments as China soldiered on with its uneven exit from restrictions. The financial hub and the capital have been hot spots, with a harsh two-month lockdown to arrest a coronavirus spike in Shanghai and tight movement restrictions to stamp out a small but stubborn outbreak in Beijing.
28th May 2022 - Reuters.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-hit Shanghai heads for lockdown exit but China still lost in economic gloom
Pandemic-hit Shanghai, China's financial hub, unveiled more post-lockdown plans on Thursday as it moves towards a return to normalcy, but a nationwide economic recovery is still a distance away, heightening a sense of urgency for more support.
China's biggest city by economic output has suffered from the lockdown imposed in early April. Other cities not under lockdown but still hemmed in by COVID curbs, including Beijing, have also struggled, with the highly transmissible Omicron provoking stronger responses from health authorities this year.
26th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullTightening COVID net, Beijing issues punishments and stark warnings
China's COVID-hit capital Beijing further tightened its dragnet on the virus with zero community transmission the target, punishing workplaces that flout rules or circumvent curbs and imploring residents to police their own movements. Since late April, the city of 22 million has wrestled with dozens of new cases a day. While these have been mostly in quarantine areas, a handful have been found in the community at large, illustrating the challenge the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant poses even to the world's most stringent pandemic containment policies. With Shanghai, China's business and commercial hub, and numerous other giant cities also shackled by partial lockdowns or other curbs, the zero-COVID approach remains the government's focus despite the damage it has done to the world's second-biggest economy and global supply chains.
25th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullU.S. CDC recommends re-isolation if COVID recurs after taking Pfizer's pill
Patients who experience recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms after completing treatment with Pfizer's drug Paxlovid should isolate again for five days, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an advisory issued on Tuesday. Dozens of individuals have reported rebounding COVID symptoms on social media or to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after taking Paxlovid, but Pfizer suggests the experience is rare. A recent rise in COVID cases has driven up use of therapeutics in the country
24th May 2022 - Reuters
Beijing ramps up COVID quarantines, Shanghai residents decry uneven rules
Beijing stepped up quarantine efforts to end its month-old COVID outbreak as fresh signs of frustration emerged in Shanghai, where some bemoaned unfair curbs with the city of 25 million preparing to lift a prolonged lockdown in just over a week. Even as China's drastic attempts to eradicate COVID entirely - its "zero-COVID" approach - bite into prospects for the world's second-biggest economy, new reported infection numbers remain well below levels seen in many Western cities. The capital reported 48 new cases for Monday among its population of 22 million, with Shanghai reporting fewer than 500.
24th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai makes way towards COVID lockdown exit, Beijing plays defence
Shanghai cautiously pushed ahead on Saturday with plans to restore part of its transport network in a major step towards exiting a weeks-long COVID-19 lockdown, while Beijing kept up its defences in an outbreak that has persisted for a month. Shanghai's lockdown since the beginning of April has dealt a heavy economic blow to China's most populous city, stirred debate over the sustainability of the nation's zero-COVID policy and stoked fears of future lockdowns and disruptions.
23rd May 2022 - Reuters
China Covid Lockdowns: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai Rules Still Widespread
Beijing and Tianjin continue to ramp up Covid restrictions as cases climb, while reopening in Shanghai looks to be taking place in fits and starts, with most people still unable to move about freely. The emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant has spurred increasingly stringent pandemic curbs in China since March, in some cases snap lockdowns that carried heavy costs for the local population and economy. The pattern of transmission and restrictions across the country could offer insight into what regions may be vulnerable to disruption in the days ahead.
Nationwide, overall cases are trending down. Of China’s top 50 cities by economic size, only Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai currently have widespread restrictions in place.
23rd May 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai reopens some public transport, still on high COVID alert
Shanghai reopened a small part of the world's longest subway system on Sunday after some lines had been closed for almost two months, as the city paves the way for a more complete lifting of its painful COVID-19 lockdown next week. With most residents not allowed to leave their homes and restrictions tightening in parts of China's most populous city, commuters early on Sunday needed strong reasons to travel. Shanghai's lockdown and curbs in other cities have battered consumption, industrial output and other sectors of the Chinese economy in recent months, prompting pledges of support from policymakers
22nd May 2022 - Reuters
Beijing ramps up local COVID-19 lockdowns as Shanghai slowly starts to move again
Authorities in Beijing are ramping up COVID-19 restrictions, while some residents of Shanghai said they were able to leave their apartments on brief trips outside on Friday. Much of Chaoyang district in the eastern part of the Chinese capital was under lockdown on Friday, while 100 subway stations and 24 administrative districts in Fangshan district were locked down after 10 positive PCR tests among college students there. The Beijing municipal health commission reported 64 newly discovered local cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, of which 10 were students at the Beijing Institute of Technology's Fangshan campus. While the authorities haven't declared a lockdown, parts of the city are indeed in a locked-down state, a Fangshan resident surnamed Zhang told RFA.
21st May 2022 - Radio Free Asia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Finds First Covid Cases Outside Quarantine in Six Days
Shanghai found the first cases of Covid-19 outside of quarantine in six days, raising questions about whether the easing of the city’s lockdown will be impacted.
Total infections in Shanghai rose to 858 on Thursday from 719 on Wednesday, with three of the cases found outside of government quarantine. Authorities started to ease the lockdown -- which had confined residents to their homes and curtailed business activity -- earlier this week after the city hit a milestone of three days of zero community transmission. However, many restrictions remain in place and swaths of the city’s population are still largely stuck inside their compounds.
20th May 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2022
View this newsletter in full'Huge' pressure for Shanghai to stay COVID-free as lockdown end nears
Shanghai health authorities warn of risks of COVID rebound. Some migrant workers looking to leave Shanghai. Goldman cuts China GDP forecast, warns of further slip
E-commerce giant JD.com says consumers losing
18th May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai residents leverage Excel skills, management savvy to navigate lockdown
Li Di, a senior executive with a global bank, knew he had to help when he was admitted to the Nanhui quarantine site in April, after testing positive for COVID, and was confronted by chaos. "There were only 120 to 150 staff to take care of 10,000 patients. The staff literally had their hands full," said Li. Li set up a team of more than a dozen volunteers to arrange meals, distribute various supplies and help elderly patients who were struggling with various quarantine centre requirements.
18th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai’s Covid-19 Case Count Drops as City Prepares to Reopen
Shanghai marked a third straight day with no community transmissions of Covid-19, a key milestone toward ending an outbreak that has brought China’s financial capital to a grinding halt. Shanghai on Tuesday reported 777 new locally transmitted cases from a day earlier, compared with more than 25,000 daily infections at the height of the outbreak in mid-April. All the infections were found among 910,000 people in isolation facilities or confined at home—a sign that, for now, the virus’s ability to spread more widely in the city of 25 million people has been curtailed.
17th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Factbox: COVID-hit Chinese cities seek exit from painful lockdown
Plans by COVID-hit Chinese cities to exit or avoid lockdown are more fraught and uncertain than ever as the pursuit of zero cases grows more prolonged, taxing and complex, with the highly infectious Omicron variant demanding quicker and tougher steps. The lockdowns have led the World Health Organization chief to describe China's zero-COVID goal as unsustainable, but China says its approach will protect the lives of its people and economy in the longer run.
17th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai says lockdown to ease as virus spread mostly ends
Most of Shanghai has stopped the spread of the coronavirus in the community and fewer than 1 million people remain under strict lockdown, authorities said Monday, as the city moves toward reopening and economic data showed the gloomy impact of China’s “zero-COVID” policy. Vice Mayor Zong Ming said 15 out of Shanghai’s 16 districts had eliminated virus transmission among those not already in quarantine. “The epidemic in our city is under effective control. Prevention measures have achieved incremental success,” Zong said at a news briefing.
16th May 2022 - Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullNorth Korea reports more deaths, says taking 'swift measures' against COVID outbreak
North Korea said on Sunday a total of 42 people had died as the country began its fourth day under a nationwide lockdown aimed at stopping the impoverished country's first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak.
15th May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai aims to defeat COVID over next week as Beijing hunkers down
Locked-down Shanghai aims to ringfence its COVID outbreak over the next week, officials said on Friday, while residents in China's capital Beijing largely heeded the advice of authorities to work from home to stem the virus' spread. Easing weeks of punishing restrictions in the commercial hub would bring relief to China's battered economy, although there is growing concern that Beijing may yet take a similar course of action if it fails to get a nascent outbreak under control. Shanghai's deputy mayor, Wu Qing, said the city of 25 million aims to eliminate COVID outside of quarantined zones within the next week or so. After that, the city's lockdown will be "lifted in batches", with shops opened and traffic restictions eased, he said in the announcement which confirmed a Reuters story from Sunday
13th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullNorth Korea 'isolates and treats' 187,000 people for fever after reporting its first Covid-19 cases
North Korea has treated 187,000 people for fever after the country reported its first Covid cases. The state-run news agency KCNA said 'up to 187,800 people are being isolated and treated' and six people who were sick with fever had died, including one who tested positive for the Omicron variant. The report added: 'A fever whose cause couldn't be identified explosively spread nationwide from late April.' North Korea on Thursday confirmed its first-ever case of Covid-19, with state media calling it a 'severe national emergency incident' after more than two years of keeping the pandemic at bay. KCNA said samples taken from patients sick with fever in Pyongyang on Sunday were 'consistent with' the virus' highly transmissible Omicron variant. The country's top officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, held a crisis politburo meeting to discuss the outbreak and announced they would implement a 'maximum emergency' virus control system.
13th May 2022 - Daily Mail
North Korea confirms 1st COVID outbreak, Kim orders lockdown
North Korea imposed a nationwide lockdown Thursday to control its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak after holding for more than two years to a widely doubted claim of a perfect record keeping out the virus that has spread to nearly every place in the world. The outbreak forced leader Kim Jong Un to wear a mask in public, likely for the first time since the start of the pandemic, but the scale of transmissions inside North Korea wasn’t immediately known. A failure to slow infections could have serious consequences because the country has a poor health care system and its 26 million people are believed to be mostly unvaccinated. Some experts say North Korea, by its rare admission of an outbreak, may be seeking outside aid.
12th May 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Covid Spread Damps Prospect of Easing China Lockdown Curbs
Shanghai continued to find Covid-19 cases in the community Wednesday, damping prospects for an easing of a punishing lockdown that has hampered business activity and confined millions of people to their homes for more than a month. Shanghai reported a total of 1,449 new Covid cases for Wednesday, down slightly from 1,487 on Tuesday. While the daily total has steadily fallen, two cases were found in the community Wednesday, CCTV reported, after none were detected on Tuesday. Shanghai officials have said that three days of zero community transmission is required before they can start to ease restrictions.
12th May 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai's Covid Lockdown Leaves Thousands Sleeping in Its Streets
Shanghai’s lockdown has kept tens of millions of residents trapped indoors for a month and a half. Thousands of others in China’s wealthiest city have found themselves in the opposite predicament: living in the street. Victims of the same strict Covid-19 rules that are keeping most residents homebound, many of the newly homeless are migrant laborers from rural areas and smaller cities who often live hand-to-mouth while sharing an apartment with other workers. For many, the companies they work for have closed down in the lockdown, including boarding up worker dormitories. Some have chosen to join the tens of thousands who zip around Shanghai on bikes or scooters for food-delivery platforms like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s Ele.me and Meituan’s namesake service. But with the income comes the stigma of a higher Covid risk. While the Shanghai government has granted special lockdown exemption for food-delivery workers, residential compounds have their own rules barring them from returning to their apartments for fear they will bring the virus back with them.
11th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
COVID-19: Beijing closes down businesses as millions told to work from home - but government in China avoids calling it a lockdown
In Beijing, schools, gyms, hairdressers, parks, restaurants and bars are shut, millions have been told to work from home, but do not call it a lockdown. The Beijing government zealously avoids the term. Instead, the phrase currently in favour is jing mo, "stay silent". And the city, especially Chaoyang, Beijing's biggest district, is indeed very quiet, with much fewer cars on the streets. And because everything is shut, life is fairly boring. Getting a PCR test - you need a negative one within the last 48 hours to enter supermarkets, or your district may have been told do to mass testing - is one of the more interesting things to do.
10th May 2022 - Sky News
Luxury brands navigate Shanghai's lockdown to keep VIPs pampered
Since the COVID-19 containment began on April 1 in Shanghai, closing stores and paralysing online shopping, brands have overcome attendant delivery difficulties to gift provisions to "very important clients" (VICs). Many companies have delivered provisions to employees. For the more wealthy, banks and high-end hotels have joined luxury brands in sending out goodies - a privilege not unnoticed on social media.
10th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai tightens lockdown to hit zero-COVID goal by late May
Shanghai is tightening its already strict COVID-19 lockdown in a fresh push to eliminate infections outside quarantined areas of China's biggest city by late this month, people familiar with the matter said. Curbs will likely vary across the city's 16 districts as some have already hit the target, but the people said movement curbs will generally remain until the end of May due to fears of a rebound, despite recently falling case numbers in the country's worst coronavirus outbreak.
9th May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing Residents Keep Faith With Government’s Zero-Covid Strategy
BEIJING—For weeks, Beijing has teetered on the edge of a hard, Covid-induced lockdown. For the most part, citizens are unruffled, confident that the restrictions that have paralyzed Shanghai for six weeks are simply unthinkable in the capital.
8th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Shanghai tightens lockdown to hit zero-COVID goal by late May
Shanghai is tightening its already strict COVID-19 lockdown in a fresh push to eliminate infections outside quarantined areas of China's biggest city by late this month, people familiar with the matter said. Curbs will likely vary across the city's 16 districts as some have already hit the target, but the people said movement curbs will generally remain until the end of May due to fears of a rebound, despite recently falling case numbers in the country's worst coronavirus outbreak. Accounts from residents in several districts as well as social media posts showed the government of the city of 25 million accelerating and expanding an effort to transfer the close contacts of positive cases to central quarantines centres.
8th May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai's life-saving efforts against the current omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
In late February, 2022, a wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection rapidly appeared in Shanghai, China. According to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, as of May 4, 2022, 601 942 cases have been identified, including 547 056 asymptomatic carriers. 503 people have died with or from COVID-19. Phylogenetic features of SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes from 129 patients in this period, and inferring their relationship with those available on the GISAID database, indicated that all of the new viral genomes in Shanghai were clustered into the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2 sub-lineage. Of note, BA.2 is a sub-lineage of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.159). Multiple sub-lineages of BA.2 have been characterised, many of which appear to show distinct regional distribution patterns.
7th May 2022 - The Lancet
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullIn Covid-19 Battle, Taiwan Finds Alternative to Chinese-Style Lockdowns
Two of the last governments on earth to stick with zero-Covid policy are separated by only 100 miles of water. As both contend with Omicron outbreaks, the distance between their approaches to the virus is expanding rapidly. In China, government authorities have imposed full or partial lockdowns on dozens of cities, home to hundreds of millions of people, in a frantic bid to suffocate multiplying infection clusters. In Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing claims just off the coast of China’s Fujian province, the government has responded to its own Omicron outbreak by phasing out contact-tracing, reducing quarantine times and rolling out a campaign to soothe public concerns about the virus.
5th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing Halts Public Transport As China Continues To Fight Covid
Dozens of metro stations and bus routes in Beijing have been shut down as COVID continues to spread and millions of residents in Shanghai still remain under strict lockdown even after more than a month. China's capital city Beijing has shut more than 40 subway stations, about a tenth of the network, and 158 bus routes, service providers said. Most of the suspended stations and routes are in the Chaoyang district, the epicentre of Beijing's outbreak, reported The Express Tribune. Beijing is also resorting to mass testing. Twelve out of 16 Beijing districts were conducting the second of three rounds of tests this week, having done three mass screenings last week.
4th May 2022 - NDTV
Beijing reopens mass isolation centre in fight against Covid
Beijing has reopened a mass isolation centre as authorities seek to contain an outbreak of Covid-19 in the city. The Xiaotangshan Fangcai hospital, which holds at least 1,200 beds and testing facilities, was first opened during the 2003 Sars epidemic, and used again in early 2020 to treat Covid patients. Its reopening signals a ramp up in efforts by China’s capital to manage the rising number of cases without going into a city-wide lockdown. On Wednesday, China reported 5,489 cases, including 353 symptomatic. Most (4,982) were in Shanghai, which has been under a weeks-long lockdown sparking widespread complaints and protests over food shortages and overzealous enforcement. Beijing reported 46 symptomatic cases and five asymptomatic on Wednesday, bringing the city’s total since the start of its Omicron outbreak to about 400.
4th May 2022 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Covid News: Shanghai Lockdown End Delayed by Community Cases
Shanghai’s final exit from a punishing five-week lockdown is being delayed by Covid-19 infections persistently appearing in the community, despite China’s hardline strategy of isolating all positive cases and their close contacts. While total cases in the financial hub keep falling -- 4,982 infections were reported for Tuesday, down from 5,669 on Monday -- community spread remains stubbornly present. After briefly hitting zero late last week, the count has bounced back to more than 50 a day this month. Shanghai authorities have indicated the lockdown will only be lifted once community transmission reaches zero -- the same path taken in Jilin province in the northeast, where a lockdown gradually started to ease once there was no more community transmission.
4th May 2022 - Bloomberg
Serbia lifts COVID-19 entry restrictions – EURACTIV.com
Serbia will lift all pandemic-related entry restrictions for all travellers from Tuesday, the government has announced. Travellers will no longer be required to present a negative PCR, rapid antigen test, proof they had COVID-19, or a vaccination certificate when entering the country from Tuesday (3 May), the government’s statement reads.
3rd May 2022 - EURACTIV
Central Chinese city of Zhengzhou imposes new COVID movement curbs for May 4-10
The central Chinese city of Zhengzhou announced on Tuesday it would impose new COVID-related movement curbs for May 4-10. Schools in the main city district will go online, while employees with government organisations and companies in the area must work from home during that period, according to a statement on the city's official WeChat account. The new measures would be subject to adjustment after May 10, in accordance with the COVID-19 outbreak situation, the notice said.
3rd May 2022 - Reuters
Taiwan cuts COVID quarantine for arrivals even as cases rise
Taiwan announced on Tuesday it was cutting to seven days from 10 mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, its latest relaxation of the rules to try to live with COVID-19 and resume normal life even as the number of domestic infections spikes. Taiwan has kept its quarantine rules in place as large parts of the rest of Asia have relaxed or lifted them completely, though it had already reduced the time spent in isolation from two weeks to 10 days in March.
3rd May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd May 2022
View this newsletter in fullTaiwan calls China's COVID lockdowns 'cruel', says won't follow its steps
China's lockdowns to control the spread of COVID-19 are "cruel" and Taiwan will not follow suit, Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Sunday. Having controlled the pandemic with tough border controls and quarantines, Taiwan has been dealing with a surge in domestic infections since the start of this year, with some 75,000 infections driven by the Omicron variant. But with more than 99% of those having mild or no symptoms, a handful of deaths so far and high vaccination levels, the government has moved to ease restrictions as it seeks normalcy and to gradually reopen the island of 23 million people to the outside world
1st May 2022 - Reuters
As Beijing tightens COVID curbs, hard-hit Shanghai sees signs of life
The Chinese capital Beijing tightened COVID restrictions on Sunday as it battled an outbreak, while Shanghai let more of its 25 million residents venture out for light and air after reporting a second day of zero infections outside of quarantine areas.
The outbreak in Shanghai, which began in March, has been China's worst since the early months of the pandemic in 2020. Hundreds of thousands have been infected and the city has forbidden residents from leaving their homes, to great public anger.
1st May 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 contacts to receive fewer free tests during '3+4' quarantine
People in Taiwan listed as contacts of confirmed COVID-19 patients will now be given three free rapid tests, instead of five, during their seven-day isolation and self-initiated epidemic prevention period, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday. Under the CECC's new "3+4" quarantine policy that took effect Tuesday, contacts of COVID-19 cases were being given five free rapid tests by the government during their three days of home quarantine and four days of "self-initiated epidemic prevention."
28th Apr 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullFinancial lobby group urges Shanghai to ease COVID rules for staff stuck in offices
A leading lobby group for global financial services firms has urged Shanghai authorities to let hundreds of exhausted staff go home after a month-long strict COVID-19 lockdown that has kept them in office buildings. The Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) in a letter dated April 26 urged the authorities to let financial firms rotate staff who need to work from offices.
27th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Beijing enforces lockdowns, expands COVID-19 mass testing
Police and new fencing restricted who could leave a locked-down area in Beijing on Tuesday as authorities in the Chinese capital stepped up efforts to prevent a major COVID-19 outbreak like the one that has all but shut down the city of Shanghai. People lined up for throat swabs across much of Beijing as mass testing was expanded to 11 of the city’s 16 districts. Another 22 cases were found in the last 24 hours, Beijing health officials said at a late afternoon news conference, bringing the total to 92 since the outbreak was discovered five days ago. That is tiny in comparison to Shanghai, where the number of cases has topped 500,000 and at least 190 people have died. No deaths have been reported from the still-nascent outbreak in Beijing.
27th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullAnger Erupts at Xi's 'Big White' Army of Lockdown Enforcers
“Being a big supporter of authority and power seems to be deeply rooted in some residents’ mindsets,” said Liu, who has been locked down in his compound since April 1. “There are not many people who question authority, or the very validity of the Covid-Zero policy.” Big White describes the brigades of police, medical workers and volunteers in white hazmat suits who have become ubiquitous throughout the pandemic. China’s state media has used the term since the virus emerged in 2020 in Wuhan to soften their image: The moniker is the same as the local name for Baymax, the gentle inflatable robot in the movie “Big Hero 6.”
26th Apr 2022 - Bloomberg
China expands Covid testing to almost all of Beijing’s 22 million residents
Beijing has swiftly expanded its Covid-19 mass testing from one district this week to most of the city of nearly 22 million, adding to expectations of an imminent lockdown similar to Shanghai’s. The Chinese capital began testing the residents of its most populous district, Chaoyang, on Monday. By the end of the day, even though only a fraction of the results had come out, the city decided to conduct tests on 10 other districts and one economic development zone by Saturday.
26th Apr 2022 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai's COVID lockdown drags into 4th week, fears flicker Beijing could be next
Shanghai fences up COVID-hit areas, fuelling fresh outcry By Investing.com UKShanghai further tightens Covid restrictions after weeks of strict lockdownThe GuardianNerves Fray, Frustration Grows in Shanghai's Lockdown PurgatoryU.S. News & World ReportNerves fray, frustration grows in Shanghai's COVID-19 lockdown purgatoryCNAView Full coverage on Google News
25th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Beijing locks down some areas as COVID-19 cases mount
Beijing will conduct mass testing of most of its 21 million people, authorities announced Monday, as a new COVID-19 outbreak sparked stockpiling of food by residents worried about the possibility of a Shanghai-style lockdown. The Chinese capital began mass testing people in one of its 16 districts where most of the new cases have been found. The city also imposed lockdowns on individual residential buildings and one section of the city. Late in the day, health officials said the testing would be expanded Tuesday to all but five outlying districts. While only 70 cases have been found since the outbreak surfaced Friday, authorities have rolled out strict measures under China’s “zero-COVID” approach to try to prevent a further spread of the virus. Some residents worked from home and many stocked up on food as a safeguard against the possibility that they could be confined indoors, as has happened in multiple cities, including the financial hub of Shanghai.
25th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai tightens city’s lockdown in ‘societal zero-Covid’ pursuit
Shanghai added 17,629 new cases in the previous 24 hours, 4.7 per cent fewer than a day earlier, according to data released on Friday. Symptomatic cases fell 26.7 per cent to 1,931, in the biggest one-day decline since March 1, while 11 patients died
23rd Apr 2022 - South China Morning Post
Shanghai Covid Cases Bounce Back as Strict Lockdown Persists
Shanghai reported higher Covid-19 cases and deaths on Friday, following five straight daily declines, as the city vows to step up lockdown enforcement to stamp out community spread in China’s worst virus outbreak. There were 23,370 new local infections reported in the financial hub Friday, compared with 17,629 cases the day before, the Shanghai Health Commission said Saturday morning. The city is entering its fourth week of strict lockdown since April 1, while people living in the eastern part or neighborhoods with earlier reported cases have been confined to their apartments for even longer. Frustration among residents has been building due to lack of access to food or medical care, moldy government rations, and the location of quarantine centers.
23rd Apr 2022 - Bloomberg
COVID rules are winding back, but some Australians are still locking down
Cities around Australia are again heaving with life. Masks are off, vaccine mandates are being wound back, capacity limits are a thing of the past and close contact rules are at their most relaxed for more than two years. "I think it's fantastic for everyone that can partake in it and feels comfortable to do so," said Victorian man Stephen Feitsma. "I wish I could, that we could do the same." Mr Feitsma spoke to the ABC from his home on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula, where he has spent almost all of his time for the last two years in a bid to avoid being exposed to COVID-19.
22nd Apr 2022 - ABC News
Thailand ends mandatory quarantine for vaccinated visitors
Visitors to Thailand who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will no longer need to undergo any test or quarantine on arrival starting May 1, a measure the authorities hope will help rejuvenate the country’s lucrative tourism industry. “Many countries have already eased their restrictions,” Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday. “We are a country that relies on the tourism industry, especially during these times. This will help move the economy forward.” Under the new rules announced by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, unvaccinated travelers will still have to provide proof of negative results from a RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. All visitors still must register with an online “Thailand Pass” system and provide proof of health insurance with coverage of at least $10,000 for COVID-19 treatment.
22nd Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai people 'not free to fly' out of homes as COVID cases tick back up
Shanghai authorities said on Thursday tough restrictions would remain in place for now even in districts which managed to cut COVID-19 transmission to zero, prolonging the agony for many residents who have been stuck at home for most of this month. That sober assessment, prompted by an unexpected rise in the number of cases outside quarantined areas, came after health officials earlier in the week had fuelled hopes of some return to normal by saying that trends in recent days showed Shanghai had "effectively curbed transmissions". At a regular press conference, an official from the Chongming district, an outlying island area, said most curbs would be kept in place, although it has reported zero cases outside quarantined areas and 90% of its 640,000-or-so residents were now in theory allowed to leave their homes.
21st Apr 2022 - Reuters
Cambodia cuts quarantine for unvaccinated visitors to 7 days
Cambodia on Thursday reduced the required quarantine period from two weeks to one for arriving travelers who are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, acting after recording consistently low numbers of new infections in recent days. The Health Ministry also said that travelers arriving by air who have not been fully vaccinated must take a rapid antigen test on the last day of their quarantine. Arrivals by land -- mostly Cambodian workers in neighboring countries -- are required to take rapid antigen tests on arrival as well as on the last day of quarantine. Cambodia had already opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers on Nov. 15 in an effort to revitalize its tourism-reliant economy.
21st Apr 2022 - Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullClose contacts of COVID-19 cases in NSW no longer required to isolate at home for seven days
The NSW government has scrapped the requirement for close contacts of COVID-19 cases to isolate at home for seven days. Those deemed a close contact of a positive case will have to undertake a daily rapid antigen test and wear a face mask in indoor settings. Close contacts are urged to work from home where possible and will have to notify their employer that they are a close contact and stay away from hospitals and aged care settings.
20th Apr 2022 - ABC.Net.au
Sharp fall in people fully self-isolating since Covid-19 rules scrapped
The proportion of people who fully self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 has fallen sharply since the rules were scrapped in England at the end of February, a new survey suggests. Just over half (53%) of people questioned said they had followed the full advice for self-isolating, down from four in five (80%) in February when isolation was a legal requirement. The survey was carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between March 17 and 26, nearly a month since the Government removed all rules for self-isolation in England on February 24.
20th Apr 2022 - The Independent
Shanghai hopes COVID tide turning, with fewer cases outside quarantine areas
China's commercial capital of Shanghai reported no new COVID-19 infections outside quarantine areas in two districts on Wednesday, fanning hopes that the tide is turning in its pandemic battle, as some factories began to return to work. State media trumpeted the resumption of production by electric car company Tesla Inc at its Shanghai plant, after a halt of more than three weeks. The U.S. carmaker was on a list of 666 firms the Chinese government said last week would get priority to reopen, or keep operations running, in Shanghai.
20th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Shanghai confirms seven coronavirus deaths of latest outbreak as strict lockdown continues
Seven people infected with coronavirus in Shanghai have died, the first new deaths during the city's current outbreak. The deaths come after roughly 26 million people were placed under extremely strict lockdown restrictions for several weeks. All of those who died are reported to have been elderly and with underlying health conditions. People are banned from leaving their homes and are relying on the government to deliver food, with small-scale protests breaking out as some people have been unable to get enough. Police in hazmat suits were seen dispersing people protesting against the city's harsh COVID rules last week.
19th Apr 2022 - Sky News
NSW to end COVID-19 household isolation rules
NSW and Victoria will end isolation requirements for household contacts of COVID-positive people by this weekend as both states pass the peak of the latest Omicron wave. The removal of one of the last major remaining pandemic restrictions means people who live with positive coronavirus cases will no longer need to isolate at home for seven days.
19th Apr 2022 - Sydney Morning Herald
South Korea lifts most COVID precautions as new cases dip to two-month low
South Korea lifted almost all of its COVID-19 precautions on Monday in a major step towards a return to normal life as the Omicron variant recedes and daily infections retreated to a more than two-month low of fewer than 50,000. A midnight curfew on restaurants and other businesses was scrapped, along with a cap of 10 people allowed to gather. From next week, people will be allowed to eat snacks in cinemas and other indoor public facilities such as stadiums. People are still required to wear masks, however, with the government planning to review whether to lift a rule for masks outdoors in two weeks
19th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai urges cooperation with COVID tests amid rising scepticism
The Chinese city of Shanghai on Tuesday pleaded for public cooperation with a massive new push to test most of the population for COVID-19 as it tries to bring community transmission down to zero after nearly three weeks of lockdown. The plea came as some people refused to join PCR testing queues out of weariness after weeks of such requirements, or fear it puts them at greater risk of infection.
Residents shared stories on social media about busloads of people being taken from their homes and sent into quarantine, including babies and the elderly.
19th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-shaming pits neighbour against neighbour in locked-down Shanghai
The tensions of lockdown have exposed divisions among Shanghai residents, pitting young against old, locals against outsiders, and above all, COVID-negative against COVID-positive people. Shanghai's 25 million people, most of whom live in apartment blocks, have forged new communal bonds during the city's coronavirus outbreak, through barter and group buying and setting up food-sharing stations. But with no end in sight to a lockdown that for some has lasted four weeks, frustrations are also mounting behind the shuttered gates of the city's tower blocks, often playing out within WeChat message groups
18th Apr 2022 - Reuters
China Covid-19 Lockdowns Spread Beyond Shanghai to Other Cities
Localized Covid-19 lockdowns are proliferating across China, suggesting Shanghai’s struggle to contain the virus might be the prelude to a broader battle that threatens to hobble the world’s second-largest economy. Chinese health authorities on Thursday reported more than 29,000 new infections, the highest daily tally since the pandemic began in the central city of Wuhan more than two years ago. Strict measures appear to be working in China’s far Northeast, where local officials are declaring victory following an extended lockdown. Yet localized lockdowns are being newly imposed, expanded or extended elsewhere in the country, including the northern industrial city of Taiyuan, and the southern megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
15th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Hong Kong confirms it will ease COVID restrictions from April 21
Hong Kong confirmed on Thursday it will ease some of the world's most stringent COVID-19 restrictions, allowing beauty parlours, cinemas and gyms to reopen from April 21 as infections in the global financial hub hover below 2,000 per day. The Chinese-ruled city has been hit by a fifth wave of coronavirus since early this year that has battered business and led to more than 8,600 deaths, many in the past two months, although cases have dropped in recent days. Coronavirus restrictions have battered businesss and helped fuel a net outflow of around 70,000 people in February and March, up from nearly 17,000 in December, raising concerns over the city's status as a global financial centre
15th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina Flirts With Shorter Quarantines for Overseas Arrivals Amid Shanghai Covid Outbreak
China is moving tentatively forward with a plan to test shortened quarantines for international arrivals as it seeks to gradually open up and ease the economic damage wrought by strict Covid-19 control policies, even as the country’s financial capital struggles to contain a major outbreak. International travelers arriving in eight pilot cities will be subject to 10 days of quarantine in a designated facility, followed by seven days of self monitoring at home, according to a copy of a document issued by China’s cabinet, the State Council, that has circulated widely on Chinese social media and was verified by people who have seen the original.
14th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Shanghai releases more from virus observation amid lockdown
Shanghai released 6,000 more people from the central facilities where they were under medical observation to guard against the coronavirus, the government said Wednesday, though the lockdown of most of China’s largest city was continuing in its third week. About 6.6 million people in the city of 25 million were allowed to leave their homes Tuesday, but some were restricted to their own neighborhoods. Some housing compounds also appeared to still be keeping residents locked inside, and no further lifting of restrictions was apparent Wednesday. Officials warn that Shanghai still doesn’t have its latest surge in cases of the omicron variant under control, despite its “zero-tolerance” approach that has seen some residents confined to their homes for three weeks or longer.
13th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai tweaks lockdown rules amid COVID-19 surge
Shanghai has eased a punishing citywide lockdown that it imposed to break a surge in cases that is the biggest test of China’s two-year strategy to stamp out the disease wherever it appears. Authorities in Shanghai introduced the three-tier disease control system on Monday, allowing residents in areas where no cases have been reported for 14 days to leave their homes so long as they follow health protocols and remain in their sub-district.
12th Apr 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullDebate over COVID-19 close contact isolation as Australia faces peak of Omicron BA.2 wave
As Australia moves into winter, changes to restrictions are up for discussion as governments try to strike the balance between living with COVID-19 and protecting the community. Advice from the Commonwealth's peak chief public health panel, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), has suggested close contact isolation should come to an end soon. Most jurisdictions have issued exemptions for close contacts in critical workforces to ensure essential services can continue, but some are now questioning the need for asymptomatic close contacts to spend a week in isolation.
11th Apr 2022 - ABC.Net.au
Shanghai eases lockdown in some areas despite record COVID infections
China's financial centre of Shanghai started easing its lockdown in some areas on Monday despite reporting a record of more than 25,000 new COVID-19 infections, as authorities sought to get the city moving again after more than two weeks. Pressure has been mounting on authorities in China's most populous city, and one of its wealthiest, from residents growing increasingly frustrated as the curbs dragged on, leaving some struggling to find enough food and medicine. City officials announced on Monday morning that they were grouping residential units into three risk categories as a step towards allowing "appropriate activity" by those in neighbourhoods with no positive cases during a two-week stretch, adding that district authorities would publish further details.
11th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Guangzhou closes to most arrivals as China’s outbreak grows
The manufacturing hub of Guangzhou closed itself to most arrivals Monday as China battles a major COVID-19 surge in its big eastern cities.Shanghai has taken the brunt of the rise, with another 26,087 cases announced on Monday, only 914 of which showed symptoms. The city of 26 million is under a tight lockdown, with many residents confined to their homes for up to three weeks and concerns growing over the effect on the economy of China’s largest city. The financial hub has seen international events canceled because of the crackdown, and local football club Shanghai Port has been forced to withdraw from the Asian Champions League because travel restrictions prevented it from attending games in Thailand.
11th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai seeks to reassure residents over COVID-hit supplies
Shanghai reported nearly 25,000 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday and sought to assure locked-down residents of China's most populous city that supply bottlenecks affecting availability of food and other items would ease. Streets remained largely silent in the city of 26 million people as curbs under its "zero tolerance" policy allow only healthcare workers, volunteers, delivery personnel or those with special permission to move freely.
10th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai, in Lockdown, Struggles to Feed Itself
A citywide Covid-19 lockdown in China’s financial capital of Shanghai has badly disrupted food supplies, causing a wave of anxiety as residents ration dwindling stores of vegetables and staples. Covid-test requirements for truckers entering Shanghai have caused delays in the delivery of foods and other commodities. Within the city, many food delivery workers have been confined to their homes or choose not to work for fear of catching the virus, leaving fewer people to distribute food once it makes it into the city. Dai Yuanyuan, a 33-year-old Shanghai resident who has been locked down in her apartment for more than three weeks, said she was running low on groceries from two government-organized deliveries. She has cut her egg consumption down from a few a day to just one. “I’m not sure if I can last for longer than five more days,” Ms. Dai said. Local authorities have banned private deliveries because they fear infected drivers might spread the virus in her residential compound, she said.
8th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in full'COVID is not a cold' - Germany U-turns on ending mandatory isolation
Germany will not end mandatory isolation for most people who catch COVID-19, the health minister said on Wednesday, reversing course after concerns were raised that lifting quarantine restrictions would suggest the pandemic was over. "Coronavirus is not a cold. That is why there must continue to be isolation after an infection," Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Twitter, adding he had made a mistake by suggesting an end to mandatory quarantine.
6th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Whole of Shanghai enters COVID lockdown despite lower symptomatic cases
Chinese authorities on Tuesday extended a lockdown in Shanghai to cover all of the financial centre's 26 million people, despite growing anger over quarantine rules in the city, where latest results show only 268 symptomatic daily COVID-19 cases. In a major test of China's zero-tolerance strategy to eliminate the novel coronavirus, the government widened the lockdown to eastern parts of the city and extended until further notice restrictions in western districts, which had been due to expire on Tuesday. The broader lockdown came after testing saw asymptomatic COVID-19 cases surge to more than 13,000. Symptomatic cases fell on Monday to 268, from 425 the previous day
6th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullCiting decreasing COVID cases, South Africa ends emergency
With declining cases of COVID-19, South Africa on Tuesday ended its national state of disaster, the legal framework used for two years to impose restrictions to combat the pandemic. South African sports fans can now return to stadiums in large numbers to watch soccer, rugby and cricket matches. Sports venues can take up to 50% of capacity with people who show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test done within 72 hours. Most restrictions will be lifted, but people will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces. International travelers must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test done within 72 hours. “While the pandemic is not over, and while the virus remains among us, these conditions no longer require that we remain in a national state of disaster,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a nationally televised speech Monday night. “Going forward, the pandemic will be managed in terms of the national health act.”
6th Apr 2022 - The Associated Press
Queensland's COVID-19 vaccination mandate for cafes, pubs and clubs set to ease
A mandate preventing people unvaccinated against COVID-19 from visiting many public venues in Queensland will be eased from next Thursday. People will no longer need to prove they have had two doses of a vaccine before heading into cafes, pubs and clubs from 1:00am on April 14. This also includes theme parks, casinos, cinemas, weddings, showgrounds, stadiums, galleries, libraries and museums.
5th Apr 2022 - ABC.Net.au
Shanghai lockdown deepens after new surge in asymptomatic COVID cases
Chinese authorities on Tuesday extended a lockdown in Shanghai to cover all of the financial centre's 26 million people, despite growing anger over quarantine rules in the city, where latest results show only 268 symptomatic daily COVID-19 cases. In a major test of China's zero-tolerance strategy to eliminate the novel coronavirus, the government widened the lockdown to eastern parts of the city and extended until further notice restrictions in western districts, which had been due to expire on Tuesday. The broader lockdown came after testing saw asymptomatic COVID-19 cases surge to more than 13,000. Symptomatic cases fell on Monday to 268, from 425 the previous day.
5th Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Extends Lockdown as City Tests Its 25 Million Residents for Covid
Shanghai extended lockdown measures as it concluded a day of testing of all 25 million of its residents for Covid-19 Monday, aided by thousands of medical workers who arrived over the weekend from across the country. Late Monday, which was meant to be the final day of lockdown, the municipal government said the lockdown would continue until after the authorities finished evaluating the situation, including reviewing the results of the mass-testing effort. It said by evening, it was nearly done with the citywide testing. Shanghai had planned a two-phase lockdown, in which half the city’s residents would be confined to their homes at a time, depending on which side of the Huangpu River they lived. The first four-day lockdown of residents to the east and south of the river was to have ended Friday. The second stage was due to end at 3 a.m. Tuesday.
4th Apr 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullTaiwan says new COVID cases won't affect re-opening plans
A recent rise in Taiwan's domestic COVID-19 cases will not affect plans to gradually re-open as hardly any of the new infections have caused serious illness, Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Sunday. Unlike large parts of the rest of the world, Taiwan has kept the pandemic well under control due to strict and early control measures, including an efficient contact and tracing system and largely closing its borders. In the first quarter of this year Taiwan reported 1,266 domestic cases, and only one death, though the government has been on alert as infections spiked over the past week or so, while remaining at comparatively low numbers, with 183 new cases on Sunday.
3rd Apr 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai asks entire city to self-test for COVID as frustration grows
Shanghai on Sunday ordered its 26 million residents to undergo two more rounds of tests for COVID-19 as public anger grows over how authorities in China's most populous city are tackling a record coronavirus surge. Residents should self-test on Sunday using antigen kits and report any positive results, Shanghai government officials told a news conference, while a nucleic acid test would be conducted citywide on Monday. "The main task is to completely eliminate risk points and to cut off the chain of transmission so that we can curb the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible," said Wu Qianyu, an inspector from Shanghai Municipal Health Commission.
3rd Apr 2022 - Reuters
Italy ends COVID-19 state of emergency, curbs to be lifted gradually
Italy on Friday began to phase out its COVID-19 restrictions, ending a state of emergency public authorities declared more than two years ago that allowed it to bypass bureaucracy and swiftly impose rules via decrees. The state of emergency was introduced on Jan. 31, 2020, but Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government announced plans in March to return to normal after deciding not to extend it. read more It officially ended on Thursday. "A new phase is beginning ... This does not mean that the pandemic is over. There is no 'off' button that magically makes the virus disappear," Health Minister Roberto Speranza told the newspaper la Repubblica.
1st Apr 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Lockdowns spread in China as omicron tests “zero covid” strategy
The force of the omicron BA.2 variant this week met the immovable object that is China’s zero covid policy as Shanghai locked down amid the country’s worst outbreak since early 2020. World oil prices fell and Indian drug manufacturers warned of ingredient shortages as the city responsible for 4% of China’s gross domestic product posted record case numbers on 30 March. About 9 million residents of Pudong, the eastern half of Shanghai, have been locked down since 28 March. Bridges across the Huangpu River are closed. On the other bank, roughly 15 million people in the west of the city, centred around Puxi, were to begin a lockdown on 1 April as Pudong reopened. But many western districts were locked down two days early as city authorities released figures showing a continued steep rise in cases. In Puxi, a robot patrolled the streets, announcing the new schedule. In Pudong, residents were warned that drones with facial recognition technology would identify those illegally outdoors. A new lockdown was also imposed on 30 March in Xuzhou, a city of three million in Jiangsu province.
31st Mar 2022 - The BMJ
Shanghai to expand lockdown to most residents as COVID cases rise
Shanghai is set to put the vast majority of its residents under COVID lockdown from Friday, as it expands curbs to include the western half of the city and extends restrictions in the east where people have already been forced to stay home since Monday. The Chinese commercial hub, home to 26 million people, is on the fourth day of a 10-day lockdown that was to cover the city in two phases, with first the east and then the west entering lockdowns of five days each. The stay-at-home measure in the financial and industrial districts in the east began on Monday and was due to lifted at 5 a.m. on Friday. However, the city government late on Thursday said it would lift the curbs in stages instead.
31st Mar 2022 - Reuters
Germany plans to relax COVID quarantine rules as cases soar
Germany plans to end mandatory quarantine for most people who catch COVID-19, the health ministry proposed on Thursday, as numbers isolating with the infection top four million. Under the existing rules, people with COVID must quarantine for at least seven days. But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wants to change that to a voluntary five days of self-isolation with the recommendation of a COVID test at the end of that period, proposals seen by Reuters showed.
31st Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullSwitzerland Mask Mandate: Last Covid Restrictions Dropped to Return to Normal
Switzerland is lifting the remaining pandemic-related restrictions, pushing ahead with a plan to return to normal life after two years. A mask mandate on public transport and in health-care facilities will be abandoned as of April 1, the Swiss government said Wednesday. People who test positive will also no longer have to adhere to a five-day isolation period. The move comes after the more transmissible BA.2 subvariant of omicron led to a resurgence of cases across Europe, though authorities have shrugged off the increase as it has had a less severe impact on hospitals. Switzerland had already scrapped most of its safety measures in February, including a work-from-home recommendation and the need for Covid-documentation to enter the country.
30th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg
Shanghai expands COVID lockdown as new daily cases surge by a third
Authorities began locking down some western areas of Shanghai two days ahead of schedule, as new COVID-19 cases in China's most populous city jumped by a third despite stringent measures already in place to try to stop the virus spreading.
Home to 26 million people, China's financial hub is in the third day of a lockdown officials are imposing by dividing the city roughly along the Huangpu River, splitting the historic centre west of the river from the eastern financial and industrial district of Pudong to allow for staggered mass tests.
30th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai tightens COVID lockdown on second day of curbs
China's most populous city tightened the first phase of a two-stage COVID-19 lockdown on Tuesday, asking some residents to stay indoors unless they are getting tested as the number of new daily cases exceeded 4,400. The financial hub of Shanghai, home to 26 million people, is in its second day of a lockdown authorities are imposing by dividing the city roughly along the Huangpu River, splitting the historic centre from the eastern financial and industrial district of Pudong to allow for staggered testing.
29th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Lockdown Experiment Begins as Officials Race to Clear Covid-19
Half of Shanghai went into lockdown on Monday, as authorities escalated measures to contain a spiraling Covid-19 outbreak in China’s financial capital. After announcing the snap two-stage lockdown of the city on Sunday, Shanghai reported 3,500 new Covid-19 cases, another record, with the number of infections doubling every few days. On Monday, barricades were seen splitting up the city, while many metro services and bus lines were suspended. Companies including Tesla Inc. suspended manufacturing for four days.
28th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Ghana opens borders and eases majority of Covid-19 restrictions
Ghana is the latest African country to ease its Covid-19 rules. In his 28th Covid-19 address, President President Akufo-Addo announced an update on the measures taken to limit the spread of the virus. Citing a "review premised on the background of rapidly declining infections, the relative success of the vaccination campaign ... and the increased capacity in the public and private health sectors", the leader presented measures set to take effect on Monday, March 28. 2 years after President Akufo-Addo closed all borders, he announced the opening of sea and land borders vowing the economy would soon rebound.
28th Mar 2022 - Africanews
Bulgaria to remove COVID-19 restrictions
The Bulgarian government will remove all restrictive measures against COVID-19 from 1 April, including the mandatory wearing of protective masks in closed public spaces and restrictions on public events. Bulgarian authorities say the decision to drop all measures was taken after the issue was discussed in detail over the past month.
28th Mar 2022 - EURACTIV
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullShanghai Imposes Staggered Lockdowns to Keep Coronavirus at Bay
Shanghai imposed stringent pandemic restrictions it has long tried to avoid on its 25 million residents that are likely to disrupt commercial activity well beyond the city limits. Local authorities said on Sunday they plan to lock down the city in two phases over the next week and a half to try to control an outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus. All over Shanghai, the government’s announcement sparked frenzied scrambles to food markets and grumbling about the disruption to urban life in a city that until recently appeared relatively unaffected by Covid.
27th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Travel, Alcohol, Masks: Singapore Lifts Major Covid Restrictions
Singapore will significantly ease Covid-19 curbs, lifting most restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors and a requirement to wear masks outdoors, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Travel-related stocks gained. With the latest wave of the virus subsiding, Lee said that Singapore will double the group size limit to 10 people and allow up to 75% of employees who can work from home to return to their workplaces. The city-state will ease testing and quarantine requirements for travelers and lift a ban on alcohol sales in pubs and eateries after 10:30 p.m.
27th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullSingapore extends quarantine-free entry as Asia shifts to "living with COVID"
Singapore said on Thursday it will lift quarantine requirements for all vaccinated travellers from next month, joining a string of countries in Asia moving more firmly toward a "living with the virus" approach. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the financial hub will also drop requirements to wear masks outdoors and allow larger groups to gather. "Our fight against COVID-19 has reached a major turning point," Lee said in a televised speech that was also streamed on Facebook. "We will be making a decisive move towards living with COVID-19."
25th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Poland scraps most mask, quarantine rules
Poland will lift the requirement to wear masks in confined spaces, except for health care facilities, and remove quarantine rules for travellers and roommates of infected people, Poland's Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said on Thursday. "I have decided to introduce two changes as of March 28 - an end to the obligation to wear masks, stipulating that it does not apply to health care facilities", Niedzielski said. "The second decision is to abolish home isolation and home quarantine for roommates (of infected people) and all quarantines for people entering Poland."
24th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Chinese steelmaking hub Tangshan enters lockdown as COVID cases rise
China's top steelmaking city Tangshan implemented a temporary lockdown on Tuesday to avoid further cases of COVID-19 as infections surged, the local government said in a statement. Residents should not leave their houses or buildings except for tests or emergencies pending further announcement, the government said. Tangshan reported 15 confirmed locally transmitted cases from March 19-22, and 79 asymptomatic cases, while Hebei province, where Tangshan is located, had 331 confirmed cases and 2,454 asymptomatic cases as of March 22, data from the provincial health authority showed.
24th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullS Africa eases COVID restrictions for vaccinated travellers
Article reports that South Africa, the country in Africa worst affected by coronavirus, has relaxed some of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions, dropping mandatory negative results for inbound fully-vaccinated travellers, a move expected to boost tourism. On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement to scale down restrictions – imposed since March 2020 – as new infection rates slow and death rates decline. “Travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours,” said Ramaphosa.
Previously all travellers entering the country were required to produce a costly negative PCR test. Inside the country, vaccinated individuals or those that have a negative test result will be allowed back into sporting stadiums and music and theatre shows – which will be permitted to operate at half capacity.
23rd Mar 2022 - Al Jazeera English
‘A new beginning’: New Zealand to drop Covid vaccine passes and mandates
New Zealand will do away with vaccine passes and vaccine mandates for some of the workforce in early April, in a major loosening of the country’s tough Covid-19 restrictions. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced the changes on Wednesday morning, citing high vaccination rates, better data to identify which environments are high risk, and modelling that suggests the country’s Omicron outbreak would peak in early April.
23rd Mar 2022 - The Guardian
Polish government to lift more COVID-19 restrictions despite expert concerns
In Poland, the government wants to lift more pandemic restrictions although medical experts are concerned about not enough people being vaccinated against COVID-19 for the country to develop herd immunity and the mass arrival of unvaccinated Ukrainians. Health Minister Adam Niedzielski told the media on 17 March that he had recommended that Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki abolish the mask-wearing obligation in buildings.
23rd Mar 2022 - EURACTIV
Chinese steelmaking hub Tangshan enters lockdown as COVID cases rise
China's top steelmaking city Tangshan implemented a temporary lockdown on Tuesday to avoid further cases of COVID-19 as infections surged, the local government said in a statement. Residents should not leave their houses or buildings except for tests or emergencies pending further announcement, the government said. Tangshan reported 15 confirmed locally transmitted cases from March 19-22, and 79 asymptomatic cases, while Hebei province, where Tangshan is located, had 331 confirmed cases and 2,454 asymptomatic cases as of March 22, data from the provincial health authority showed.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand lifts most vaccine mandates as Omicron outbreak nears peak
New Zealand's government said on Wednesday it would lift vaccine mandates for a number of sectors including teaching and police from April 4 as the current COVID-19 outbreak nears its peak.
23rd Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullLink found between severe Covid-19 and long-term mental health problems
Serious Covid-19 illness appears to be linked to an increase in the risk of long-term adverse mental health effects, according to researchers from Scandinavia and the UK. They said it was the first study to look at long-term mental health implications for patients who were bedridden for more than a week following a diagnosis of Covid-19. Overall, most mental health symptoms among recovering Covid-19 subsided within two months after diagnosis, said the study authors in the journal The Lancet Public Health. But patients who were bedridden for seven days or more were more likely to experience depression and anxiety over the 16-month duration of the study, which involved data from six countries. This study was conducted by researchers from Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, and the UK.
21st Mar 2022 - Nursing Times
Indonesia set to lift quarantine rules for overseas tourists
Indonesia will lift all quarantine requirements for overseas visitors entering the country, its tourism minister said Monday, two years after it imposed border restrictions due to COVID-19. Tourism and Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno told reporters that foreign tourists will still be required to have a negative PCR test before entering the country. Quarantine requirements will be lifted from Tuesday, he added. Indonesia had already implemented a two-week trial of quarantine-free travel in Bali, Batam and Bintan islands, where coronavirus numbers have been falling. The government is hoping the easing of travel restrictions will boost the number of foreign tourist this year to over 3 million.
21st Mar 2022 - Associated Press
Hong Kong eases quarantine amid angst over ‘zero COVID’ isolation
Hong Kong will scrap flight bans and reduce quarantine for arrivals, amid mounting frustration with a strict “zero COVID” policy that has turned the financial centre into one of the world’s most isolated cities. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday authorities will lift flight bans on nine countries including the United Kingdom and the United States and cut hotel quarantine for incoming travellers with a negative COVID-19 test result from 14 days to seven. Lam also said plans for compulsory COVID-19 testing for the entire city will be put on hold. The announcement comes days after Lam acknowledged that tolerance for the city’s pandemic strategy was “fading” among the general public and businesses.
21st Mar 2022 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong will review COVID-19 restrictions as cases decline
Hong Kong’s leader says the government will consider lifting strict social distancing measures as new COVID-19 infections in the city continue trending downward
20th Mar 2022 - ABC News
Millions in China’s northeast placed under COVID-19 lockdown
The city of Jilin will lock down some 4.5 million people for three days starting Monday to help curb the spread of China’s biggest coronavirus outbreak.
20th Mar 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Ecuador ends COVID limits on gatherings after hitting vaccination goal
Ecuador's president on Friday announced an end to coronavirus limits on public and private gatherings, but the South American country will continue to require foreign visitors to show proof of vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 test. President Guillermo Lasso said the government made the decision to end two years of pandemic containment measures because Ecuador has reached its goal of fully vaccinating 85% of the population above five years old. Both new infections and COVID-related deaths have steadily fallen in recent weeks, according to government data.
20th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Welcomes Australia Tourists in Reopening
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is making a play for Australian tourists as she prepares to open the border to foreigners for the first time in more than two years. Appearing on Australian breakfast shows on Friday, Ardern said New Zealanders will welcome back Australians with open arms when the border opens to them on April 13, despite the friendly rivalry between the two nations.
18th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg
Germany to lift most COVID restrictions
Germany will lift most restrictions to contain the coronavirus despite infections hitting a record in the country on Thursday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after talks with leaders of Germany's 16 states that a record of almost 300,000 infections in one day was not good news, but the easing of restrictions was justified given intensive care units were not overwhelemed. As of March 20, requirements to wear a mask will be dropped in indoor places like schools and at supermarkets but will remain mandatory in medical clinics and care homes.
18th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Italy to announce plan to scrap COVID restrictions
The Italian government was set to announce a two-step plan on Thursday scrapping most of its coronavirus restrictions as the country nears the end of its state of emergency. Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government was to meet to approve a plan to soften the curbs, a cabinet statement said. Draghi and Health Minister Roberto Speranza will hold a news conference afterwards to detail the decisions.
17th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Cambodia drops COVID testing requirements for overseas visitors
Cambodia on Thursday dispensed with a requirement for visitors from overseas to take COVID-19 tests, as the country moved ahead of most neighbours by relaxing most restrictions to spur more investment and tourism, officials said. The Southeast Asian country has vaccinated 92.31% of its population of 16 million against the coronavirus, one of the highest vaccination rates in the region, official data shows
17th Mar 2022 - Reuters
S.Korea looks to end COVID restrictions despite record surge in cases, deaths
South Korea recorded a record 621,328 new daily COVID-19 cases and a daily record 429 deaths, authorities said on Thursday, as the country which once took an aggressive anti-pandemic approach is set to end COVID restrictions. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the highly infectious Omicron variant was driving the record wave of infections and while a public survey revealed many expected to catch the virus, few feared serious health consequences.
17th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong leader to review COVID restrictions in coming days
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday she would review COVID restrictions in the coming days, as she understands people are increasingly impatient with rules that have isolated the international financial centre and hurt business. Restrictions, including a ban on flights from nine countries such as Britain and the United States, a quarantine of up to 14 days for people arriving in Hong Kong, a ban on face-to-face classes and the closings of gyms and most public venues, have frustrated many residents in the city of 7.4 million. Speaking at a regular COVID-19 media briefing, Lam said she would provide an update around March 20-21 rather than wait for the restrictions to expire on April 20.
17th Mar 2022 - Reuters
China’s Shenzhen to reopen, still trying to contain virus
Companies in Shenzhen, a major Chinese business center, will be allowed to reopen while efforts to contain coronavirus outbreaks progress, the government said Thursday, following a citywide shutdown that rattled financial markets. Testing of everyone in the city of 17.5 million people is “progressing smoothly,” said a deputy mayor, Huang Qiang, at a news conference. He said 71 new cases were found in the 24 hours through midnight Wednesday. China’s case numbers in its latest wave of outbreaks in areas throughout the country are relatively low. But authorities are enforcing a “zero tolerance” strategy that has temporarily shut down major cities to find isolate every infected person.
17th Mar 2022 - Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullNetherlands relaxes COVID-19 rules despite rising infection rate
Exactly two years since the restrictions were first introduced, Health Minister Ernst Kuipers declared that it is now safe to relax the measures. People are still advised to frequently wash their hands and isolate themselves when coming in contact with people who tested positive. Teleworking, COVID travel certificates, and having a negative test result to attend an event will no longer be mandatory. The new measures will come into effect next Wednesday (23 March). However, the Netherlands is still facing a rise in COVID-19 hospitalisation cases. As of Tuesday, 291 people were admitted to hospitals. There are currently 1952 hospitalised cases, 156 of which are in ICUs. This is not an isolated case as much of the EU is seeing a spike in cases.
16th Mar 2022 - EURACTIV
Japan to fully lift COVID-19 restrictions as infections slow
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday announced plans to fully lift coronavirus restrictions on March 21 as new infections driven by the highly contagious omicron variant slow. The COVID-19 restrictions currently in place in 18 prefectures, including the Tokyo area, will end on Monday as planned, Kishida said at a news conference on Wednesday, as his government seeks to cautiously expand consumer activity to help the badly hurt economy get back on track. It will be the first time Japan has been free of virus restrictions since early January. Daily caseloads have steadily declined in Japan in recent weeks after surging to new highs exceeding 100,000 in early February. New cases have fallen by about half.
16th Mar 2022 - The Independent
Covid-19 news: Nearly 30 million in China are now living in lockdown
China yesterday reported 5280 new SARS-CoV-2 cases, more than double the previous day’s count and its highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic. The surge has prompted the introduction of full or partial lockdowns in various cities across the country. China has been pursuing a strict ‘zero covid’ strategy, which until recently had largely kept outbreaks under control. The omicron variant, however, is more transmissible than previous variants and is probably driving the current surge. Cities across the country are now in full or partial lockdowns. The north-east province Jilin is the worst affected, accounting for more than 3000 of China’s new reported cases on 15 March. Speaking on 14 March, Jilin’s governor vowed to “achieve community zero-Covid in a week”.
16th Mar 2022 - New Scientist
New Zealand to reopen borders sooner than planned after years of COVID isolation
New Zealand is bringing forward the opening of its international borders to some travellers after more than two years of COVID-19 isolation, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying an influx of tourists will boost the nation's economy. The change means the end of some of the toughest border controls in the world during the COVID pandemic, imposed as the government tried to keep the coronavirus out, comes months ahead of the previous schedule. New Zealand's policies helped keep infections and deaths low. But with the Omicron variant now rampant, criticism has grown as business, particularly tourism, and agricultural sectors see little value in staying shut off from the world.
16th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullLockdowns Spread Across China to Contain Outbreak
Fallout from China’s race to halt its worsening coronavirus outbreak is growing as authorities order lockdowns and other restrictions across more of the country. All 24 million residents of northeastern Jilin province, which borders Russia and North Korea, were locked down on Monday, the first time since Covid-19 was first detected two years ago in Wuhan that such restrictions have been imposed on an entire province. Shenzhen city began a weeklong lockdown on Monday, closing public transport, nonessential businesses and schools, while companies in Shanghai began shutting down over the weekend. Whether authorities can swiftly end the outbreak will not only test China’s pandemic strategies against the more infectious Omicron variant behind the latest wave, but also has major implications for the rest of the world. China’s current restrictions have already disrupted global supply chains, including Foxconn Technology Group plants in Shenzhen that make devices for Apple Inc.
15th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong rules out tightening COVID curbs for now as death toll soars
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Monday there were no plans to tighten strict social distancing measures as the Chinese-ruled territory battles to contain a coronavirus surge that has submerged its health system amid soaring deaths. Lam said there was limited room to tighten further, with the global financial hub already having put in place the strictest measures since the pandemic started. Gatherings of more than two people are banned, most venues are shut - including schools - and masks are compulsory everywhere, even when exercising outdoors.
15th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Lockdowns Spread Across China as Race to Contain Covid-19 Outbreak Intensifies
Fallout from China’s race to halt its worsening coronavirus outbreak is growing as authorities order lockdowns and other restrictions across more of the country. All 24 million residents of northeastern Jilin province, which borders Russia and North Korea, were locked down on Monday, the first time since Covid-19 was first detected two years ago in Wuhan that such restrictions have been imposed on an entire province. Shenzhen city began a weeklong lockdown on Monday, closing public transport, nonessential businesses and schools, while companies in Shanghai began shutting down over the weekend.
14th Mar 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina imposes new curbs amid worst COVID outbreak in two years
China has placed about 17 million residents under lockdown, as virus cases doubled nationwide to nearly 3,400 and anxiety mounted over the resilience of its ‘zero-Covid’ approach in the face of the worst outbreak in two years. The southern tech hub of Shenzhen – home to about 13 million people – told all residents to stay at home as it struggles to eradicate an Omicron flare-up linked to the neighbouring virus-ravaged city of Hong Kong. The lockdown and a suspension of public transport will last until March 20, a city government notice said, adding that it would launch three rounds of mass testing. A nationwide surge in cases has seen authorities close schools in Shanghai, China’s biggest city, and lock down northeastern cities, as almost 18 provinces battle clusters of the Omicron and Delta variants. The city of Jilin – centre of the outbreak in the northeast – was partially locked down on Saturday, while residents of Yanji, an urban area of nearly 700,000 bordering North Korea, were confined to their homes on Sunday.
13th Mar 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Kenya lifts remaining COVID restrictions
Kenya lifted its remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including a ban on large indoor gatherings such as religious services and a requirement to present a negative COVID-19 test for arriving air passengers. Though Kenyans should continue heeding public health measures such as handwashing and social distancing, face masks are no longer mandatory in public and all quarantine measures for confirmed COVID-19 cases are halted with immediate effect, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe told a news conference.
12th Mar 2022 - CNBC Africa
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong leader plans to reopen city only after controlling latest COVID outbreak
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday it was not the time to lift a ban on flights from nine countries including the United States and Britain, with plans to reopen the city only after the government controls a deepening coronavirus outbreak. The global financial hub has some of the most draconian restrictions in place to combat a surge in coronavirus cases that has seen the city suffer the most deaths globally per million people in the week to March 7, according to the Our World in Data publication. Total infections have surged to about 600,000, including about 3,000 deaths - most in the past two weeks.
10th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai residents bristle as authorities turn COVID screws
An uncompromising response to a spike in local COVID-19 cases in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai is testing the resolve of residents, with a wave of school closures and other draconian measures causing disruptions throughout the city.
China's health authority said another 76 asymptomatic local infections were found in Shanghai on Wednesday, and authorities have been sealing off schools, residential compounds and office blocks as part of a "dynamic clearance" approach aimed at shutting down each new transmission route as soon as it arises. China has insisted its "zero-COVID" strategy is cost-effective and saves lives, even as other countries seek to coexist with a virus that has killed 6 million people worldwide.
10th Mar 2022 - Reuters
In ‘zero COVID’ Hong Kong, deaths smash global records
The Hong Kong nursing home where Amy’s 78-year-old mother lives battened down the hatches when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Elderly residents were confined within the walls of their rooms. Families were not allowed to visit. As the Chinese territory battled its biggest outbreak of coronavirus cases, staff at the private facility camped out in the office for weeks to avoid bringing the virus with them from outside. Even so, the inevitable happened. In February, Amy’s mother was among the residents sent to a public hospital’s emergency ward after developing a fever. “This elderly home has some of the strictest standards in the industry,” Amy, who asked to only be referred to by her first name, told Al Jazeera. “If 80 percent of its residents can be infected, then no other nursing home in Hong Kong can remain unscathed.”
9th Mar 2022 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong races to build isolation facilities as COVID cases surge
Hong Kong is rushing to build facilities for COVID-19 patients, with Reuters drone footage showing construction work in full swing after a temporary bridge linking the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen to the Asian financial hub opened at the weekend.
10th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullRomanian government to lift COVID restrictions from March 9
Romania will lift all COVID restrictions from Wednesday including requiring a digital pass to access institutions and the obligation to wear protective masks both indoors and outside, Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said on Tuesday. The decision stems from the coalition government's decision to no longer extend a nation-wide state of alert two years after the pandemic first hit Romania. The country remains the European Union's second-least vaccinated state, with just under 42% of the population fully inoculated amid distrust in state institutions and poor vaccine education
8th Mar 2022 - Reuters
Malaysia to reopen borders from April with quarantine waiver
Malaysia will reopen its borders fully from April 1 and allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against COVID-19, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Tuesday. Malaysia has since March 2020 maintained some of the tightest entry curbs in Asia to try to contain coronavirus outbreaks, with most foreign nationals barred from entry and returning Malaysians required to undergo quarantine.
8th Mar 2022 - Reuters
New Zealand to Reduce Covid Self-Isolation Period to Seven Days
New Zealand will reduce the isolation period for Covid-19 cases and their household contacts to seven days in order to get more people back to work. The period will reduce from 10 days effective at 11:59 p.m. on Friday March 11 in Wellington, Minister for Covid Response Chris Hipkins said in a statement. “The most up to date public health advice is that there is a decline in infectiousness of omicron over time, and that in most cases transmission occurs within seven days,” he said. “Seven days isolation will break the vast majority of potential transmissions, while ensuring people can get back to work quicker and therefore reducing the impact on business operations.”
9th Mar 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullIreland entry requirements: All Covid restrictions scrapped for arrivals, regardless of vaccination status
Ireland has dropped all Covid entry restrictions on arrivals, regardless of vaccination status. The relaxation of border rules came into force on Sunday 6 March and includes the end of Passenger Locator Forms. Travellers are no longer required to show proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative Covid test on arrival.
7th Mar 2022 - iNews
Belgium scraps almost all COVID-19 measures as crisis eases
Belgium began easing most COVID-19 restrictions Monday in the biggest move to relax measures since the onset of the crisis some two years ago. Gone are the coronavirus passport that allows entry into bars, restaurants, theater and cinemas as well as capacity limits. The government announced last week that the nation of 11 million will go from code orange - the second-toughest for virus measures - to code yellow as of Monday.
7th Mar 2022 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullNew York City rolls back its COVID restrictions
Fact check: Phony images masquerading as CNN coverage go viral amid war…
Ukrainian woman weds Chicago fiancé ahead of return home New York City has become the latest and largest city in the U.S. to announce it's dropping most of its COVID-19 restrictions as the Omicron surge continues to wind down. Starting Monday, businesses will no longer be required to ask for vaccination cards, and masks will no longer be mandated in public schools for children ages 5 and older. "We have to get our economy back on track," Mayor Eric Adams said on Friday. The city, which was once considered the epicenter of the pandemic, now has a positivity rate of only 1.6% over a 7-day average. In neighboring New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy announced he is lifting the statewide public health emergency — which includes a mask mandate for schools and day care centers.
5th Mar 2022 - MSNNnow
Belgium to lift most coronavirus measures Monday
Belgium will lift most coronavirus restrictions at the start of next week, shifting its pandemic barometer to Code Yellow, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced Friday. Wearing masks will still be recommended but will only remain mandatory for anyone from the age of 12 in health care establishments and in public transport. Masks will no longer be mandatory in schools. Belgium’s Covid Safe Ticket — providing proof of vaccination, recovery, or of a negative test — will no longer be required in the hospitality sector or to attend events. Starting March 11, Belgium’s travel rules will also change. Notably, travelers coming to Belgium will only be required to complete a Passenger Locator Form if they are arriving from a country not on the so-called white list of countries deemed safe.
5th Mar 2022 - POLITICO Europe
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 news: WHO reports 25 per cent rise in depression and anxiety
A World Health Organization (WHO) briefing suggests that depression and anxiety have risen substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, with women and young people among the worst affected. Based on a review of existing evidence into covid-19’s impact on mental health, the briefing largely attributes the rise to the unprecedented stress of social isolation, as well as grieving loved ones, financial worries and fear of infection. Most of the countries surveyed (90 per cent) have included mental health support in their covid-19 recovery plans, however, the WHO has stressed there are still gaps in care.
3rd Mar 2022 - New Scientist
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullThe Truth About Lockdowns and Mortality: Experts Refute Study Finding No Benefit
A new "working paper" made a huge splash last week by claiming that, when it comes to lockdowns, we made a terrible mistake. The paper comes from three Johns Hopkins economists and is a meta-analysis of other studies examining the effect of lockdown policies on mortality. But is it true? Is it possible that government restrictions have no effect on COVID mortality? That would go against the whole pandemic playbook, not just this pandemic — the sort of basic tenets of infectious disease public health. So there may be a problem here.
1st Mar 2022 - Medscape
Hawaii to lift COVID-19 travel quarantine rules this month
Hawaii plans to lift its COVID-19 quarantine requirement for travelers this month, meaning that starting on March 26 those arriving from other places in the U.S. won’t have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to avoid sequestering themselves for five days. Hawaii is the only U.S. state to implement a coronavirus quarantine program of this kind. Gov. David Ige said at a news conference the requirement saved lives and was a major factor in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the islands. Hawaii has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the nation.
2nd Mar 2022 - Seattle Times
Japan set to extend COVID curbs as hospitals battle infections
Japan prepared on Wednesday to extend infection controls in some regions amid high numbers of hospital patients hit by the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The central government has received requests from five prefectures, including Osaka and Kyoto in western Japan, to extend measures set to expire on Sunday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. Media said 10 prefectures, including Tokyo, the capital, were expected to seek an extension of two to three weeks for the curbs, which encompass shorter business hours and limits on the sale of alcohol.
2nd Mar 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong reports record cases; movements may be restricted
Hong Kong’s leader on Wednesday said people’s movements may be restricted during mandatory testing this month of the entire population for the coronavirus, as health officials reported a record 55,353 daily infections and over a hundred deaths. Chief executive Carrie Lam said authorities are still refining the plan, but that there would be no “complete” lockdown that would prevent entry and exit from the city. “The extent of it must take into account Hong Kong’s circumstances and people’s needs,” she told reporters. Hong Kong is planning to test its more than 7 million residents as it grapples with soaring numbers of COVID-19 cases in its worst outbreak of the pandemic, linked largely to the omicron variant.
2nd Mar 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHere's how to cope with anxiety as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted across Canada
Learning to live with COVID-19 is a message that's been repeated by provincial and territorial leaders across the country. But learning to live with the virus isn't that simple for millions of Canadians whose medical condition or age has increased their risk of developing complications from a COVID-19 infection. As provinces and territories lift pandemic restrictions such as mask mandates and vaccine passport programs, society's most vulnerable are being forced to assess their risk tolerance.
"For some people — immunocompromised or the frail elderly, for example — it might be quite dangerous for them to get COVID. We shouldn't be cavalier," Dr. Steven Taylor, a clinical psychologist and professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC podcast The Dose.
1st Mar 2022 - CBC.ca
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Mar 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to Lock Down City For Mass Testing, Sing Tao Says
Hong Kong is planning to enforce a lockdown of the city to ensure a mandatory Covid-19 testing drive planned for this month is effective, Sing Tao Daily reported.
Testing of the financial hub’s 7.4 million people will start after March 17, the newspaper reported, citing people it didn’t identify. Officials are aiming to test the whole city three times over nine days, with a stay-at-home order in place to maximize the impact, the report said. Hong Kong’s core financial services including the operations of the stock exchange and Covid vaccination program will continue during the testing period, according to the report. Officials are still working out the details, Sing Tao said. Residents will still be allowed to leave their homes to buy necessities like food during the lockdown, the Hong Kong Economic Times reported, citing unidentified people.
1st Mar 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullUAE drops face masks outdoors, quarantine for COVID contact cases
The United Arab Emirates, the Middle East tourism and commercial hub, over the weekend ended a requirement to wear face masks outdoors and obligatory quarantine for COVID-19 contact cases. Fully-vaccinated passengers arriving in the country will no longer require PCR tests, said the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in updated guidance that went into effect on Saturday.
27th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: All remaining coronavirus restrictions lifted in England
People in England who test positive for COVID are no longer legally required to self-isolate. From today, all remaining restrictions have been replaced by the government's "living with COVID plan". This comes just days after guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing was scrapped.
24th Feb 2022 - Sky News
Singapore Halts Easing of Virus Restrictions as Covid Cases Surge
Singapore will push back plans to ease limits on home gatherings and other pandemic curbs as a resurgent Covid-19 outbreak tests the country’s pivot to living with the virus. The plans to ease and simplify some virus rules in phases, originally due to happen on Feb. 25 and March 4, will be delayed, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health on Thursday. This is because of the current surge in daily cases and the extensive work needed to go through detailed rules that have accumulated across different settings over the past two years, it said.
24th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullPolish prime minister says Poland will remove most COVID curbs
Poland will remove most COVID-19 restrictions from March 1, while keeping the obligation to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.
23rd Feb 2022 - Reuters
Iceland to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on Friday
Iceland will lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including a 200-person indoor gathering limit and restricted opening hours for bars, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. "Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic," the ministry said in a statement, citing infectious disease authorities. "To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness," it added.
23rd Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to Shut Schools to Fight Omicron; Foreigners Rush to Leave
Within hours of the city’s top official saying late Tuesday that schools would be closed and turned into response centers to tackle a surge in the Covid-19 Omicron variant, a rush occurred among foreign residents to find a way out of the city. Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s decision to shift the summer holidays forward several months to start in March—repurposing schools as testing, vaccination and isolation centers—caught educators and parents off guard. Some foreign workers immediately tried to book their families on flights out of the city as soon as possible. They took to WhatsApp messaging groups and other social-media platforms to discuss how to get out, with hundreds of posts inquiring about flight options and chartering planes amid sharply reduced commercial schedules in and out of the city. Heads of international schools sent hastily composed emails to parents and staffers saying that they would meet with the city’s education department Wednesday to try to mitigate the situation. One urged parents not to act hastily.
22nd Feb 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Feb 2022
View this newsletter in full'Increased risk' of mental health disorders after Covid-19 infection
Covid-19 is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, substance use, and sleep disorders, up to a year after initial infection, a study suggests. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, suggest that tackling mental health disorders among survivors ought to become a priority for better healthcare overall.
21st Feb 2022 - Nursing Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullShades of the early pandemic as Omicron tests Hong Kong
Bundled in a quilted jacket, covered with two thin blankets, Alice Yeung insisted she was not cold. Five hours before, she had tested positive for COVID-19. With no symptoms, but no vaccine, either, she was shipped from her nursing home to Caritas Medical Centre in the Kowloon region on Thursday. There, she and 50 or so strangers waited outside the emergency room on one of winter’s coolest nights as medical staff inside drowned under a resurgent epidemic. “No problem!” said the 69-year-old Yeung, with the practised optimism of the kindergarten aide she had once been. Like tens of thousands of seniors, Yeung had ignored the government’s fitful efforts to vaccinate them for most of the last two years. Local newspapers carried reports that people had died after getting jabs, or suffered paralysis. “Big headlines,” she said. With the government pushing vaccines harder in recent weeks, she had signed up to get her jab on February 25.
19th Feb 2022 - Al Jazeera English
South Korea extends business curfew as COVID-19 cases top 100,000
South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases topped 100,000 for the first time amid its Omicron outbreak, as authorities announced a slight easing of restrictions ahead of the March 9 presidential election. Authorities announced on Friday they would move a curfew on restaurants and cafés from 9 pm to 10 pm, amid a growing backlash from business owners.
19th Feb 2022 - Al Jazeera English
The End Game of China’s Zero-Covid Policy Nightmare
On December 22, 2021, the entire western Chinese city of Xi’an was put into lockdown. “It was all of a sudden,” says Fan, a Xi’An native and university student in his early twenties who didn’t give his full name, due to privacy concerns. “The university wouldn’t let us go outside of the dorms. Our freedom was restricted, and they stopped all our classes. I couldn’t leave and I couldn’t go home. We were stuck.” Xi’an, a city of 13 million people, spent the end of December 2021 and much of January 2022 in one of China’s most severe lockdowns. The trigger? A handful of cases of Covid-19. Since the start of the pandemic, China has clung to a zero-Covid strategy consisting of strict containment measures that have served the nation remarkably well. China’s official death toll has remained under 5,000, and its total reported caseload of 124,900 is significantly lower than the 78 million cases in the United States or the 18.4 million in the United Kingdom. Aside from travel disruptions, life has been largely normal—and China’s success at containing the virus has become a source of national pride.
18th Feb 2022 - Wired UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus restrictions ease across Europe despite high case rates
France’s nightclubs reopen for the first time in three months on Wednesday and the Netherlands returns to “almost normal” from next Friday, as European countries continue to lift their coronavirus curbs despite relatively high infection numbers. Groups may also play to standing audiences in French concert venues, customers in bars and cafes will be allowed to eat and drink while standing at the counter and cinemagoers and train passengers can snack during their film or journey. “The skies seem finally to be clearing,” said the French government’s official spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, adding that restrictions “can be lifted according to schedule” but urging people to continue to exercise caution and restraint.
17th Feb 2022 - The Guardian
Switzerland lifts almost all COVID-19 restrictions
The Swiss government will lift nearly all pandemic restrictions from midnight Thursday, amid confidence that COVID-19 infection rates had been successfully uncoupled from hospitalizations. People in Switzerland will no longer have to show COVID certificates in restaurants, bars or other venues like theaters and concert halls. But self-isolation for those infected with COVID-19 will remain in force until the end of March, as will the requirement to wear masks while visiting health care facilities and on public transport.
17th Feb 2022 - POLITICO Europe
Portugal drops most COVID-19 rules as Omicron ebbs
As an Omicron-fuelled wave of infections ebbs, Portugal said on Thursday it would drop most of its remaining coronavirus rules, including the requirement to show the COVID-19 digital pass to stay at hotels or a negative test to enter nightclubs. "This is a very important moment," Cabinet Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva told a news conference. "This is another a step towards a return to normal life." The new measures will come into force in the next few days, Vieira da Silva said, as they need still the final stamp of approval from the president.
17th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Germany Moves to Unwind Covid Curbs as Pandemic Risks Subside
Germany will reopen nightclubs and ease restrictions on stores and restaurants as part of a three-step plan to unwind pandemic-related restrictions, joining the wave of countries scaling back emergency measures. Europe’s largest economy aims to lift most curbs by March 20, taking a more cautious approach than many of its neighbors. The move was agreed on Wednesday after talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and state leaders and comes just days after Germany posted record infection levels. Germany’s outbreak started to recede in recent days and the improving outlook prompted calls from across the political spectrum to follow countries like the U.K., Ireland and Denmark in easing restrictions.
17th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Japan set to announce easing of strict border measures
Article reports that Japan will ease border controls imposed to counter the pandemic, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday, softening measures that have been among the strictest imposed by wealthy nations and have been slammed by business and educators. About 150,000 foreign students have been kept out of Japan, along with workers desperately needed by an ageing nation with a shrinking population, prompting warnings of labour shortages and damage to its international reputation
17th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullSingapore resumes border reopening after pause due to Omicron outbreak
Singapore will expand quarantine-free travel to Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this month, its health ministry said on Wednesday, resuming border reopening after a pause due to an outbreak of the coronavirus.
The city-state will also restore and increase quotas under its vaccinated travel programme, which had been reduced in December to deal with the Omicron variant. Singapore will streamline border measures for all travellers, and remove an entry approval requirement for eligible residents who are long-term pass holders, the ministry said, making it easier for expatriates to travel.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Swiss government lifts nearly all COVID-19 restrictions
Switzerland will lift almost all its coronavirus pandemic restrictions from midnight, the government said on Wednesday, as fears waned that a spike in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant would overwhelm the health care system. The government said only the requirement to wear masks on public transport and while visiting healthcare facilities would remain in force temporarily after the changes, which end nearly two years of restrictions on public life. "The light on the horizon is very visible," President Ignazio Cassis told a news conference in Bern, although he added the government was ready to reimpose curbs if needed.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Austria to lift most COVID-19 restrictions by March 5
Austria will lift most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions by March 5, including scrapping an earlier closing time of midnight for bars and restaurants and allowing nightclubs to reopen, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Wednesday. The government said the steps were being taken cautiously with daily new infections hovering below their record peak and a manageable situation in hospitals due to the smaller incidence of severe cases in the latest wave of the coronavirus, dominated by the highly contagious Omicron variant. The easing of curbs as Omicron has proven to be milder than earlier variants will deepen doubt about whether the government will implement a recently enacted law making vaccination against COVID-19 compulsory - the first such measure in the European Union.
16th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Netherlands to lift most COVID restrictions this month
The Netherlands will lift almost all its restrictions against COVID-19 by February 25 as cases and hospitalisations fall, the health minister has said. Bars, restaurants and nightclubs will go back to pre-pandemic opening hours and social distancing and face masks will no longer be obligatory in most places. However, visitors will need to show proof of either vaccination, a recent recovery from COVID-19 or a negative coronavirus test. The Dutch government had imposed some of Europe’s toughest restrictions in December after a surge in Omicron cases but has since been lifting them in stages. “The country will open again,” Health Minister Ernst Kuipers told a news conference on Tuesday. “We will go back to normal closing times we had before corona, you don’t have to keep 1.5 metres away any more,” he added.
15th Feb 2022 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Relief mixed with concern as regulations removed in NI
From mask wearing to Covid certificates, restrictions have been a part of life in Northern Ireland for nearly two years. But Health Minister Robin Swann advised people to be vigilant and warned that coronavirus remains a threat to public health. BBC News NI spoke to people in Belfast and Londonderry, who expressed a mixture of relief and concern.
15th Feb 2022 - BBC News
Hong Kong rules out citywide lockdown as cases continue to surge
Daily infections have surged by about 20 times over the past two weeks. Health authorities reported 1,619 infections on Tuesday, a new daily record with around 5,400 preliminary positive cases. "There are no plans for a widespread city lockdown," Lam told a news conference. "We cannot surrender to the virus. This is not an option," she said, doubling down on her 'dynamic zero' coronavirus strategy, similar to mainland China which seeks to curb outbreaks as soon as they occur.
15th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Netherlands to drop most COVID measures starting Friday
The Dutch government will lift most of its coronavirus restrictions as of Friday, as the record levels of infections triggered by the Omicron variant have not translated in a peak of hospitalisations, health minister Ernst Kuipers said on Tuesday. "The country will open up again ... happily we are in a different phase now," Kuipers said during a press conference. Bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 1 a.m. (midnight GMT) as of Friday, instead of 10 p.m.
15th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullTaiwan says needs to re-open, eyes March cut to COVID quarantine
Taiwan aims to ease its strict COVID-19 quarantine policy from next month as it needs to gradually resume normal life and re-open to the world, the government said on Monday. Since the pandemic began two years ago, Taiwan has succeeded in keeping reported cases of COVID-19 below 20,000, having enforced a blanket two-week quarantine for everyone arriving on the island even as large parts of the rest of the world have ditched theirs.
14th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Norway to end most pandemic curbs
Norway will scrap nearly all its remaining COVID-19 lockdown measures as high levels of coronavirus infections are unlikely to jeopardise health services, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Saturday. The Nordic country, which removed most curbs on Feb. 1, will still keep some restrictions for the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The new rules will take effect from Saturday at 1000 CET (0900 GMT). read more "We are removing almost all coronavirus measures," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference.
14th Feb 2022 - Reuters
New Zealand Self-Isolation Will Reduce in New Omicron Phase
New Zealand will move to a new phase in its response to omicron as case numbers of the more infectious variant of Covid-19 begin to accelerate. From midnight Tuesday, phase 2 will take effect, attempting to minimize disruption to supply chains as the virus becomes more widespread, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference Monday in Wellington. This means cases and close contacts will self-isolate for less time, and a scheme will be introduced allowing critical workers to remain in their jobs. The nation today reported nearly 1,800 cases over the weekend, up from a daily average of about 300 over the preceding seven days.
14th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong in 'Crisis' Leans on Beijing to Contain Covid Surge
Hong Kong’s health officials warned that the city is facing a “crisis” as a record 2,000 preliminary positive cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals and upend its Covid Zero strategy. Authorities on Sunday reported 1,347 infections and said more than 3,400 confirmed patients were receiving treatment. Cases have exceeded capacity at Hong Kong’s hospitals, health officials said, adding they will now shift to prioritizing care for the elderly and children who test positive.
13th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Germany to lift some restrictions next week as COVID peak in sight
Germany is approaching the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and will next week start easing some restrictions with a view to lifting more measures in spring, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a speech on Friday. "The scientific prognoses show us that the peak of the wave is in sight," Scholz said in a speech in the Bundesrat upper house. "This allows us at the meeting between the federal government and states next week to take the first reopening steps and consider more steps for spring."
11th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Belgium Eases Virus Curbs With Omicron Outbreak Past Peak
Belgium agreed to loosen most of the virus restrictions it introduced late last year now that all but one of the indicators used to monitor the surge of the omicron variant show that the outbreak is past its peak. Starting on Feb. 18, the requirement to work from home four days a week will disappear and become a recommendation, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday. At that time, nightclubs will also reopen, pubs and restaurants won’t face a mandatory closing hour or table limits, and a ban on events with moving crowds will subside, along with the obligation for children younger than 12 to wear masks. “This is an enormous step, but it would be wrong to say we have eradicated the virus,” De Croo said at a briefing in Brussels. “Let’s not make that mistake again and mind ourselves that our behavior is what matters the most.”
11th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
UK Covid Self Isolation Rules to Be Scrapped This Month, Boris Johnson Says
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to scrap self-isolation rules for people in England who test positive for Covid-19, ending the last of the pandemic restrictions that have dominated daily life for the past two years. The dramatic step is due to take effect later this month and would move England beyond other major Western countries in relaxing virus curbs. While regulations forcing people to self-isolate at home for five days are only set to expire on March 24, Johnson said Wednesday he expects to lift them “a full month early.” With more people vaccinated and the highly-transmissible omicron variant proving almost unstoppable, a number of countries have been easing rules and trying to return life to normal as quickly as possible.
11th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullS.Korea turns to self-treatment as Omicron fuels COVID surge
South Korea said on Thursday patients with mild coronavirus symptoms will have to treat themselves, aiming to free up medical resources for more serious cases, as new infections hit a fresh high because of the fast spreading Omicron variant. South Korea has largely been a COVID-19 mitigation success story, thanks to aggressive testing and tracing, social distancing and mask wearing. But as the highly infectious but less deadly Omicron variant began spreading, the government this month started to shift its strategy away from testing and tracing and towards self-monitoring, diagnosis and at-home treatment.
10th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Boris Johnson announces final restrictions including self-isolation could end a month earlier than planned
Boris Johnson has said he plans to remove all remaining coronavirus restrictions in England a month early. "Providing the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, a full month early," the prime minister told MPs. The current regulations were due to expire on 24 March.
9th Feb 2022 - Sky News
Japan to extend COVID-19 curbs for 13 regions by three weeks
Japanese Prime Minister said on Wednesday that the government would extend COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo and 12 prefectures by three weeks as the Omicron variant continued to spread. Japan has been breaking daily records for coronavirus cases and deaths amid a surge in infections driven by the Omicron variant. It will add one more prefecture to the list of regions facing quasi-emergency measures, including restrictions on the business hours of eateries, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.
9th Feb 2022 - Reuters
UAE to lift gradually COVID-related restrictions - state news agency
The United Arab Emirates will gradually lift restrictions imposed to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the number of infections and hospitalisations has gone down, the state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday. Venues will be allowed to function at maximum capacity by mid-February, it said, citing the National Emergency Crisis Management Authority.
9th Feb 2022 - Reuters
"Beginning of the end": upbeat Poland cuts COVID isolation
An end to the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, the Polish health minister said on Wednesday, as he announced a cut to the isolation period for people infected with the coronavirus and looser quarantine rules. Poland saw record daily case numbers as recently as two weeks ago, but with infections falling and the effects of Omicron appearing to be milder than previous variants, authorities believe the time is right for a lighter touch. "We are dealing with the beginning of the end of the pandemic," Adam Niedzielski told a news conference. "In February, declines in infections should be relatively large."
9th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Czech PM says could lift most COVID measures from March
The Czech Republic aims to increase the number of people allowed at public events in the coming weeks, with expectations that from March nearly all COVID-19 restrictions could be lifted, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday. The central European country of 10.7 million has faced its highest rates of COVID-19 so far since late January, but although the number of hospitalisations has climbed, the number of patients is well below previous peaks. From Thursday, the government is going ahead with previously announced plans to allow the unvaccinated back into restaurants and other venues as infections start to ebb.
9th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullMalaysia COVID-19 panel recommends full border reopening in March
Malaysia's coronavirus recovery council on Tuesday said it has recommended a full reopening of borders as early as March 1 without mandatory quarantine for travellers, as part of plans to accelerate economic recovery. The Southeast Asian nation has shut its borders since March 2020 and froze the entry of foreign workers to try to contain novel coronavirus outbreaks. The recommendation comes as neighbours waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore.
8th Feb 2022 - Reuters
China locks down southern city as omicron variant surges
China has ordered inhabitants of the southern city of Baise to stay home and suspended transportation links amid a surge in COVID-19 cases at least partly linked to the omicron variant. Classes have been suspended, non-essential businesses closed and mass testing of residents ordered. Restaurants are only permitted to serve take-out. Traffic lights have been switched to red only to remind drivers to stay home. As of Tuesday, 135 cases had been reported in the city — at least two of them found to be omicron, health authorities said.
8th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press
Hong Kong Curbs Private Gatherings With Tightest Covid Rules Yet
Hong Kong will limit gatherings in private homes for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began, in an attempt to keep residents from socializing as it fights an outbreak that risks dashing its strategy of keeping out the virus long term. The city will limit multi-household gatherings on private premises to two families starting Thursday, but authorities won’t go door-to-door to check if the rule is being followed. It will also restrict public gatherings to two people, down from four currently, and expand the list of venues where entry is limited to those who are vaccinated to shopping malls, food markets and hair salons. “Now given this severe epidemic, I hope the public will accept that we have to go back to the most stringent level,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday.
8th Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullOmicron forces S. Korea to end GPS monitoring, some checkups
South Korea will no longer use GPS monitoring to enforce quarantines and will also end daily checkup calls to low-risk coronavirus patients as a fast-developing omicron surge overwhelms health and government workers. The speed of transmissions has made it impossible to maintain a tight and proactive medical response, Jeong Eun-kyeong, the country’s top infectious disease expert, said Monday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 38,691 new cases of the virus, a nine-fold increase from the levels seen in mid-January, when omicron became the country’s dominant strain. Jeong said the country may see daily jumps of 130,000 or 170,000 by late February.
7th Feb 2022 - The Associated Press
Indonesia to tighten COVID-19 curbs as infections climb
Indonesia will tighten social restrictions in Jakarta and Bali, as well as in two other cities on Java island, in a bid to contain a spike in coronavirus infections, a senior cabinet minister said on Monday. Separately, the transport ministry clarified that overseas tourists would still be able to enter the country through the capital Jakarta, after the ministry indicated otherwise in a statement issued on Sunday. It earlier said foreign tourists and Indonesians returning from holidays abroad would be temporarily banned from flying into Jakarta, as a further precaution against COVID-19.
7th Feb 2022 - Reuters
China locks down city on Vietnam border as COVID-19 cases rise
Authorities in China’s southwestern city of Baise ordered residents to stay at home from Monday, February 7, and avoid unnecessary travel as they enforced curbs that are among the toughest in the nation’s tool-box to fight rising local infections of COVID-19. The outbreak in Baise, which has a population of about 3.6 million and borders Vietnam, is tiny by global standards, but the curbs, including a ban on non-essential trips in and out, follow a national guideline to quickly contain any flare-ups.The effort takes on extra urgency during the staging of the Winter Olympics, which began on Friday and run until February 20, as well as a busy travel season for the Lunar New Year holiday.
7th Feb 2022 - Rappler
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullRussia eases COVID restrictions as daily cases hit record
Russia will ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions from Sunday, the consumer health watchdog announced on Saturday, despite reporting a record daily number of cases as the Omicron variant spreads across the country. The number of daily infections has been surging since January. But the highly transmissible Omicron variant has not led to a significant increase in deaths, and the Kremlin has recently dismissed concerns about the risk of new lockdowns. According to the latest order from the consumer health watchdog, from Sunday people will no longer need to self-isolate after contacting those infected with COVID-19.
6th Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullStreets of tsunami-hit Tonga empty on first day of COVID lockdown
"Normally this road would be queueing with vehicles and people, but as you can see all shops are closed, everything is closed - taxi stands, shops, supermarkets, it's closed," said local journalist Marian Kupu as she stood at a deserted crossroads in the capital, shuttered buildings behind her. "It's a ghost town here in Nuku'alofa." There had been fears an influx of international ships and planes delivering badly-needed water, shelter and food after last month's devastating volcanic eruption had increased the risk of a pandemic outbreak in the isolated Pacific nation.
3rd Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullFinnish government to remove COVID-19 restrictions
Finland will begin lifting restrictions put in place to check the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, with the aim of removing all curbs at the beginning of March, Prime Minister Sanna Marin told reporters on Wednesday. Heavy restrictions put in place just after Christmas had forced many restaurants and cultural and sports venues to temporarily lay off staff and cancel events. The government now plans to allow restaurants to remain open until midnight and remove curbs on public gatherings from Feb. 14, Marin said, adding the aim is to remove all restrictions at the start of next month.
2nd Feb 2022 - Reuters
Norway ends most curbs despite rising COVID infections
Norway will scrap most of its remaining COVID-19 lockdown measures with immediate effect as a spike in coronavirus infections is unlikely to jeopardise health services, the prime minister said on Tuesday. Restaurants will again be allowed to serve alcohol beyond 11 o'clock at night, working from home will no longer be mandatory and the limit of 10 visitors in private homes will be removed, Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference. "Even if many more people are becoming infected, there are fewer who are hospitalised. We're well protected by vaccines. This means that we can relax many measures even as infections are rising rapidly," Stoere said.
2nd Feb 2022 - Reuters
More European Countries to Ease Covid Restrictions: Italy, Switzerland, Finland
Europe is accelerating steps to roll back coronavirus restrictions as efforts to control the fast-spreading omicron variant have been largely futile. Under pressure from a pandemic-weary public, politicians across the region are deeming many public-health measures increasingly unnecessary. Italy, Switzerland and Finland are set to join Denmark, Ireland and France in easing the bulk of restrictions on public life. Norway also relaxed most rules. While the virus continues to spread rapidly across the continent -- with more than 2.4 million cases over the past two days -- the alert level has dropped.
2nd Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Tonga goes into lockdown after tsunami aid brings COVID-19
The Pacific nation of Tonga has gone into lockdown following the discovery of two coronavirus infections in the community. The two cases are local port workers who had been helping to distribute aid received after a volcanic eruption and tsunami last month. The disaster polluted drinking water, severed communications, killed three people, and left dozens homeless.
2nd Feb 2022 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullNorway Scales Back Most Covid-19 Restrictions
Norway is easing most of the measures to curb infection and aims to remove the rest in a couple of weeks as it bets a high level of vaccination will be enough to shield the health system from overloading. Limits on guests at private gatherings, a curb on the service of alcohol in bars and restaurants, and testing after arriving at the border have all been removed, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters in Oslo on Tuesday. Face masks will still need to be worn in shops, shopping centers and on public transport where a distance of a meter can’t be maintained. Norway is joining countries such as neighboring Denmark, Ireland and the U.K. in scaling back restrictions, expecting the coronavirus to turn endemic. The omicron variant has pushed infection rates to records, but hospitalization rates have remained below highs, indicating that the milder variant and booster shots will enable the country to return to an everyday without controls.
2nd Feb 2022 - Bloomberg
Denmark ends most COVID-19 restrictions
Denmark on Tuesday became one of the first European Union countries to scrap most pandemic restrictions as the Scandinavian country no longer considers the COVID-19 outbreak “a socially critical disease.” The reason for that is that while the omicron variant is surging in Denmark, it's not placing a heavy burden on the health system and the country has a high vaccination rate, officials have said. Denmark has in recent weeks seen more than 50,000 daily cases on average while the number of people in hospital intensive care units has dropped. The most visible restriction disappearing is the wearing of face masks, which are no longer mandatory on public transportation, shops and for standing clients in restaurant indoor areas. Authorities only recommend mask use in hospitals, health care facilities and nursing homes.
1st Feb 2022 - The Independent
South Africa scraps isolation for COVID positive people with no symptoms
South Africa no longer requires those who test positive for COVID-19 without symptoms to isolate and has also reduced the isolation period for those with symptoms by three days, as the country exits its fourth wave of the coronavirus, a government statement said on Monday. Following a special Cabinet meeting held earlier to decide on the amendments, the country made the changes based on the trajectory of the pandemic and levels of vaccination in the country, according to a press release issued by Mondli Gungubele, a minister in the presidency. South Africa is currently at the lowest of its five-stage COVID alert levels.
1st Feb 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Feb 2022
View this newsletter in fullBeijing seals off several communities over two cases of Covid-19
Beijing officials have sealed off several residential communities north of the city centre after two cases of Covid-19 were found as the Chinese capital prepares to host the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday. Another 34 cases were confirmed among athletes and others who have come for the Games, the organising committee said. In all, 211 people have tested positive among more than 8,000 who had arrived by the end of Saturday. They include a Swedish cross-country skier and a snowboarder from Slovenia. Everyone coming for the Olympics is being isolated from the general public for the duration of their stay in China to try to prevent cross-infection.
31st Jan 2022 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong Dials Back One of World’s Longest Covid-19 Quarantines
Officials shortened one of the world’s longest quarantine requirements for travelers arriving in Hong Kong to two weeks from three following pressure from international business groups over the city’s zero-Covid policies. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Thursday the order, effective from Feb. 5, was made based on scientific considerations and as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus becomes the dominant strain in more countries. Other social distancing measures such as the closure of gyms, pools and evening dining, will be extended until Feb. 17, Mrs. Lam said, while a flight ban imposed in early January for arrivals from eight countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada will remain in place until Feb. 18. In line with China’s national strategy of seeking to maintain no infections, the city has some of the world’s strictest Covid-19 containment policies, which until recently had kept the city free of community transmissions for months.
28th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to cut quarantine for arrivals to 14 days from next month
Hong Kong will cut quarantine for arriving travellers to 14 days from 21 starting Feb. 5, leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday, a move that follows intense lobbying from finance executives and diplomats who said the measure was hurting competitiveness. Tough coronavirus rules have made Hong Kong one of the world's most isolated cities, with flights down as much as 90%. Residents returning from more than 160 countries have been required to quarantine for 21 days in designated hotels will now have to spend 14 days in a hotel, followed by seven days of self-monitoring, with further details to be announced.
27th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Denmark becomes first EU country to scrap all COVID-19 restrictions
Denmark is to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions, with Omicron hospital admissions and deaths remaining stable and high rates of vaccination. “Tonight we can ... find the smile again. We have incredibly good news, we can now remove the last coronavirus restrictions in Denmark,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference, following recommendations from the Epidemic Commission and with all the main political parties’ support. The last restrictions will be dropped on February 1. The announcement comes as a new subvariant of Omicron, BA.2, is gaining a foothold in Denmark and driving infections up, with 46,000 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday.
27th Jan 2022 - POLITICO Europe
Finland moves up planned easing of COVID restrictions
Finland will begin gradually easing COVID-19 restrictions from Feb. 1 instead of mid-February as initially planned as the burden on its hospitals eases, the government said late on Thursday. On Jan. 18, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Finland would begin scaling back restrictions from mid-February, but signs of stabilization in the infection rate caused by the Omicron variant of the virus led the government to alter its plan. "The burden on intensive care units has taken a turn in a better direction," Finland's minister for health and social affairs Hanna Sarkkinen told reporters.
27th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullDenmark to End Covid Curbs as Premier Deems Critical Phase Over
Denmark will end virus restrictions next week and reclassify Covid-19 as a disease that no longer poses a threat to society, even as infections in the Nordic nation are at record high. The Nordic country won’t extend the pandemic measures beyond Jan. 31, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a news conference, confirming earlier reports by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper and Bloomberg News. Denmark’s hospitalizations are declining, indicating that omicron is less dangerous than earlier variants of the virus despite a million Danes infected in the last two months.
26th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg
Austria ends lockdown on unvaccinated as pressure on hospitals eases
Austria's lockdown for people not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will end on Monday because the pressure on hospitals has eased, the government said. New daily coronavirus infections are rising, driven by the extremely contagious Omicron variant. They hit a new record above 30,000 on Wednesday, Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein told a news conference, adding that they would peak in the next two weeks at around 35,000 to 40,000.
26th Jan 2022 - Reuters
China’s Olympics COVID measures test residents’ patience
Repeated COVID-19 testing of millions of Beijing residents is starting to test the patience of some as the city clamps down on the virus ahead of the coming Winter Olympics. A third round of mass testing that started Wednesday for the the 2 million residents of Fengtai district drew complaints online and from residents bundled up against the wind to wait in line outdoors. The skies were sunny, but the daytime high hovered around the freezing point. “I think it is too frequent,” said a woman who only gave her surname, Ma. “I just did it yesterday and was asked to do it again today. I asked the question to the staff and they said, ‘Under the principle of testing everyone who should be tested, just do it since you are here.’”
26th Jan 2022 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullNorway scraps coronavirus quarantines
Norway will end its system of mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for non-vaccinated travellers and close contacts of infected persons, replacing it instead with a daily test regime, the government announced on Monday. Under the current rules, anyone arriving in Norway from an area with a quarantine obligation and who cannot show proof of vaccination, or having undergone COVID-19, needs to quarantine for at least three days. Close contacts of infected people are required to quarantine for 10 days.
25th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Japan doubles areas under COVID curbs as cases set records
Japan expanded regions subject to tighter coronavirus curbs to cover 70% of the country on Tuesday, as the government tried to counter a record wave of COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. The measures, already in force in 16 prefectures, will take effect in a further 18 including the western prefectures of Kyoto and Osaka and remain in place until the middle of next month. Nationwide cases rose above 60,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, a tally by broadcaster Fuji TV showed on Tuesday, with the capital, Tokyo, posting 12,813 new cases while the region of Osaka reported 8,612, both records.
25th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullDiplomats at Beijing Olympics Risk 21 Days in Quarantine
China warned foreign diplomats attending the Winter Olympics opening ceremony they could face 21 days in quarantine if they are deemed close contacts of positive cases in the audience. The notice, sent to diplomatic missions and seen by Bloomberg News, came amid a long list of measures that attendees must comply with to attend the Feb. 4 event. They included avoiding parties, meals with friends or even elevator chitchat, along with regular Covid-19 tests and travel restrictions.
24th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullPoland to shorten COVID-19 quarantine to 7 days, says PM
Poland will shorten the COVID-19 quarantine period to seven days and will introduce free tests in pharmacies from Jan. 27, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday, after the country reported a record number of infections.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters
A divided nation: Western Australia stays shut as COVID deaths mount in east
Australia will remain a divided nation, with the vast mining state of Western Australia cancelling plans to reopen its borders on Feb. 5, citing health risks from a surge in the Omicron COVID-19 variant in eastern states. The country reported 86 deaths from the virus on Friday, figures from the state and territory jurisdictions that have reported so far showed, its deadliest day since the start of the pandemic. Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), reported 46 deaths of patients with COVID-19, also its worst day, including one infant, while Victoria state saw 20 deaths.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters
Ireland set to rapidly drop almost all COVID-19 restrictions
Ireland is to scrap almost all its COVID-19 restrictions on Saturday after coming though the storm of the Omicron variant that led to a massive surge in infections, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said in a national address. Ireland had the second highest incidence rate of COVID-19 in Europe just last week but also one of the continent's highest uptake of booster vaccines, which has helped keep the number of seriously ill people well below the previous peak.
21st Jan 2022 - Reuters
Kiribati goes into first lockdown after Covid flight cases
The remote island nation of Kiribati has gone into lockdown after passengers on the first international flight in 10 months tested positive for Covid. Under the new measures, people have been told to stay at home and social gatherings are banned. Some 36 people on the flight from Fiji have tested positive. Four people have caught the virus from community transmission. Until last week, Kiribati had recorded just two Covid cases. Kiribati is one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is some 4,800km (2,980 miles) from its nearest continent, Australia.
21st Jan 2022 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullThailand to resume quarantine waiver for arrivals from February
Thailand will resume its 'Test & Go' quarantine waiver for vaccinated arrivals from Feb. 1, its coronavirus task force said, in response to slowing COVID-19 infections. The scheme was suspended a month ago after only seven weeks due to the rapid global spread of the Omicron variant and uncertainty about vaccine effectiveness against it. The policy requires visitors to test on arrival and again five days later, while agreeing to have their whereabouts tracked, spokesperson Taweesin Wisanuyothin told a briefing.
20th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullJapan widens COVID-19 curbs as Omicron drives record infections
Japan on Wednesday widened COVID-19 curbs to the capital Tokyo and a dozen regions covering half the population as the Omicron variant of coronavirus drove record new infections. Already in effect in three regions, the measures, set to run from Friday until Feb. 13, were made official by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after getting the sign-off from an expert panel earlier in the day. "We are battling against an unknown virus, and I hope that we can overcome this situation with sufficient preparation and without excessive fear," Kishida said.
19th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Swiss cabinet extends quarantine, work-from-home rules into February
Switzerland will extend until the end of February coronavirus quarantine and mandatory work-from-home rules and tentatively plans to keep until the end of March other curbs on public life it tightened last month, the government said on Wednesday. Those measures included the need for people to prove they have been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 to gain entry to many indoor venues as the cabinet tries to avoid another lockdown while COVID-19 cases spike.
19th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullDenmark eases coronavirus restrictions, as cases hit new record
Denmark registered a record number of coronavirus infections on Monday, as cinemas, museums and other cultural institutions reopened after a month-long COVID-19 lockdown. The Nordic country registered 28,780 new cases in the space of 24 hours and the number of coronavirus-related hospitalisations rose to 802, the highest in a year. Still, health authorities said earlier this month that the now-predominant Omicron variant was milder than initially thought and that around 29% of those in hospital were there due to reasons other than COVID-19
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Thailand to lower COVID-19 alert, ease curbs as infections slow
Thailand will lower its COVID-19 alert level and is considering easing more restrictions to boost its economy, its health minister said on Tuesday, in response to a slower infection rate. Among measures being considered are establishing more "sandbox" areas for tourists, who can skip quarantine if they stay in specified areas for seven days and undergo two COVID-19 tests. Nightclubs, pubs and bars will remained closed for now, however, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters, adding the COVID-19 alert level will be lowered to 3, from 4, on the government's 5-level system
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Japan PM plans stronger COVID curbs for Tokyo, 12 other regions
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday he planned to impose a state of quasi-emergency, meaning stronger COVID-19 curbs on dining and gatherings, on 13 regions including Tokyo from Jan. 21 to Feb. 13. He said the government had halted a programme where those vaccinated or with negative test results would be exempted from coronavirus restrictions as virus cases jumped.
18th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullChile Toughens Mobility Limits in Santiago on Covid-19 Surge
Chile’s Health Ministry toughened mobility restrictions in Santiago’s Metropolitan Region and 45 other municipalities nationwide, as the government copes with a surge in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. Fewer people will be allowed at events in homes and public spaces, and restaurants will cut seating capacity, the Health Ministry informed on Monday. Healthcare workers will also start receiving a second booster shot this week.
18th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullFrustration over COVID-19 restrictions in increasingly isolated Hong Kong
Hong Kong is following mainland China's zero-tolerance approach to control COVID-19, rankling many residents of the international financial hub as much of the world shifts towards living with the coronavirus. Hong Kong effectively closed its borders and imposed social restrictions this month to deal with a spurt in COVID-19 infections due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Although the moves are less strict than those in parts of the mainland, they come after months of relative normalcy and are battering a city dependent on business travellers and accustomed to frequent dining out.
15th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullNorway Eases Measures as It Prepares to Live With Omicron Wave
Norway is scaling back some of its infection restrictions as it moves into a new phase of the pandemic. The omicron variant has pushed infection rates to records, and the country now needs to ready itself to tolerate living with the virus, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters on Thursday. It isn’t possible to stop an omicron-driven wave, but the likelihood of hospitalization is lower and vaccination provides good protection against serious sickness, he said.
13th Jan 2022 - Bloomberg
England to cut minimum COVID self-isolation to five days
The minimum COVID-19 self-isolation period in England will be cut to five days from seven if someone tests negative twice, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Thursday, a move that could reduce staffing disruption in businesses and infrastructure. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant has fuelled a spike in COVID-19 cases to record highs in Britain, and the surge has cause major disruption to the staffing of hospitals, schools and transport as staff have to self-isolate.
13th Jan 2022 - Reuters UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullSwiss halve quarantine period to five days to cope with Omicron surge
Switzerland will halve its quarantine time to five days to help cope with a wave of coronavirus infections that threatens to hamstring the economy, the government said on Wednesday. Health authorities had given their blessing on Tuesday for the move, which comes as tens of thousands more people get infected every day due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus. Officials worry that the wave could overwhelm the health care system in a country where only two-thirds of the population has got two jabs and just 30% has had a booster shot.
12th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullJapan to maintain strict border restrictions until end of February
Japan will maintain its tight entry restrictions to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus until the end of February, the prime minister said on Tuesday, though some exceptions for humanitarian reasons may be considered.
Japan adopted some of the strictest border controls in the world when the Omicron variant emerged late last year, banning all new entry by non-Japanese people, including students and foreign family members of Japanese or permanent residents, except in exceptional circumstances.
11th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong unveils further steps to curb COVID-19 spread, boost vaccinations
Hong Kong will shut kindergartens and primary schools and start offering COVID-19 vaccines for children from the age of five, the city's leader said on Tuesday, as the financial hub grapples with an increase in coronavirus infections. Certain passengers meanwhile will be banned from transiting through Hong Kong for a month, Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
It comes as the Chinese-ruled city has seen some local transmissions of the Omicron coronavirus variant after three months of no local coronavirus cases at the end of last year.
11th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Nepal bans big public gatherings, closes schools amid COVID spike
Officials in Nepal have banned large public gatherings and closed schools across the Himalayan nation for nearly three weeks after a spike in coronavirus cases. Nepal reported 1,357 new cases on Monday, the biggest single-day jump since September last year, taking its total to 833,946 since the pandemic began. Its death toll from the coronavirus is 11,606.
11th Jan 2022 - AlJazeera
China: Twenty million under strict COVID lockdown amid fears Omicron could disrupt Beijing Winter Olympics
About 20 million people in China are now under a stay-at-home order after a third city brought in a strict COVID lockdown. Anyang in Henan province, with a population of 5.5 million, confirmed a lockdown after 84 cases were detected since Saturday - at least two of them Omicron. Mass testing is being carried out - established practice in China after even a handful of cases - and non-essential vehicles are banned from the streets.
11th Jan 2022 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullSweden to implement more COVID measures as Omicron squeezes healthcare
Sweden will introduce more measures to stem a rising number of COVID cases that have placed a greater burden on the healthcare system, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Monday. Sweden has seen the fastest spread of COVID cases in recent weeks as the Omicron variant has surged through the country. A record 60,000 cases were detected last week, despite limited testing capabilities. "The situation has deteriorated, without doubt. The level of infections in Sweden is at a historically high level," Andersson told a news conference.
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters
UK minister backs reduced COVID isolation period to ease workforce pressures
Reducing the self-isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 from seven days to five would help British employers that have been hard hit by absences, education minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday. The Omicron variant is still spreading in Britain and many businesses, schools and hospitals are struggling with staff shortages, fuelling calls for the rules on isolation after a positive test to be reduced further. Last month, health authorities in the United States shortened the recommended isolation time for asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 to five days from the previous guidance of 10 days
10th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullGermany tightens dining rules due to Omicron, loosens quarantine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and regional leaders tightened the rules for restaurant and bar visits but shortened COVID-19 quarantine periods on Friday in response to the Omicron variant. Scholz added that all 16 state leaders supported the implementation of a general vaccination mandate and that the Bundestag lower house of parliament would discuss drafts of it soon. Under new measures decided on Friday, people in Germany who have received a booster shot will not have to isolate after being in contact with someone who was infected with the coronavirus.
7th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's Henan adds COVID curbs as cases rise, Xian official apologises
More cities in central China's Henan province imposed COVID restrictions as infections there rose sharply, while authorities in the northwestern city of Xian apologised on Thursday to a woman whose miscarriage during lockdown stirred public outrage. Henan reported 64 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for Wednesday, up from just four a day earlier, official data showed on Thursday. While those numbers are small by global standards, and no cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant have been reported so far in Henan, several cities there imposed new limits on travel and other activities in response.
6th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Austria decides new COVID-19 measures including shorter quarantine
Austria will impose new COVID-19 measures from Saturday and the government is still working on a draft law to make vaccinations compulsory from Feb. 1 as the highly contagious Omicron variant spreads, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Thursday. Austria managed to slash daily COVID-19 cases with its fourth full coronavirus lockdown between November and December last year, but Omicron is pushing the numbers up again. "We need to do everything we can possibly do together to prevent another lockdown," Nehammer told a news conference after the federal government met provincial leaders and pandemic task force experts.
6th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Belgium suffers record COVID cases, adapts quarantine strategy
Fuelled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, Belgium's daily cases of COVID-19 reached a new peak this week, with health experts warning of between 30,000 and 125,000 cases a day by mid-January in the nation of 11 million. "The fifth wave has started. The weekly average has risen by 82%," virologist Steven Van Gucht told a news conference following a government meeting on the coronavirus situation. Home to the European Union institutions and NATO, Belgium registered 27,199 new COVID-19 cases on Jan. 3, beating a record set in Nov. 2020, and hit a fresh high of over 28,000 on Jan. 4, as Omicron hit the country a little later than Britain, Spain and France.
6th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullU.S. CDC backs previous advice for 5-day isolation; no test needed
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday backed its week-old guidance for people seeking to end their COVID-19 isolation at five days, adding they could take a rapid antigen test if they want to and can access one, but is not requiring that. The agency had been pressured by health experts to institute a test requirement after it cut in half its guidance last week for people to isolate after a COVID-19 infection to 5 days from 10. It said the move was based on science around transmission of the virus. On Tuesday, the CDC added an explanation on its website, saying that a review of 113 studies from 17 countries showed that most transmission occurs early in the course of infection. It said the average period of infectiousness and risk of transmission was "between 2-3 days before and 8 days after symptom onset."
6th Jan 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com
Yuzhou: Second Chinese city forced into Covid lockdown
China has put a second city into total lockdown after just three asymptomatic Covid cases were discovered. Yuzhou - which has a population of 1.1 million - saw its transport system shut down and all but essential food stores closed overnight. It follows a similar lockdown in Xi'an, where 13 million have been confined to their homes since 23 December. The strict measures come ahead of the Lunar New Year and the Winter Olympics due to be held in Beijing.
5th Jan 2022 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullLockdown of Chinese City Leaves 13 Million Stranded
A week and a half into one of the biggest pandemic lockdowns in China, residents of Xi’an voiced desperation online about challenges in getting food and medical care. China’s Covid-19 count remains low in comparison with other countries, hovering at around 100 a day. In the past few days, about 90% of cases have been in Xi’an, the city of terracotta-warrior fame in China’s northwest, which has confirmed 1,758 total Covid-19 infections since Dec. 9, a high number for China. Most of the cases have been mild, officials said. No deaths related to Covid-19 have been reported anywhere in China in the past 11 months, including Xi’an.
4th Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Delhi imposes weekend curfew as COVID cases multiply, chief minister tests positive
Authorities in India's capital Delhi on Tuesday ordered people to stay home over coming weekends, with COVID-19 cases quadrupling in a week. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the most senior elected official in the capital's administration, was one of the 37,379 new COVID-19 cases reported in India in the space of 24 hours.
Kejriwal, who announced his infection the day after addressing an election rally without a mask, is among scores of political leaders - including Prime Minister Narendra Modi - holding events across India in front of large crowds.
4th Jan 2022 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jan 2022
View this newsletter in fullU.S., Europe Weigh Isolation Requirements as Omicron Disrupts Daily Life
European governments are relaxing some quarantine requirements to help keep daily life open with new Covid-19 infections surging, while the top U.S. infectious-disease expert suggested health authorities might tighten isolation measures.
Countries have been grappling with isolation requirements, trying to balance health concerns as the Omicron variant takes hold, with the risk that those quarantine periods sideline medical staff, teachers and other workers for so long that hospitals, schools and other workplaces are unable to function effectively. Throughout the pandemic, Europeans have typically been required to self-isolate for 10 days if they or a close contact have tested positive for the virus. Some governments are responding to the threat of breakdown by shortening or otherwise easing their quarantine rules.
3rd Jan 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Covid-19 positive cases can be released from isolation without a test
On Thursday states agreed to seven-day isolation with negative test on day 6
But now leaders have agreed that no test is necessary for asymptomatic people
Close contacts and Covid patients can simply leave isolation after seven days
This is because people are rarely infectious after having Covid for a whole week
31st Dec 2021 - Daily Mail
South Africa lifts curfew as it says COVID-19 fourth wave peaks
South Africa has lifted a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew on people's movement with immediate effect, believing the country has passed the peak of its fourth COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron variant, a government statement said on Thursday. The country made the changes based on the trajectory of the pandemic, levels of vaccination in the country and available capacity in the health sector, according to a press release issued by Mondli Gungubele, a minister in the presidency. South Africa is currently at the lowest of its five-stage COVID-19 alert levels.
31st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Hong Kong says Omicron has breached its strict COVID-19 restrictions
Hong Kong's health officials said on Friday the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has made its way past some of the world's toughest COVID 19 restrictions, with the city reporting its first cases outside its strict quarantine system. The findings raise risks that the global financial hub might keep its borders shut well into 2022. It has largely isolated itself from the world hoping in turn to open the border with mainland China for a limited number of business travellers.
31st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Ireland relaxes COVID-19 testing rules, cuts isolation period
Ireland on Thursday became the latest country to cut the isolation period for some people who contract COVID-19 and relax requirements for tests as a record number of cases for the fourth time in a week overwhelmed testing facilities. With the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus accounting for 92% of all infections, the health department reported 20,554 new cases, more than double the record in any previous wave to bring the 14-day infection rate to 2,300 per 100,000 people.
31st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in full'Just want to go home': China's Xian in COVID lockdown for 7th day
A lockdown of 13 million people in the Chinese city of Xian entered its seventh day on Wednesday, with many unable to leave their residential compounds and relying on deliveries of necessities as new COVID-19 infections persisted. Xian reported 151 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for Tuesday, or nearly all of the 152 cases nationwide, bringing the total number of local Xian cases to nearly 1,000 during the Dec. 9-28 period. No cases of the Omicron variant have been announced in the city so far.
29th Dec 2021 - Reuters
CDC cuts isolation time for asymptomatic COVID-19 cases to 5 days
U.S. health authorities on Monday shortened the recommended isolation time for Americans with asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 to five days from the previous guidance of 10 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said the asymptomatic people after isolation should follow five days of wearing a mask when around others. It also recommended a five-day quarantine for those exposed to the virus who are unvaccinated or are over six months out from their second mRNA dose or more than two months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and not yet boosted. The quarantine period should be followed by strict mask use for an additional five days.
28th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullGreece expands restrictions to contain Omicron variant surge
Greece on Monday announced further restrictions effective from Jan. 3-16 to contain a further upsurge in COVID-19 infections including the Omicron variant, targeting mainly night-time entertainment venues. As confirmed new COVID-19 cases surged to a record of 9,284 on Monday, resulting in 66 deaths, the health minister said that under the new measures, high-protection masks would be compulsory at supermarkets, public transport and eating establishments. Bars and restaurants will have to close at midnight and no standing customers at entertainment venues will be allowed. There will also be a maximum limit of six people per table.
27th Dec 2021 - Reuters
China puts city of 13 million in COVID lockdown before Olympics
China has put a city of 13 million people into lockdown over an increase in coronavirus infections, just weeks before it is set to host the Winter Olympics. The restrictions in the city of Xi’an in the northeastern Shaanxi province took effect on Thursday, with no word on when they might be lifted. They are some of the harshest since China imposed a strict lockdown last year on more than 11 million people in and around the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019. One person from each household will be allowed out every two days to buy household necessities, a government order said.
24th Dec 2021 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullPortugal imposes post-Christmas COVID-19 curbs as Omicron cases surge
Portugal on Tuesday ordered nightclubs and bars to close and told people to work from home for at least two weeks starting on Saturday to control the spread of COVID-19 over the holiday period. "This still isn't the normal Christmas we are used to," Prime Minister Antonio Costa told a news conference. "If we do not adopt these measures now, the consequences on everyone's lives will be much worse after Christmas and the New Year." Costa also announced capacity restrictions at stores and said a negative coronavirus test would now be required to stay at hotels or go to events.
22nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
Austria tightens restrictions as it braces for Omicron wave
Austria is introducing restrictions including a 10 p.m. closing time to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant after Christmas and prevent it being imported from Europe's hardest-hit countries, a senior health official said on Wednesday.
Austria began emerging from its fourth full coronavirus lockdown 10 days ago. While that three-week lockdown slashed daily COVID-19 infections, the country is bracing for another surge because of the extremely contagious Omicron variant, of which several hundred cases have been confirmed so far.
22nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullSweden hardens COVID curbs amid worries over Omicron
Sweden will urge all employees to work from home if possible and impose tighter rules for social distancing, the government said on Tuesday, as it ratchets up restrictions to fight a surge in new infections and the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. The number of new virus cases in Sweden, which sparked international attention last year for its rejection of hard lockdowns, have shot up in recent weeks after a calm autumn when most restrictions were phased out. Hospitalizations and intensive care cases are still among the lowest per capita in Europe, but have also begun rising.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Iceland Tightens Covid Curbs Amid Surge in Cases
Iceland is taking stronger measures to quell a surge in Covid-19 cases after daily infections reached a record. The North Atlantic island’s government cut the number of people allowed at gatherings to 20 from the current 50, Health Minister Wilum Thor Thorsson said on Tuesday. When rapid tests are in use, 200 people will be allowed to gather, down from the current 500. The new rules take effect at midnight.
“We are very worried,” Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir told local media after a government meeting. “Uncertainty over how effective vaccinations are against the new variant calls for the government to react.”
21st Dec 2021 - Bloomberg
Germany to Impose Tighter Curbs as Nation Braces for Omicron
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pushed through tighter social-distancing restrictions to stave off the threat of a “massive” surge of the omicron Covid-19 variant just as families gather for the Christmas holidays. The latest measures, which add to existing curbs that mainly affect the unvaccinated, include limiting gatherings to 10 people starting Dec. 28. The restrictions, which Scholz negotiated with regional leaders on Tuesday, also apply to those who are inoculated or have recovered from the virus. “We can’t close our eyes to the next wave that’s beginning to appear in front of us,” Scholz told reporters in Berlin after meeting the country’s 16 state premiers. The chancellor said Germans should celebrate Christmas, but cautiously.
21st Dec 2021 - Bloomberg
Spain Faces New Restrictions Despite High Vaccine Rates
Despite vaccination rates that make other governments envious, Spain and Portugal are facing the hard truth that, with the new omicron variant running rampant, these winter holidays won't be a time of unrestrained joy. Portugal on Tuesday announced a slew of new restrictions over Christmas and the New Year, making working from home mandatory and shutting discotheques and bars beginning Saturday night. Also, a negative test result must be shown to enter Portuguese cinemas, theaters, sports events, weddings and baptisms until at least Jan. 9.
21st Dec 2021 - Bloomberg
Businesses fret as South Korea reimposes COVID-19 curfews
As clocks struck 9 p.m. this week, customers packed up and left restaurants and other eateries across South Korea as a reimposed curfew designed to help stem a surge in coronavirus infections sparks fears of economic disaster for some businesses. Last week authorities announced a series of social distancing measures lasting until at least Jan. 2. They include limiting gatherings to no more than four people and forcing restaurants, cafes and bars to close by 9 p.m. (1200 GMT). The measures came just six weeks after highly-vaccinated South Korea eased many restrictions to try to "live with COVID-19." Since then daily cases and serious infections have hit record highs, adding to strains on the country's medical system.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters
New Zealand delays border re-opening over Omicron concerns
New Zealand on Tuesday postponed its phased border re-opening plans until the end of February over concerns of the rapid global spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The South Pacific nation had just started easing some of the world's toughest pandemic measures and its international border restrictions were to progressively loosen from January, with all foreign tourists allowed into the country from April. Non-quarantine travel, which was to have opened for New Zealanders in Australia from Jan. 16, would be pushed back until the end of February, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said at a press conference in Wellington.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Thailand reinstates mandatory COVID-19 quarantine over Omicron concerns
Thailand will reinstate its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for foreign visitors and scrap a quarantine waiver from Tuesday due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The decision to halt Thailand's "Test and Go" waiver means visitors will have to undergo hotel quarantine, which ranges between 7 to 10 days. Meanwhile, a so-called "sandbox" programme, which requires visitors to remain in a specific location but allows them free movement outside of their accommodation, will also be suspended in all places except for the tourist resort island of Phuket.
21st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullDutch streets deserted as snap Christmas COVID lockdown starts
Article reports that Dutch urban centres were largely deserted on Sunday as the country began a snap lockdown that, aimed at stemming an expected COVID-19 surge caused by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, left people's Christmas plans in disarray. Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the shutdown on Saturday evening, ordering the closure of all but essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places from Sunday until at least Jan. 14. In Rotterdam, police used a water cannon to disperse a group of around 1,000 people who had gathered outside the city's main soccer stadium, ahead of a clash between local team Feyenoord and bitter rivals Ajax Amsterdam.
20th Dec 2021 - Reuters
No lockdown before Christmas, Germany says
Germany's health minister Karl Lauterbach ruled out a Christmas lockdown on Sunday but warned a fifth COVID-19 wave could no longer be stopped and backed mandatory vaccination as the only way to stop the pandemic. "There will not be a lockdown before Christmas here. But we will get a fifth wave - we have crossed a critical number of Omicron infections," Lauterbach said, speaking on broadcaster ARD. "This wave can no longer be completely stopped." In another interview with BILD, Lauterbach added that he did not expect there to be a "hard lockdown" after the holidays either.
20th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullNetherlands starts 'painful' Christmas coronavirus lockdown
Dutch urban centres were largely deserted on Sunday as the country began a snap lockdown that, aimed at stemming an expected COVID-19 surge caused by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, left people's Christmas plans in disarray. Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the shutdown on Saturday evening, ordering the closure of all but essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places from Sunday until at least Jan. 14. In Rotterdam, police used a water cannon to disperse a group of around 1,000 people who had gathered outside the city's main soccer stadium, ahead of a clash between local team Feyenoord and bitter rivals Ajax Amsterdam.
19th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Officials draw up plans for two-week 'circuit breaker' lockdown
Plans for a two-week circuit breaker lockdown after Xmas are being drawn up. Leaked minutes from a SAGE meeting said restrictions are needed 'very soon.'
During the Thursday meeting, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact. It is believed that they want fresh measures to come in before January 1
19th Dec 2021 - Daily Mail
Germany to impose quarantine on travellers from Britain from Monday
Germany will impose quarantine on travellers from Britain from midnight on Monday and require a negative COVID-19 test for entry into the country, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said on Saturday. Germany's regional health ministers had urged the national government on Saturday to introduce tougher rules on people arriving from Britain, where the Omicron coronavirus variant has sparked a surge in infections. At a meeting, the ministers called on Berlin to classify Britain as a virus-variant area, enforcing a two-week quarantine on all travellers including those who are vaccinated.
18th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullFrance halts British visitors, EU nations tighten borders as Omicron rises
France imposed travel restrictions on travellers from Britain on Thursday due to surging COVID-19 cases there, and several European countries also strengthened border controls on visitors from other EU states. Plans for Christmas celebrations in Europe and many countries across the globe have been thrown into disarray by the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant, which emerged in Hong Kong and Southern Africa last month.
16th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullUK COVID cases hit record; Top doctor warns of worse to come
Professor Chris Whitty described the current situation as two epidemics in one — with omicron infections rising rapidly even as the country continues to grapple with the older delta variant, which is still causing a large number of infections. Public health officials expect omicron to become the dominant variant across the U.K. within days. Omicron already accounts for a majority of cases in London. The U.K. recorded 78,610 new infections on Wednesday, 16% higher than the previous record set in January. While scientists are still studying the risks posed by the highly transmissible omicron variant, Witty said the public should be braced for the figures to continue rising in coming weeks. “There are several things we don’t know,” Whitty said. “But all the things we do know are bad, the principal one being the speed at which this is moving. It is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace.”
15th Dec 2021 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: All countries on red list to be removed as 'less effective' in slowing Omicron - Javid
All 11 countries on the UK's travel red list will be removed as the system has become "less effective in slowing the incursion" of the Omicron variant, the health secretary has announced. Sajid Javid told the House of Commons that the nations will be removed from 4am on Wednesday, so arrivals will no longer have to isolate in a government-approved quarantine hotel for two weeks at the cost of £2,285.
The 11 countries currently on the red list are: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
14th Dec 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria ends Covid lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people
Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after reimposing strict rules to combat a rising wave of coronavirus infections. The rules, which vary by region within the country, largely allow for the reopening of theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues on Sunday. Shops will follow on Monday. Some regions are reopening restaurants and hotels on Sunday, while others will wait until later in the month. In all cases, there will be an 11pm curfew for restaurants, and masks will still be required on public transport and inside stores and public spaces.
12th Dec 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullPolarized Austria Ends Lockdown as Vaccine Mandate Looms Large
Austria ended a nationwide coronavirus lockdown for most people on Sunday, while keeping restrictions for the unvaccinated as it presses ahead with the boldest incentive in Europe to boost inoculations. Starting Sunday, vaccine-rejectors can only leave their homes to go to work, where they’ll need to provide a negative coronavirus test every two days, and for essential shopping and daily exercise. Entry to other venues will be barred. Life will slowly return to normal for people who’ve had a vaccine or have recently recovered from the virus, with regions implementing a patchwork of easing schedules.
12th Dec 2021 - Bloomberg
Austria’s Restrictions on the Unvaccinated Appear to Be Working
Austria, one of the worst-hit countries in Europe’s latest Covid-19 surge, has seen infections plummet and vaccination rates soar after imposing a lockdown and saying it would make the shots mandatory next year. The measures, and the steep fall in new cases since they were announced, could offer some options to countries in a region where infections are still rising rapidly or plateauing at a high level. The Alpine republic introduced a lockdown and said it would mandate vaccines beginning next February on Nov. 22, when the weekly rolling average of daily new cases exceeded 1,500 and hospitals in areas with low vaccination rates were struggling to cope with the influx of patients.
11th Dec 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Swiss mull limited lockdown as COVID-19 cases rise
Switzerland may have to impose another limited lockdown to break the momentum of rising coronavirus cases that threaten to overwhelm its healthcare system, the government said on Friday. "This is really a critical phase. The trends are going in the wrong direction," Health Minister Alain Berset told reporters in Bern as the cabinet launched consultations with regional authorities and social partners on the way forward. The government said it may expand the requirement for proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus for access to many indoor venues, which would leave out unvaccinated people even if they have negative test results.
11th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria plans to fine vaccine holdouts up to 3600 euros a quarter
Austria's conservative-led government on Thursday gave details of its plan to make coronavirus vaccines compulsory, saying it will apply to people 14 and over and holdouts face fines of up to 3,600 euros ($4,071) every three months. Roughly 68% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. Many Austrians are sceptical about vaccines, a view encouraged by the far-right Freedom Party, the third biggest in parliament.
9th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Slovakia to re-open shops for vaccinated, others face longer lockdown
Slovakia will on Friday re-open non-essential shops and some services for those vaccinated against COVID-19 while at the same time extending a lockdown for others and closing some schools, Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said. The central European country of 5.5 million people has struggled with one of the world's worst coronavirus waves in the past few weeks, and shut shops and services for all people for two weeks ending Dec. 9. Lengvarsky had sought to extend the general lockdown until Dec.16, and to ease it for the vaccinated from Dec. 17.
9th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullS.Korea considers expanded COVID-19 home care as new cases top 7000
South Korea will consider expanding home treatment of COVID-19 patients, a health official said on Wednesday, as both new daily infections and severe cases hit record highs, putting hospital capacity under strain. Infections in South Korea have skyrocketed this month after the government began to ease restrictions under a so-called "living with COVID-19" scheme in November. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 7,175 new coronavirus cases and 63 deaths for Tuesday, the first time daily infections topped 7,000, while hospitals treated a record 840 critical and serious cases.
8th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullThe explosion of Covid PTSD cases is a mental health crisis in the making
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, people working in the trauma field knew the psychological toll would be colossal. In the spring of 2020, I began interviewing professionals about the mental health fallout of the pandemic, specifically its impact on frontline medical staff. During the first wave, two in every five intensive care staff in England reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. That work continued for almost a year, during which time a second wave hit and the initial traumas were exacerbated. But it wasn’t only frontline workers who were experiencing trauma symptoms: Covid has posed perhaps the biggest threat to mental health in England since the second world war. Now, at the tail end of 2021, the pandemic is still not over. The NHS forecasts that nationally, there will be 230,000 new cases of PTSD as a result of Covid-19.
7th Dec 2021 - The Guardian
Austria plans to lift lockdown, but not for the unvaccinated
The unvaccinated will stay in lockdown when Austria lifts its wider general lockdown on Sunday, Chancellor Karl Nehammer confirmed on Tuesday, a day after he took office. Austria went intolockdowntwo weeks ago to counter a surge in daily COVID-19 infections to record levels, with restaurants, bars, theatres and non-essential shops shut to all but take-away business. Hotels are closed to tourists. Infections have plunged since but intensive-care bed occupancy is still rising.
7th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullSlovak health minister proposes extending lockdown till Dec 16
Slovakia's health minister said on Monday he would ask the cabinet to extend a lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 infections by one week until Dec. 16. Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million, has grappled with one of the world's worst coronavirus waves in the past few weeks and introduced a lockdown that shut most shops and services on Nov. 25. Under the lockdown, Slovaks are allowed to school and work but non-essential movement between districts is banned, as well as most public gatherings and events. Non-essential shops are closed.
6th Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullWHO says measures used against delta should work for omicron
Measures used to counter the delta variant should remain the foundation for fighting the coronavirus pandemic, even in the face of the new omicron version of the virus, World Health Organization officials said Friday, while acknowledging that the travel restrictions imposed by some countries may buy time. While about three dozen countries worldwide have reported omicron infections, including India on Thursday, the numbers so far are small outside of South Africa, which is facing a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and where the new variant may be becoming dominant. Still, much remains unclear about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, or whether it can evade vaccine protection.
3rd Dec 2021 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullSweden says could impose new COVID-19 measures next week
Sweden could impose new restrictions as early as next week to fight the coronavirus pandemic and a rising tide of infections, its public health agency said on Thursday. New measures could include general advice such as keeping a distance from other people and wearing a face mask on public transport, the agency said, but gave no precise details. It also said it might recommend employers to enable staff to "to some degree" work from home.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
Lebanon reintroduces some COVID-19 prevention measures
Lebanon will impose a night-time curfew starting Dec. 17 on non-vaccinated people for three weeks and make full vaccination mandatory for all workers in several sectors due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus, the COVID-19 committee said on Wednesday. Vaccination will be mandatory for all civil servants and workers in the health, education, tourism and public transport sectors as of Jan. 10, the committee said. A new coronavirus variant found in South Africa and detected in several countries was determined as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization last week and has led to strengthening COVID-19-related restrictions around the world.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
S.Korea hits new COVID-19 record, halts quarantine exemptions to block Omicron
South Korea's daily coronavirus case numbers rose to a new high on Thursday, as authorities halted quarantine exemptions for fully vaccinated inbound travellers for two weeks in a bid to fend off the Omicron variant. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 5,266 cases for Wednesday, a day after the daily tally rose above 5,000 for the first time amid concerns over a sharp rise in patients with severe symptoms. South Korea will require a 10-day quarantine for all inbound travellers for two weeks starting Friday, halting exemptions given earlier to fully vaccinated people, the KDCA said.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
Germany to impose restrictions on unvaccinated to break COVID surge
Germany on Thursday imposed restrictions on the unvaccinated as it sought to break a dramatic surge in daily coronavirus infections exacerbated by the discovery of the Omicron strain. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz agreed with leaders of Germany's 16 states to bar the unvaccinated from access to all but the most essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries. They also agreed to pass legislation in the national parliament to make vaccination mandatory.
2nd Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullU.S. tightens travel rules as more countries secure borders to quell Omicron
Heavily mutated Omicron is rapidly becoming the dominant variant of the coronavirus in South Africa less than four weeks after it was first detected there, and the United States on Wednesday became the latest country to identify an Omicron case within its borders. The first known U.S. case was a fully vaccinated person in California who returned to the United States from South Africa on Nov. 22 and tested positive seven days later. The person had mild symptoms and was in self-quarantine, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official, told reporters at the White House.
1st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Dec 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria extends COVID-19 lockdown by 10 days
An Austrian parliamentary committee on Tuesday, as widely expected, approved a decree extending the country's COVID-19 lockdown by 10 days, bringing its total duration to 20 days, which the government has said is the longest it will last. Faced with surging daily coronavirus infections, the conservative-led government introduced the lockdown on Monday of last week, the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown this autumn.
1st Dec 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralia delays border reopening as Omicron cases rise
Australia said on Monday it would delay the reopening of its international border by two weeks after reporting its first cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Prime Minister Scott Morrison convened a meeting of his national security committee and said it received advice from Australia's chief health officer to delay the reopening after the first cases of the new variant were detected on Sunday.
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Singapore, Malaysia reopen land border amid worries over the Omicron variant
Singapore and Malaysia reopened one of the world's busiest land borders on Monday, allowing vaccinated travellers to cross after nearly two years of being shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although travellers welcomed the chance to reunite with family and friends, there were concerns the border might be closed again due to the new Omicron coronavirus variant. As many as 300,000 Malaysians commuted daily to Singapore before the pandemic. The sudden closing of the border in March 2020 left tens of thousands stranded on both sides, separated from families and fearing for their jobs.
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters
High COVID case count, Omicron prompt S.Korea not to relax curbs
South Korea said on Monday it has shelved plans to further relax COVID-19 restrictions due to the strain on its healthcare system from rising hospitalisation and death rates, as well as the threat posed by the new Omicron variant. President Moon Jae-in said the crisis had deepened and called for a united response to prevent the variant from entering the country, including the mobilisation of more personnel and tightening contact tracing.
29th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Japan to bar all foreign visitors over Omicron variant
Japan says it will bar the entry of all foreign visitors from around the world, just weeks after a softening of strict entry rules, following the emergence of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. “We will ban the (new) entry of foreigners from around the world starting from November 30,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters, saying the measures would take effect on Tuesday. Over the weekend, Japan tightened entry restrictions for people arriving from South Africa and eight other countries in the region, requiring them to undergo a 10-day quarantine at government-designated facilities. Monday’s announcement means Japan will restore border controls it eased earlier this month for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.
29th Nov 2021 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullOmicron Identified as Covid-19 ‘Variant of Concern,’ Triggering Global Fears
A fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus first detected in southern Africa is a global “variant of concern” and might pose a higher risk of people falling ill with Covid-19 for a second time, the World Health Organization said Friday, as governments around the globe restricted travel from the region. WHO said there was also preliminary evidence that the variant, which it named Omicron after the Greek letter, was more transmissible than the Delta variant that is currently dominant world-wide, and other virus strains. Health authorities in Belgium, Israel, Hong Kong and Botswana said they had detected first cases of the variant. Although scientists were still figuring out the exact effects of the variant’s many mutations, its discovery highlights the continued threat posed by an evolving virus to the world’s emergence from the pandemic. The travel restrictions imposed by many countries, including the U.S., raised fears that there could be further setbacks to the reopening of economic and social life, including in Western countries with high vaccination rates.
27th Nov 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Australia starts 14-day quarantine for citizens travelling from southern Africa
Australia will introduce 14-day quarantine for citizens and their dependents travelling from nine countries in southern Africa due to the new coronavirus variant, its health minister said on Saturday. "Anyone who is not a citizen of Australia or their dependents, and who has been in African countries where the Omicron variant has been detected and spread within the past 14 days will not be able to enter Australia," Health Minister Greg Hunt told a press briefing.
27th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullPortugal reimposes rules as COVID-19 cases rise
Portugal, which has one of the world's highest rates of vaccination against COVID-19, announced it would reimpose restrictions to stop a surge in cases, ordering all passengers flying into the country to show a negative test certificate on arrival. "It doesn't matter how successful the vaccination was, we must be aware we are entering a phase of greater risk," Prime Minister Antonio Costa told a news conference on Thursday. "We have seen significant growth (in cases) in the EU and Portugal is not an island," he added.
26th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Czechs shut bars and restaurants early, hoping to avoid COVID lockdown
The Czech government on Thursday ordered bars and clubs to close at 10 p.m. and banned Christmas markets in an attempt to stem one of the world's highest coronavirus infection rates. The new restrictions also include a maximum attendance of 1,000 people at culture and sports events, stopping short of the sweeping lockdowns in neighbouring Austria and Slovakia, where infection rates are even higher. Just hours after the new restrictions were announced, the presidential office said President Milos Zeman was taken to hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus, although local media reported he showed no symptoms.
25th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Italy tightens screws on COVID unvaccinated, extends shot mandate
Italy on Wednesday tightened the screws on people unwilling to take an anti-COVID vaccine, sharply restricting access to an array of services and making vaccines mandatory for a wider group of public sector workers. Italy acted as much of Europe is increasing restrictions to try to grapple with a new wave of the pandemic. Under the Italian measures, which will come into force from Dec. 6, unvaccinated people will not be able to enter venues such as cinemas, restaurants and sports events, Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government said in a statement
25th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Slovakia follows Austria into lockdown amid record surge in COVID cases
Slovakia's government followed the example of neighbouring Austria on Wednesday and ordered a two-week lockdown to quell the world's fastest rise in COVID-19 cases as the number of people sick in hospital reached a critical level and vaccination levels remain low. Restaurants and non-essential shops will close as part of the measures and movement will be limited to trips for essential shopping, work, school or medical visits, along with walks in nature, government officials said.
25th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullSlovakia's COVID cases rise by record as government prepares lockdown
Slovakia's government followed the example of neighbouring Austria on Wednesday and ordered a two-week lockdown to quell the world's fastest rise in COVID-19 cases as the number of people sick in hospital reached a critical level and vaccination levels remain low. Restaurants and non-essential shops will close as part of the measures and movement will be limited to trips for essential shopping, work, school or medical visits, along with walks in nature, government officials said.
24th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Austria's lockdown is looking infectious
Austria’s lockdown may spread as quickly as Covid-19. On Friday, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced a national lockdown beginning on Monday and introduced Europe’s first vaccine mandate. Austria and its neighbours had been hoping that a targeted lockdown for vaccine holdouts might avert blanket restrictions, however soaring infection rates have already stretched intensive care facilities to the brink.
24th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Austria coronavirus lockdown feels not just like a health crisis, but also a cultural, social and political storm
On Saturday, the streets of Vienna were packed with shoppers. Today, they were quiet, if not deserted. Yes, this is lockdown, but it isn't quite the eerie emptiness of 18 months ago. Instead, the Austrian capital feels like it's closed for business. The clothes shops, the ice rinks and, of course, the Christmas markets. All shut. Maria Fridrichovsky normally sells chestnuts in one of the markets. She told me she is "angry" at what has happened, bemused that only 65% of the Austrian population is vaccinated against COVID. "I feel very sad because the companies are closed down," she said. "We sell chestnuts and potatoes to the people. It should be lovely here at Christmas. "But now it's so hard - many people are calling up by telephone - what can I do? What can I tell them? It's so sad."
23rd Nov 2021 - Sky News
Germany considers more COVID-19 curbs, compulsory vaccines as cases soar
Germany should impose further restrictions to try to stop a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Tuesday as more politicians backed the idea of compulsory vaccinations. The surge in infections comes at a difficult time as Chancellor Angela Merkel is preparing to hand over to a new government after a national election in September. The leaders of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats, who are trying to form a new coalition, were due to break off their talks on Tuesday to meet Merkel to discuss the pandemic, sources close to the negotiations told Reuters.
23rd Nov 2021 - Reuters
Slovakia "intensively" looking at COVID lockdown possibility, PM says
The Czech Republic and Slovakia banned unvaccinated people from hotels, pubs, hairdressers and most public events from Monday after COVID-19 cases filled hospital intensive-care wards, and were mulling harsher steps to stem the resurgent pandemic. The central European neighbours both acted a step behind Austria, which first set restrictions on unvaccinated people but went for a full lockdown on Monday as the region became the world's latest COVID-19 hotspot.
23rd Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria re-enters COVID-19 lockdown as cases soar again in Europe
The German health minister has warned citizens that they would be either “vaccinated, cured or dead” from COVID-19 by the end of winter as several European countries impose restrictions amid surging infections. “Probably by the end of this winter, as is sometimes cynically said, pretty much everyone in Germany will be vaccinated, cured or dead,” Jens Spahn said, as he urged more Germans to get the jab. As intensive care beds fill up fast, Germany’s worst-hit regions have ordered new shutdowns, including the closure of Christmas markets. In regions with high hospitalisation rates, the unvaccinated will be barred from public spaces like cinemas, gyms and indoor dining. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Germany’s current COVID restrictions, including barring the unvaccinated from certain public spaces “are not enough”.
22nd Nov 2021 - Aljazeera.com
Singapore health minister says return to strict COVID-19 curbs a last resort
A return to stricter COVID-19 curbs in Singapore will be a "last resort", Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday, as the city-state partially eased limits on social gatherings and dining out under its calibrated reopening approach. Ong also said the international travel and tourism hub would continue to open "travel lanes" with more countries for vaccinated visitors. Singapore is gradually granting small groups of vaccinated people increased liberties, resuming in-person business events and permitting quarantine-free travel from select countries as it ramps up its vaccine booster programme. "I feel it's important to do it this way, because it minimizes the chance of us having to backpedal too frequently," Ong told Reuters in an interview on Monday for the upcoming Reuters Next conference.
22nd Nov 2021 - Reuters
New Zealand to end tough COVID curbs, adopt new virus-fighting system
New Zealand will adopt a new system of living with the coronavirus virus from Dec. 3, which will end tough restrictions and allow businesses to operate in its biggest city, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday. New Zealand remained largely COVID-19 free until August but has been unable to beat an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant, forcing Ardern to abandon an elimination strategy and switch to treating the virus as endemic.
22nd Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria imposes full COVID lockdown, makes vaccination mandatory
Austria will become the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a full coronavirus lockdown to tackle a new wave of infections and will require its whole population to be vaccinated by February, its government has said. Friday’s announcement came as roughly two-thirds of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. The country’s infection rate is among the highest on the continent, with a seven-day incidence of 991 per 100,000 people. Austria had introduced a lockdown for all those who were unvaccinated on Monday but since then, infections have set new records.
20th Nov 2021 - Aljazeera.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullGermany to limit public life for the unvaccinated
Germany will limit large parts of public life in areas where hospitals are becoming dangerously full of COVID-19 patients to those who have either been vaccinated or have recovered from the illness, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. The move is necessary to tackle a "very worrying" fourth wave of the pandemic that is overburdening hospitals, she said. "Many of the measures that are now needed would not have been needed if more people were vaccinated. And it isn't too late to get vaccinated now," Merkel said.
18th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Belgium extends mask use, enforces home working as COVID-19 spikes
Belgium tightened its coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, mandating wider use of masks and enforcing work from home, as cases spiked in the country's fourth COVID-19 wave. From Saturday, all people in indoor venues such as cafes and restaurants will need to wear a mask unless seated and the rule will apply to those aged 10 or older. The previous age threshold was 12. Nightclubs may have to test their guests if they want to let them dance mask-free. People wanting to eat in a restaurant or go to the theatre already must present a COVID pass, showing vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery.
18th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Austria's focus shifts to full lockdown as COVID-19 cases keep rising
Pressure on Austria's government to impose a full COVID-19 lockdown grew on Thursday as its worst-hit provinces said they would adopt the measure for themselves since infections are still rising despite the current lockdown for the unvaccinated. Roughly 66% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. Its infections are among the highest on the continent, with a seven-day incidence of 971.5 per 100,000 people. As winter approaches, cases have surged across Europe, prompting governments to consider reimposing unpopular lockdowns. The Netherlands has imposed a partial lockdown that applies to all, but Austria has sought not to impose extra restrictions on the fully vaccinated.
18th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Portugal's Madeira Island Imposes Curbs on Unvaccinated People
The Portuguese island of Madeira will impose new restrictions on unvaccinated residents and visitors amid a surge in coronavirus cases across Europe. People who have not been vaccinated will be banned from attending public events such as concerts from Saturday, Miguel Albuquerque, the president of Madeira’s regional government, said in a televised press conference on Thursday. Unvaccinated people are allowed to attend mass or go to the supermarket as long as they show a negative Covid-19 test. The use of masks will become mandatory in public spaces. Mass testing will also be carried out on a weekly basis to try to contain the spread of the virus, Albuquerque said.
18th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Greece Is the Latest European Country to Restrict the Unvaccinated
Greece will tighten restrictions on people unvaccinated against the coronavirus as rising cases and hospitalizations strain the nation’s health systems. It joins Germany, Austria and other European countries in attempting to pressure more people into getting their inoculations. "Even those who are still hesitant can change their minds by listening to what the unvaccinated who get sick have to say,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised national address on Thursday. Almost nine out of every 10 people in Greek ICUs with Covid-19 are unvaccinated, he said.
18th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullEurope Fights Winter Covid Surge With New Restrictions for Unvaccinated
It’s getting harder to be a vaccine holdout in Europe and continue with life as usual.
As governments battle another wave of the outbreak, new restrictions are being introduced, many aimed at the unvaccinated. That’s adding to the pressure on those who’ve resisted the shot so far. Germany is proposing to limit access to the workplace to people who are inoculated, recovered or provide a negative test, and those who have refused shots are increasingly banned from cafes and hairdressers. The country, which has seen a surge in cases, has a vaccination rate below that of Italy, Spain and Portugal.
18th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Austrian COVID cases hit record on third day of lockdown for unvaccinated
Austrian coronavirus infections hit a new daily record on Wednesday, the third day of a lockdown for those not fully vaccinated aimed at halting the surge. Roughly 65% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated against the virus, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. Austria also has one of the highest infection rates on the continent, with a seven-day incidence of 925 per 100,000 people. Soaring infections across Europe as winter approaches are prompting governments to consider reintroducing unpopular lockdowns.
17th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullGermany Plans Stricter Covid Restrictions for Unvaccinated People
Germany is heading toward stiffer restrictions on people who have refused a Covid-19 vaccine, as authorities across Europe seek to rein in a renewed surge of the disease. Europe’s largest economy is grappling with its worst outbreak in the pandemic, posting a fresh record in its contagion rate on Tuesday. The country’s response has been complicated by a change in power, with Chancellor Angela Merkel in a caretaker role while negotiations to form a new government proceed. Under pressure to act, lawmakers from the potential ruling coalition are planning to introduce legislation later this week that would impose tougher curbs on people who haven’t been inoculated, including requiring tests to go to work and take public transportation.
16th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Slovakia plans curbs on those unvaccinated for COVID-19 as hospitals fill up
Slovakia's hospitals are in a critical situation dealing with a surge in coronavirus infections and the government will approve measures on Thursday to limit access to services for unvaccinated people, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said. Europe has again become the epicentre of the pandemic, prompting countries like Slovakia and neighbouring Austria to re-introduce restrictions in the run-up to Christmas.
16th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Japan to ease quarantine for people inoculated with J&J COVID-19 vaccine
Japan intends to ease quarantine rules by the end of November for people inoculated with Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, the Nikkei daily reported on Tuesday. Japan last week took a first step in its planned phased re-opening of borders, which centres on business travellers. But that plan's easing of quarantine rules for inbound business travellers did not cover people inoculated with J&J's COVID-19 vaccine.
16th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullBack in lockdown: Streets in the Netherlands are deserted as curfew comes in after protests over new Covid restrictions
Streets of Rotterdam were quiet and empty tonight following introduction of rules closing nightlife by 8pm. Around 200 protestors clashed with riot police and were blasted with a water cannon in The Hague on Friday. It comes as Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the return of a partial Covid lockdown in the country. Bars, restaurants, shops will close from 8pm and social distancing measures are set to be reimposed
15th Nov 2021 - Daily Mail
Austrian unvaccinated lockdown starts amid COVID resurgence
Austria took what its leader called the “dramatic” step Monday of implementing a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people who haven’t recently had COVID-19, perhaps the most drastic of a string of measures being taken by European governments to get a massive regional resurgence of the virus under control. The move, which took effect at midnight, prohibits people 12 and older who haven’t been vaccinated or recently recovered from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going to school or university or for a walk — or getting vaccinated. The lockdown is initially being imposed until Nov. 24 in the Alpine country of 8.9 million. It doesn’t apply to children under 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated — though the capital, Vienna, on Monday opened up vaccinations for under-12s as part of a pilot project and reported high demand.
15th Nov 2021 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria brings back COVID-19 lockdown, this time for the unvaccinated
Austria is the first European country to reinstate the same restrictions on daily movements that applied during national lockdowns before vaccines were rolled out, though this time they only affect a minority of the population. "We are not taking this step lightly but it is necessary," Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told a news conference announcing the new measure, under which the unvaccinated can only leave their homes for a limited number of reasons like going to work or shopping for essentials.
14th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Philippines Keeps Loose Virus Curbs in Capital Region
The Philippines is keeping its loose coronavirus restrictions in the Manila capital region until Nov. 30 as daily cases decline and vaccination picks up. The capital, which accounts for a third of economic output, will remain under Alert Level 2, the second-lowest under a five-tiered system, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement on Saturday. Provinces near Metro Manila will also be under the same level. Relaxed restrictions on public movement have been in placed since Nov. 5, and minors have been allowed in indoor establishments. Under Alert Level 2, indoor restaurants, gyms and cinemas can operate at half capacity, while outdoor establishments can open at 70% capacity.
13th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Dutch Are Back to Partial Lockdown After Record Infections
The Netherlands is entering another lockdown after coronavirus infections hit records in recent days, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. “We have a very difficult message tonight combined with drastic measures,” Rutte said at a press conference in The Hague on Friday. The country will enter a partial lockdown with bars and restaurants that need to shut down effective from Saturday 8 p.m. local time, Rutte added. Non-essential shops must close at 6 p.m. He strongly urged people to work from home as much as possible while there also will be a limit to invite a maximum amount of 4 people to socialize at home. The package will be reviewed Dec. 3, Rutte said.
12th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustrian Covid Hotspot to Impose Lockdown for Unvaccinated
The Austrian region with the highest coronavirus infection rate plans to impose a lockdown for unvaccinated people, as worsening outbreaks force authorities across central Europe to seek stronger incentives to get inoculated. Upper Austrians who haven’t taken the vaccine will only be allowed to leave home for work and to buy everyday goods from Monday, several newspapers said Thursday, citing state leader Thomas Stelzer. The national Covid task force has also recommended a similar measure for Salzburg.
11th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Denmark to impose COVID-19 isolation for travellers from Singapore
Denmark will impose self-isolation requirements on travellers from Singapore, its embassy in the city-state said on Thursday, following a surge in COVID-19 infections. Singapore was removed this week from a European Union list of non-EU countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted. "Singapore is now considered a high risk country for travel to Europe," the embassy of Denmark in Singapore posted on Facebook.
11th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Dutch consider new partial lockdown as coronavirus cases hit record
The Dutch government on Thursday was considering whether to impose Western Europe's first partial lockdown since the summer, as new coronavirus cases jumped to the highest level since the start of the pandemic. A surge in infections that started when social distancing measures were lifted late September has put pressure on hospitals throughout the country, forcing them to scale back regular care to treat COVID-19 patients. New coronavirus infections in the country of 17.5 million have roughly doubled in the last week and hit a record of around 16,300 in 24 hours on Thursday.
11th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAucklanders return to malls as New Zealand eases lockdown in biggest city
Article reports that sShops and malls in New Zealand's biggest city Auckland flung their doors open for the first time in three months on Wednesday as the city, which is at the epicentre of the country's coronavirus outbreak, gradually reopened. Retail stores filled up within hours of reopening due to pent up demand while some shoppers reportedly queued up outside malls overnight to take advantage of early bird offers at some stores.
10th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Majority in NI 'want to keep working from home'
A majority of workers in Northern Ireland would like to work from home even after pandemic restrictions are fully lifted, a survey has suggested. YouGov surveyed 1,000 local workers online during August, weighted to give a representative sample of adults in work. It was carried out for the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development. The survey suggests that of those working fully from home, only 3% wanted to return to their office full time.
9th Nov 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullDenmark Will Bring Back Some Restrictions as Covid-19 Cases Soar
Denmark, which has one of Europe’s highest vaccination rates, plans to re-introduce some restrictions to halt a recent spike in Covid-19 contamination cases.
Danes will have to again present so-called corona passports to attend public events, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference late on Monday. The move follows a recommendation from health authorities that the country reclassifies the virus as a disease that poses a critical threat to society.
8th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Russia ends workplace shutdown but COVID numbers stay high
Most Russians went back to work on Monday for the first time in more than a week as a nationwide workplace shutdown was lifted across most regions, even though the numbers of new COVID-19 cases and deaths are hovering near record daily highs. President Vladimir Putin announced last month that Oct. 30 to Nov. 7 would be paid "non-working days" - an attempt to slow the surge in cases by imposing the strictest nationwide restrictions since the early months of the pandemic last year.
8th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullAction needed now to avoid lockdown, say German state leaders
Germany's COVID-19 situation is entering a very difficult period with rising numbers of intensive care patients, health minister Jens Spahn said, as German state leaders warned the country may need a new lockdown unless it takes urgent action. Spahn said he had agreed with regional health ministers that in future everyone should be offered a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine six months after receiving their previous injection. "This should become the norm, not the exception," Spahn said at a news conference on Friday.
5th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-hit China keeps vigil at borders, restricts local tourism
China is on high alert at its international ports of entry to reduce the risk of COVID-19 cases entering from abroad, and it has stepped up restrictions within the country amid a growing outbreak less than 100 days before the Beijing Winter Olympics. The National Immigration Administration (NIA) said on Thursday it would continue to guide citizens not to go abroad for non-urgent and non-essential reasons. The dramatic drop in Chinese travellers since early last year has left a $255 billion annual spending hole in the global tourism market
4th Nov 2021 - Reuters
Philippines Eases Virus Restrictions in Manila Capital Region
The Philippines will ease coronavirus restrictions in the Manila capital region from Friday until Nov. 21 as infections eased. The Southeast Asian nation’s virus task force decided to place the capital -- which accounts for a third of economic output -- under Alert Level 2 where businesses can operate at higher capacities, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement late Thursday.
4th Nov 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullTop Sage expert Jeremy Farrar quits amid ‘concerning’ Covid-19 rates
Sir Jeremy Farrar has revealed he quit the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) last month, warning of “concerning high levels of transmission” in Britain and vowing to focus on his role as a clinical scientist. The director of the Wellcome Trust was a leading member of the government’s Covid-19 advisory body during the pandemic. He was reportedly pushing for ministers to enforce a so-called “vaccine plus” strategy that includes measures such as mask wearing, ventilation and continued testing, according to Sky News. However, the government has so far declined to enforce stricter measures – which it refers to as plan B – and is sticking with its current, more relaxed guidance.
3rd Nov 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullChina won't give up on its zero-tolerance COVID policy soon - experts
China will not give up on its zero-tolerance policy towards local COVID-19 cases any time soon, some experts said, as the policy has allowed it to quickly quell local outbreaks, while the virus continues to spread outside its borders. To stop local cases from turning into wider outbreaks, China has developed and continually refined its COVID-fighting arsenal -- including mass testing, targeted lockdowns and travel restrictions - even when those anti-COVID measures occasionally disrupted local economies.
2nd Nov 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Walk-in sites now offering coronavirus booster jabs across England without appointment
The move comes as the government announces that Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and Suffolk will become 'Enhanced Response Areas' for tackling the COVID pandemic - sparked by a rise in cases in older populations and growing pressure on local health and education services.
1st Nov 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Nov 2021
View this newsletter in fullS.Korea eases curbs in first step toward 'living with COVID-19'
South Korea said on Friday it will drop all operating-hour curbs on restaurants and cafes and implement its first vaccine passport for high-risk venues such as gyms, saunas and bars, as it tries to "live with COVID-19". The first phase will go into effect on Monday and last for a month, officials said, with plans calling for all restrictions to be scrapped by February. "Beginning November 1, our community will take the first step of resuming our normal life," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said at a televised government meeting. "However, we must be aware that this doesn't mean the fight against coronavirus is over, but a new beginning."
30th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullMoscow locks down as Russian COVID-19 deaths surge to new highs
The Russian capital brought in its strictest COVID-19 related lockdown measures in more than a year on Thursday as nationwide one-day pandemic deaths and infections hit new highs amid slow vaccination take-up across the world's biggest country. Moscow's partial lockdown, in which only essential shops like pharmacies and supermarkets are allowed to remain open and schools and state kindergartens are shut, comes ahead of a week-long nationwide workplace shutdown from Oct. 30
28th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullChina doubles down on COVID-zero strategy
An expansive compound of buildings covering the equivalent of 46 football pitches was recently erected on the outskirts of Guangzhou, China’s bustling southern metropolis. The sprawling complex of three-storey buildings contains some 5,000 rooms and is the first of what is expected to be a chain of quarantine centres built by the Chinese government to house people arriving from overseas as it forges ahead with its zero-tolerance approach to COVID.
27th Oct 2021 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to tighten COVID-19 rules, seeks to open to China
Hong Kong will tighten COVID-19 restrictions despite a lack of local outbreaks to better align with China’s policies and increase chances of quarantine-free travel between the territory and mainland, leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday. It will step up contact tracing, such as requiring the use of its LeaveHomeSafe app in government premises to record the coming and going of visitors. It will also tighten quarantine rules to exempt only emergency workers or those in essential industries such as logistics. Currently, those exempt from quarantine include airline crew, banking and insurance executives, directors of public companies, as well as crew members on cargo and passenger ships, among others.
26th Oct 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullChina Locks Down Thousands in North as Delta Outbreak Spreads
China locked down a county that has seen the most Covid-19 cases in the nation’s latest delta outbreak, as an initial flareup in the northwest quickly spirals into a nationwide surge. Ejin, a county in China’s Inner Mongolia region, asked its 35,700 residents to stay home from Monday and warned of civil and criminal liabilities should anyone disobey the order, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing a local government statement. The small county bordering Mongolia is the current outbreak’s hotspot, home to nearly one-third of the more than 150 infections found over the past week in the mainland. The lockdown comes a day after a warning from National Health Commission officials that the outbreak would continue to worsen after spreading to 11 provinces in about a week. China reported 38 Covid infections on Monday, half of which were found in Inner Mongolia.
25th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg
Dutch consider new coronavirus curbs as infections soar
The Dutch government may impose new coronavirus restrictions to reduce pressure on hospitals struggling to deal with a swelling number of COVID-19 patients, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said on Monday. Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have been rising for a month and reached their highest level since July in recent days, after most social distancing measures were dropped in late September. The new wave of infections has driven up the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals faster than predicted this month, De Jonge said, and many hospitals are already cutting back regular care again to deal with coronavirus cases.
25th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Covid vaccines: Brits double-jabbed abroad still forced to self-isolate despite having UK approved shots
People who were double-jabbed abroad are still being forced to self-isolate after being pinged by Test and Trace, despite their vaccines being recognised by the UK Government, i can reveal. Self-isolation rules were scrapped on 16 August for people in England who have received both doses of a Covid vaccine and are identified as having come into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. However, the exemption does not apply to people who received both vaccine doses outside of the UK.
25th Oct 2021 - iNews
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustria Threatens New Lockdown for Unvaccinated as Cases Spike
Austria has laid out a framework for potential new lockdown measures to apply only to unvaccinated people, as Covid-19 inoculations lag and cases rise sharply. “I will do everything I can to ensure that the health system in this country does not reach its limit and is not overloaded because we have too many procrastinators,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said in a statement Saturday. If the number of Covid patients in intensive care units hits 500, or 25% of the country’s capacity, unvaccinated people would be barred from hotels and restaurants. If ICU capacity reaches one-third, or 600 units, a lockdown would go into effect for the unvaccinated, who would only be allowed to leave their homes for certain reasons.
23rd Oct 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullSingapore extends restrictions after reporting highest single-day Covid-19 deaths
Singapore will extend its Covid-19 restrictions for another month after the city-state reported 18 new deaths from the disease on Wednesday, its highest number of the pandemic. In a news release Thursday, Singapore's Ministry of Health said current measures would be extended to November 21, to help contain case numbers, which rose by more than 3,800 on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, given the continuing pressures on our healthcare system, more time is needed for the situation to stabilise," the ministry said in its statement, adding hospitals were braced for "a sustained, heavy patient load." "(The ministry) is doing whatever we can to support and bolster the hospitals," the statement said.
21st Oct 2021 - CNN
Latvia is first country to reimpose lockdown in Europe’s new Covid wave
Latvia has announced a month-long Covid-19 lockdown after an unprecedented surge in infections, becoming the first country in Europe to reimpose far-reaching restrictions amid a new wave of cases in countries across the continent. The Baltic country has one of the highest rates of new Covid cases relative to population in the world, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after successfully keeping the virus at bay for months. “Our health system is in danger … The only way out of this crisis is to get vaccinated,” the prime minister, Krišjānis Kariņš, said on Monday evening at an emergency government meeting. He said the country’s low vaccination rate was to blame for the surge in hospital admissions.
21st Oct 2021 - The Guardian
Parts of northern China brace for more COVID-19 lockdowns and curbs
Parts of northern China are bracing for more COVID-19 curbs as a wave of cases raises concerns of a broader outbreak, with three areas enforcing lockdowns, some schools halting classes, and an aerospace firm delaying work on a rocket project.
China reported 13 new domestically transmitted cases for Oct. 20, bringing the total number since Oct. 16 to 42, data from the National Health Commission (NHC) showed on Thursday.
21st Oct 2021 - Reuters
Moscow to reintroduce lockdown measures from Oct. 28 to combat COVID-19 case surge
Moscow will reintroduce lockdown measures from Oct. 28 to combat surging COVID-19 cases, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Thursday, with all shops, bars and restaurants due to close, except those selling essential goods, such as supermarkets and pharmacies. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday approved a nationwide week-long workplace shutdown from Oct. 30 to Nov. 7 and said regional leaders could introduce other measures at their discretion. Russia reported a record daily high of both coronavirus-related deaths and new COVID-19 infections on Thursday.
21st Oct 2021 - Reuters
Melbourne readies to exit world's longest COVID-19 lockdown
Millions in Melbourne are readying to come out of the world's longest COVID-19 lockdown later on Thursday even as cases hover near record levels, with pubs, restaurants and cafes rushing to restock supplies before opening their doors. Since early August, residents in Australia's second-largest city have been in lockdown - their sixth during the pandemic - to quell an outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta strain.
21st Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullRussia Orders People Not to Go to Work as Covid-19 Deaths Mount
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered people to stay off work for at least a week while Latvia has introduced a monthlong Covid-19 lockdown as deaths climb, driving renewed fears of another wave of infections as winter sets in. Mr. Putin signed a decree Wednesday approving a period of nonworking days, as the government calls them, beginning Oct. 30 and stretching to Nov. 7 to encourage people to stay home and slow the spread of the virus. Regional governments where infection rates are especially virulent can speed up or prolong the measures, with employers continuing to pay their staffs as they stay home. Latvia, which until recently had outperformed other European countries in containing the virus, on Monday announced a slate of strict measures, including a nationwide 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and closures of schools and nonessential retail after the seven-day average of deaths in the tiny Baltic state more than doubled last week.
20th Oct 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Singapore extends COVID-19 curbs for a month as cases spike
Singapore will extend its social curbs to contain the spread of COVID-19 for around a month in order to ease the pressure on the healthcare system, the government said on Wednesday. The city-state in late September reimposed curbs that include limiting social interactions and dining out to two people in order to slow virus transmission. However, daily cases have continued to rise and hit a record 3,994 on Tuesday. While Singapore has vaccinated more than 80% of its 5.45 million population, asymptomatic or mild cases have been rising steadily, spreading the virus and mounting pressure on hospitals and medical staff.
20th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullTwo northern Chinese areas enforce lockdown in COVID-19 outbreak
China reported nine new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases on Oct. 18, the highest daily tally since the end of September, with the latest outbreak prompting two northern border areas to enforce a lockdown. Under a national policy of zero tolerance of domestic coronavirus clusters, cities with new infections have quickly tracked down and tested contacts of infections and sealed off higher-risk areas. Five of the nine new local cases were found in the northwestern city of Xian in Shaanxi province, and two were in the northern Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, data from the National Health Commission (NHC) showed on Tuesday.
19th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Russia proposes week-long workplace shutdown as COVID deaths hit new record
Moscow's mayor announced four months of stay-home restrictions for unvaccinated over-60s on Tuesday and the Russian government proposed a week-long workplace shutdown as the national death toll from COVID-19 hit yet another daily high. The moves reflected a growing sense of urgency from the authorities as they confront fast-rising cases and widespread public reluctance to get injected with the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. Moscow, a city of 12.7 million, ordered people over the age of 60 to stay home for four months starting on Oct. 25 unless they are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID, and for businesses to move at least 30% of their staff to remote work.
19th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullLatvia Plans to Reimpose Lockdown After Covid Spike
Latvia plans to impose a 4-week lock down to slow the spread of coronavirus after a surge in cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said, according to the Leta newswire. The Baltic country will impose the stricter measures, including restrictions on schools, shops and public events from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15, Leta reported. The government still must confirm the decision on the proposed measures.
18th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces COVID-19 roadmap to reopening as state records zero local cases
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has outlined a roadmap to reopen the state's borders to COVID-19 hotspots for fully vaccinated people by Christmas. Fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to enter Queensland without the need to quarantine from December 17. It comes as the state recorded zero new locally acquired COVID cases in the past 24 hours, while more than 8,000 people remain stranded interstate, having applied for border passes to enter Queensland. Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland would begin a phased border reopening for fully vaccinated people from November 19.
18th Oct 2021 - ABC News
New Zealand extends Auckland lockdown in battle on Delta variant
New Zealand's biggest city of Auckland will retain its lockdown for two more weeks in the battle on the Delta variant of coronavirus, as the country pushes to step up vaccinations, Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
18th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullMelbourne to ease world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns as vaccinations rise
Melbourne, which has spent more time under COVID-19 lockdowns than any other city in the world, is set to lift its stay-at-home orders this week, officials said on Sunday. By Friday, when some curbs will be lifted, the Australian city of 5 million people will have been under six lockdowns totalling 262 days, or nearly nine months, since March 2020. Australian and other media say this is the longest in the world, exceeding a 234-day lockdown in Buenos Aires.
17th Oct 2021 - Reuters
New Zealand faces growing calls for ‘circuit breaker’ Covid-19 lockdown
The nation of 5 million was largely virus-free until mid-August, when it was hit by an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant. Health ministry data shows cases have been concentrated among people from the indigenous Maori community, who are also the least likely to be vaccinated
16th Oct 2021 - South China Morning Post
Fully vaccinated travellers entering Malaysia to serve shorter quarantine period from Oct 18
Fully vaccinated travellers entering Malaysia will undergo a shorter quarantine period of seven days from Monday (Oct 18), Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Friday. They can serve their quarantine at home, if suitable, or at quarantine stations, said Ismail Sabri after a meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Management. “Travellers who are not vaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated will have to undergo 10 days’ quarantine at the quarantine station,” he said. The quarantine period for close contacts will also be reduced to seven days at home for those fully vaccinated. It will be 10 days for those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
16th Oct 2021 - Channel NewsAsia Singapore
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullMelbourne set for COVID lockdown exit despite record cases as vaccinations spike
Melbourne will exit months of COVID-19 lockdown next week helped by a faster-than-expected vaccine uptake, Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday, ahead of schedule even though daily infections hit a record the same day. In the worst day of an outbreak of the Delta variant coronavirus that began in early August, Victoria logged 2,297 new cases on Thursday, up from 1,571 the day before and the highest for any Australian state or territory since the pandemic began. Eleven people died, bringing the total toll in the latest outbreak to 125.
14th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullWHO advisers recommend 3rd COVID vaccine dose for highest-risk groups
The group, called the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), said people in the immunocompromised groups should be offered an additional dose in the vaccine series, since they are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination with the standard series and are at high risk for severe disease. WHO leaders have previously urged countries to postpone broader use of booster doses to free up more vaccine for countries that had much less access to supplies. SAGE said its third-dose recommendation applies to all vaccines that the WHO has approved for emergency use. They include Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. For Sinopharm and Sinovac, two inactivated vaccines from China, SAGE said a third dose should be offered to people ages 60 and older as part of an extended primary series. It added that a third dose of a different vaccine could be considered, based on vaccine supply and access. However, SAGE urged countries to prioritize 2-dose coverage in that age group, then administer third doses, starting with the oldest age groups.
12th Oct 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 Australia: Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirms ACT will lift its lockdown this week
The ACT is set to end its harsh lockdown restrictions by the end of the week, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has confirmed. The territory's leader announced Canberra will officially emerge from lockdown at 11.59pm on Thursday as the state increases its vaccination coverage. 'Case numbers are expected to increase as restrictions are eased, but being fully vaccinated provides you with protection,' he said.
12th Oct 2021 - Daily Mail
COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could ease early amid surge in vaccinations
New South Wales could ease more restrictions in Sydney a week earlier than planned on Oct. 18 as Australia's most populous state races towards its 80% double-dose vaccination target, the government said on Wednesday. The southeastern state is expected to hit the mark over the weekend, beating forecasts, and officials previously promised to relax further restrictions on vaccinated residents on the first Monday after reaching that milestone. "If we hit 80%, we've always said it will be the Monday following," state Premier Dominic Perrottet told ABC Radio. "We will have this discussion with our team on Thursday and we will make a decision to be announced on Friday."
12th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullVirus czar ‘optimistic’ about COVID-19 decline, but says restrictions to remain
Falling coronavirus infection rates are an encouraging sign that a recent wave is coming to an end, national virus czar Salman Zarka said Monday, but warned against the country dropping its guard too soon. Zarka held a video press briefing in which he reviewed the declining coronavirus infections and plans to ease the quarantine regime for school children who are exposed to virus carriers. He said health officials are “optimistic that we are exiting the fourth wave” but cautioned, “we are not there yet.”
11th Oct 2021 - The Times of Israel
Indonesia cuts quarantine to 5 days as borders reopen further
Southeast Asia’s largest economy will allow arrivals from 18 countries and reduce the minimum quarantine period to five days, from eight previously, said Luhut Panjaitan, coordinating minister for maritime and investment affairs who’s overseeing the pandemic response. He didn’t specify which are the 18 countries.
The country has gradually eased border restrictions, starting with the resumption of offshore visa applications and followed by the reopening of tourist spot Bali to foreign visitors this week. People’s mobility has started to bounce back as cinemas and gyms are reopened, with daily Covid-19 case and fatality numbers continuing to ease to the lowest since June 2020.
11th Oct 2021 - Bangkok Post
Sydney opens to vaccinated after 100-plus days of lockdown
Sydney hairdressers, gyms, cafés and bars reopened to fully vaccinated customers on Monday for the first time in more than 100 days after Australia’s largest city achieved a vaccination benchmark. Sydney planned to reopen on the Monday after 70% of the New South Wales state population aged 16 and older were fully vaccinated. By Monday, 73.5% of the target population was fully vaccinated and more than 90% have received at least one dose. Some businesses opened at midnight due to demand from people impatient to enjoy their freedom. More pandemic restrictions will be removed at the 80% benchmark, and New South Wales residents will be free to travel overseas for the first time since March last year.
11th Oct 2021 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullAs Sydney readies to exit lockdown, doctors fret re-opening is moving too fast
Australian doctors warned a too-rapid easing of COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could put pressure on health systems and risk lives, as the city prepares for key restrictions to be relaxed next week after more than 100 days in lockdown. Stay-at-home orders are due to be lifted on Monday after New South Wales state this week hit its 70% target of full vaccination for its adult population, and owners of restaurants and other public venues are now scrambling to arrange supplies and staffing. While an easing of restrictions on travel for Sydneysiders outside of their local government areas had previously been flagged, authorities on Thursday also decided to bump up permitted limits for home gatherings, weddings and funerals - earning the ire of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
9th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Coronavirus: as Australia plans border reopening, stranded citizens wait with anxiety, trepidation
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged to ease strict controls on overseas citizens returning home within weeks and to cut quarantine for those who have been vaccinated to seven days at home – rather than 14 at a hotel
But with promises of being able to return home for Christmas 2020 still ringing in their ears, many stranded Australians dare not hope the ordeal is over,
8th Oct 2021 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullLone, remote workers and business travellers
The UK’s successful vaccination programme means employees are now starting to return to offices and travel more on company business. However, even with this hybrid and agile working pattern, employees continue to work alone more than ever before. This means that, as we move into a post-lockdown environment, it’s now more important than ever to protect the safety and well- being of employees. However, the new and different working landscapes present further challenges to employers and employees alike. Here is the conundrum for the pharma and life sciences sectors: whilst employers have always had long-standing health and safety at work and duty of care obligations to protect their lone/remote working staff – historical evidence shows that in practice, this employee population has been overlooked by employers.
7th Oct 2021 - PharmaTimes
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullThe Psychological Benefits of COVID-19 Boosters
Scientists don’t agree on whether approving COVID-19 boosters for certain non-elderly Americans, as the CDC did recently, was the right move. The president, the CDC, and the FDA have issued a series of conflicting statements on the issue. Some experts have indignantly resigned. Others have published frustrated op-eds. President Joe Biden, who got a booster shot this week and called on other eligible Americans to do the same, remains enthusiastic. The split between Biden-administration scientists, such as Chief Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, and other scientists over boosters might seem confusing. One possible explanation for it has largely escaped notice: Vaccinated Americans seem to really want boosters, which means that the shots could have benefits that go well beyond extra protection against COVID. Those benefits could be psychological and economic—and, for the president, political.
6th Oct 2021 - The Atlantic
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in full'It's Like There's No Covid': Booster Shots Bring Tel Aviv Back to Life
Tel Aviv’s mayor has a message for cities struggling to reopen: Covid booster shots are allowing his city to roar back to life. The mass distribution of third shots in Israel has driven down new cases and hospital admissions, allowing restaurants and shops to fill up with customers. New variants of the disease could change the pandemic’s trajectory again, but for now, the boosters are working, Mayor Ron Huldai said in an interview with Bloomberg News. “On the streets of Tel Aviv now, it’s like there’s no Covid,” said Huldai, 77, who has run Tel Aviv for more than two decades since he was elected in 1998. He said 99% of city workers are vaccinated.
5th Oct 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand drops COVID-19 elimination strategy under pressure from Delta
New Zealand on Monday abandoned its long-standing strategy of eliminating coronavirus amid a persistent Delta outbreak, and will instead look to live with the virus and control its spread as its vaccination rate rises. The Pacific nation was among just a handful of countries to bring COVID-19 cases down to zero last year and largely stayed virus-free until an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant in mid-August frustrated efforts to stamp out transmission. "With this outbreak and Delta the return to zero is incredibly difficult," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference in a major policy shift.
4th Oct 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand widens Covid lockdown as Delta spreads outside Auckland
New Zealand’s Delta Covid variant outbreak has spread beyond Auckland, prompting the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to put additional regions into a snap lockdown. There were 32 new coronavirus cases on Sunday in the country’s largest city, which has been in lockdown since mid-August, and two cases in the Waikato region, some 147km (91 miles) south of Auckland. Ardern announced on Sunday that parts of the region will go into a five-day lockdown. She added that the government will decide on Monday whether Auckland’s 1.7 million residents will remain sealed off from the rest of New Zealand.
3rd Oct 2021 - The Guardian
S.African president Ramaphosa eases COVID-19 restrictions to lowest level
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has eased restrictions aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic to the country's lowest alert level, the second such loosening this month as the country looks to open up its economy ahead of the summer holiday season. In a televised address, Ramaphosa announced the country would move down one level in a five-tier system of restrictions, where five is the highest, to an 'adjusted level 1' as South Africa emerges from its third wave dominated by the Delta variant of the virus.
1st Oct 2021 - Reuters
US, UK adults report pandemic-related distress, disruptions
Yesterday in JAMA Network Open, Johns Hopkins University and University of California Los Angeles researchers analyzed self-reported health and psychological status among nationally representative survey respondents worried about eviction or foreclosure in November 2020. Among 1,218 study respondents, 128 (12%) reported that they were behind on rent or mortgage payments or didn't know if they could afford the next payment. Just over half (51%) of all participants were women, 46% were 30 to 54 years old, 45% were 55 and older, 69% were White, and 13% each were Black or Hispanic. Of the 128 housing-insecure respondents, 42 (34%) said they were behind on rent or mortgage payments, 55 (38%) said they had little to no confidence that they could afford the next payment, and 31 (28%) reported both. Of all participants, 46% reported moderate to severe psychological distress, and 18% said they were in fair to poor health. Respondents with unstable housing reported more distress (57% vs 45% in housing-secure participants) and poorer health (30% vs 16%).
1st Oct 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Oct 2021
View this newsletter in fullMelbourne cases hit record despite two months of lockdown
Melbourne's COVID-19 cases surged to record levels on Thursday with officials blaming illegal home gatherings to watch a key sporting event for the spike as a hard lockdown to combat the spread of the Delta variant neared two months. Authorities in Victoria, home to Melbourne, estimated nearly a third of Thursday's 1,438 new infections could be traced back to home parties last weekend to watch the Australian Rules Football Grand Final on television.
30th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullWomen followed lockdown rules more closely than men, study shows
The first Covid lockdown showed that women followed rules more closely than men, according to a new study which branded the restrictions a ‘live social experiment’.
Researchers looking at 15% of the Austrian population’s behaviour said that everyone tended to make significantly longer phone calls during the crisis. Men were found to be less likely to accept having their movements restricted by lockdown measures and tended to return to normal more quickly, along with younger people. Scientists looked at anonymised mobile phone data from 1.2 million Austrians between February and June 2020, to study the impact of the first lockdown on behaviour in the central European country.
29th Sep 2021 - Metro
Sri Lanka to lift quarantine curfew on Oct. 1 as COVID-19 cases decline
Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday instructed related authorities to lift the existing nationwide quarantine curfew over COVID-19 on Oct. 1 as the South Asian country has seen a decline in coronavirus infections.
29th Sep 2021 - Xinhua
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullSydney's unvaccinated warned of social isolation when COVID-19 lockdown ends
Sydney residents who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 risk being barred from various social activities even when they are freed from stay-at-home orders in December, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned. Under a roadmap to exit lockdown in Australia's biggest city, unvaccinated people are already subject to delays in freedoms that will be gradually granted to inoculated residents between Oct. 11 and Dec. 1. Berejiklian said people who choose not to be vaccinated could be barred entry to shops, restaurants and entertainment venues even after the state lifts all restrictions against them on Dec. 1.
28th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Japan to lift emergency COVID-19 curbs, but gradually
Japan will lift a coronavirus state of emergency in all regions on Thursday for the first time in nearly six months, as the number of new cases and deaths falls and the strain on the medical system eases, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said. Daily cases have fallen nationwide from more than 25,000 last month to 1,128 on Monday, but the opening will be gradual with some curbs on restaurants and large-scale events staying in place for about a month.
28th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand to begin letting people isolate at home as it looks to ease border curbs
New Zealand is to begin allowing small numbers of vaccinated travellers to isolate at home instead of in state-run quarantine facilities as part of a phased approach to re-opening its borders, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday. The pilot project starting next month will be open to 150 people, who must be New Zealand citizens or residents and are fully vaccinated, Ardern said at a news conference.
"While this is a pilot, it gives you a sense of where we intend to go on our borders," Ardern said, adding that the government was working on a wide range of options for allowing people back in safely.
27th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown to end sooner for the vaccinated
Australian authorities announced plans on Monday to gradually reopen locked-down Sydney, unveiling a two-tiered system that will give citizens inoculated for COVID-19 more freedoms than their unvaccinated neighbours for several weeks.
Movement restrictions across New South Wales, the country's most populous state and home to Sydney, will be lifted gradually between Oct. 11 and Dec. 1 as vaccination rates push through 70%, 80% and 90%. However, people who are not fully inoculated will be barred from joining the vaccinated to resume community sports, dining out, shopping and other activities until the final date.
27th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullBirds Flocked to Pandemic-Silenced Cities
As Covid-19 spread through the United States in the spring of 2020, previously bustling cities fell silent. A new study shows that the dip in noise in the early months of the pandemic led to an increased abundance of birds, like hummingbirds, warblers and raptors, in cities. The study published today in Science Advances is the latest to suggest that even a moderate drop in noise pollution could allow some animals to better thrive in urban areas. The flock to cities included "everything from birds like hawks and eagles all the way down to small songbirds and even hummingbirds," says Michael Schrimpf, study co-author and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Manitoba's Natural Resources Institute, to NPR’s Scott Neuman. "The actual physical environment didn't change," Schrimpf says. "What did change was the activity of people in those spaces."
25th Sep 2021 - Smithsonian Magazine
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralians find silver lining in lockdowns as wealth booms
Australians are finding a silver lining to lockdowns as super-cheap credit lifts the value of homes and shares to record highs, a windfall of wealth that gives consumers the means to spend big once restrictions ease. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics out on Thursday showed net household wealth surged A$735 billion ($531.48 billion) in the June quarter to A$13.3 trillion, or A$522,032 for every man, woman and child. "Aussie households have never been wealthier," said Ryan Felsman, a senior economist at CommSec.
23rd Sep 2021 - Reuters
Ukraine tightens coronavirus lockdown curbs
Ukraine tightened coronavirus lockdown curbs on Thursday, restricting large events and occupancy at gyms, cinemas and cultural sites, after a recent steady increase in new infections. Ukraine imposed a nationwide "yellow" code after cases dropped over the summer, allowing it to lift lockdown restrictions. This week, however, the government extended a state of emergency that allows authorities to impose curbs until year-end to rein in infections. The health ministry has said it plans compulsory coronavirus vaccinations for those in occupations such as teaching and employment in state institutions and local governments.
23rd Sep 2021 - Thomson Reuters Foundation
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullBirds Thrived During Covid-19 Lockdowns, New Study Shows
From hummingbirds to eagles, birds across North America flocked to once frenetic urban areas that had locked down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study based on millions of observations by amateur bird-watchers. Populations of dozens of bird species rose significantly around city centers, major roads and airports apparently in response to the lull in human activity, a research team led by scientists at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg found. Some species were as much as 14 times more numerous during the lockdowns than before pandemic restrictions were imposed.
22nd Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullUkraine tightens COVID-19 lockdown restrictions from Sept 23...
A Ukrainian government commission decided on Tuesday to tighten coronavirus lockdown restrictions from Sept. 23 as the number of new infections has increased sharply, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said. Ukraine lifted lockdown restrictions as cases dropped over the summer but has now imposed a nationwide "yellow" code which restricts mass events and limits the occupancy rates of gyms, cinemas and other culture venues.
21st Sep 2021 - Thomson Reuters Foundation
India asks UK to revise COVID quarantine rules, warns retaliation
India’s foreign minister has urged the United Kingdom for an “early resolution of quarantine issue” in the wake of a new British rule requiring Indians visiting there to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated. England and Scotland will ease pandemic restrictions from early October, but the list of countries with approved vaccines does not include India, despite the country using a locally made version of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK.
21st Sep 2021 - AlJazeera
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand eases coronavirus curbs in Auckland amid hope Delta variant outbreak now under control
New Zealand eased coronavirus curbs slightly in Auckland on Monday, as the government expressed confidence that there was no widespread regional transmission of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. But tough restrictions will continue even after midnight on Tuesday, when the alert level drops to 3 from 4 in the city of about 1.7 million at the centre of the latest Delta outbreak. Schools and offices must still keep closed, for instance, with businesses limited to offering only contactless services.
20th Sep 2021 - Evening Standard
Vietnam capital Hanoi to ease coronavirus curbs this week
Vietnam's capital Hanoi will further ease its coronavirus restrictions from this week, the government said, with new cases on the decline and the majority of its adult population partially vaccinated. Most construction projects can resume from Wednesday, authorities said late on Sunday, adding further easing would follow, with average new daily cases down to just 20.
20th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand, Australia travel bubble suspended for longer amid Delta outbreaks
New Zealand suspended quarantine-free travel with Australia for a further 8 weeks on Friday, extending a halt in the so-called travel bubble between both countries, as they deal with fresh outbreaks of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
17th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Melbourne Expects to Exit Its Sixth Lockdown in Late October
Melbourne will exit its sixth lockdown since the pandemic began once 70% of Australia’s Victoria state is fully vaccinated, authorities said Sunday as they outlined plans to unwind virus measures next month. Limits on “reasons to leave your home and the curfew will no longer be in place” once that target is met around Oct. 26, Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters. “Lockdown will be off.”
Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues in the nation’s second-most populous city will be allowed to operate outdoors with up to 50 people who have received two shots. Schools are expected to start reopening on Oct. 5.
19th Sep 2021 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullThe government’s winter Covid plan can prevent another UK lockdown – if we all work together
Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh. He writes: 'To avoid a lockdown, we need the various components of the system – vaccination, behavioural changes and widespread testing – to work together. Covid-19 is still here, and we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Let us hope this autumn brings a move away from a divided society arguing over how serious Covid-19 is, to one where we collectively work towards managing this problem, slowing the spread of the disease, and saving lives and livelihoods.'
16th Sep 2021 - The Guardian
Covid-19 Australia: Queensland health to send text messages to track people in home quarantine
Australians in home quarantine will soon receive timed text messages to ensure they are isolating or face a visit from the cops as part of a compliance crackdown in Queensland. The texts are part of the state's new Covid-19 laws - which come into effect immediately - that give people in home quarantine a ten minute window to respond as part of a real-time check in system. Health Minister Yvette D'Ath told parliament on Thursday residents who are isolating at home after returning from to the state will receive daily text messages at random times of the day from Queensland Health.
16th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullSydney nightly curfew to end as COVID-19 vaccinations hit fresh milestone
A curfew imposed on more than two million people in the 12 Sydney suburbs hardest hit by the spread of the coronavirus Delta variant will end on Wednesday night, authorities said, stopping short of easing more lockdown restrictions. Officials said first-dose COVID-19 vaccination levels have reached 80% of the New South Wales (NSW) adult population, while the dual-dose rate in Sydney's home state stands at 48% now. That's above the national average of 43%, but well below the 70% level that will trigger the easing of other curbs first imposed three months ago. Authorities expect to achieve the 70% rate around the middle of next month, and plans to relax more restrictions once it has climbed to 80%.
15th Sep 2021 - Reuters
China imposes local lockdowns as COVID-19 cases surge
China tightened lockdowns and increased orders for mass testing in cities along its east coast Wednesday amid the latest surge in COVID-19 cases. Checks have been set up in toll stations around the city of Putian in Fujian province, with a dozen of them closed entirely. The nearby cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou have also restricted travel as the delta variant spreads through the region. The National Health Commission on Wednesday said an additional 50 cases had been diagnosed in various parts of Fujian, most of them in the Putian region.
15th Sep 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 hotel quarantine could last 'three or four years' in Australia
Covid-19 hotel quarantine could be in place for three or four years but Australians returning from overseas may be allowed to isolate at home by Christmas. Jane Halton, a former public servant who conducted a review of the quarantine system last year, said hotel quarantine could last even longer if a new Covid-19 variant evades vaccines. 'In three or four years' time I'll be quite surprised if we're using these kinds of arrangements unless for example there's a very nasty new variant,' she told ABC radio
14th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail
Philippines to test localised lockdowns in capital region
The Philippines' capital region will exit wide-scale coronavirus restrictions from Thursday, as the government launches a pilot test of localised lockdowns, amid efforts to balance reopening the economy and containing the spread of the coronavirus.
14th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullSouth Africa loosens COVID curbs as third wave eases
South Africa will ease COVID-19 restrictions and shorten its nationwide curfew from Monday after a decline in infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a televised address. Authorities will also extend the hours of alcohol sales, the president said, further relaxing restrictions introduced in June to combat a third wave of cases caused by the Delta variant. "While the third wave is not yet over, we have seen a sustained decline in infections across the country over the last few weeks," Ramaphosa said.
13th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Vietnam's biggest city to keep virus curbs, flight resumption sought
Vietnam's coronavirus outbreak epicentre Ho Chi Minh City will extend its restrictions, state media reported on Monday, as the capital Hanoi and several provinces sought an easing of curbs and the aviation authority proposed domestic flights resume.
13th Sep 2021 - Reuters
COVID lockdowns only used as last resort, says UK PM's spokesman
Britain's government will only introduce a new COVID-19 lockdown as a last resort, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, after the country's health minister signalled he did not expect to see them used again. "The ability to do that is retained as you would expect, but it would only be done in a last resort and as I said we are in a very different position thanks to the strength of our vaccination programme than where we were when it was necessary to take those steps previously," the spokesman told reporters.
13th Sep 2021 - Reuters UK
New Zealand keeps Auckland in strict lockdown to beat Delta
New Zealand extended a strict lockdown in its largest city on Monday, requiring 1.7 million people living in Auckland to remain indoors for at least another week to snuff out small outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant of coronavirus. Health authorities recorded 33 new cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 on Monday, all in Auckland, which was higher than 23 and 20 cases reported over the weekend.
13th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Pupils will not have to 'routinely self-isolate'
Pupils in the same class as a positive Covid case "will not routinely be asked to isolate and book a test", ministers have said. Health Minister Robin Swann and Education Minister Michelle McIlveen said the Public Health Agency (PHA) would take a "more targeted approach" to contract tracing.
11th Sep 2021 - BBC News
Auckland COVID cases drop again as New Zealand presses on with Delta curbs
New Zealand reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, all in locked down Auckland, its biggest city, as the country looks to limit the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.
10th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow to help a remote coworker through a tough time
Because life is full of bumps in the road, often employees must navigate personal challenges and work. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, divorce, caregiving demands, or illness, when someone in your office is facing tough times, the signs are typically visible. And coworkers may rally around the individual with comforting words, gestures of kindness, and other means of help. But in remote and hybrid worlds, the signs can be harder to spot and the support harder to give. With so many employees onboarded remotely over the past year and a half, you may not feel as if you know your colleagues well enough to offer a personal word of support or other gesture. But there are still ways you can tune in to your coworkers’ needs and help them when they’re going through tough times.
9th Sep 2021 - Fast Company
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullWork From Home? 6 Ways to Stay Focused and Avoid Burnout
As we edge toward remote-work burnout, it’s getting harder to stay focused and productive. Even our diversions are digital—“breaks” to play phone games bloat into 30-minute lapses—exacerbating our lack of human connection and our minds’ tendencies to wander. According to Kirsten Clacey, a remote-work expert who co-founded the Remote Coaches, spontaneous interactions can help combat the unfocused WFH malaise some folks are feeling. To create “playful moments,” she recommends beginning each meeting with five minutes spent “connecting as humans.” But you also have to carve out a personal life within your work life.
8th Sep 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong relaxes Covid quarantine rules for travellers from mainland China
Hong Kong will allow people from mainland China to visit without having to face its quarantine procedures in the city’s first serious relaxation of its strict Covid-19 entry requirements for tourists. But critics of the Hong Kong government’s quarantine policies, which will begin on September 15, said it was another sign the Asian financial centre was prioritising a travel bubble with mainland China over the international links important to executives living in the city.
7th Sep 2021 - Financial Times
Sweden to lift most remaining restrictions this month
Sweden will push ahead with easing Covid-19 restrictions at the end of this month, removing most curbs and limits on public venues such as restaurants, theatres and stadiums, the government said. With most adults vaccinated, Sweden has gradually eased some restrictions during a summer lull in the pandemic. While it has seen infections mount in recent weeks amid the rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant, deaths from the disease have remained low.
7th Sep 2021 - RTE.ie
Philippines defers new COVID-19 plan, maintains capital curbs
The Philippines capital region will remain under the second strictest coronavirus containment measures, a senior official said on Tuesday, despite a day earlier announcing a relaxation of curbs to spur business activity. Imposition of the more relaxed "general community quarantine" in Metro Manila has been deferred, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said, without giving a reason.
7th Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullEmergency covid-19 mental health pop-up clinics set up in Sydney
Ten new pop-up mental health clinics have opened to assist NSW residents. Most are in the hard-hit western Sydney suburbs ravaged by coronavirus. Anyone in distress can seek advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14)
6th Sep 2021 - Daily Mail
Covid-19: Ireland takes next step in easing of restrictions
Ireland will continue with a major easing of Covid-19 restrictions on Monday, with live music returning and larger crowds allowed at indoor venues. The Irish Government confirmed last week that it would be embarking on a phased easing of Covid-19 restrictions, which will eventually see the removal of the vast majority of public health regulations by the end of October. The numbers permitted to attend outdoor sports events increases from Monday, while restrictions on indoor venues will be eased, with larger crowds permitted.
6th Sep 2021 - Belfast Telegraph
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullSchools grapple with thousands in isolation or quarantine as delta variant rages
In the U.S., schools that have opened their doors to students amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus already are grappling with how to best continue teaching students when hundreds and sometimes thousands of them are in quarantine. Some schools have sent students home with packets of self-guided work to submit at the end of each day or when on-campus classes resume. Others have temporarily switched to virtual learning. And in some cases, schools have canceled classes altogether while campuses are closed or kids are in quarantine.
4th Sep 2021 - NBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand says fall in COVID-19 cases shows Delta lockdown working
New Zealand reported a drop in new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, which authorities said was a sign that a nationwide lockdown was helping to limit spread of the infectious Delta variant.
2nd Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullIn Indonesia, drone deliveries provide lifeline for isolating COVID patients
A group of drone enthusiasts in Indonesia are using their aerial skills to help during the pandemic by providing a contactless medicine and food delivery service to COVID-19 patients isolating at home. Armed with five drones, the seven-member team have been working around the clock in Makassar, the capital of the South Sulawesi province, since early July to provide deliveries.
1st Sep 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand COVID-19 cases drop for second day in a row
New Zealand reported 49 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, dropping for a second day in a row since the latest outbreak forced the country into a tight lockdown this month. The total number of cases in the outbreak is 612, with 597 in Auckland and 15 in Wellington.
30th Aug 2021 - Nasdaq
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralia’s Melbourne to extend sixth COVID-lockdown
Lockdown in Melbourne was due to end on Thursday, but authorities say this is no longer possible due to rising cases.
30th Aug 2021 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullParents, experts say students pay the price for hybrid model of schooling
With a new school year underway next month, several school boards in Ontario are returning to the so-called hybrid learning model, where one educator simultaneously teaches students in class and those logging in from home. In certain cases, even remote students learning on their own schedule are part of the class. The system was tested out widely in K-12 schools last year as a remote learning option during the COVID-19 pandemic and is back on the table this year after the province announced online learning would continue. But critics say it forces a teacher to do too many things at once and compromises the quality of learning for students
29th Aug 2021 - CBC.ca
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand's Ardern says lockdown working to limit Delta spread
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the strict nationwide lockdown enforced to stamp out COVID-19 was helping limit the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, even as the number of new cases rose on Thursday. New Zealand reported 68 new cases on Thursday taking the total number of people infected in the latest outbreak to 277. Of the total cases, 263 are in Auckland and 14 are in the capital Wellington.
26th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullFrom ‘quarantine academies’ to virtual substitutes, how schools are teaching students in isolation because of COVID-19
As Illinois schools welcome students back to fully reopened classrooms this month amid another coronavirus surge, educators face a thorny question: How do you teach students who are quarantined by COVID-19? The dismantling of pandemic-era remote and hybrid instruction programs across the U.S. this fall arrives by state proclamation and on the urging of U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Remote instruction can be offered to students while they are under quarantine, Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent Carmen Ayala said earlier this summer. But despite pleas from some parents who want a full-time e-learning option to continue, districts including Chicago Public Schools are reserving their virtual programs for students who qualify as medically fragile and have documented health conditions.
25th Aug 2021 - Yahoo News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullGovernment-approved PCR provider claims firms are being left to self-regulate
There is 'no regulation' governing Covid testing companies, one boss warns. No one is checking up on the firms, which Brits must use if travelling abroad. And nearly 20% of Government-approved providers charged misleading prices
24th Aug 2021 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullMillennial women want remote work, but many fear they'll miss opportunities if not in office, according to report
As companies start to map out their return-to-office work plans, many millennial women are feeling conflicted about the pros and cons of working remotely, according to a recent survey by theSkimm. Of the more than 1,600 participants in the survey, theSkimm found that nearly two-thirds of millennial women view remote work as a priority, including 43% who said remote work is very important or extremely important moving forward and 22% who said they would no longer consider working for an employer if work-from-home wasn’t an option in the future.
23rd Aug 2021 - CNBC
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullEast Belfast community worker calls for communities to come together to combat loneliness
A East Belfast community worker has said he was shocked to see the levels of loneliness among elderly and vulnerable people during the pandemic. Gareth Wright, 21, has led a Covid support group in the Ardcarn area where he and a group of 12 volunteers have helped people with shopping and food deliveries as well as making reassuring phonecalls to keep in touch with those they are helping. However, during that time he says that he was shocked to see how lonely and vulnerable some in his community had become and wanted to encourage others to try and make an effort to tackle this in their areas.
22nd Aug 2021 - Belfast Live
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullIsolation alerts from Covid-19 app continue to fall following ‘logic’ tweak
The number of people instructed to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 app has continued to fall, reaching its lowest number since the week to June 23. A total of 261,453 alerts were sent to users of the app for England and Wales in the week to August 11, down by 18% on the previous week when 317,519 were pinged. The latest Government figures cover the first full week when the “logic” behind the tool was tweaked to alert fewer people who have been in close contact with someone that tested positive for coronavirus.
19th Aug 2021 - Evening Standard
Singapore to pilot home isolation for fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients
Singapore would pilot a home isolation for fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms soon, the Ministry of Health said in a press release on Thursday. With much more local and global data showing that fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients have a much lower risk of developing severe disease, "we are piloting a home-centric care model" for the management of COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms from Aug. 30, said the ministry in a statement. These patients will spend the first few days in a medical facility before moving to home isolation. By then, the viral loads of vaccinated patients would have dropped, said MOH.
19th Aug 2021 - Xinhuanet
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 news: New Zealand begins nationwide lockdown
New Zealand has begun a nationwide lockdown in a bid to contain the delta variant of the coronavirus. So far 10 cases have been confirmed in the outbreak, but modelling suggests the numbers could rise to between 50 and 100. “From the experience of what we’ve seen overseas, we are absolutely anticipating more cases,” prime minister Jacinda Ardern said. The level 4 alert, the highest level, means people other than essential workers can only leave home for groceries, healthcare, covid-19 tests and exercise. The lockdown will cover the entire country for at least three days, and remain in place in Auckland for a week. New Zealand had been free of local covid-19 infections since February, and only 21 per cent of the total population has been fully vaccinated.
18th Aug 2021 - New Scientist
'Covid made things worse for me': Older people felt lonely and neglected during pandemic
Hope and optimism are returning for older people but a new report also shows the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic led to loneliness and a feeling they were being neglected. The report, published by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda), uses the experiences of 4,000 older people involved in the project to outline just how the pandemic has affected them since March 2020. According to the report, entitled In Their Own Words: The Voices of Older Irish People in the Covid-19 Pandemic, a fifth of respondents said they felt they had the capacity to cope or demonstrated resilience to the challenges of the public health emergency, while a similar percentage of people referred to increased feelings of social isolation or loneliness. Many said their greatest challenge was coping with the loneliness brought on by the pandemic, while others voiced their frustration at feeling neglected and disregarded by the media or public health commentators
18th Aug 2021 - Irish Examiner
Brain fog: how trauma, uncertainty and isolation have affected our minds and memory
Before the pandemic, psychoanalyst Josh Cohen’s patients might come into his consulting room, lie down on the couch and talk about the traffic or the weather, or the rude person on the tube. Now they appear on his computer screen and tell him about brain fog. They talk with urgency of feeling unable to concentrate in meetings, to read, to follow intricately plotted television programmes. “There’s this sense of debilitation, of losing ordinary facility with everyday life; a forgetfulness and a kind of deskilling,” says Cohen, author of the self-help book How to Live. What to Do. Although restrictions are now easing across the UK, with greater freedom to circulate and socialise, he says lockdown for many of us has been “a contraction of life, and an almost parallel contraction of mental capacity”.
18th Aug 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Hong Kong to halt shorter quarantine for those tested with antibodies, as new rules trigger travel plan chaos
Hong Kong will no longer allow incoming travellers who test positive for Covid-19 antibodies to undergo a shorter compulsory quarantine, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday. Following the advice of a scientific committee under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), fully vaccinated travellers entering Hong Kong from “medium-risk” and “low-risk” areas who test positive for antibodies will have to undergo at least 14 days of quarantine, said Lam.
17th Aug 2021 - Hong Kong Free Press
Japan to extend COVID-19 emergency lockdown
Japan was set on Tuesday to extend its state of emergency in Tokyo and other regions to Sept. 12 and widen curbs to seven more prefectures, as COVID-19 cases spike in the capital and nationwide, burdening the medical system.
17th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Over-60s struggle with loneliness during lockdowns, research finds
Coping with loneliness during lockdowns was the greatest challenge many over-60s dealt with, new research has found. Many older people said the longer the period of loneliness, the harder the experience, and the more sorrow expressed at being forced to adjust to the restrictions. Many described how as time passed, they felt less connection to the wider community and were more likely to report feelings of fear. The findings emerged from a report compiled by researchers at the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda) at Trinity College Dublin.
17th Aug 2021 - the Irish News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Relaxation of NI self-isolation comes in effect
Fully-vaccinated close contacts of people who have Covid-19 no longer need to automatically self-isolate. Instead, they should get a PCR test on day two and day eight of what would have been their 10-day isolation period. A number of changes to Covid-19 restrictions made by the NI Executive last week come into effect on Monday. More than six people can now sit together in pubs and restaurants and conferences can resume.
16th Aug 2021 - BBC News
Australia extends COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne, reinstates night curfew
Australian authorities reinstated a night curfew and extended COVID-19 lockdown measures in Melbourne for another two weeks to contain an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant.
16th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Sydney records deadliest day of COVID-19 pandemic, Melbourne lockdown extended
Sydney lockdown extended statewide as Australia faces 'worst' COVID episode
Sydney lockdown fines raised as Australia faces 'worst' COVID-19 situation
16th Aug 2021 - Reuters
What are England and Northern Ireland’s new rules on self-isolation?
England and Northern Ireland have, from Monday, followed Scotland and Wales in relaxing rules so that people who are fully vaccinated no longer have to self-isolate if they are close contacts of people testing positive for Covid-19. They are advised to get a PCR test – the more reliable method of determining whether they have Covid-19. It will not be compulsory and they will not have to self-isolate while they wait for the result. The new guidance will apply to people who had their final dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before coming into contact with a positive case.
16th Aug 2021 - The Guardian
Scots with mental health issues more anxious about Covid easing
Scottish adults who are living with physical or mental health conditions are significantly more anxious about the easing of coronavirus restrictions, a study has found. In a survey of more than 2,000 people, the Mental Health Foundation found around 61 per cent of those who had long-term physical or mental health problems were “fairly” or “very” anxious about the easing of restrictions. This compared to 45% of the general population of Scottish adults who said they felt this way.
16th Aug 2021 - Herald Scotland
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullPostcard initiative aims to send ‘message of love and thanks’
Postcards embedded with seeds are being delivered to people who did neighbours a good turn during the pandemic in an attempt to combat loneliness caused by Covid-19. The biodegradable cards, administered free of charge by the Great Care Co-op in Dalkey, south Dublin, can be planted in pots or directly into the soil and are emblazoned with the message: “Just to say I care”. Danielle Neilson, a carer with the Great Care Co-op, said the initiative was about reaching out to the many people – particularly among older age groups – feeling lonely and isolated as a result of the pandemic. “The intention is to send a message of gratitude to a loved one or neighbour that has been helpful or kind to you throughout the pandemic,” she said
15th Aug 2021 - The Irish Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 Australia: Canberra to go into a seven day lockdown after confirmed Covid case in the ACT
Canberra will go into a snap seven day lockdown after a confirmed case of COVID-19 emerged in the ACT. The territory has confirmed its first case of Covid-19 in over a year as ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced a strict seven day lockdown during a media conference on Thursday. Minister Barr said the seven day lockdown will begin from 5pm on Thursday as shoppers fled to supermarkets eager to stock up on supplies ahead of the deadline
12th Aug 2021 - Daily Mail
France to strengthen COVID-19 lockdown in Guadeloupe island
France will strengthen lockdown rules in the overseas territory of Guadeloupe to rein in the spread of COVID-19, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday, as spikes in infections in its Caribbean islands overwhelm hospitals. The French overseas territory of Martinique on Tuesday entered a tougher lockdown for three weeks to tackle the pandemic with the closure of beaches and shops selling non-essential items and restrictions on people's movements. Authorities in Martinique have also advised tourists to leave the island.
12th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Self isolation for double-jabbed close contacts to end on 16 August in England
Self-isolation for fully vaccinated people who come into contact with a person who tests positive for Covid will end on August 16, the Government has announced. Double-jabbed people contacted by NHS Test and Trace currently have to self-isolate for 10 days if they come into contact with someone who has the virus. But the government have been keen to alter the rules after vast amounts of people have been “pinged” by the app in recent weeks, causing businesses to complain that staff were unable to return to work. Health secretary Sajid Javid has now said if fully vaccinated people are contacted by NHS Test and Trace do not have to self-isolate are instead advised to get a PCR test from August 16 onwards.
11th Aug 2021 - The Independent
What Covid rules mean for shared accommodation — and how to survive self-isolation
More than a year into the pandemic, almost every student in the UK has either experienced self-isolation or knows somebody who has. With a large portion of young people still unvaccinated by the end of the 2020/2021 academic year, students were especially vulnerable to infection. In recent weeks, horror stories about students charged for living in rented households past their lease because they were required to isolate there have made headlines as cases sharply rose throughout campuses with the lifting of restrictions.
11th Aug 2021 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralia expands Covid-19 lockdown as Sydney records its highest daily case count
Australia's most populous state has expanded its Covid-19 lockdown to include a rural town and the coastal region of Byron Bay, as the city of Sydney recorded its highest daily case count since the beginning of the pandemic. There were four deaths and 356 locally transmitted Covid-19 infections confirmed in New South Wales on Monday, almost all of which were in Sydney, state premier Gladys Berejiklian said during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
10th Aug 2021 - CNN
France's Martinique island imposes tougher COVID-19 lockdown
France’s overseas territory of Martinique will enter a tougher lockdown for three weeks from Tuesday to tackle a COVID-19 outbreak on the West Indian island, a local government official said on Twitter. Authorities in Martinique also advised tourists to leave the island. Martinique had already imposed an evening curfew but the tougher lockdown, set to start from 7 p.m., will shutter shops selling items that are not essential, close beaches and clamp down on people’s movements.
10th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Quarantine-free travel from France resumes as UK rules change
Fully vaccinated people can now visit France without quarantining on their return to the UK, after travel rule changes came into force at 04:00 BST. Brittany Ferries said it had received a "surge" of bookings following the rule changes announced on Thursday. But travel agents said the relaxation of quarantine for one of the UK's most popular destinations came "too late to save the summer". Meanwhile, travellers in Mexico had to rush back to avoid hotel quarantine. Under the latest changes to the UK's traffic light system for travel, the rules have been relaxed for a dozen countries
9th Aug 2021 - BBC News
Australia expands COVID lockdown over concern virus has spread from Sydney
Australia expanded a COVID-19 lockdown to a rural town and the coastal region of Byron Bay on Monday, as fears grew that the virus has spread from Sydney to the northern tip of the country's most populous state.
9th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullIsolation, anxiousness, depression: What it's like becoming a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic
Considering the uncertainty, stress and isolation of the past year, there are lots of reasons to be concerned about the impact that might have had on the mental wellbeing of new mums. Dr Darby Saxbe, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Southern California, researches how becoming a parent affects people. But when COVID-19 hit, Dr Saxbe's regular research stopped and she quickly turned to studying how the pandemic was affecting expectant parents. Her research found that expectant mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic had elevated levels of psychological distress, perceived stress, loneliness, and other behavioural changes.
7th Aug 2021 - ABC.Net.au
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullIsraelis told to 'stop embracing', elderly urged to get booster as Covid-19 cases spike
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is warning that Israelis over 60 are at risk unless they go get their third booster shot immediately.
5th Aug 2021 - CNN on MSN.com
Australia's second most populous state Victoria to enter seven-day lockdown
Australia’s second most populous state, Victoria, will enter a seven-day lockdown on Thursday after a fresh outbreak of COVID-19, state Premier Daniel Andrews said
5th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullVietnam to halve quarantine time for fully vaccinated visitors
Vietnam will slash the duration of mandatory quarantine for foreign visitors from two weeks to just seven days, its health ministry said on Wednesday, as the Southeast Asian country battles its biggest COVID-19 outbreak yet. Vietnam successfully contained the virus for much of last year using a targeted testing and centralised quarantine programme but has since late April been faced with a surge in cases fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant. The country's borders are closed to all visitors apart from returning Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors or diplomats, all of whom were subject to 14 days of quarantine at centrally-managed facilities.
4th Aug 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullFrench territory of Guadeloupe to go into new lockdown to tackle COVID-19
France’s overseas territory of Guadeloupe will to go into a new lockdown for at least three weeks to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, said the local Guadeloupe authority on its Twitter account, as France battles a fourth wave of the virus. The authority said the French West Indian island’s new lockdown would start on Aug. 4, with the re-introduction of a curfew running from 8 p.m. (0000 GMT) until 5 a.m. (0900 GMT) the following day, and limitations on people’s movements.
3rd Aug 2021 - Reuters
Sydney COVID Lockdown Could Be Eased if Vaccination Rate Hits 50%
Australian authorities said they could ease a COVID-19 lockdown that demands Sydney's five million people stay home until the end of August if half the population is vaccinated, even as new infections linger near a 16-month high.
3rd Aug 2021 - U.S. News & World Report
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullIndonesia extends COVID-19 restrictions for outside Java
Indonesia extended restrictions outside Java island by another week in efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus, local media reported on Sunday citing an interior ministry senior official. The highest level of restrictions was extended until Aug. 9 for regions outside Java categorised as "Level 4" areas, or areas that have a high level of infections and hospital's bed occupancy rate, Safrizal Z.A., a senior official at the Home Affairs Ministry, told local media. Workers employed by non-essential businesses will continue to work from home and shopping malls will remain closed.
2nd Aug 2021 - Reuters
Australia tightens COVID curbs as Brisbane extends lockdown, army patrols Sydney
Australia's Queensland state on Monday extended a COVID-19 lockdown in Brisbane, while soldiers began patrolling Sydney to enforce stay-at-home rules as Australia struggles to stop the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus spreading. Queensland said it had detected 13 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours - the biggest one-day rise the state has recorded in a year. The lockdown of Brisbane, Australia's third-biggest city, was due to end on Tuesday but will now stay in place until late on Sunday. "It's starting to become clear that the initial lockdown will be insufficient for the outbreak," Queensland state Deputy Premier Steven Miles told reporters in Brisbane.
2nd Aug 2021 - Reuters
Thailand and Vietnam extend COVID measures
Still in the grips of COVID-19 surges mainly fueled by the Delta (B1617.2) variant, Thailand and Vietnam extended lockdowns and other measures for the worst-hit parts of the countries. In other global developments, an outbreak in Australia's Queensland state flared again, and the greater Sydney area continues to report high daily case totals.
2nd Aug 2021 - CIDRAP
Millions under strict lockdown in China after Covid outbreak
Millions of people have been confined to their homes in China as the country tries to contain its largest coronavirus outbreak in months with mass testing and travel curbs. China reported 55 new locally transmitted coronavirus cases on Monday as an outbreak of the fast-spreading Delta variant reached more than 20 cities and more than a dozen provinces. Local governments in major cities including Beijing have now tested millions of residents, while cordoning off residential compounds and placing close contacts under quarantine.
2nd Aug 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Aug 2021
View this newsletter in fullEnd isolation for people with two Covid-19 vaccines, says Labour
Labour has called on the government to bring forward the date exempting double-vaccinated people from self-isolation rules by more than a week. Under current plans the exemption comes into force on Monday August 16 but Sir Keir Starmer says he wants to see the rules to change on Saturday August 7 in an attempt to end the “summer of chaos” caused by the pingdemic.
30th Jul 2021 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullSydney under strict new lockdown rules as cases soar
Millions in Sydney began their harshest lockdown since the pandemic began on Friday as COVID-19 cases spiked to record levels in Australia's largest city with state and national leaders set to meet to discuss the country's reopening plans.
With Sydney, the capital of New South Wales state, struggling under record surge of cases, officials toughened curbs across eight local council areas, where most new infections were being reported, and sought the military's help to enforce lockdown rules.
30th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Cambodia to impose COVID-19 lockdowns in areas bordering Thailand
Cambodia is set to launch a lockdown in eight provinces bordering Thailand from midnight on Thursday, in a bid to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country.
29th Jul 2021 - Reuters
India's Kerala state orders lockdown as COVID-19 infections rise
India's southern state of Kerala on Thursday announced a two-day lockdown as federal authorities planned to send experts to fight the spread of infections in the country's leading COVID-19 hotspot.
29th Jul 2021 - Reuters India
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Quarantine risk grows for British tourists as Spain infections soar
A sustained surge in Covid-19 cases in Spain, driven by a big increase in Delta-variant infections, is threatening its tourist industry. Although the rate shows signs of stabilising, with the total standing at 702 cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period — up from 700 on Monday — it remains well over the “very high” threshold rate of 500 per 100,000. The latest figures will do little to ease fears that Spain could soon be on the amber-plus list for the UK, which would mean British holidaymakers having to quarantine on their return.
28th Jul 2021 - The Times
Norway again postpones end to COVID lockdown
Norway postponed for a second time on Wednesday a planned final step in the reopening of its economy from pandemic lockdown, due to the continued spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, the government said. “A new assessment will be made in mid-August,” Health Minister Bent Hoeie told a news conference. Measures that will be kept in place to halt the spread of COVID-19 include bars and restaurants being limited to table service and limits of 20 people on gatherings in private homes.
28th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Mental illness tied to higher risk of COVID hospital care, death
The first study, published yesterday, was led by researchers from the CEReSS-Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center in Marseille, France. It consisted of 16 observational studies from seven countries involving 19,086 patients with COVID-19 and mental illness from December 2019 to July 2020. The countries were Denmark (1 study), France (2), Israel (1), South Korea (3), Spain (1), the United Kingdom (1), and the United States (7). Regardless of the primary medical risk factors for severe COVID-19, patients with mental illnesses (eg, addiction, depression) were more likely to die of COVID-19 than their peers in pooled crude and adjusted analysis (crude odds ratio [OR], 1.75; adjusted OR [aOR], 1.38). Patients with the severe mental illnesses included in the study—schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—had the highest ORs for death, with a crude OR of 2.26 and an aOR of 1.67.
28th Jul 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Relief at the lifting of restrictions from a widow who spent lockdown alone
Earl Sewell was one of the first to die with coronavirus in Birmingham. His widow, Jean, spoke about being plunged into lockdown almost straight after his death, and her relief restrictions are being lifted. Earl Sewell died on 16 March 2020, just as England was realising the ferociousness of the pandemic. His family, who had visited him in hospital just before his death, had to isolate immediately, leaving them facing challenges they could not have expected.
27th Jul 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullVirtual contact worse than no contact for over-60s in lockdown, says study
Virtual contact during the pandemic made many over-60s feel lonelier and more depressed than no contact at all, new research has found. Many older people stayed in touch with family and friends during lockdown using the phone, video calls, and other forms of virtual contact. Zoom choirs, online book clubs and virtual bedtime stories with grandchildren helped many stave off isolation. But the study, among the first to comparatively assess social interactions across households and mental wellbeing during the pandemic, found many older people experienced a greater increase in loneliness and long-term mental health disorders as a result of the switch to online socialising than those who spent the pandemic on their own.
26th Jul 2021 - The Guardian
Covid quarantine to be dropped for some Britons vaccinated abroad
Some Britons who have been double-vaccinated abroad will soon be able to travel to the UK more easily as the government prepares to recognise jabs administered overseas. Current restrictions mean only those who have been fully inoculated by the NHS are able to take advantage of avoiding quarantine if coming from countries graded amber under the traffic light system.
26th Jul 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullSparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US
Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes. The specific reasons vary widely. Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs; others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed. The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis and found it beneficial to their children.
25th Jul 2021 - Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullPets And Pet Owners Face Separation Anxiety As Workers Return To The Office
The phenomenon of the pandemic pet was one of few positive triumphs of 2020. Demand for pets surged. Americans, working from home or furloughed, sought out animal companionship. Some shelters struggled to keep up with it. For many workers, though, the cozy days of remote working are coming to an end. And separation anxiety looms. Over 30% of owners have sought advice from veterinarians on making the transition to in-person work easier for their pets, according to a March survey from Banfield Pet Hospital. Upon returning to the office, 68% of Gen Z owners and 42% of millennials plan to hire dog walkers or reserve spots in doggy day cares.
22nd Jul 2021 - NPR
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralia, under lockdown, sees worrying jump in COVID-19 cases
Australia's two largest states reported sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a blow to hopes that lockdown restrictions would be lifted with more than half the country's population under stay-at-home orders. New South Wales (NSW) state, home to the country's most populous city Sydney, reported 110 new cases, up from 78 the day before, nearly four weeks into a lockdown of the city and surrounding areas to contain an outbreak of the virulent Delta variant.
21st Jul 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullIran orders week-long shutdown in Tehran amid fifth COVID wave
Iran imposed a one-week lockdown in the capital and a nearby province on Tuesday as daily COVID-19 caseloads hit a record high amid a fifth wave of the pandemic, state television reported. The lockdown affects Tehran and Alborz provinces, with only essential businesses allowed to stay open. Most offices, theatres and sports facilities must shut down in an effort to prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, the TV said.
20th Jul 2021 - Reuters
More than half of Australia's population under COVID-19 lockdowns
South Australia joins Victoria and Sydney in lockdown. New cases ease slightly in New South Wales, Victoria. 21 NSW cases spent time in community while infectious.
20th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullHanoi tightens restrictions as COVID clusters spread in Vietnam
Vietnam's capital Hanoi urged its citizens to stay at home from Monday and ordered a halt to all non-essential services due to new clusters of COVID-19 infections in recent days, the authorities said on Sunday. The city, which had already halted indoor restaurant service and closed salons as well as gyms, also stopped rail and bus passenger services to and from provinces in the south which have seen the biggest increases.
19th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Singapore advises unvaccinated people to stay home as cases rise
Singapore's health ministry on Sunday "strongly" advised unvaccinated individuals, especially the elderly, to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks, citing heightened concerns about the risk of community spread of COVID-19. The country reported 88 new locally-transmitted coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest daily toll since August last year, driven by growing clusters of infections linked to karaoke bars and a fishery port.
19th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Australia prolongs COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria amid Delta outbreak
Australian authorities said Victoria state would extend a COVID-19 lockdown beyond Tuesday to slow the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, despite a slight drop in new infections in the state and nationwide.
19th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: PM and chancellor to self-isolate in U-turn
In U-Turn, UK's Johnson to Quarantine After COVID-19 ContactU.S. News & World ReportCoronavirus latest news: Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak reverse decision to not self-isolate after getting 'pinged'Telegraph.co.ukBoris Johnson and Rishi Sunak WILL self-isolate after being 'pinged'Evening StandardView Full coverage on Google News
18th Jul 2021 - BBC News
Thailand expands lockdown areas as COVID-19 cases surge
The Thai government on Sunday announced plans for a tighter lockdown in Bangkok and high-risk provinces next week, suspending most domestic flights and expanding curfew areas after the country reported a third straight day of record COVID-19 case numbers. Thailand reported 11,397 infections and 101 deaths on Sunday, bringing the cumulative total to 403,386 cases and 3,341 fatalities, the vast majority from an outbreak since early April that is being fuelled by the highly transmissible Alpha and Delta COVID-19 variants.
18th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Quarantine rules for double-jabbed 'should be eased faster'
People who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in the UK will no longer have to self-isolate when they arrive into Northern Ireland from an amber country from Monday, 19 July. The NI Executive previously set 26 July as the date for easing travel rules. The latest relaxation of coronavirus travel restrictions was announced by Stormont's Department of Health. But it also announced that the Balearic Islands and British Virgin Islands are to be added to the amber list.
15th Jul 2021 - BBC News
Australia's Melbourne to begin COVID-19 lockdown Friday night -ABC
The Australian state of Victoria was ordered into a five-day lockdown on Thursday following a spike in COVID-19 infections, joining Sydney as the country's two main population hubs battle an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant.
15th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Delta strain prompts Spain’s Catalonia to restore curfew
Barcelona and the surrounding northeast corner of Spain are curtailing public activity again to stem an outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus that is running wild among unvaccinated younger people and placing hospitals under growing pressure. Regional authorities in Catalonia were waiting for a judge to sign off on restoring a nightly curfew in towns with populations over 5,000 which surpass the rate of 400 infections per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days. The curfew is intended to discourage social gatherings where the virus spreads.
15th Jul 2021 - The Associated Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhat working from home means for women
Women may be more likely to want to work from home than men. They’ve also had a harder time doing so, reporting higher rates of stress, depression, and sheer hours worked — especially if they have kids. This paradox is a result of women trying to do the best thing for their careers while also navigating an unfair role in society and at home. In other words, women need more flexible work arrangements, because women have more to do. While the ability to work from home has been a godsend for working parents who were able to keep their children and jobs safe during the pandemic, it’s also exacerbated deeply ingrained gender inequality.
14th Jul 2021 - Vox.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: PM's easing of England's restrictions is 'irresponsible', BMA says
Boris Johnson's decision to press ahead with easing coronavirus restrictions in England is "irresponsible", senior doctors have said - although a government minister has admitted COVID rules could return this winter. The prime minister announced on Monday that most of the last remaining restrictions in England would be axed from 19 July. This was despite modelling showing that there could be 1,000 to 2,000 hospital admissions per day, with deaths reaching between 100 and 200 per day by mid-August, when the peak of the current wave is expected.
13th Jul 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullDutch PM apologises for easing of COVID-19 curbs as cases soar
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte conceded on Monday that coronavirus restrictions had been lifted too soon in the Netherlands and he apologised as infections surged to their highest levels of the year.
12th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Sydney braces for extended lockdown amid COVID-19 outbreak
The prospect of an extended lockdown in Sydney loomed on Monday as Australian health officials reported yet another record daily rise in COVID-19 cases for the year, fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant. New South Wales state reported 112 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, almost all in Sydney, despite the country’s biggest city entering its third week of lockdown. Case numbers have been at record levels for at least three days. There was, however, a glimmer of light as the number of newly-infected people who were out in the community while infectious dropped to 34 from 45 on Sunday.
12th Jul 2021 - Reuters Australia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullLocked-down Sydney warned worse may be ahead, COVID-19 cases at 2021 high
Australia's New South Wales state reported its biggest daily rise in locally acquired coronavirus infections this year on Saturday, with authorities warning that worse may yet to come for Sydney, which is in a three-week hard lockdown. There were 50 new cases of community transmission in the country's most populous state, up from 44 a day earlier, the previous 2021 record high. This brings the outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant to 489 cases.
10th Jul 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullWHO warns of ‘epidemiological stupidity’ of early Covid reopening
As England moves towards an anticipated “big bang” lifting of coronavirus restrictions on 19 July, a senior World Health Organization official has warned countries to lift their Covid-19 restrictions slowly so as “not to lose the gains that [they] have made”. The comments from the UN global health body’s head of emergencies, Mike Ryan, were not aimed directly at Boris Johnson’s much-trumpeted reopening. However, they will be interpreted as grist to the mill of those health experts who have been arguing that England is moving too fast at a time when infections are surging.
8th Jul 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhat are the Covid-19 symptoms for people who are fully vaccinated?
People who have received two doses of a Covid vaccine are less likely to be fall seriously ill or die from the virus, but they may still feel unwell if they become infected. The symptoms commonly associated with coronavirus are a high temperature,
7th Jul 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in full‘It isn’t over’: WHO warns against easing COVID curbs too soon
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned governments around the world against easing COVID-19 restrictions too soon, saying countries that did so risked paying a heavy price for rushing back to normality. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, the UN health agency’s top emergency expert Mike Ryan said a new wave of infections could be round the corner and noted that for much of the world, the pandemic was just getting started.
6th Jul 2021 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Care home visits will not 'completely go back to normal' following the final stage of lockdown easing, says minister
Care home visits will not "completely go back to normal" after the final stage of England's roadmap out of COVID restrictions, a minister has said. Social care minister Helen Whately said the country is "on track" to ease restrictions on 19 July in line with the government's plan but warned that there will still have to be "some precautions" around care homes.
5th Jul 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullThe Zoom Revolution Empowers Women to Speak Up
After 14 months working from home, I have mastered the art of digital collaboration. What began as a clumsy series of video chats from my kitchen counter—plagued by technological difficulties and unfamiliarity—quickly became the most efficient and effective way to connect with colleagues and clients across the globe. I am proficient in BlueJeans, Teams, Webex, Meet, Chime and 8X8, but I have a black belt in Zoom, my preferred videoconferencing tool. I personalize my background, admit participants, put up my hand, pull up presentations, and mute and unmute myself as needed.
2nd Jul 2021 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jul 2021
View this newsletter in fullItaly to enforce 5-day quarantine for England soccer fans
Italy intensified its warnings to England soccer fans on Thursday to stay away from the European Championship quarterfinal match against Ukraine on Saturday, saying they shouldn’t count on getting into the Stadio Olimpico unless they can prove they have observed five days of quarantine since arriving from Britain. In addition, the state police imposed a mandatory block on the sale and transfer of any tickets starting Thursday and the cancellation of coupons sold to British residents starting last Monday.
1st Jul 2021 - The Associated Press
Covid-19 lockdown left NI young people in limbo, says research
Lockdown left many children and young people "feeling like they were in limbo", according to research carried out for Stormont's Education Committee. Many said that not seeing friends and family, not being in school and not playing sport had been the most difficult aspects of lockdown. A lot said they "loved" being back at school. Hundreds of children and young people's views were received as part of the "My life and learning in lockdown" project.
1st Jul 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2021
View this newsletter in full'The effects will linger': US kids’ long-term health in jeopardy after pandemic schooling
After more than a year of isolation, widespread financial insecurity and the loss of an unprecedented amount of classroom time, experts say many of the youngest Americans have fallen behind socially, academically and emotionally in ways that could harm their physical and mental health for years or even decades. “This could affect a whole generation for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Jack Shonkoff, a pediatrician and director of the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University. “All kids will be affected. Some will get through this and be fine. They will learn from it and grow. But lots of kids are going to be in big trouble.”
30th Jun 2021 - USA Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullGoogle is giving Brits incorrect Covid-19 advice
Google shows incorrect answers to queries on self isolation, investigation says
Users have been told they don't have to self-isolate when the NHS says they do
Google is reportedly fixing the problem after a request from the UK government
29th Jun 2021 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullI tested positive for Covid-19 twice in two cities. The responses were vastly different
Pauline Lockwood is a Senior News Editor for CNN, based at the network's Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. She writes: "As someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 in both Britain and Hong Kong, I've experienced the worst of both worlds. In one, I fell victim to the complete failure to check the disease's spread, and in the other I got caught up in a zealous system intended to completely eradicate Covid-19. The pandemic's true tragedy is that the virus has killed nearly four million people worldwide, but it has also come with widespread repercussions. After undergoing four quarantines, the one when I actually had Covid-19 was the least traumatic. For me, pandemic measures have been far harder to deal with than the disease itself."
28th Jun 2021 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullDo children and people with two Covid vaccines need to self isolate?
Yes, people who are fully vaccinated still need to self-isolate and need to keep doing so for the duration of the 10 day quarantine period. This is because you can still be a carrier, even if you have received both doses of the jab. The government website states: ‘If you are instructed to self-isolate you must do so because there is still a risk that you might spread infection to others, even if you have been vaccinated and feel entirely well yourself.’ Failure to self-isolate for 10 days can result in a fine of £1,000, increasing to £10,000 for repeat offences under the current rules.
27th Jun 2021 - Metro.co.uk
HEE launches virtual training for NHS on loneliness and social isolation
Staff across the NHS and care sectors can now access a range of evidence-based interventions and information on how to refer or signpost people who may be at risk of loneliness and social isolation. A new e-learning resource has been developed by Health Education England (HEE) in collaboration with Public Health England and the Campaign to End Loneliness.
23rd Jun 2021 - Nursing Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: 'Not yet appropriate' to ease care home visiting rules
Visiting at care homes cannot be eased any further yet, Northern Ireland's chief nursing officer has said. Charlotte McArdle contacted care home providers and trust officials with the news, in an email seen by BBC News NI. Public health colleagues have decided it would "not yet be appropriate" to move to the next stage of relaxing restrictions, the email read. Visiting at care homes has been restricted to try to protect residents from Covid-19. A four-stage plan for easing was launched at the beginning of May 2021.
24th Jun 2021 - BBC News
Vaccinated Israelis may need to quarantine because of Delta variant
Israel empowered health officials on Wednesday to quarantine anyone deemed to have been exposed to an especially infectious variant of COVID-19, even if they were previously vaccinated or recovered from the disease with presumed immunity.
The decision followed a warning by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday over new outbreaks caused by the Delta variant, with daily infections rising after weeks of low plateau credited to Israel's record mass-vaccination drive.
24th Jun 2021 - Reuters
Should schoolchildren still have to self-isolate?
More than a quarter of a million children are absent from school in the UK because of coronavirus, prompting calls for a different approach to testing and quarantining of pupils that puts children's needs first. With children at extremely low risk from the virus and more than three out of every five UK adults now fully vaccinated, is it time for a change in policy?
24th Jun 2021 - BBC News
A perfect storm: the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of young people
Mental health services for children and young people were struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic, but data suggest they are now reaching crisis point. NHS figures, analysed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and published in April 2021, show that 80,226 more children and young people were referred to mental health services between April 2020 and December 2020, up by 28% on 2019. In addition, the analysis revealed that the number of children and young people needing urgent or emergency crisis care — including assessments to see if someone needs to be sectioned because they or others are at risk of harm — had increased by 18% compared with 2019.
23rd Jun 2021 - The Pharmaceutical Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullHEE launches virtual training for NHS on loneliness and social isolation
A new e-learning resource has been developed by Health Education England (HEE) in collaboration with Public Health England and the Campaign to End Loneliness. It is intended to provide information to help health and care staff to recognise people who may be at risk from loneliness and social isolation and to understand the potential negative outcomes for health. The resource includes training on “handling conversations and interactions” with people at risk, said HEE in a statement.
23rd Jun 2021 - Nursing Times
Covid: Parents concerned about impact of isolation on learning
Pupils are facing "huge" disruption to their learning in Greater Manchester and Cheshire due to spikes in Covid-19 cases in schools, parents have said. More than 170,000 pupils are self-isolating across England, with thousands in the North West areas. One mother said providing home learning was "really difficult", while another said remote lessons were a "poor substitute for being in the classroom". Head teacher Simon Kidwell said schools "urgently need a plan for September". The two areas have some of the highest Covid infection rates in England and have seen thousands of pupils needing to self-isolate due to sharp rises caused by the Delta variant.
30th Nov -0001 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jun 2021
View this newsletter in full'Stolen moments': Families anguish over separation from dying COVID patients
In-depth interviews with 19 adult family members of patients lost to COVID-19 during the first pandemic wave in France uncover difficulties forging a bond with intensive care unit (ICU) staff, being separated from their loved ones at the time of greatest need, and grief over "stolen moments." Led by researchers at Saint Louis University Hospital in Paris, the study involved semi-structured, in-depth phone interviews conducted with family members of COVID-19 patients who died in one of 12 ICUs in seven regions of France in April and May 2020. The interviews took place 3 or 4 months after the patients' deaths, and the results were published yesterday in JAMA Network Open.
22nd Jun 2021 - CIDRAP
Quarter of a million children in England missed school last week due to Covid
A quarter of a million children in England missed school last week because of Covid infections, self-isolation or school closures, making it the most disrupted week since schools fully reopened in March and prompting calls for pupils to be vaccinated. The upsurge has been most marked in northern centres such as Oldham, where Covid-related absences in schools are more than double the national rate. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said that self-isolation rules for children needed to be reformed to avoid further disruption to their education. The national figures from the Department for Education (DfE) showed that one child in every 30 at state school was out of the classroom on 17 June, including 9,000 pupils with confirmed Covid-19 cases, 16,000 with suspected cases and more than 7,000 whose schools had shut entirely because of Covid outbreaks.
22nd Jun 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullDublin charity urge public to reach out and combat loneliness being felt by elderly during Covid pandemic
A Dublin charity is urging the public to reach out and combat loneliness being felt by older people. ALONE encourages members of the public to change one person’s day by reaching out to an older person in their lives whether it’s an neighbour, friend, relative or someone they don’t really know that well in order to #ChangeOneDay.
They are calling for the public to: “Call 1 – Nominate 1 – Change 1’ – call one older person, nominate a friend to do the same, and change one person’s day for the better.
21st Jun 2021 - Dublin Live
Covid-19: Matt Hancock hopes to scrap isolation for double-jabbed contacts
Plans to ease Covid restrictions in England on 19 July are "looking good", the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson said that was based on the efficacy of vaccines against identified variants. But he warned there could be a "rough winter for all sorts of reasons", including a resurgence of flu. It comes as the health secretary said he hoped to exempt fully vaccinated people from the requirement to isolate for 10 days when contact-traced. Asked during on a visit to a laboratory in Hertfordshire whether he could rule out further lockdowns this winter, Mr Johnson said: "You can never exclude that there will be some new disease, some new horror that we simply haven't budgeted for, or accounted for.
21st Jun 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullVaccinated people set to be exempt from self-isolation rules if they take Covid-19 test every day instead
People who have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine could become exempt from self-isolation rules later this year, one of the Government’s leading scientific advisers has confirmed. Susan Hopkins of Public Health England said 15,000 people were already enrolled in a trial under which they take daily coronavirus tests after coming into contact with a Covid-19 patient or returning to the UK from abroad. The health service is hoping to recruit another 25,000 volunteers to gather evidence on whether the testing regime can remove the need to quarantine, without creating an unacceptably high risk of spreading new infections.
20th Jun 2021 - iNews.co.uk
English councils refuse six in 10 requests for Covid self-isolation pay
Almost two-thirds of workers in England seeking grants to help them self-isolate are being refused help, sparking warnings from trade unions that a key policy to limit Covid-19 is “failing” in the face of rising infections. Councils are continuing to refuse more than six out of 10 applications despite the government increasing funding for the vital anti-Covid system in March to £20m a month, freedom of information requests by the Trades Union Congress found. One council, Hackney in east London, said it had rejected 91% of requests for the £500 payments. saying that the government’s criteria were “extremely tight”. It had to reject some requests because they did not produce the right paperwork even though it acknowledged it can be difficult if families are ill or self-isolating.
19th Jun 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullTreasury accused of 'recklessly' suppressing information relating to covid isolation sick pay
The Treasury has been accused of “recklessly” suppressing information relating to a sick pay scheme for people forced to self-isolate during the height of the second wave of the Covid pandemic. According to emails at the start of 2021 between civil servants seen by Politico, the department instructed government officials not to publicise how furlough could be used to access payments during the isolation period. Supporting people – particularly those in low-paid jobs – has been a major point of contention during the crisis, with scientists and opposition MPs repeatedly criticising the amount of financial support on offer for those required to self-isolate.
17th Jun 2021 - The Independent
Having a strong life purpose eases loneliness of COVID-19 isolation, study finds
Why can some people weather the stress of social isolation better than others, and what implications does this have for their health? New research found that people who felt a strong sense of purpose in life were less lonely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
17th Jun 2021 - Science Daily
£500 self-isolation payments to be widened to more low-income workers in Harrogate
Self-isolation payments of £500 are to be made available to more low-income earners in the Harrogate district. The one-off payments were introduced by the government and administered by Harrogate Borough Council from September to compensate for any loss of earnings workers may suffer as a result of having to self-isolate because of Covid. More than £119,000 has been allocated to the council but as of this month around £68,000 remains unspent so officials have proposed to widen the rules around who can apply.
17th Jun 2021 - Harrogate Advertiser
Covid-19: UK and Japan connect to tackle loneliness
Britain and Japan on Thursday announced joint plans to overcome the stigma of loneliness accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to put in place policies that help to ‘connect’ people and communities. Britain appointed the world’s first minister for loneliness in 2018 and Japan recently appointed its first minister for loneliness and isolation, Tetsushi Sakamoto. Officials said the measures include regular meetings on the issue between the UK and Japan, sharing knowledge on loneliness measures and policy, and raising awareness in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan, and within the global community.
17th Jun 2021 - Khaleej Times
COVID-19: Home quarantine rule for travellers to UK 'just doesn't work', says Professor Neil Ferguson
A home quarantine rule for travellers to the UK "just doesn't work", a top epidemiologist advising the government has warned. Professor Neil Ferguson, part of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), suggested that anything other than the tough border restrictions imposed by countries such as Australia and New Zealand was "window dressing". The government has been facing calls to scrap its "amber list" of countries, from which people returning to the UK have to quarantine for 10 days at home.
17th Jun 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullEasing of Covid isolation rules on care home resident trips welcomed
Moves by the government to ease restrictions covering the movements of care home residents in England have been largely welcomed by organisations representing the social care sector. Residents will be able to spend more time with family and friends, including overnight stays, without needing to isolate, as part of an easing of visiting rules announced on Monday by the prime minister. They can currently only leave their care home for a visit if it is outdoors or for high-priority reasons, such as a GP appointment, but will soon be able to do so for more social reasons without isolating.
15th Jun 2021 - Nursing Times
How to help employees dealing with loneliness
Lockdown has precipitated a huge shift in our understanding of how and where employees can work, and hybrid working has gained momentum as a way to benefit from a more autonomous and agile workforce. However, remote working has not been a panacea. While enhanced autonomy has benefits for both employers and employees, the loss of in-person collaboration and networking opportunities risks remote workers being left isolated, feeling disconnected from friends and colleagues. The UK government has recently released guidance for employers, which it hopes will act as the starting point of a wider conversation about what organisations can do to address loneliness.
15th Jun 2021 - People Management
TransPennine Express Join The Fight To End Loneliness
TransPennine Express (TPE) has joined the fight to end loneliness in the UK by partnering with the Campaign to End Loneliness. The announcement of the partnership comes during Loneliness Awareness Week (14th-18th June) and TPE is taking steps to inform customers, colleagues and people who live in and around the places they serve about support services and tips to help tackle loneliness. There are more than 9 million people who suffer from loneliness in the UK and this figure has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as people have struggled to see family and friends. Now the train company is aiming to be part of the solution and to help bring people together.
15th Jun 2021 - Business Up North
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhy Covid has left us at a crossroads over loneliness - Kenneth Watt
After over a year of restrictions on how we work, socialise and interact with the rest of the world, many of us have endured periods of intense loneliness and even more experienced feelings of isolation. The impacts of loneliness are well documented. It is not just bad for our mental wellbeing, it can be devastating for our physical health and productivity, as well as communities and public services. As restrictions lift and we see groups of people back playing sport in parks and catching up with friends in beer gardens, loneliness is not going away for all. In fact, there is a risk that as some parts of society start to connect again, loneliness is further locked in for others.
14th Jun 2021 - The Scotsman
Befriending services could help tackle Scotland's loneliness crisis
In the last year, the levels of loneliness across Great Britain have grown. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics found 7.2 per cent of people “often” or “always” felt lonely, up from five per cent before the pandemic. That’s around 3.7 million adults. But at the same time, the pandemic has also encouraged community spirit. Between March and June last year, 2.2 million people in Scotland volunteered as a befriender, either formally or informally, according to Volunteer Scotland.
14th Jun 2021 - Holyrood.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullOffice connections a lifeline for workers
For all the complaints and comedies about office politics and getting along with co-workers, it seems most Australians missed going into a workplace during COVID lockdowns. New research has found 70 per cent of Australians say they find their most meaningful and regular social connections at work - outranking even their homes and community. And when it comes to which location they prefer to do jobs from, the data is clear: most do not want to work from home all the time. The desire to return to a group workplace is strongest among Gen-Z workers (aged 18 to 26), who also report the most impact on their mental health of coronavirus-related isolation.
13th Jun 2021 - 7News.com.au
Suicide Attempts Among Teen Girls Spiked During the Pandemic, CDC Finds
Suicide attempts among adolescent girls spiked as the coronavirus pandemic raged, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a study released Friday. May 2020 marked the beginning of a rise in emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts in teenagers ages 12-17 generally, but especially among girls. From Feb. 21 to March 20 2021, suicide attempts were up 50 percent from the same period in 2019 among girls 12 to 17 and 3.7 percent among boys of the same age.
11th Jun 2021 - Daily Beast
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullPeople’s odds of loneliness could fall by up to half if cities hit 30% green space targets
One in four Australians feel lonely on three or more days a week. Our longitudinal study, just published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, finds adults in neighbourhoods where at least 30% of nearby land was parks, reserves and woodlands had 26% lower odds of becoming lonely compared to their peers in areas with less than 10% green space. For people living on their own, the associations were even greater – in areas with 30% or more green space the odds of becoming lonely halved. This is good news for cities around the world – including Barcelona, Canberra, Seattle and Vancouver – that have set targets of 30% green cover.
9th Jun 2021 - The Conversation US
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullOpinion: Isolating during the covid-19 pandemic warped our brains. It’s time to confront that.
Need advice, after a year in isolation, on how to make small talk, how to get dressed after a year in soft pants or how to turn down invitations? Advice writers at major publications, including this one, have you covered. But for many the trickier challenge will be figuring out how the time they spent alone has distorted their views of the world. A new movie and comedy special may be helpful starting points for that process of self-examination. Netflix’s thriller “The Woman in the Window” had the good fortune to be delayed from 2019 to this May, which made it timely, if not very good. A lot of the potential audience has spent a year locked away like the film’s agoraphobic protagonist, troubled psychologist Anna Fox (Amy Adams), trying to draw conclusions based on limited firsthand knowledge of the world outside. If “The Woman in the Window” is about the way physical isolation cuts off firsthand experience, Bo Burnham’s Netflix comedy special, “Bo Burnham: Inside,” is about how much the Internet falls short as an alternative for real-world interaction.
9th Jun 2021 - Washington Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid canvas: Chennai artist uses self-portraits to describe illness, isolation
When Bala Govind Kumar, a 25-year-old visual artist, contracted Covid-19 and had to be quarantined, he decided to use his skills for self-portraits, conveying what he was going through. Bala, who works as an assistant art director to a production designer, tested positive for Covid-19 in April and was in home isolation. This was when he began recording himself, and used the videos for his portraits. Bala says he wanted to unburden himself of his pain and hence channeled his negative emotions into art. The pictures he produced during this period describe his experience of isolation and illness.
8th Jun 2021 - The Indian Express
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullRed Cross Red Crescent warns of the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and young people in Europe
The mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will have far-reaching impacts for entire generations, warned the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Several studies by Red Cross and Red Crescent societies across Europe show an alarming pattern, which requires increased efforts to tackle inequity and assist those most in need. Antónia de Barros Mota, head of Mental Health/Psychosocial Support for IFRC Europe, said: “The mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are like invisible scars or hidden wounds. Young people and children are suffering stress, bereavement and loneliness, which can worsen as time passes. Their parents may have lost their jobs. Lockdowns and other restrictions continue to hamper their access to education, training and work.”
7th Jun 2021 - ReliefWeb
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullThe cure for pandemic loneliness? Friends of a different generation.
Research from Washington University in St. Louis and John Hopkins University School of Medicine shows that intergenerational volunteering is good for older people’s mental health and physical functioning (including improved mobility, stamina, and flexibility). A meta-analysis of 16 studies, published by Mikaela B von Bonsdorff and Taina Rantanen in “Aging Clinical and Experimental Research,” showed that volunteering in old age predicted better self-rated health, functioning, physical activity and life satisfaction, as well as decreased depression and mortality. The intergenerational friendship movement had been gaining momentum long before the pandemic. But one legacy of the pandemic could be creating more opportunities for young adults to bond with their elders, connections that could play an important role as we work to reimagine elder care in the United States
4th Jun 2021 - Washington Post
Coronavirus affecting mental health 'the norm,' research shows
Mild cases of Coronavirus can impact mental health just as much as severe cases, research by University College London (UCL) has found. Scientists analysed 215 studies from 30 countries, which found that 23 per cent of people who had contracted Covid-19 went through depression. Anxiety was also experienced by 16 per cent of patients.
4th Jun 2021 - LBC
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jun 2021
View this newsletter in full‘Ugliest phase of my life’: How Covid is leaving a permanent scar on mental health of elders
“My body was falling apart, it was very weak, the feeling of fatigue was intense. I did wonder at some points whether I would survive this,” said 73-year-old Prabir Chakravorty as he recalled his 25-day isolation period after testing positive for Covid on April 26. With over 28 million cases of Covid reported in India alone, self-isolation and self-quarantine are crucial to minimise the spread and among the first recommendations to patients. However, the negative physical, psychological, and social effects of isolation are apparent among the elderly population, especially those suffering from pre-existing mental illness.
3rd Jun 2021 - The Indian Express
Overcoming loneliness during COVID-19 and onward
The World Health Organization (WHO) says although we need to stay apart physically, we need to connect with one another now more than ever. When feelings of loneliness happen too often, it can become chronic and have a negative impact on physical and emotional health. Since the start of the pandemic, Canadians — more specifically, seniors — have been feeling lonely. Becoming more social might sound hard at first, but if you’re retired, you may have more free time than you used to — and more opportunities to improve your social well-being. One key to overcoming feelings of loneliness is to think about ways you can start feeling connected to others. Consider the tips below to help you feel connected.
3rd Jun 2021 - SaltWire Network
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullAfter COVID, research on social isolation and loneliness is needed more than ever
With nearly 70% of Americans over the age of 65 now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, many older Americans are once again safely hugging their (fully vaccinated) loved ones and returning to regular activities after more than a year’s hiatus. We’re all glad to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but in addition to the tragic loss of life, COVID-19 magnified the already-dire problem of social isolation and loneliness among older adults. NIA has a robust history of promoting research to help understand how we can reduce loneliness and enhance social connection among older adults to improve physical and mental health outcomes. The pandemic underscored that rigorous research on the health impact of social isolation and loneliness — and the development of interventions to prevent or address these conditions — are needed now more than ever.
2nd Jun 2021 - nia.nih.gov
Parents: Kids are clamouring for great outdoors after Covid
Most parents see outdoor play as the key to combating loneliness that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused children. New research suggests more than half believe their children have been more lonely amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to the report from the NSPCC. Two in three parents believe play has become more important for their children since the start of the pandemic, and 79 per cent think playing outside will be vital for children's wellbeing.
2nd Jun 2021 - Worcester News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullMental health of mothers more negatively affected by Covid school closures than fathers, research finds
Researchers have found that mothers experienced worse mental health while schools were closed during lockdown. Meanwhile, there was no impact on the mental well-being of fathers. Research by the University of Essex’s Institute for Social and Economic Research, in conjunction with the universities of Surrey and Birmingham, found that the mental health of mothers suffered as schools were forced to shut. In addition to their day jobs, women were tasked with childcare and homeschooling during this time, which led mothers of pre-teen children to feel more lonely, lose confidence and have difficulty sleeping.
1st Jun 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2021
View this newsletter in fullConcerned that returning to work will impact your mental health? Here's how to set boundaries
It’s no surprise that mental health has taken a hit during the Covid pandemic. A December survey from the U.S. Census Bureau found that 42% of U.S. adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, up from 11% in previous years. But there are aspects of pandemic life — working remotely, staying home and opting out of social situations, for instance — that have made life and managing their mental health easier for some. While many are struggling to balance childcare or feeling overwhelmed by isolation, others prefer the flexibility of remote work and telemedicine, and are grateful not to have to participate in social functions.
31st May 2021 - CNBC
COVID lockdowns have made young Germans more lonely — report
The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to an increase in loneliness among Germany's young people, according to a study published Sunday in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. A total of 56% of people aged between 16 and 29 years who took part in a survey reported that they have "frequently" felt lonely since the onset of the pandemic Since March 2020, Germany has implemented far-reaching restrictions on private and public life in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, which have included curfews and forbidding gatherings, although there have been periods where these have been loosened.
30th May 2021 - Deutsche Welle
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralian State Probes Pandemic’s Loneliness Impact
Containing Covid-19 has been Australia’s North-eastern state, Queensland’s priority during the pandemic, and now the state will investigate how lockdown and limits on visitors affected mental health. Social isolation and loneliness are the subjects of a parliamentary Inquiry amid a pandemic in which one of the most effective weapons has been limiting contact between family and friends. “In 2020, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the personal stressor most experienced by Australians during the Covid-19 pandemic was loneliness,” Communities Minister Leeanne Enoch said on May 27.
27th May 2021 - The Tennesse Tribune
Covid-19: Nova Scotia safe isolation program has put up hundreds of people throughout pandemic
Since the pandemic first began, Nova Scotia has provided accommodations to nearly 500 people to help them isolate safely away from other people after contracting COVID-19. “They’re primarily hotels, mostly used in the Central Zone,” said Health Minister Zach Churchill about the voluntary safe isolation sites. The province currently has 60 sites available and 44 people are using them right now to isolate. Self-isolation is a key tool in our toolbelt to fight back against the spread of COVID-19,” said Churchill.
27th May 2021 - Global News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullVaccines minister confirms self-isolation won't end on 21 June for fully vaccinated
In England, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed that fully vaccinated people will likely still need to self-isolate if they come into contact with someone with Covid once all restrictions are removed on 21 June. Zahawi told MPs today that “even if you have had two doses of either vaccine – and I have had this in my own family – you can still contract Covid, and therefore you should be isolating and quarantining”.
25th May 2021 - City A.M.
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullFeeling lonely? Try cranking up the volume
With COVID-19 keeping many people isolated and alone, one way to combat the loneliness is by cranking the volume up on your favourite song, show or movie, new research suggests. Researchers at Australia’s James Cook University found that people who felt socially isolated preferred higher volumes, from music to background noise, compared to those who felt they were socially accepted. “Loud noises are not only desired following social exclusion, they are also effective at mitigating the negative psychological effects of social exclusion, such as social pain, feelings of anger, loneliness, and worsened mood,” lead author Adam Wang from James Cook University said. Wang and his colleagues think this breakthrough could help people who are struggling through continued isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
25th May 2021 - CTVNews
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullEngland pilots new support initiatives to boost self-isolating in higher COVID areas
New support initiatives will be piloted in nine areas of England with higher COVID rates, including from variants, as part of government efforts to boost testing and self-isolation, the health ministry said on Monday. The incidence of infections in Britain is still low but clusters of the Indian variant, believed to be more transmissible than the dominant Kent variant, are growing, and could derail plans to further ease lockdown measures. A total of 12 million pounds ($17 million) will be provided by government for accommodation for those in overcrowded households, social care support and communications assistance for those who don’t have English as their first language, among other steps.
24th May 2021 - Reuters
A million over-65s ‘still at risk of loneliness as UK lockdown eases’
A review by 10 leading charities has found that a million people over 65 in the UK are likely to remain at risk of chronic loneliness despite the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Loneliness, social isolation and living alone are all associated with an increased risk of early death, the Older People’s Task and Finish Group has said. The group, part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Tackling Loneliness Network, also says that so many support organisations closed for good during lockdown that millions of older people are continuing to suffer loneliness, depression and deteriorating physical health.
24th May 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow to conquer loneliness and social isolation
Over the last year, we isolated from each other to avoid a potentially deadly virus. Sadly, however, many older people had plenty of practice with social isolation well before COVID-19 entered the lexicon. As we age, loneliness is a risk factor for physical and mental decline. Add anxiety and depression to the mix and you’re looking at the possibility of a shorter lifespan. “Prevention needs to be the mantra,” said Marc Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist at Miami Jewish Health in Miami. Taking proactive steps to combat loneliness engages the brain and raises the odds that you’ll tend to your personal needs—from maintaining good hygiene to taking your prescribed medications as directed.For starters, devise a plan to resist the pull of isolation. Realize that if you don’t do anything—if you wait around for others to contact you—you’re likely to perpetuate the status quo.
23rd May 2021 - Marketwatch
England pilots new support initiatives to boost self-isolating in higher COVID areas
New support initiatives will be piloted in nine areas of England with higher COVID rates, including from variants, as part of government efforts to boost testing and self-isolation, the health ministry said on Monday. The incidence of infections in Britain is still low but clusters of the Indian variant, believed to be more transmissible than the dominant Kent variant, are growing, and could derail plans to further ease lockdown measures. A total of 12 million pounds ($17 million) will be provided by government for accommodation for those in overcrowded households, social care support and communications assistance for those who don't have English as their first language, among other steps.
23rd May 2021 - Reuters UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCharity warns of lasting impact of pandemic on children and young people
The coronavirus pandemic could leave a legacy of anxiety and poor mental health and wellbeing among British children and young people, Barnardo’s has warned.
Polling by the UK’s children’s charity shows the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Britain could still be worsening a year on after the pandemic first struck. In an online poll conducted by YouGov, Barnardo’s asked more than 4,000 children and young people aged eight-24 across Great Britain about how they were feeling now compared to before the pandemic. “Barnardo’s has consistently warned that the negative effects of the pandemic could last a lifetime if children and young people don’t have the right support. Our survey adds further weight to the argument that children must be front and centre of the Government’s plans for the post-COVID period."
20th May 2021 - Charity Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: A crisis for 'years to come' - How lockdowns put children under 'unprecedented' levels of distress
Nicole Renshaw is a mental health nurse and is doing a routine and increasingly frequent part of her job - seeing children who have arrived in hospital after they have self-harmed. Before the pandemic, A&E attendances by children with psychiatric conditions had tripled in the last 10 years. Now, month on month, the numbers arriving at hospital are continuing to rise. Nicole works for the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at Pennine Care NHS Trust. The CAMHS team is dealing with a surge in referrals - self-harm, suicide attempts, anxiety - a grim but growing list of troubles. "There is going to be a section of people in our society who are kind of surviving through this now and are in total survival mode," said the trust's lead clinical psychologist, Dr Chantal Basson. "And as we come out of the pandemic, we're more likely to see the mental health impact on those young people and families. I think we might be feeling the tremors, but I think the impact may well yet to be seen."
19th May 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullWarning of continued isolation despite May 17 Covid rules easing
The easing of coronavirus restrictions from today has been welcomed as a "positive step to starting to rebuild our communities" - but there are still fears people will be left isolated. Jo Reeder, chief executive of BSEVC - which runs services such as community transport for those at risk of isolation - said: “The easing of lockdown is of course a positive step to starting to rebuild our communities and to encourage individuals to start to re-engage. "Many people will relish this - but we need to be mindful that there will also be people that may find this new found freedom daunting after such a long time and with this could come feelings of anxiety and uncertainty."
18th May 2021 - East Anglian Daily Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2021
View this newsletter in full'Covid has created huge amounts of hidden emotional distress'
Much has been written and said already about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our mental health. One of the hidden side effects of this is emotional distress and Dr Ann-Marie Creaven from the University of Limerick and mental health specialist Dr Harry Barry recently joined the Today With Claire Byrne show on RTÉ Radio One to discuss this topic. It's important that we accept it's the situation and not us that's abnormal. "It's OK to feel like crap sometimes, which we all do", says Barry. "I think it's really important that we work hard on the lifestyle changes. Make sure you get enough sleep. Do the alcohol detox. Don't drink from Monday to Friday. Try and get out for your bit of exercise. Try and for example, limit your technology. Shut down technology. Stop answering all your emails.
17th May 2021 - RTE.ie
Telangana Covid-19 patient builds himself an isolation bed on tree
An 18-year-old tribal student from Telangana’s Nalgonda district, who tested positive for Covid-19 on May 4, built himself a makeshift isolation chamber atop a tree-- where he stayed put for 12 days-- to protect his family from the virus since his family house didn’t have a separate room to quarantine him.
17th May 2021 - Hindustan Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown has encouraged older people to embrace technology, reconnect and build new relationships
The COVID-19 lockdown was a catalyst for many older people to embrace technology, reconnect with friends and build new relationships with neighbors, according to University of Stirling research. Understanding the coping mechanisms adopted by some over 60s during the pandemic will play a key role in developing interventions to help tackle loneliness, isolation and wellbeing in the future.
14th May 2021 - News Medical
If people don’t get paid to self-isolate, UK Covid cases could rise again
The British government has failed to provide adequate support for people self-isolating during the pandemic. Too many still fear they won’t be able to afford time off work should they need to stay at home. Compliance with self-isolation has been worryingly low, with some surveys showing that only around a half of people with Covid-19 symptoms stick to the legal requirement to self-isolate. Evidence suggests that financial barriers are a key reason people don’t comply, but the government has failed to fix this blind spot by protecting people from lost earnings when they are required to isolate. With social restrictions set to ease further, now is the time to address this critical flaw in the government’s pandemic response. Any failure to provide vital self-isolation support could undermine the government’s entire roadmap out of lockdown, putting paid to everything from the vaccine rollout to the expensive test-and-trace system.
14th May 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 Loneliness
As the world slowly sheds the weight of COVID-19, there is an opportunity for psychiatrists to pause and consider the role they are about to play in the coming months and years. Never before has the entire modern world been subjected to such collective feelings of fear, uncertainty, anxiety, and sorrow—and loneliness. Psychiatry often relies on pharmaceuticals to treat mental illness; this pandemic serves as a good reminder that the best cure for loneliness can be as simple as kindness and compassion.
13th May 2021 - Psychiatric Times
Covid patients in Karnataka to get home isolation kits within one hour of test results
In order to help Covid-19 affected patients in the state, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan announced medical kits will be sent to those under home isolation.
According to the DCM of the state, five lakh kits will be procured, and measures will be taken to see that they reach the doorstep of the infected within 1 hour of getting the Covid-19 positive test result. He said authorities had been directed to ensure the systematic delivery of home isolation medical kits starting from May 15.
13th May 2021 - Livemint
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid Support Buddies launch to tackle loneliness and give support
A new county-wide Covid Support Buddy scheme is being launched by local charity Community Action Suffolk (CAS). The project, funded by Suffolk County Council, will develop a network of specialist "Buddies" to help people impacted by Covid-19.
If people need to self-isolate, a buddy could help with tasks such as shopping or dog-walking or just make contact to reduce loneliness. The aim is for existing community groups to add a Covid-Support buddy to their ranks, supported by the Covid Support Development Officers at CAS
12th May 2021 - East Anglian Daily Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullHealth experts: Vaccinated people can relax about their Covid-19 risk
White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci said he will not go into restaurants or movie theaters, even though he’s vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccinated people should continue masking up indoors and avoiding large gatherings. News outlets have reported on “breakthrough infections” of Covid-19 among the fully vaccinated. All of this can make it seem like getting vaccinated may not be enough to liberate people from the fear of getting sick and the precautions they’ve taken to avoid the coronavirus in the past year. So I posed a question to experts I’ve talked to throughout the pandemic about Covid-related precautions: How worried are you about your personal safety after getting vaccinated? They were nearly unanimous in their response: They’re no longer worried much, if at all, about their personal risk of getting Covid-19. Several spoke of going into restaurants and movie theaters now that they’re vaccinated, socializing with friends and family, and having older relatives visit for extended periods.
11th May 2021 - Vox.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid’s cruellest blow? Keeping the dying from their loved ones
No other disease in our lifetimes has required hospitals to be almost completely purged of visitors, even at the end of life. In place of the deathbed vigil – families clustered round the one they love, watching, waiting, clasping, holding – Covid has torn parent from child, sister from brother, husband from wife, grandparent from grandchild. We have been forced to exile the one group of people who matter more than anyone else when death draws near. This particular cruelty of Covid disrupts a fiercely primal need. Across cultures, eras and institutional settings, what we crave in extremis is the same. Someone to cling to, preferably someone we love, their presence an antidote to fear and pain.
10th May 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: UK's minister for loneliness funds new plans to tackle isolation
Diana Barran, who is the third minister for loneliness in the United Kingdom since the portfolio was carved out in January 2018, has allocated £4 million to tackle the modern scourge of isolation and loneliness, as Covid-10 restrictions ease following a considerable decline in new viral infections. The Boris Johnson government said on Saturday that the fund would support a series of projects to bring people together. Officials said the amount would be shared among charity and community groups and grassroots organisations involved in tackling social isolation. Projects across England, include songwriting workshops in Devon, dance classes in Bedfordshire, and online chat services in Durham, are in the works.
8th May 2021 - Khaleej Times
As the Covid-19 crisis ebbs in the U.S., experts brace for some to experience psychological fallout
The end of the emergency phase of the pandemic is in sight in the United States, at least for now. But as the weight of the crisis is lifted, experts are also anticipating a long-term impact on people’s mental health. For some people, the feelings of anxiety and depression that emerged during the pandemic will resolve as routines resume — people go back to the office, social connections are reformed, the seeming danger of activities dissipates. But others will face new or worse mental health issues that persist or even appear down the road, a number that could be quite large given the magnitude of despair and disruption. That burden, however big, stands to put an even greater strain on an already stretched mental health system.
7th May 2021 - STAT News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullChildren’ Mental Health Took A Massive Hit During Lockdown, Says UK Study
Children’s mental health took a serious hit during lockdown, according to a new Oxford University study. And younger children were particularly affected, with those aged four to 10 experiencing a much greater range of difficulties throughout the pandemic than older children. The highest levels of mental health issues were seen when restrictions were at their most stringent, while reported difficulties have decreased in line with children returning to the real, as opposed to the virtual, classroom. The findings emphasize the need to focus on mental health - rather than catching up on ‘lost learning - as the priority for children re-emerging from lockdown
6th May 2021 - Forbes
Precautions to take when you have COVID-19 patient at home
The second wave of coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc in India. And this time the disease is even more contagious than the last wave. It becomes increasingly difficult to protect oneself from the virus when you have someone at home who has tested positive. Most people are advised to isolate themselves at home until they have any serious complications. Apart from taking care of the patient, one has to protect themselves from catching the disease. From wearing a mask inside the home to washing hands frequently, there are some simple things that one must do to stay safe
6th May 2021 - ETimes
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCould you have ‘Covid-19 anxiety syndrome’? 7 tips for coping
After more than a year of restrictions and paranoia about the killer virus in our midst, it’s only natural that people are still feeling a little anxious about Covid-19. But some people aren’t just a little anxious – new research suggests one in five may have ‘Covid-19 anxiety syndrome’, where they’re locked into a state of continuous anxiety and fear of contracting the virus. The research, by London South Bank University ( LSBU ) found one in five of 286 UK-based survey participants scored highly on the Covid-19 anxiety syndrome scale in February and used forms of coping such as a constant attention to threat, worry, avoidance and excessive checkin
5th May 2021 - The Independent
Health bosses’ advice to tackle lockdown loneliness and anxiety
In England, health bosses have said it’s “ok to take small steps” if you’re anxious about heading out after lockdown restrictions are lifted. The Campaign to End Loneliness has also warned that those particularly affected by lockdown and left feeling lonely could be left behind. A recent ONS study between October 2020 to February 2021 put North and North East Lincolnshire among the places with the highest rates of reported loneliness.
5th May 2021 - The Lincolnite
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Care home residents can go on outdoor trips without isolating
Care home residents in England can now go on low-risk trips - such as to relatives' gardens or a local park - without having to self-isolate for 14 days when they return. It comes after some families say they have felt "powerless" because of "restrictive" visits. One woman said her mother had not been outdoors for more than 12 months and it would be "amazing" to take her outside. Campaigners now want the rule change to become law, rather than just guidance.
4th May 2021 - BBC News
Fire-juggling at home? Lockdown easing a relief for Hungarian circus artists
After months of practising aerial acrobatics suspended from the ceiling in her tiny apartment in Budapest with only her cats for an audience, Hungarian circus artist Eszter Kovacs is relishing the prospect of performing in front of people again. With COVID-19 restrictions beginning to ease in Hungary, where 40% of the population are now vaccinated, outdoor shows in parks and at cafe terraces are now possible and hopes are rising for a vibrant summer of festivals and concerts. Kovacs, whose skills also include fire-juggling, maintained her fitness during lockdown through a daily regime of yoga, long walks and acrobatic exercises using two flexible hoops hanging from the ceiling of her 24-square-metre living space.
4th May 2021 - Reuters
I am suffering from depression. How should I deal with Covid isolation?
When one tests positive for Covid-19, the first thing they are asked to do is isolate themselves. However, it is not easy to do so if the person is diagnosed with depression. IndiaToday.in got in touch with doctors to ask them what a person suffering from depression should do to deal with Covid isolation.
4th May 2021 - India Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2021
View this newsletter in fullAnxiety around socialising again is very real – so how can you tackle it in the moment?
Given the pandemic has made socialising in person near enough impossible for the past year, it’s understandable some people may be feeling nervous about restrictions easing and going back to our old routines. Social anxiety isn’t just about feeling a bit nervous around mingling with strangers though, it’s a mental health disorder that can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. If you suffer from it, the thought of a packed pub garden can quickly set you on edge. There are some quick tips for easing social anxiety you can adopt if you find yourself feeling worried
3rd May 2021 - The Independent
Covid: Care home isolation rule axed for low-risk trips in England
Care home residents will be able to leave their home for low-risk trips without having to self-isolate for 14 days afterwards, the government says. The rules will be relaxed in England from Tuesday, allowing for walks or garden visits without self-isolation. The government says a fall in Covid cases means it is "much safer" for care home residents to go outside. The charity John's Campaign says it is a "chink of light" for residents and their families. But co-founder Julia Jones said she wanted to see the full guidance before making a decision about the charity's threat of legal action against the government's 14-day self-isolation requirement.
2nd May 2021 - BBC News
Covid: Daily tests could replace quarantine for those exposed to virus
Self-isolation requirements for individuals who have been in contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus could be relaxed as a result of a major new study utilising rapid testing. Daily lateral flow tests will be given to as many as 40,000 people who have a positive Covid-19 contact in the government-backed research announced on Sunday. Instead of the 10 days of quarantine currently required, the participants will be sent a week’s worth of tests and will be able to go about their lives as before, as long as the results are negative.
2nd May 2021 - ITV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullCalgary senior overcomes loneliness by spreading simple gestures of love
Helen Jusic, 84, has called Calgary’s community of Bridgeland home for almost 35 years. But once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she felt lonely and isolated in her home. As a people person, she craved connection. She went out to find happiness and discovered she had something extraordinary to give. Her daily routine includes one hour to spread joy to her neighbourhood. Every day, she stands at an intersection near her home giving countless strangers good wishes. She blows them kisses, sends them air hugs and tells them, “I love you.” She said her simple gestures of love have taken away her anxiety and endeared an entire community.
29th Apr 2021 - Global News
Social networks as an antidote to loneliness
The coronavirus pandemic is having a significant impact on young people’s mental health. Youth care researcher Levi van Dam suggest with international colleagues that mentors chosen by young people themselves from their own social environment could be used to help them. Van Dam and his colleagues set out the tried and tested benefits of this form of support in the leading scientific journal ‘JAMA Psychiatry’. Various studies alarmingly report the major impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of young people and increased loneliness, depression and anxiety. It’s not only youth care and mental health care professionals that can help in this regard, say Van Dam and his colleagues, young people’s social networks can also be used as a buffer to help them.
29th Apr 2021 - Mirage News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullOnline friendships helping Americans battle pandemic loneliness
Ever since the pandemic started, 67% of Americans feel more alone than ever before, says new research. A poll of 2,003 Americans found that 55% feel like they've completely lost their sense of community in the past year, too. A study conducted by OnePoll aimed to see how COVID-19 has affected Americans and discovered the sad fact that 62% felt like they had absolutely no one to talk about their loneliness or isolation with during the quarantine period. As people began feeling more and more isolated and alone in the past year, Americans turned to the internet for a source of comfort and community. Over half of those polled say online friendships take much less energy to maintain than real-life ones, with 52% saying they actually feel more comfortable opening up to people they only know online.
28th Apr 2021 - Yahoo News UK
No, Remote Therapy Hasn't Worked For Everyone During The Pandemic
Privacy problems, tech issues and fears of being overheard by family or housemates have been just some of the hurdles people with mental health issues have faced when attending therapy remotely during the pandemic. After the March 2020 lockdown was announced, many saw their face-to-face therapy appointments swiftly moved online or conducted over the phone. A year on, while some have benefited from this way of communicating, more than a third (35%) of people surveyed by the mental health charity Mind said online or phone-based support from NHS was difficult to use, while a quarter (23%) said their mental health had actually got worse as a result.
28th Apr 2021 - HuffPost UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullI am Covid positive in home-isolation. What to eat? Dietitians answer
If you are suffering from Covid-19 and are in home-isolation, it is imperative that you follow a balanced diet apart from consuming prescribed medicines in order to recover soon. Weakness is one of the major side-effects of battling the deadly virus and the loss of taste and smell often forces patients to refrain from eating. However, that can hinder the recovery process as proper nutrition is an absolute must in order to defeat the virus if you contract it. IndiaToday spoke to two dietitians, who prescribed several dos and don'ts that caregivers must keep in mind while looking after Covid-19 patients at home.
27th Apr 2021 - India Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Preparing to leave lockdown with social anxiety
Life may appear to be returning to a new "normal" as the Covid-19 lockdown eases.
While many relish the idea of going back to their more usual routines, some with pre-existing anxiety may find the changes challenging. Naomi Quinn, 45, is anxious about a reduction in restrictions. "My fear is, as soon as things go back to normal people won't wear their masks, sanitise their hands and they might disregard the rules," she explained. Naomi, who lives with her daughter, Megan, in Swatragh, a small village in County Londonderry, has been dealing with anxiety for years. She said: "When you're in the middle of a panic attack, it's so real. In that moment, I believe I'm having a heart attack or a stroke.
26th Apr 2021 - BBC News
I Successfully Made It Through Two Weeks Of COVID-19 Isolation. Here’s How You Can Too
Kashish Malik writes about her experience of isolation and has tips on how to get through it: "Some of us, like me, who are innately positive human beings pull through by making routines while there are many more who stay isolated with their thoughts which more often than not are unhappy ones. In the middle of this crisis, and being a patient myself if there is one thing I have learned then it is that all COVID-19 struggles are different. So instead of comparing our situation with one another, we should learn from each other. By sharing our stories, we may end up giving valuable information which someone somewhere can use to cope with their own situation."
26th Apr 2021 - shethepeople.tv
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullSelf-Compassion Is Key To Survive Working From Home
As the world moved en-masse to remote working as a result of Covid-19 there was initial bonhomie of a world stripped clean of the much-unloved aspects of working life, such as the commute and the open-office distractions. Over a year on, however, and the sheen is beginning to wear off, with people suffering from burnout, an eroding work-life balance, and isolation as social contact with one's peers is restricted to Zoom socials. New research from York University suggests that the key to coping with remote working is to exhibit high levels of self-compassion. The researchers specifically looked at how the loneliness that is almost an endemic part of remote working life at the moment might impact not only our mental health but also our behavior at work.
25th Apr 2021 - Forbes
COVID-19 took mental health to a dark place. The healing work starts now
The coronavirus pandemic has wrought mental health havoc across the world. "As the pandemic struck, there was a large and immediate decline in mental health in many countries worldwide," reads the 2021 World Happiness Report. Mental health improved after the initial shock but, the report cautions, "a significant proportion of people had mental health [in 2020] that was persistently and significantly lower than before COVID-19." In the US, 42% of respondents to a CDC survey in December reported anxiety or depression symptoms, an increase of over 200% from the 2019 average. In the UK, 31% of respondents to a September study reported depression severe enough to justify "high-intensity psychological support." One positive sign is that online therapy sessions done through tools like Zoom have become far more common. It's not just that people have gone from the therapist chair to the lounge room, but rather "underserved and underrepresented" groups that normally shun in-person therapy feel comfortable opting for e-therapy done in their own home
23rd Apr 2021 - CNet.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullFeelings of isolation worse now than at any point during pandemic: report
A year into the pandemic, a new report by HR company Morneau Shepell says that feelings of isolation are taking their greatest toll yet on Canadians. The company released its monthly Mental Health Index report, showing a negative mental health score among Canadians for the 12th consecutive month. “The past year has been defined by relentless change and drastic declines in Canadians’ wellbeing, as individuals across the country were forced to constantly shift their way of living,” said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer. “One year into the pandemic, it’s clear that while there have been many changes to our routine, the declining state of Canadians’ wellbeing remains a constant.”
22nd Apr 2021 - CTV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2021
View this newsletter in full‘It could result in a pandemic of loneliness’: Peers report on how digital Covid lives altered wellbeing
Despite the obvious perks that the online world brought when our world changed overnight, there are long-term implications of moving to a digitised world – especially when many are still lacking basic access to the internet and thus risk being further shut out down the line. To presume that technology is universally the great leveller is a mistake. The House of Lords today publishes a report, “Beyond Digital: Planning for a Hybrid World”, looking at our digital futures. The report highlights the risk that this could have in developing a “pandemic of loneliness”. This is already well reported. According to a survey of UK adults by the Mental Health Foundation, which took place nine months into Covid-19 restrictions in late November, one in four (24 per cent) said they had feelings of loneliness in the “previous two weeks”. Figures from ONS suggested that in the first lockdown about 2.6 million adults felt lonely “often” or “always”.
21st Apr 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullShould you tell people you got the Covid-19 vaccine? Here's what to consider
Sharing your vaccine status with friends and family and on social media can mean an outpouring of support -- and it also can mean unwanted scrutiny, questions or even backlash. There are also concerns around social life. Sharing your status could mean unwanted social pressures to hang out when you don't feel comfortable returning to life before Covid-19. Some who qualified to get the vaccine earlier than others worry about jealously or judgment from friends or acquaintances if they disclose their status. Some worry their employers may force them back to the office before they feel safe returning if they share their vaccine status.
20th Apr 2021 - CNN
Covid-19: Suicide rate 'did not rise during first lockdown'
The number of suicides in England did not rise following the first national lockdown in 2020, research has found. Charities had reported more people seeking mental health support, leading to fears the number of suicides would also increase. But University of Manchester scientists found a broadly similar rate from April to October 2020 to that seen between January and March. The findings are in line with research from other high income countries. Using real-time surveillance data, which records suicides as they occur but before an inquest is held, academics studied suicides in areas of England covering some 13 million people - around a quarter of the population.
20th Apr 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullAmid raging second COVID-19 wave, the elderly battle loneliness and anxiety
In India, the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for people who have been living independently and are elderly. Besides being highly susceptible to the virus, their old age has also made it difficult for them to commute and socialise, adding to their loneliness and anxiety. "Though I manage to get essential items, it is the loneliness and anxiety that has been really bothering me," said Sarin, who became eligible for anti-coronavirus vaccination last month after the health ministry said people aged 45 and above account for about 88 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in India making them the most vulnerable section of society. The septuagenarian said, "I am not very tech-savvy but I learnt to buy basic items online."
18th Apr 2021 - Economic Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullYoung adults' coping strategies against loneliness during the COVID-19-related quarantine in Greece
COVID-19 and the related quarantine disrupted young adults’ academic and professional life, daily routine and socio-emotional well-being. This cross-sectional study focused on the emotional and behavioural responses of a young adult population during the COVID-19-related quarantine in April 2020, in Greece. The study was conducted through an online survey. A total of 1559 young adults, aged 18-30 years, completed Steele’s Social Responsibility Motivation Scale and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and answered questions about compliance with instructions, quarantine-related behaviours and coping strategies. According to the results, participants displayed a relatively high sense of social responsibility and a trend towards moderate feeling of loneliness; young women reported significantly higher levels of loneliness than men.
18th Apr 2021 - DocWire News
Loneliness won't end when the pandemic ends
In 2018, nearly half of Americans reported sometimes or always feeling alone. Recent findings suggest that during the pandemic, over one in three Americans face "serious loneliness." The "loneliness epidemic," as some experts call it, was a problem well before Covid-19. And while physical reunion is now in sight, it'll take more than dinner parties to reach the marrow of a complicated and deeply cultural problem. There is a distinction between loneliness and the social isolation that Covid-19 has required over the past year. While isolation is more quantitative and objective -- the reality of fewer social contacts -- loneliness is a feeling. "Loneliness is thought to be more of a subjective, distressing feeling," Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, told CNN. "It's often defined as the discrepancy between one's actual and desired level of connection." And because loneliness is a feeling, it varies widely.
18th Apr 2021 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullOne in three say self-isolating has negative effect on wellbeing
More than a third of adults in England have found self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 has had a negative effect on their wellbeing and mental health, new figures suggest. Some 36% of adults surveyed said self-isolation had a negative impact, while 59% reported no effect and 4% said it had a positive effect. Around three in 10 people (28%) reported a loss of income, while 14% of those who had been working prior to self-isolating – either in or outside their home – said they were not paid during the self-isolation period.
15th Apr 2021 - Shropshire Star
Covid-19 pandemic likely have 'profound' effect on mental health
Mental health problems associated with the Covid-19 pandemic are "likely to be profound and felt for many years". That is according to a newly-published research paper on suicide from the Northern Ireland Assembly. It said there was "emerging" evidence the mental health of younger people in particular had been "disproportionately affected". The paper warned, though, conflating declining mental health with suicide and suicide risk should be avoided. It said to do so could increase the risk of normalising suicidal behaviour.
15th Apr 2021 - BBC News
How Working From Home Changed Wardrobes Around the World
Have months of self-isolation, lockdown and working from home irrevocably changed what we will put on once we go out again? For a long time, the assumption was yes. Now, as restrictions ease and the opening up of offices and travel is dangled like a promise, that expectation is more like a qualified “maybe.” But not every country’s experience of the last year was the same, nor were the clothes that dominated local wardrobes. Before we can predict what’s next, we need to understand what was. Here, eight New York Times correspondents in seven different countries share dispatches from a year of dressing.
15th Apr 2021 - The New York Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullLoneliness is rampant. A simple call, or hug, may be a cure
Rampant loneliness existed long before COVID-19, and experts believe it’s now worse. Evidence suggests it can damage health and shorten lives as much as obesity and smoking. In addition to psychological distress, some studies suggest loneliness may cause physical changes including inflammation and elevated stress hormones that may tighten blood vessels and increase blood pressure. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who has called loneliness a public health crisis, points out that much of the world including the U.S. ’’was struggling with remarkably high levels of loneliness before COVID-19.” “The pandemic has shed new light on this struggle and reminded us of an unmistakable truth: we need each other,” he said in an emailed statement.
14th Apr 2021 - Associated Press
Young People Hit Hardest By Loneliness And Depression During Covid-19
Loneliness can be a risk factor in a range of health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. All problems that are unsurprisingly increasing as we continue to remain isolated during the pandemic. However it would appear that one demographic is feeling the effects of isolation more than others. A CDC online survey indicates that young people between the ages of 18-24 are more likely to suffer mental health problems during the pandemic than any age group. According to this survey, 63% of young people are suffering significant symptoms of anxiety or depression. Weissbourd and his team argue that tackling loneliness and associated mental health issues would require a “robust social infrastructure” and suggests that key social and cultural institutions including workplaces, schools and colleges, and religious and secular community organizations, can be far more intentional and systematic about connecting us to each other through events and initiatives.
14th Apr 2021 - Forbes
Farmers turn to technology as pandemic increases social isolation
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a rise in social isolation and loss of community engagement among farmers, while a significant majority want online buying and selling in the marts to continue post-pandemic, a major report on the sector shows.
14th Apr 2021 - Irish Times
Brain fog: how trauma, uncertainty and isolation have affected our minds and memory
Before the pandemic, psychoanalyst Josh Cohen’s patients might come into his consulting room, lie down on the couch and talk about the traffic or the weather, or the rude person on the tube. Now they appear on his computer screen and tell him about brain fog. They talk with urgency of feeling unable to concentrate in meetings, to read, to follow intricately plotted television programmes. “There’s this sense of debilitation, of losing ordinary facility with everyday life; a forgetfulness and a kind of deskilling,” says Cohen, author of the self-help book How to Live. What to Do. Although restrictions are now easing across the UK, with greater freedom to circulate and socialise, he says lockdown for many of us has been “a contraction of life, and an almost parallel contraction of mental capacity”.
14th Apr 2021 - The Guardian
Beware the ‘last mile, first smile’ syndrome when we near the end of the Covid-19 pandemic
As frontline health care workers emerge from the work that has consumed them since March 2020, they will be shading their eyes to accommodate to the optimistic sunlight of a post-Covid world. For many doctors, nurses, and other frontline health care workers, this transition may be challenging in ways that might expose them to profound risk of burnout, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide. Fighting Covid-19 day in and day out, being exposed to the danger of infection and worrying about bringing the virus home; the psychological trauma and moral injury sustained while treating patients who died alone with health care workers playing the role of family members; having to prioritize care while balancing a shortage of medical gear, time, and attention — all of these can induce a heavy emotional toll. Transitioning medical teams into the post-Covid-19 era needs to be planned, supported, and done with the precision of a delicate surgical procedure
14th Apr 2021 - STAT News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown loneliness: How Fife mum’s Covid-safe group helped new parents beat the baby blues
In Scotland, a Fife mum struggling with lockdown loneliness has formed a new group to help other parents in the same situation. Kiri Stone gave birth to baby Tove in March last year, just a week before lockdown was imposed. Baby groups suddenly stopped and socialising with friends was banned, leaving Kiri feeling isolated. The first-time mum decided to take matters into her own hands and began looking at Covid-safe ways to meet other people with babies once restrictions eased. And within weeks, she launched Wild Fife Babies and Bairns which meets outdoors for socially-distanced walks. The group has proved immensely popular and now has a waiting list of people who want to join.
13th Apr 2021 - The Courier.co.uk
New Catalent sponsorship kicks Town foundation's loneliness support scheme up a notch
The community foundation funded by Swindon Town Football Club is tackling loneliness with the help of sponsorship from Catalent. STFC's charitable arm launched the Tackling Loneliness Together initiative in summer along with 72 other English Football League clubs. So far, more than 600 people aged 60 and above have been contacted over the phone and through socially-distanced doorstep visits to provide a bit of friendship and social contact during the months of lockdowns and shielding.
13th Apr 2021 - Swindon Advertiser
COVID-19: Lockdown is main reason for drop in coronavirus cases and deaths - not vaccinations, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has warned that the reduction in coronavirus infections, hospitalisations and deaths "has not been achieved" by the rollout of COVID vaccines. The prime minister, speaking the day after the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, instead said it was the national shutdown that had been "overwhelmingly important" in driving down COVID rates.
13th Apr 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullPets eased children's loneliness in Covid lockdown
Family pets help children better manage feelings of stress and loneliness, which have been greatly exacerbated by virtual schooling as a result of the pandemic, shows a new survey. According to UNICEF, at least one in seven children — or 332 million globally — has lived under nationwide stay-at-home policies for at least nine months since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, putting their mental health and well-being at risk. The Mars Petcare survey of parents reveals that more than eight in 10 parents found that their family pet helped their child feel less lonely during lockdown, with more than three-quarters feeling that day-to-day interactions with their cat or dog reduced their child's stress and anxiety.
12th Apr 2021 - freepressjournal.in
What Covid-19 Taught Us About the High Cost of Isolation
If we didn’t know it or believe it before the pandemic, the hard reality is now unavoidable: Social isolation cripples and it kills. As a doctor I knew the science of social isolation before the pandemic. But the pandemic has opened our eyes to the tragic consequences of loneliness in a way that was impossible before. Now, as life slowly returns to normal, let’s not close our eyes to what we’ve learned. Let’s acknowledge that despite our best efforts and technology, there is a missing element to living life by text, phone and video chat that must be illuminated and studied. And let’s make sure to take the lessons of the past year and apply them to our post-pandemic world.
10th Apr 2021 - Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in full'Lockdown loneliness' in Reading revealed
A third of people in Reading who say the coronavirus pandemic has affected their well-being put it down to “lockdown loneliness”, new figures suggest. Mental health charities have called for people's mental health and wellbeing to be made a priority in the recovery from Covid-19. Tom Madders, director of campaigns at mental health charity YoungMinds, said young people have experienced loneliness and isolation as Covid-19 has limited their social lives, education, or led to job losses. “It’s important that young people know where to go to get support for their mental health if they are struggling and that they can access help as soon as they need it,” he added.
10th Apr 2021 - Reading Chronicle
Students crushed by stress, depression are back in class. Here’s how schools are meeting their needs
Americans of all ages say the pandemic has taken a toll on their mental health, but the trend has been especially pronounced among young people. The rate of children ages 11 through 17 who were screened last year for anxiety and depression was 9% higher than it was in 2019, according to a Mental Health America report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows the number of children sent to emergency rooms for mental health conditions skyrocketed from April to October last year. For high schoolers, the biggest stressors have been the sense of disconnect from friends and loved ones and difficulties focusing on school or work, according to survey data by YouthTruth. But the mental health challenges won't magically disappear once students trickle back into school buildings.
11th Apr 2021 - USA Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullAre remote workers bottling up their stress?
Research suggests remote workers are more likely to bottle up their stress than their office-based peers, with disastrous consequences. A recent survey of more than 1,000 employees found remote employees are more likely than in-person employees to not speak with anyone regarding their workplace stress. To determine how stressed employees are at the moment, researchers used the Perceived Stress Scale (PPS). The scale showed that almost three-quarters of those polled are experiencing moderate or high levels of overall stress. Around one in three respondents said they are very or extremely stressed by work specifically. In addition, people were more likely to say they won’t talk to anyone about their work-related stress when working remotely.
8th Apr 2021 - Yahoo News UK
After COVID-19, post-traumatic growth could bring creativity, joy back into your life, but perhaps not until 2024
To achieve post-traumatic growth, sufferers of trauma must first recognize and accept the ways in which core beliefs have been shattered by an event, said psychologist Richard Tedeschi, who along with colleague Lawrence Calhoun defined and began to research the phenomenon back in the mid-1990s. Accepting that an emotional earthquake has occurred, he said, allows humans to grow in five specific domains: appreciation of life, relationships with others, new possibilities in life, personal strength and spiritual change.
8th Apr 2021 - USA Today
Lockdown loneliness rates in Leicester are one of the worst in England
Lockdown loneliness rates were about twice the national average in Leicester during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study. 14.3 per cent of people in the city felt lonely between October 2020 and February of this year - almost twice England's average of 7.3 per cent, reveals data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The problem is worse in areas with high concentrations of younger people and higher rates of unemployment. Loneliness rates were almost always lower in the countryside compared with urban areas.
8th Apr 2021 - Leicester Mercury
'Heartbreaking': How Nurses In Brazil Are Helping Covid Patients Handle Their Loneliness Amid Isolation
Nurses in a Brazilian Covid isolation ward have come up with an innovative idea to help isolated patients deal with their loneliness. The nurses have created a sense of artificial touch by using two disposable gloves filled with hot water. They tie them together around patients’ hands. A photo of the same has gone viral after it was shared by Sadiq Sameer Bhat of the Gulf News. Along with the image, he wrote, "'The hand of God' - nurses trying to comfort isolated patients in a Brazilian Covid isolation ward. Two disposable gloves tied, full of hot water, simulating impossible human contact. Salute to the front liners and a stark reminder of the grim situation our world is in!" Many Twitter users have shared the tweet and described the image as being ‘heartbreaking’
8th Apr 2021 - abpLive
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow can you make friends while learning virtually at university?
One of the biggest challenges that face university students who are studying virtually is how to make friends and connect with fellow students. With most classes and social events occurring on Zoom, opportunities to meet new people can be limited. However, making friends isn’t impossible. Here, current international students share ways in which they have made friends through their screens.
7th Apr 2021 - Times Higher Education
Your guide to avoiding Covid-19 when visiting extended family
They can also "visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing." But there are exceptions. If, for example, you're fully vaccinated and visiting ...
7th Apr 2021 - CNN
Loneliness during pandemic ‘greater in areas with more young people’
Levels of loneliness during the Covid-19 pandemic have tended to be greater in areas with high concentrations of younger people and higher rates of unemployment, new figures suggest. People in areas with higher crime rates or with higher levels of anxiety were also more likely to report feeling lonely. Loneliness rates were lower in countryside areas compared with urban and industrial locations, however.
7th Apr 2021 - Evening Standard
3.7m over-16s in Britain often or always feel lonely, ONS finds
Almost one in 14 people aged 16 or over in Great Britain say they are lonely, up 40% since last spring, according to the Office for National Statistics. Between April and May last year one in 20 people aged 16-plus surveyed said they felt lonely “often” or “always”, and that increased significantly between October and February this year to a proportion equating to 3.7 million people. Vivian Hill, the chair of the British Psychological Society Covid-19 isolation and confinement group, said: “The pandemic has just brought it [the loneliness epidemic] into really sharp focus, and it’s exacerbating the situation."
30th Nov -0001 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullCall for more social prescribing to tackle pandemic loneliness
Access to social prescribing services must be expanded to help tackle the mental health consequences of loneliness and isolation caused by Covid-19, according to a report published by two medical royal colleges. The report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists shows that many people who would benefit from social prescribing stand to miss out as services are not evenly available across the country, largely due to variability in priority and spending between local areas.
6th Apr 2021 - Personnel Today
Mental health must be an essential part of the Government’s levelling up plan
As the impact of Covid on physical health thankfully starts to ease, the long-term implications of the pandemic on the mental health of the population is something that we can’t ignore. While many of us have been keeping in touch with others virtually, the absence of real human interaction can lead to increased stress levels and feelings of isolation. Older and vulnerable people may have felt this isolation hardest, with many having to shield for the best part of a year. But loneliness – and the mental health issues that stem from it – are not just a problem for older generations. The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness found that loneliness can affect anyone, regardless of age or background but it particularly impacts carers, refugees and disabled people. Backed by £500 million of funding, the Government recently launched its Mental Health Recovery Action Plan. It is welcome news but to be effective, it’s absolutely vital that funding is focused and targeted at the most deprived communities
6th Apr 2021 - iNews.co.uk
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullUK to ease restrictions to allow care home residents two visitors
Britain will allow care home residents in England two visitors later this month, giving some grandparents the chance to meet their grandchildren for the first time, the government said on Saturday. To stop COVID-19 being spread in care homes which were badly hit during the initial outbreak of the disease last year, the government imposed tight restrictions on access during the latest strict lockdown which began in January. Last month, measures were eased to allow each care home resident one indoor visitor, and from April 12, this will be doubled. Parents will be allowed to bring babies and very young children, allowing some people the chance to meet the newest members of their family for the first time.
3rd Apr 2021 - Reuters
Covid: Many students say their mental health is worse due to pandemic
Almost two-thirds of university students in the UK say their mental health is worse because of the Covid pandemic, a survey suggests. The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) report says ministers must "take heed" of the poll as restrictions ease. A total of 56% are not expecting any more face-to-face teaching in this academic year, but 66% of them are living in their student accommodation. The Department for Education has given £70 million to help students in need. Although school pupils across the UK have now returned to their classrooms, and other restrictions imposed because of the pandemic are being eased, university students are still mainly being taught online.
3rd Apr 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Few people with symptoms are self-isolating, study finds
Fewer than one in five people request a Covid-19 test if they have symptoms, while the number who follow full self-isolation rules is low, a large study of the test and trace system has found. The report, published in the British Medical Journal, also found only half of people knew the main Covid symptoms. These include a cough, high temperature and loss of taste or smell. Experts said the findings suggested the impact of the £37bn NHS Test and Trace system was "limited". The Department for Health and Social Care said test and trace had saved "countless lives", adding that the latest ONS data found the "overwhelming majority" self-isolated when asked to.
1st Apr 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullLoneliness in Mid-Life Linked to Higher Odds for Alzheimer's
Middle-aged folks who feel persistently lonely appear to have a nearly doubled risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease, a new study reports. If you take steps to counter your loneliness, however, you might actually reduce your dementia risk, the researchers found. It might be that people who can recover from loneliness are more psychologically resilient and better able to respond to age-related brain changes, said senior researcher Dr. Wendy Qiu, a professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.
30th Mar 2021 - HealthDay
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid jab: One dose in care homes gives 'substantial' protection
A single dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine was effective at stopping 62% of coronavirus infections in care homes, a study has found. A team at University College London (UCL) looked at data from 10,000 adults in England with an average age of 86. The research also suggested those who did catch the virus after vaccination may be less infectious. "Our data suggests that both vaccines are effective in frail, older adults," said UCL's Dr Maddie Shrotri. The study analysed coronavirus test-result data for 10,412 long-term residents, all aged over 65, at 310 care homes.
29th Mar 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Importance of touch and other lockdown lessons
As society begins to gradually emerge from this latest lockdown, what have people learned in the past year? BBC News NI put that question to three people who had vastly different experiences of lockdown. Maria, who is originally from County Cork and now lives in Belfast, also started online cafes for adults with learning difficulties. While technology provided a lifeline, it was denial of touch which proved the hardest part for Maria. "Just not being able to reach out and touch another human being."
28th Mar 2021 - BBC News
Self-isolation after Covid contact will be necessary for ‘years’, government adviser warns
People will have to self-isolate after coming into contact with Covid-19 for many years as the UK learns how to “live with this virus”, a government adviser has warned. Mark Woolhouse, a professor of epidemiology, said the test-and-trace system is here to stay – as are some social distancing measures. He also admitted to being “nervous about a full relaxation in June”, calling the idea of emerging from the lockdown “in one great bound” wide of the mark. “I still suspect that looking forward – and I am talking now right through 2021 and into the years ahead – that we are still going to have to be alert to coronavirus,” Prof Woolhouse said.
28th Mar 2021 - The Independent
Spaniards cut back on drink, took more sedatives during pandemic - study
Spaniards cut back on alcohol and almost halved their binge-drinking during the pandemic as the lockdown shuttered bars and nightclubs, a survey by Spain’s Observatory for Drugs and Addiction found on Friday. At the same time, the consumption of unprescribed sedatives increased and internet use jumped, as people spent more of their leisure time browsing, and more youngsters turned to online gambling, the survey showed.
26th Mar 2021 - Reuters
France's lockdown vice? Cheese
French households feasted on cheese last year as they turned to home cooking and sought gastronomic comfort during coronavirus lockdowns that shuttered the restaurant trade. The amount of cheese purchased by French shoppers for at-home consumption increased by more than 8% in 2020, compared with just 2% the previous year, according to figures from farming agency FranceAgriMer and market data firm Kantar. That was part of a shift in food consumption in many countries last year as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, with households initially bulk buying staples like pasta and flour, and later settling into home-eating habits with extra purchases of products like butter. In France, mozzarella saw the steepest rise in demand among major cheese categories, with a 21% volume jump, followed by a 12% increase for raclette - a winter favourite eaten melted with potatoes and cured meats.
26th Mar 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullFocus - Covid-19 pandemic leaves lasting toll on mental health in France
Successive lockdowns, social distancing and travel bans have sparked a global mental health crisis, with global rates of anxiety and depression soaring in recent months. To mark one year since France entered its first Covid-19 lockdown, our reporters visited psychiatric wards in the centre of the country to get a better understanding of the impact of the pandemic on citizens' mental health.
25th Mar 2021 - FRANCE 24
‘Shielding isn’t the right word – the Government isolated us’: Covid shielders reflect on a year of quarantine
This week marks a year since health authorities began contacting 1.3 million people across England considered clinically extremely vulnerable and told them to shield from Covid-19. The guidelines, advising those affected to stay at home, were originally expected to last no longer than 12 weeks. Instead, increasing numbers of people were included under the guidelines, reaching around 2.2 million by the time shielding advice ended in August last year. But when England went back into lockdown in January millions of people were told to shield again. Some hadn’t ever stopped over fears of contracting the virus, and in February the sheilding criteria was changed causing a further 1.7 million people to be added to the list.
25th Mar 2021 - iNews.co.uk
The High Cost Of Loneliness: The Other Price Older Adults Are Paying For Covid-19
For months, families and operators of long-term care facilities have been telling me about the indirect toll the covid-19 pandemic has taken on residents. Not on those who have sickened or died from the virus, but on those whose quality of life has been severely harmed by the social isolation it caused. Now, we are beginning to learn more about the devastating consequences for seniors who may have been spared by the virus but suffered nonetheless. An important new study by the research firm Mathematica for the Connecticut Dept of Public Health finds that during the early months of the pandemic, nursing home residents were significantly more likely to become depressed, lose substantial amounts of weight, suffer incontinence, and lose cognitive function. And most striking, these conditions occurred at high rates even among those residents who did not contract the virus.
25th Mar 2021 - Forbes
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: How a year in lockdown has affected young people's mental health
In January, ten months into our year of lockdowns, a Yale university study found that frequent and longer face-to-face social interactions are associated with lower loneliness rates. But physical contact has reduced by 74% compared with pre-pandemic levels, a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found. Studies in Luxembourg and the US concluded similar drops. One way to see how our social interactions have decreased is to look at the journeys we made since that first lockdown a year ago.
24th Mar 2021 - Sky News
Action needed to tackle post-Covid 'loneliness emergency', MPs say
Britain needs more benches, public toilets and street lighting to encourage lonely people to start mixing socially again once the lockdown ends, MPs and peers say. Action is needed to tackle a “loneliness emergency” that the Covid pandemic has exacerbated by denying people contact with family and friends, the parliamentarians say. The call comes as new polling by the British Red Cross shows that more than a third (35%) of Britons feel less connected to their community than they did before Covid-19 struck and 39% do not think their feelings of loneliness will go away once the restrictions on everyday life lift.
24th Mar 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown's unlikely friendship between French pensioner and British student
For Jacqueline Tolu, a 98-year-old French woman, and Elliot Bellman, a 20-year-old student living in his parents’ house in England, the COVID-19 pandemic upended their lives but also led to an unlikely friendship. Tolu has endured isolation in her care home near Paris because visits are restricted during the pandemic, while Bellman’s plans to be in France this year studying French were torpedoed by the virus. For the past six months, the two have been having weekly chats over Skype, brought together by a scheme called Shareami that pairs elderly people with language students.
23rd Mar 2021 - Reuters
Covid: More walking and family chats post-lockdown - poll suggests
Working from home, walking and shopping locally are among the lockdown behaviours that look likely to remain popular after pandemic restrictions are lifted, according to a new survey. The study for BBC News and King's College London, conducted by Ipsos MORI, suggests virus regulations may have a lasting impact after Covid. Some 40% of 2,200 people surveyed said they expected to walk more than before. And staying at home appears to have connected people to their neighbours.
23rd Mar 2021 - BBC News
A lonely planet
The peer-reviewed literature on the topic of social isolation and loneliness during COVID-19 is prolific, with Google Scholar returning close to 20,000 results on the query. And while, for the most part, these research papers are centred on the impact of quarantining and isolating on the elderly and/or on people who live alone (irrespective of age), there is wide acknowledgement that we do not know the full impact of COVID-19 on social isolation and loneliness. And it may be years before we do.
23rd Mar 2021 - PMLiVE
One year on: Shielding Brits describe agony after 12 months of loneliness and fear
Two young disabled women recount their experience of being locked indoors for the past 12 months as activists warn the disabled face a "cliff edge" if support ends with shielding on April 1 in England
23rd Mar 2021 - The Mirror
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullUK less anxious but more lonely than a year ago, a study into the emotional impact of lockdown reveals
The UK will emerge from lockdown a less anxious but more lonely nation according to a landmark study which paints a mixed picture of the pandemic’s deep emotional impact on adults. Anxiety about the pandemic has become less common, falling from 62 per cent of those surveyed in March 2020 to 42 per cent in February 2021. However, loneliness has become much more common, increasing from 10 per cent of those surveyed in March last year to 26 per cent last month. Feelings of loneliness have not returned to their pre-lockdown levels at any point over the past year, including when most restrictions were lifted over the summer.
22nd Mar 2021 - iNews.co.uk
Scots report rise in loneliness levels rise as Covid anxiety decreases
Feelings of loneliness and hopelessness have increased among Scottish adults in the past year, new research has found. There was also a rise in the number of people who thought about suicide, according to the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health in the Pandemic study. Researchers found that feelings of loneliness have become much more common over the past year, increasing from 11% of those surveyed in March last year to 29% in February this year. However anxiety about the pandemic has fallen, from 64% in March last year to 44% last month.
22nd Mar 2021 - The National
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullA year of Covid-19 has made us lonelier – now’s the time for connection
According to a survey of UK adults, taking place nine months into Covid-19 restrictions, one in four adults in the UK said they experienced feelings of loneliness. The levels of loneliness, according to the Mental Health Foundation, ‘were higher in young people, people who are unemployed, full time students and single parents’. If you are feeling lonely, psychologist Andrew Bridgewater adds that right now, the best thing someone can do to seek support during these times — realistically — is to talk about how you’re feeling with someone who will listen and not judge.
20th Mar 2021 - Metro UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Isolation increases risk of immunological disorders, immunologist says
As Canada continues to weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been concerned with the potential impact that extended isolation could be having on the mental wellness of our youth as continued lockdowns, distanced learning and gathering limits leave children with significantly less time interacting with others and their typical environments. One viral immunologist is aiming to bring attention to what he calls the “underappreciated effect” our pandemic is having on the physical health of children, as time spent in isolation has been amplifying an already present epidemic of allergies, asthma and even auto-immune diseases in the country.
18th Mar 2021 - ElliotLakeToday.com
Elderly with hearing difficulties experienced memory loss, loneliness during Covid-19 lockdown
People aged over 70 years with hearing difficulties experienced heightened depression, loneliness and memory problems during the COVID-19 lockdown, according to an online survey conducted by UK health experts. "The impact of social isolation has been massive on the elderly population, but our survey shows that people with hearing impairment have been more substantially affected," said Professor Annalena Venneri from the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute. Venneri, who is also the co-author of the study, said measures put in place to help limit the spread of the virus —such as face coverings and social distancing — have limited the social interaction of the elderly people to a greater extent.
18th Mar 2021 - Firstpost
GPs in England should prescribe art and gardening to combat Covid issues - study
Thousands more people should be prescribed art classes, group gardening projects and nature walks on the NHS in a bid to improve physical and mental health, it has been claimed. A report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists says patients are missing out on “social prescribing”, even though it could help combat the mental health fallout from the pandemic. Social prescribing can include activities such as attending a new skills workshop, playing football in a local team, taking some form of education or training, or helping local elderly residents with their gardening. It can be used to help deal with loneliness and improve physical and mental conditions.
18th Mar 2021 - Wales Online
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullLoneliness may be the biggest threat to productivity right now
As companies prepare for the logistics of returning to work, the mental-health crisis of their employees looms large. Surveys show anxiety and stress affect productivity and retention; TELUS International says 80% of workers would consider leaving their current employer for one that focuses more heavily on mental health. How can workers and managers solve for burnout and loneliness as a part of our transition to the workplace of the future? The twin pandemics are hitting workers hard, but also represent an opportunity to rethink and reconnect dynamics among teams. That’s the message of two new books on the subject.
17th Mar 2021 - Fortune
Don’t lose sight of senior loneliness now that some restrictions are lifted
With social activities and events consistently delayed or canceled for almost a full year, seniors have become increasingly vulnerable to feelings of depression and isolation. Many already struggled with isolation from others, but it only increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For those with access to technological tools like Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, video communication has helped to ease (if not completely alleviate) the pain of separation from family. But for seniors in skilled nursing facilities who may not have ready access to computers or technical assistance, continued estrangement and isolation during ongoing or sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks will cause secondary concerns that care providers must keep front of mind as the pandemic continues. Providers must be nimble and remain ready to again rely on technology options and other tools they’ve used to engage and serve residents since last March.
17th Mar 2021 - McKnights Long Term Care News
How to protect your physical and mental health while staying home during the pandemic
While it may be necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic for a person to stay home to protect themselves and others, there are ways to lessen the potential adverse mental and physical health effects. In this article, we discuss why staying home all the time during quarantine or lockdown can prove difficult. In particular, we focus on how to treat or lessen the mental and physical health impacts of staying home.
17th Mar 2021 - Medical News Today
Coronavirus shielding advice to end on 1 April - Hancock
More than 3.7 million vulnerable people in England will no longer have to shield from the coronavirus from 1 April. It comes as the numbers of Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions have declined for the past couple of weeks. Letters will be sent out to this group in the next two weeks. In them, people will still be advised to keep social contacts at low levels, work from home where possible and stay at a distance from other people.
Since 5 January, they have been asked to stay at home as much as possible to reduce their risk of being exposed to the virus. But at a Downing Street press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed shielding guidance, which had been extended to 31 March for all those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, would end on 1 April.
17th Mar 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCan Nextdoor Cure Loneliness?
Loneliness and other pandemic-related factors have catalyzed a mental health crisis across the U.S., contributing to depression and substance abuse. As we do everything the CDC advises to keep our bodies safe, we must remember to protect our mental health as well. This includes combatting loneliness, an underlying issue that could have devastating consequences. Nextdoor is trying to do just that, and its growing popularity is a testament its urgent relevance. The hyper-local social networking app connects people in the same community (common conversation themes include lost cats and restaurant recommendations) and saw massive growth as everyone sequestered in their homes and maybe for the first time realized that... yes, they have neighbors. The platform became a hub for community news and local entertainment during the pandemic, a virtual way to feel intimate connection with those down the block.
16th Mar 2021 - Marie-Claire
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullMitigating Covid’s unequal impact on the workforce’s mental health
When the Covid crisis hit in March 2020, many claimed the virus didn’t discriminate but, as the pandemic has swept over the nation, it’s clear the impact is being felt differently. Nuffield Health’s recent white paper, for example, discusses how several societal groups are at greater risk of experiencing mental ill-health in the wake of Covid. However, the situation marks an opportunity to bring about permanent positive change. So how can businesses make sure their mental health support offering is relevant and accessible to address the challenges now and in the future?
15th Mar 2021 - People Management
Mid and East Antrim network’s new tackling loneliness campaign
In Northern Ireland, a new seven-week awareness campaign to help combat isolation in the community has been launched by the Mid and East Antrim (MEA) Loneliness Network. The network is a collaboration of organisations committed to addressing vulnerabilities in people of all ages and from all walks of life. The initiative comes when the impact of loneliness has been more widely felt right across society during the Covid-19 crisis with the British Red Cross recently calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to develop a cross-departmental strategy to tackle the problem.
15th Mar 2021 - Larne Times
Campaign to tackle loneliness in Staffordshire launches
The new ‘Let’s Beat Loneliness Together’ campaign by Staffordshire County Council will help raise awareness of the issue and promote the services available to those affected by it. The campaign will also support those individuals or volunteers who want to do something themselves to help reduce loneliness in their local community.
A residents survey carried out by the county council in January 2021 about the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted that loneliness over the past twelve months and the restrictions was a concern for many. 80% of those questioned said that not seeing wider family and friends was an issue and 55% said they felt concerned about vulnerable family and friends.
14th Mar 2021 - Tamworth Informed
Covid singles are supposedly lonely and miserable. But some of us are thriving instead
Bella DePaulo is the author of “Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After”. She writes: "I’m single. I always have been. I also live alone. Because of the pandemic, I have not stepped foot in a restaurant or even a grocery store for nearly a year. Apparently, I am supposed to be suffering." "I fully acknowledge that for some single people, the pandemic has been a miserable experience (as it also has for many couples and families). But I am not one of them. Sure, I miss meeting my friends at restaurants and movie theaters and meandering through crowded farmers markets, and I would love to go get my own damned groceries. I have also lost a substantial chunk of income. But in other ways, I am doing fine, and nothing about the pandemic, not even after all this time, has made me yearn to be coupled or to even live with other humans."
13th Mar 2021 - NBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in full8 tips to try to maintain health while working from home
Working from home can be beneficial in many ways, but it can also present several physical, mental, and social challenges. Health tips for those working from home include wellness fundamentals, such as eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise. However, it is also important to address the psychological and social challenges of remote working, such as loneliness and blurred lines between a person’s job and home life. In this article, we explore how to maintain optimal wellness while working from home.
14th Mar 2021 - Medical News Today
Half of COVID survivors note lingering signs of depression
More than half of a sample of US COVID-19 survivors reported symptoms of major depressive disorder months after recovery, a research letter today in JAMA Network Open reports. A team led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University analyzed internet-based nonprobability survey and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) responses from 82,319 adult coronavirus survivors delivered in eight waves from June 2020 to January 2021. The PHQ-9 is a nine-question depression screening tool with 0 to 27 possible points; 10 or more points indicate moderate depression.
12th Mar 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullExperts warn of loneliness epidemic worsening alongside COVID-19
A growing epidemic of loneliness is affecting large swaths of the U.S. population, exacerbated by isolation measures advised by health officials during the coronavirus pandemic. Experts say the country needs to be addressing the massive public health concern now, particularly as widespread vaccination is still months away. Researchers for years have recommended standardized guidelines to address social isolation and loneliness, similar to those offered for diet and exercise. People with balance — in activities including family time, sleep, diet, exercise and work — tend to be less lonely.
11th Mar 2021 - The Hill
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Women struggling with more anxiety and loneliness than men
Women are suffering from more anxiety and loneliness than men as a result of the pandemic, which has hit their well-being hard, latest data by the Office for National Statistics revealed. The study said women were more likely to be furloughed, and consistently spent more time on unpaid childcare and unpaid household work throughout the pandemic. But women are trying to remain positive through it all. Trudy Simmons, founder of The Daisy Chain Group, which provides mentoring for women entrepreneurs, noted that "it's been an anxious and overwhelming twelve months for so many but as a community of women entrepreneurs, we have leant on each other for support, encouragement and that all-important motivation to keep going."
10th Mar 2021 - Yahoo News
Women did nearly TWICE the amount of housework and childcare as men during the first Covid-19 lockdown, survey reveals
Researchers gathered housework and childcare data from UK men and women during the first lockdown last year. On average, women did nearly twice the amount of both chores as men.
10th Mar 2021 - Daily Mail on MSN.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullThailand introduces 'yacht quarantine' in tourism revival bid
Travellers to Thailand will be able to spend mandatory two-week Covid-19 quarantine on a yacht. The Bangkok government hopes that the new initiative will bring 1.8 billion baht (£42 million) in yacht tourism revenue. The initiative is aimed at reviving the country’s struggling tourism industry, which was hit hard by the pandemic.
9th Mar 2021 - Travel Weekly UK
State to indemnify quarantine hotels against Covid-19 related legal action
Hotels used for the new mandatory quarantine regime will be indemnified from any legal actions taken by people who catch Covid-19 on the premises under a scheme approved by Cabinet on Tuesday. Under the plans which were brought to Cabinet by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, the State will indemnify hotel providers and subcontractors working on site for risks that don’t form part of their normal business operations. The Irish Times understands that hotels will be indemnified from any legal actions taken by people staying at the facility who catch Covid-19 on the premises.
9th Mar 2021 - The Irish Times
'We knew so little': the young film-makers who captured early quarantine life
While New York plunged into survival mode, the three aspiring documentarians, all involved with the youth film-making program DCTV Youth Media, picked up their cameras. Their short films, collected along with two others in HBO’s Covid Diaries NYC, observe the dizzying freefall days of early quarantine, from the corrosive fear of sending off loved ones to frontline jobs to the toll of isolation, the family strain of sudden unemployment to the summer’s electric charge of protests for racial justice. The six-minute films are all the more impressive in their brevity, each memorializing, in casual, stripped-down fashion, an individual thread of the generational catastrophe spinning through New York.
9th Mar 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullEast Devon school's virtual playground boosts pupils' mental health in lockdown
An East Devon Primary School created a virtual playground during lockdown in a bid to boost pupil mental health. Broadclyst Community Primary School (BCPS) used digital technology to set up an after-lessons online socialise space, saying the wellbeing of its youngsters was ‘high on the agenda’. The school created the online space to enable children to mix with chat with their friends, classmates and support staff after lessons ended. Beth Schoter, a teacher at Broadclyst Community Primary School, was recently asked to speak at Discovery Education’s Learning for Now — an online conference to help educators use technology and digital media as support in the classroom during the coronavirus.
8th Mar 2021 - East Devon News.co.uk
COVID-19: Care homes allow indoor visits from nominated friends and family
Care home visits from a nominated friend or relative will be permitted in England from today - but hugging and kissing residents is still off limits. Every care home resident will be able to nominate someone to visit them indoors, while residents with the highest care needs can receive more frequent visits from a loved one who will provide essential care and support. Visitors will have to carry out COVID-19 tests prior to the visits, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and be asked to keep physical contact to a minimum.
8th Mar 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Mental health money for children's services
In England, money to support children and young people's mental health after the "disruption" of the pandemic has been cautiously welcomed. It is part of a £500m pot for mental health services across the board, announced in November. The government confirmed £79m would be allocated to support children in school and in the community. Charities and campaigners said the pandemic had significantly impacted young people's mental health. One in six young people are now estimated to have a mental health problem, according to Emma Thomas, head of charity Young Mind.
6th Mar 2021 - BBC News
COVID-19 lockdown has significantly increased loneliness, social issues among women
Social distancing guidelines have reduced the spread of COVID-19, but lockdowns and isolation also have created or aggravated other well-being concerns, reports new research. Mayo Clinic investigators found a significant increase in loneliness and a decrease in feelings of friendship during the pandemic. The study, published Feb. 20 in the journal Social Science & Medicine, also showed disproportionate negative effects among women and those with poorer health. The researchers say that while physical distance is important during the pandemic, distance within and among relationships can cause undue harm to a person's mental health and well-being.
7th Mar 2021 - News Medical
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 pandemic has increased loneliness and other social issues, especially for women
Social distancing guidelines have reduced the spread of COVID-19, but lockdowns and isolation also have created or aggravated other well-being concerns, reports new research. Mayo Clinic investigators found a significant increase in loneliness and a decrease in feelings of friendship during the pandemic. The study, published Feb. 20 in the journal Social Science & Medicine, also showed disproportionate negative effects among women and those with poorer health. "A conscious effort should be made to make meaningful social connection with others," says Jon Ebbert, M.D., a Mayo Clinic internal medicine physician and senior author of the study. "During times of social strain and stress, it is important to not only be helpful to one another, but also be present."
4th Mar 2021 - EurekAlert
More than 90% of students ‘struggling with loneliness and stress in pandemic’
More than 90% of students say they are struggling with loneliness, stress and feeling disconnected, a Sinn Fein survey has found. The Student Wellbeing Survey found that four out of five students say their college experience is negatively impacting their mental health in the pandemic. More than 90% reported feeling increasingly lonely, while some 93% of students have found it difficult to stay connected with friends. The survey of 600 students reveals how many are struggling to receive an education while living and studying in “inappropriate environments”.
4th Mar 2021 - Belfast Telegraph
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCountering the Stress and Loneliness of Covid-19
Stay-at-home orders, quarantining, and other public health measures have forced people indoors, leading to increases in loneliness and mental health issues. While the stress persists, it is important for people to maintain both their physical health and their mental health, says Jocelyn McDonnell, a therapist at the Family Institute at Northwestern University. Even though it can be hard to work up the motivation, exercising and maintaining physical health can relieve anxiety. “With the uptick of anxiety and depression due to isolation, exercise is a proven way of decreasing both of these diseases,” says Kristen Neisler, clinical assistant faculty in exercise science at DePaul University. McDonnell says it is imperative for people to have a balance when following the news and pandemic developments in order to maintain their well-being and prevent extra anxiety and stress. She recommends that people set timers and be intentional about how much news they consume, as well as how much time they spend on social media.
3rd Mar 2021 - Chicago Health Magazine
The Detail: Covid-19 lockdowns make us lonely, but why does it matter?
It's Auckland's fourth time locking down because of Covid-19, but for many it's not just about being locked inside; it's being locked out of meaningful, face-to-face connections. Today The Detail's Jessie Chiang looks at the impact of loneliness for different communities and why it's such a big issue.
3rd Mar 2021 - Stuff.co.nz
Teens' mental health claims skyrocket in pandemic
Mental health insurance claims for US teens roughly doubled early in the COVID-19 pandemic over the same period in 2019, according to a Fair Health report released yesterday. The white paper, the New York nonprofit's seventh in a series on the pandemic, is the result of analysis of more than 32 billion private healthcare claims filed on behalf of people aged 0 to 22 from January to November 2020 compared with those filed during the same period in 2019. The study found that mental health claims for patients aged 13 to 18 skyrocketed 97.0% in March and 103.5% in April 2020. In contrast, medical claims fell 53.3% in March and 53.4% in April.
3rd Mar 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullTalking on the phone for 10 minutes a day can help beat loneliness, says new study
Talking to a loved one on the phone for 10 minutes a day could help to ease the pangs of loneliness, new research has found. According to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, those who received brief phone calls over the course of a month reported feeling 20% less lonely on average. While the way we communicate with others has changed since the start of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, this research highlights just how important picking up the phone is.
2nd Mar 2021 - Country Living
Public Health England launches free Psychological First Aid training course for caregivers, to help protect children and young people
Public Health England has launched a psychological first aid training course for anyone who works with or cares for children and young people aged up to 25. The COVID-pandemic has had a huge impact on children, with many reporting that it has made them feel more stressed, lonely, and worried. The online Psychological First Aid (PFA) course offers training on how to provide practical and emotional support to children and young people affected by emergencies or crisis situations. Commenting on the training course, Clare Perkins, Director of the Mental Health Programme at PHE explained how children are amongst the worse impacted by the significant disruption caused by the pandemic, due to being stuck at home and unable to interact with friends.
2nd Mar 2021 - fenews.co.uk
Why kids are hitting the pandemic wall
As we near the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and associated social distancing measures, kids and parents alike are grieving the end of how our lives used to be. It doesn't even matter how dramatically kids' lives have changed, experts say. The fact that disruption has become normalized is traumatizing enough. Leslie Forde, founder of Mom's Hierarchy of Needs, a think tank in Boston that researches how mothers can reduce stress and prioritize self-care, has surveyed or interviewed more than 1,600 families about the effects of the pandemic on school-age children since Covid-19 began. Her takeaway: Navigating constant change has gotten old for all of us.
1st Mar 2021 - CNN
Therapists Say A Year Of Isolation Has Taken Its Toll On Many Chicagoans’ Mental Health
As the world begins to return to normal, many people remain mentally scarred by the seismic life changes caused by an ongoing pandemic that has already left a death toll not seen since the 1918 influenza outbreak. Therapist John Hughes, co-founder of the Chicago Center for Relational Health, said it’s important to reach out to friends and family who live alone and might be struggling with isolation — and make sure to follow up. He also suggested avoiding text messages that ask questions like “how are you doing?,” which can be “burdensome” if it forces an explanation of struggles. Instead, Hughes suggests acknowledging that a friend or relative is having a tough time at the outset of a conversation and then go from there.
2nd Mar 2021 - WBEZChicago
Covid-19: Quarantine hotels 'unsafe' for returning pupils
Parents and teachers have called for international pupils to be allowed to self-isolate at their school, rather than in a "quarantine hotel". In a letter to the government on behalf of 500 schools, the Boarding Schools Association said hotel accommodation was unsafe for pupils. James Davidson said the thought of his daughter quarantining on her return to school from Abu Dhabi made him anxious.
The government said parents should accompany children during quarantine.
2nd Mar 2021 - BBC News
COVID-19: Pair fined £10,000 each for avoiding hotel quarantine after Dubai trip
In the UK, a man and woman have been fined £10,000 each for failing to quarantine after returning from Dubai, police have said. Merseyside Police said fixed penalty notices for failing to comply with travel regulations were handed to two people from the Wirral after they avoided a direct flight back from the country, which is currently on the foreign travel red list, to one of the specified ports of entry required for quarantine.
2nd Mar 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullSt David's Day launch for new Gwynedd service to combat loneliness
A new virtual support service is being introduced in Wales. The new bilingual virtual befriending service, developed by Eryri Co-Operative Cyf, is available for people living in Gwynedd and aims to help those impacted by loneliness and isolation, who're socially excluded from their communities. E-Sgwrs/E-Chat has been developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic as a way of reaching out and communicating with people that have been affected. The team will offer regular contact (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly as required) through a virtual chat so that the individual can see the person they are talking to, thus providing a friendly face whom they can trust to make a difference in their lives.
1st Mar 2021 - inyourarea.co.uk
Covid: How many people get self-isolation payments?
About two-thirds of people in England and Wales trying to access the £500 self-isolation support payment are being rejected, according to figures obtained by BBC Reality Check. The government announced the payment in September, saying it would "ensure that those on low incomes are able to self-isolate without worry about their finances". It estimated just under 4 million people would be eligible. The government's scientific advisors, Sage, have warned repeatedly that concerns over money could lead to people breaking the rules on self-isolation
1st Mar 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Mar 2021
View this newsletter in fullCouncils to provide grocery shopping to stop people breaking Covid self-isolation rules
People forced to self-isolate with coronavirus will be given help with day to day chores, such as food shopping and care provision for family members, under a shake up of the Government’s test and trace programme. Rishi Sunak is expected to announce millions in additional funding for local authorities to provide extra assistance to ensure people remain at home when asked to self-isolate in his Budget next week. It follows growing concerns within the government over the persistent failure to ensure people remain in quarantine when they test positive for Covid-19 or if they come into contact with someone who has.
27th Feb 2021 - iNews.co.uk
Experts notice pandemic's mental health toll on German youth
A recent survey by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf found that about one child in three is suffering from pandemic-related anxiety or depression or is exhibiting psychosomatic symptoms like headaches or stomach aches. Children from poorer and immigrant families are disproportionally affected, according to the survey. Pollina, who immigrated from Russia with her family in 2019, worries about forgetting much of her German since she only speaks Russian at home. She’s one of 150 youngsters from underprivileged families who, before the pandemic. regularly spent time after school at a youth support program on the eastern outskirts of the German capital.
27th Feb 2021 - Associated Press
Mindfulness, laughter and robot dogs may relieve lockdown loneliness – study
Robotic dogs, laughter therapy and mindfulness could help people cope with loneliness and social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers at the University of Cambridge have found. The team at the university’s School of Medicine, led by Dr Christopher Williams, reviewed 58 existing studies on loneliness and identified interventions that could be adapted for people living in lockdown or under pandemic-related social distancing measures. Several of the studies involved initiatives to combat loneliness and isolation in nursing and care homes, likely to be hit hard under lockdown. Psychological interventions seemed the most effective overall
17th Feb 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in full'Zoom fatigue': Like being in an elevator with people staring at you nonstop for 8 hours a day
Video apps like Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and Google Meet have been used for many different things during the pandemic, including job interviews, work meetings, school, yoga classes, check-ins with friends and family. It can feel exhausting to sit and talk in front of a camera. Researchers at Stanford University looked into the science behind people’s collective “Zoom fatigue.” Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, says “Zoom fatigue” is a generic term for feeling drained after sitting in front of any kind of video conference for much of the day. He says Zoom has become the generic term for videoconferencing, and he’s not trying to vilify the company. They should even be thanked for making their software free and easy to use, he points out.
25th Feb 2021 - KCRW
COVID-19: New ad campaign urges people to keep staying at home despite coronavirus transmission rates declining
An advertising blitz has been launched to encourage people to keep staying at home until COVID-19 restrictions can be lifted. The campaign also urges them to continue with mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. And it appeals to people to understand the importance of remaining in lockdown, despite declining coronavirus transmission rates, the success of the vaccine rollout and the launch of the roadmap out of lockdown.
25th Feb 2021 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockhart: Mental health impact of COVID-19 ‘significant’
Local health experts say the mental health impact of COVID-19 on the Cayman Islands community is “significant” – even as scientific data continues to be collected. “Viktor Frankl said that an abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior. So what we’re going to be looking for as the norm over the next 18 to 24 months or so is a lot of dysfunction. How severe that dysfunction is going to be… I don’t want to be an alarmist… we will find out,” Mental Health Commission Chairman Dr. Marc Lockhart said as he addressed the Alex Panton Foundation’s 4th Annual Youth Mental Health Symposium Saturday. However, Lockhart said he’s confident the country will not be defeated by the challenges ahead.
21st Feb 2021 - Cayman Compass
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullRemote working: What the UK’s last lighthouse keepers can teach us about isolation
If there is anyone that knows what it’s like to spend long periods of time alone, it’s lighthouse keepers. Serena Coady gets advice from former custodians about how to weather the loneliness of the pandemic
23rd Feb 2021 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullDon't ignore 'lockdown fatigue', UK watchdog tells finance bosses
Staff at financial firms in Britain are suffering from “lockdown fatigue” and their bosses are not always making sure all employees can speak up freely about their problems, the Financial Conduct Authority said on Monday. Many staff at financial companies have been working from home since Britain went into its first lockdown in March last year to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. One year on, the challenges have evolved from adapting to working remotely to dealing with mental health issues, said David Blunt, the FCA’s head of conduct specialists. Bosses should continually revisit how they lead remote teams, he said.
22nd Feb 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullHold my hand: English care home visits allowed from March 8
Care home residents in England will be allowed one regular visitor from March 8, the government said, as it starts to ease COVID-19 lockdown measures, underpinned by the rollout of vaccines to older and clinically vulnerable people. Older people living in care homes have been offered the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of a programme that has seen almost 17 million shots given to date.
20th Feb 2021 - Reuters
Mental anguish in COVID-19 survivors, young US adults
A research letter by Italian investigators published yesterday in JAMA Psychiatry details a study of 381 patients in Rome who had sought emergency care for COVID-19 and were given a psychiatric assessment 1 to 4 months after recovery, from Apr 21 to Oct 15, 2020. One-hundred-fifteen of 381 patients (30.2%) were diagnosed as having PTSD, while 17.3% had depression, 7.0% had generalized anxiety disorder, 0.7% were hypomanic, and 0.2% were psychotic. Women made up 55.7% of the PTSD diagnoses, and patients with PTSD reported higher rates of a history of psychiatric disorders (34.8%) and delirium or agitation when ill (16.5%) and the persistence of more than three coronavirus-related symptoms after recovery from infection (62.6%).
19th Feb 2021 - CIDRAP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow have COVID-19 pandemic school closures impacted the health of children globally?
As the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to challenge public health, most recently by the emergence of new variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), schools in many regions of the world continue to be largely closed. It has been estimated that from March to May 2020, this affected up to 1.5 billion children and young people (CYP). A new study by researchers in the US and the UK explores the damage caused by school closures to educational progress, health, and well-being in CYP globally. Surprisingly, the damage appears to be far less than was originally thought. The team has released their findings on the medRxiv* preprint server.
18th Feb 2021 - News-Medical.Net
COVID-19: Parents who lost teenagers to suicide in lockdown issue warning - 'there's going to be a lot of PTSD'
As authorities wrestle with how to safely reopen schools, there is evidence in the US that closures have taken a huge mental health toll on students and their families. "450,000 people and counting in the US have died of COVID, and that's a terrible thing," said Dylan's father Chris. "I'm fortunate in that I don't know any of those people. But I do know one person who committed suicide.
18th Feb 2021 - Sky News
Associations between feelings/behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and depression/anxiety after lockdown in a sample of Chinese children and adolescents.
Children and adolescents may be more susceptible to mental disorders due to COVID-19 pandemic than adults. This study aimed to identify correlated factors for depression/anxiety among children and adolescents after COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. An online survey by cluster sampling was conducted after lockdown in 5175 Chinese children and adolescents with informed consents from their parents. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scales with 10-point cutoff were used to measure depression and anxiety, separately. Stepwise logistic regression was conducted. Stata 15.1 Version was used.
18th Feb 2021 - Physician's Weekly
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown may have boosted well-being for some
A study of people who care for children finds that COVID-19 lockdowns have provided some unexpected benefits. Survey respondents report four areas of personal growth that have been given an opportunity to flourish when busy lives were interrupted. People reported positive changes in their family relationships, spiritual well-being, and more. The study suggests ways we may emerge from the pandemic strengthened by the experience.
17th Feb 2021 - Medical News Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhat is ‘lockdown fatigue’ and how can you beat it?
When it was confirmed the UK would enter a third national lockdown in January, people had prior experience so it might not have felt like as big a shock. However, a shared sentiment by users of social media and the general public is that there’s been an overwhelming sense of struggle this time, with many finding it harder to cope. This lockdown fatigue manifests in different ways. What are the signs of lockdown fatigue and how can you try to beat it?
16th Feb 2021 - Metro
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Five ways to avoid lockdown eye strain
Millions of people are using screens more than ever before. Many who are working or studying from home are staring at laptops and other devices all day. Most schoolchildren currently have no other way of accessing classes. For some, the new ways of working are taking a toll on their eyes. Itchiness, blurry vision and headaches - or eye strain - are among the common problems. More than a third (38%) of respondents to one survey, carried out for the charity Fight for Sight, said their eyesight had worsened since the start of the pandemic. Another survey put the figure at 22%. Eyesight experts say people with persistent problems should visit an optician, which are open in lockdown. But there are things that many of us can do to keep our eyes healthy.
14th Feb 2021 - BBC News
Despair Deepens for Young People as Pandemic Drags On
Life seemed promising last year to Philaé Lachaux, a 22-year-old business student in France who dreamed of striking out on her own in the live music industry. But the onset of the pandemic, leading to the loss of her part-time job as a waitress, sent her back to live at her family home. Now, struggling to envision a future after months of restrictions, Ms. Lachaux says that loneliness and despair seep in at night. “I look at the ceiling, I feel a lump in my throat,” she said. “I’ve never had so many suicidal thoughts.” “The pandemic feels like a big stop in our lives,” she added. “One that puts us so low that I wonder, ‘What’s the point?’”
14th Feb 2021 - The New York Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullChildren need screen time balance during days of virtual learning
As COVID-19 continues to spread, social distancing remains a reality for Americans, Linda Inmon, Cooperative Extension Program associate of the Family and Consumer Sciences for the University of Arkansas, said. Because of this, everyone’s screen time has greatly increased. “Some parents are understandably anxious about the amount of time their children are spending in front of the computer screen,” Inmon said. “They wonder how much screen time is too much. They also want to find ways to better manage their children’s habits when it comes to computers and telephones.” First and foremost, parents should not stress too much as they figure out how to solve the problem. They can sort out issues related to household screen time by following these tips
14th Feb 2021 - Times Record
Coronavirus: Germans' mental health worse in second lockdown — study
People living in Germany are struggling with their mental health more during the current shutdown than they had during the first, according to interim research results published by Saarland University on Saturday. Researchers at the university have been monitoring 1,500 men and women for a year to measure the psychological and social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. The time period has spanned two lockdowns — the first in mid-March to mid-April 2020 and the second, which began in mid-December and is ongoing. Both lockdowns have seen much of public life curtailed, including the closures of schools, public institutions as well as shops and gastronomy businesses except for takeaway.
13th Feb 2021 - DW (English)
Covid-19: How England's hotel quarantine will differ from Australia's
England's rules on quarantine hotels for travellers arriving from Covid "red list" countries are less stringent than those enforced in Australia. The BBC has seen a copy of the government's official requirements for hotel operators ahead of the policy starting on Monday. It spells out the rules for handling travellers for 11 nights of quarantine. The UK government said its hotel quarantine measures were "in line with those in other countries". And it promised to update guidance for hotels "imminently".
13th Feb 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullWorking from home boredom: how to cope with monotony
Here’s how to break up your daily routine if you’re finding working from home monotonous, according to an expert. Although you’ve probably dealt with boredom at some point or other before the pandemic, this kind of sustained monotony can be detrimental to your mental health. It’s one of the reasons why so many people are feeling unmotivated, lethargic and experiencing low mood at the moment. Without the stimulation of ‘normal’ life to keep you going, its understandable if you’re hitting a wall. Within Covid-19 restrictions, there are a number of things you can do to break up the day and make your current arrangement seem more exciting (many of which don’t involve more screen time).
11th Feb 2021 - Stylist Magazine
CDC: people who have received two Covid-19 vaccine doses can skip quarantine
People who have received the full course of Covid-19 vaccines can skip the standard 14-day quarantine after exposure to someone with the infection as long as they remain asymptomatic, US public health officials advised. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said late on Wednesday the vaccines have been shown to prevent symptomatic Covid-19, thought to play a greater role in the transmission of the virus than asymptomatic disease. “Individual and societal benefits of avoiding unnecessary quarantine may outweigh the potential but unknown risk of transmission (among vaccinated individuals),” the CDC said.
11th Feb 2021 - The Guardian
You’re not lazy — Why you need to stop feeling guilty in lockdown, according to an expert
Retailers are calling for more financial support from the government after the UK’s Covid lockdowns in 2020 cost £22bn in lost non-food sales. The high street was hit by its biggest fall in sales for non-food stores on record – down 24% – as footfall decreased by two-fifths, according to data from the trade body the British Retail Consortium (BRC). While many retailers continued to sell online, that did not make up for sales lost from shops. Profits were also affected by the cost of setting up and operating home delivery systems.
11th Feb 2021 - CNBC
Quarantine hotel chaos as booking website crashes minutes after launching
In the UK, the government's plan to quarantine international arrivals in hotels has today been thrown into chaos as its booking website crashed minutes into its launch, while travellers were not allowed to reserve rooms for the first two days. Arrivals from a 'red list' of 33 countries - who will only be allowed to fly into one of five airports - will be expected pay £1,750 to quarantine for 10 full days (11 nights) in designated hotels from Monday. Those who attempt to evade quarantine by providing false information face a fine of up to £10,000, and up to 10 years in prison, while those who do not book a hotel place before arriving in England face a £4,000 fine. But as the booking website for the scheme was launched, searches at Birmingham, Glasgow and Heathrow airports showed they weren't 'any applicable hotels' for passengers to stay in.
11th Feb 2021 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullAustralia tennis chief urges strict quarantine for Tokyo Olympics
Making the Olympics safe from coronavirus will be difficult for Tokyo without stiff quarantine measures that will also inspire athletes and spectators with the confidence to attend events, Australia’s top tennis official said on Wednesday. The Japanese capital is expected to welcome 11,000 athletes at the end of July, when it holds the summer Games postponed from last year because of the virus, but is not currently considering wholesale quarantine for them. Speaking on the sidelines of the Australian Open, the first major Grand Slam event to host crowds, the chief executive of Tennis Australia said his experience of organising the contest suggested the Olympics needed rigorous quarantine measures.
10th Feb 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullStudy to examine psychological impact of lockdown
A new study looking at the psychological impact of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns is under way at Dundalk IT. The study is being led by University College London and is being carried out in 23 countries, including Ireland, the UK, Australia, USA, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and Norway. Researchers say there is no research on how lockdown during a pandemic, involving restrictions to freedom of movement, is perceived by the general population.
9th Feb 2021 - RTE Online
Covid: Domestic abuse victims 'may be stuck' in lockdown with abusers
More support is needed to reach domestic abuse victims trapped in lockdown with their abusers, charities have warned. In August, Dyfed Powys Police received 900 reports of domestic abuse compared with 350 incidents a month in 2017. While reports have risen, there are fears many victims in rural areas are not seeking help. The West Wales Domestic Abuse Service (WWDAS) said many could not reach out for help while stuck at home. Chief Executive Michelle Pooley said that while the charity had seen more people referred for support, people living in tight-knit rural communities were less likely to seek help.
9th Feb 2021 - BBC News
‘Covid-19 is wrecking people’s mental health’
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic is destroying our ability to connect with friends and family, disrupting our routines and consequently damaging our mental health, a professor of psychology has said. “If you had designed a disease that was specifically figured out to wreck our mental health, Covid would be it,” Prof Laurie Santos told BBC Hardtalk’s Stephen Sackur. Humans hate uncertainty, but the pandemic is seeing constantly changing lockdowns and a continued flux about when things will improve, all of which is bad for our mental health, she explained.
9th Feb 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullI've been in Covid quarantine in South Korea – there's a lot Britain can learn
The UK government’s decision to require overseas arrivals from “high risk” countries to self-isolate in hotels has triggered a debate on the effectiveness of enforced quarantine in government-run facilities. Some have balked at its cost and restrictive character while others have dismissed the measure as half-baked and too little, too late. My experience in a quarantine facility for Covid-19 patients in South Korea might be illuminating in this regard. Last November, I flew into South Korea to spend a holiday with my family. To sum up the complicated arrival process at Seoul: I was required to download a Covid-19 tracking app, had my temperature checked and was whisked away by pre-approved taxis to the public clinic nearest to my home to take a PCR test. I was then required to self-isolate for more than two weeks at home.
8th Feb 2021 - The Guardian
Bad online experiences for children ‘invisible’ to parents during lockdown
When Australia’s online safety investigators are investigating coercive child sex abuse material, which involves children being urged to perform sexual acts for the camera, there is often a concerning common factor: parents are having a conversation just metres away. “Our investigators can hear the parents’ voices in the next room,” said Julie Inman Grant, the country’s eSafety commissioner. “This is happening under parents’ noses, in the home.” The commissioner is ramping up calls for parents to improve awareness of their children’s digital lives, as young people’s reports of negative online experiences – including unwanted contact, cyberbullying and harassment – have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic.
8th Feb 2021 - Sydney Morning Herald
Sharp rise in smoking linked to loneliness in lockdown
People who felt distressed and lonely during the country's lockdown last autumn were three times more likely to smoke more, a new study has found. The results of the survey, undertaken by University of Otago, Wellington researchers professor Janet Hoek, Dr Philip Gendall, associate professor James Stanley, Dr Matthew Jenkins and Dr Susanna Every-Palmer, have been published in the international journal, Nicotine and Tobacco Research. Dr Every-Palmer said people who felt lonely or isolated almost all the time were more than three times more likely to increase their cigarette intake than those who were never lonely
8th Feb 2021 - New Zealand Herald
Inspire the kids: the best culture for children in lockdown
Actors, authors, musicians and Observer critics share tips for filling the after‑homeschool hours – from uplifting family films to creative apps, dance tutorials and sonic journals
8th Feb 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullNadhim Zahawi: Coronavirus vaccine refuseniks face visit from the persuaders
People who have not accepted vaccination offers could get knocks on the door from council staff in an attempt to convince sceptics “home by home”, the vaccines minister has suggested. Nadhim Zahawi said the NHS was already trying to “identify to individual level the people that we need to reach” to ensure that all over-70s had a chance to get a jab by February 15.
5th Feb 2021 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow to heal the 'mass trauma' of Covid-19
When the pandemic is over, how should we process the memories of what happened? Ed Prideaux discovers counter-intuitive answers from the science of trauma. "After the pandemic ends, the effects of the mass trauma it has inflicted will linger across societies for years. How might we understand this mental fallout? And what does the science of trauma suggest that we should – and shouldn't – do in order to heal?" "Covid-19 is a mass trauma the likes of which we've never seen before. Our most complex social extensions, and the building-blocks of our personal realities, have been coloured indelibly. The ways we live and work together, and view each other as common citizens: everything means something different in the viral era, and with potentially traumatic effect. All pandemics end, however. And this one will. But to forget the trauma, move on, and pay it no mind, won't help. It'd be a disservice to history and our own minds. Maybe to the future, too. "
4th Feb 2021 - BBC News
COVID's mental-health toll: how scientists are tracking a surge in depression
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, new fast-spreading variants have caused a surge in infections in many countries, and renewed lockdowns. The devastation of the pandemic — millions of deaths, economic strife and unprecedented curbs on social interaction — has already had a marked effect on people’s mental health. Researchers worldwide are investigating the causes and impacts of this stress, and some fear that the deterioration in mental health could linger long after the pandemic has subsided. Ultimately, scientists hope that they can use the mountains of data being collected in studies about mental health to link the impact of particular control measures to changes in people’s well-being, and to inform the management of future pandemics.
4th Feb 2021 - Nature.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: SEND children suffered 'profound disruption' during first lockdown, report
Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) experienced "profound disruption" to their well-being and family life during the first lockdown, according to new research. The study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, paints a "concerning picture" of teachers and professionals struggling to support pupils and their families. Almost all (98%) providers said they had pupils who would find it hard to keep to social distancing, while 75% had pupils who require personal care which involves close contact with others.
3rd Feb 2021 - Sky News
The rise of parental burnout in lockdown
On top of usual household duties, for the last 10 months parents have been educating children, working remotely and keeping relationships intact - so it's no wonder they’re feeling the strain of lockdown. Even Kate Middleton has urged parents to seek help when they need it. Dr Punam joins us to discuss the warning signs of parental burnout and what you can do about it.
3rd Feb 2021 - ITV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullLatest lockdown is leading to more of us looking for help
More couples are seeking relationship counselling as extended Covid lockdowns take their toll on household harmony, with one psychologist reporting a 30pc increase in calls for help. The stresses of homeschooling, working from home, job losses, financial worries and possible addictions and mental health deterioration can be devastating to even the healthiest of relationships. “When Covid caused the first lockdown last March there was a feeling that the country was all in it together and put their shoulders to the wheel, that it would be over soon. But now nearly a year later people are tired and exhausted,” said Mary Johnston, specialist in counselling with Accord CLG.
2nd Feb 2021 - Independent.ie
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullHome workouts: Why you should reconsider your fitness goals this lockdown
In the UK, a survey's found that two fifths of us are doing less exercise in this lockdown compared to the first one in Spring 2020. "If you cast your mind back to April, it was pretty beautiful every day, whereas now there are less daylight hours," Dr Ian Taylor says. He's a psychologist at Loughborough University and specialises in what motivates us when it comes to sport and exercise. Ian says there are a few things you can do to try and get into a positive mindset about exercise and make it seem a lot less daunting. "Remove barriers as you'll be surprised how many of them mount up against your motivation," he says. "Going for a walk is very easy because you don't need to change your clothes or move furniture out the way for example, or worry about your [gym] kit being spread all over the house".
1st Feb 2021 - BBC News
No gym required: How seniors can exercise during lockdown
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it's crucial for homebound older adults to find safe and effective ways to exercise, an expert says. At-home workouts can help strengthen muscles, improve balance, increase blood flow to the heart, boost the immune system and reduce stress, according to Summer Cook, an associate professor of kinesiology and an expert on senior fitness at the University of New Hampshire, in Durham.
1st Feb 2021 - Medical Xpress
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Feb 2021
View this newsletter in fullMartin Lewis urges everyone to claim £124 for working from home
In England, those who are working from home are being encouraged to go online and claim up to £124 they are entitled to. The advice comes from Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis who has explained that money is available to home workers even if they have worked from home for only one day since last April. Many people have been unable to return to their offices due to the pandemic and could be missing out on Government cash. The available money is a reduction in the amount of income tax a person pays, and is designed to help those who work from home with their overheads
31st Jan 2021 - Chronicle Live
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhy Couch to 5k has kept us on the run for 25 years and especially in lockdown
If you started in January you might be on week three, or you may be just about to begin. Perhaps you’ve completed the whole thing and feel like Mo Farah, or you’ve come to an impasse and are going back to the start. Of course, you may have no intention of doing Couch to 5k, but you’re likely to know somebody who has, as a million people downloaded the running app in 2020. The premise is simple: download the free, NHS-endorsed app and, over nine weeks, it guides you through a programme of three runs a week, starting in week one with a few minutes of walking alternated with a few minutes of running, for half an hour, and ending in week nine with a solid 30 minutes of running
28th Jan 2021 - iNews.co.uk
Blue-chip UK employers try to soothe parental lockdown pain amid fears of burnout
From unlimited paid time off to laptops for children, some of Britain’s blue-chip employers are trying to persuade parent employees juggling jobs and childcare during the pandemic that they have their backs. A third British lockdown from Jan. 5, that shut schools to most children and confined many workers to their homes, has exacerbated a childcare crisis that unions warn could herald a drain of talent that disproportionately impacts women. On Wednesday, the government said schools will remain largely closed for at least another six weeks. Some banks, professional services firms, law firms and insurers are offering staff flexible working arrangements, reduced hours and increased emergency leave alongside benefits such as free counselling and parent buddy schemes.
28th Jan 2021 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown cabin fever? 56 tried, tested and terrific ways to beat the boredom
Shaun Ryder keeps chickens, while Mel Giedroyc organises chutney tastings. These small, affordable suggestions won’t end lockdown misery – but they might help: 56 ideas for stuff to do in lockdown
27th Jan 2021 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown exercise: why getting outside can boost your wellbeing
Encouraging people to walk has long been on the agenda of public health bodies and air pollution campaigners, but it took a national lockdown for many of us to build a habit. There’s hope that it could have a long-term positive impact on both our health and London’s notoriously dirty air. While anecdotal evidence and data collected by organisations such as Breathe London appeared to show a dramatic reduction in air pollution during the first lockdown, a new international study led by University of Birmingham found that while there were significant reductions in urban air pollution levels around the world, these were smaller than expected.
26th Jan 2021 - Evening Standard
Why you need to give yourself a break right now (and how to do that)
This time around, we're tired of lockdown. Just getting through each day is a victory in itself. Of course, the long, dark evenings and miserable weather don't help - alongside not knowing exactly when this is going to end - and a lack of any obvious results or reward is prompting many to break the lockdown restrictions. Such difficult circumstances call for more effective coping mechanisms. Whether you're struggling with working from home, worrying that your homeschooling isn't up to scratch, or are giving up your time to protect and support others as a key worker, chances are you're probably feeling low, unmotivated and a little helpless. Perhaps you're finding it difficult to stay positive, or are convinced that everyone's doing a better job than you are. Maybe you feel overwhelmed with how much you have to deal with, or are in despair over the constant barrage of bad news. The answer, first and foremost, according to executive coach Lisa Quinn, is to give yourself a break.
26th Jan 2021 - harpersbazaar.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullYoung people on growing up in lockdown: ‘All we want is to be heard, not ignored’
Throughout the pandemic, decisions made by adults have had a significant impact on all aspects of young people’s lives, yet some teenagers feel their voice and experiences during the pandemic have not been heard. The political has become personal for many, leading some young people to become increasingly engaged with politics and involved in community action. Research undertaken by my colleagues and I at the University of Huddersfield and consultancy Ecorys, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, has been exploring young people’s experiences during lockdown, including their engagement and involvement with politics. The research project, Growing up under COVID, involves 70 young people aged 14-18 in the UK, Italy, Lebanon and Singapore.
25th Jan 2021 - i on MSN.com
How to deal with nightmares about working from home
While the loss of the super-early morning wake up and commute could be seen as a positive thing, for some the bad is definitely starting to outweigh the good. Unfortunately, working in our pyjamas is no longer quite such a novelty. According to the NHS, losing that clear divide between work and home coupled with the lack of co-worker camaraderie, teamwork and support is causing a lot of people to feel stressed, bored and anxious. According to a recent survey of 1,000 people, carried out by online printing specialists instantprint, workplace dreams have been on the rise during the pandemic. Needless to say, they really haven’t been all that sweet. In fact, it was found that a massive 75% of those surveyed said work-based dreams have been nightmares recently. And, with more than half (52%) of people dreaming about work more than ever, its causing distress.
25th Jan 2021 - Metro.co.uk
Why it's ok to miss your workmates - and how to keep friendships going remotely
The shift to home-working has been the silver lining of the pandemic for a lot of people, but there are downsides. Loneliness is becoming a big problem for people spending all their time at home, instead of heading into the office. For many people, co-workers are their main course of social interaction during the day. And for some, work friendships go beyond having someone to join you on the coffee run — and extend beyond the 9-5. In a 2018 survey conducted by researchers at Olivet Nazarene University, 82% of respondents reported having at least one work friend. Nearly 30% said that they had a work best friend. According to a recent survey of 2,000 people by the behavioural science consultancy Mind Gym, more than half of said they miss office “small talk” and building relationships with colleagues (59.7%).
25th Jan 2021 - Yahoo Finance UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Five ways to avoid lockdown back pain
Millions of people are less physically active than they were before Covid-19. For those working from home, the morning walk to the bus stop has gone. Days on end can be spent hunched over a laptop without ever leaving the house. A survey of people working remotely, by Opinium for the charity Versus Arthritis, found 81% of respondents were experiencing some back, neck or shoulder pain. Almost half (48%) said they were less physically active than before the lockdown. Another study by the Institute for Employment Studies found 35% reporting new back pain while working from home. Physiotherapists and other back pain experts say those with serious or persistent problems should seek professional help, but there are things that many of us can do to help ourselves.
24th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Six ways to stop burnout as working from home set to become 'new norm' for many
As much as some of us might miss the office, it’s definitely time to accept that working from home isn’t going anywhere. After three lockdowns, it’s easy to start feeling burnt out with working from home and dreading the morning ‘commute’ from your bed to your desk. To help keep things fresh, we've come up with six practical ways you can stop the burnout and keep your work/life balance in order – even when your work and your life are both stuck inside.
24th Jan 2021 - Lancashire Telegraph
UK to quarantine visitors from nations with high COVID-19 risk, Daily Mail says
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is preparing to force travelers from countries where there is a high risk of COVID-19 to go into quarantine for 10 days after arriving in Britain, the Daily Mail reported on Saturday. Travelers from Brazil and South Africa, and neighbouring countries, will be met on arrival and escorted to hotels to quarantine, under plans being discussed by UK ministers, the Daily Mail said
24th Jan 2021 - Reuters on MSN.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullHaving plants at home improved psychological well-being during lockdown
An international study coordinated by the Research Group for Urban Nature and Biosystems Engineering (NATURIB) from the University of Seville's School of Agricultural Engineering emphasises that having plants at home had a positive influence on the psychological well-being of the dwelling's inhabitants during COVID-19 lockdown. Researchers from the Hellenic Mediterranean University (Greece), the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (Brazil) and the University of Genoa (Italy) participated in the study along with representatives from the University of Seville. This study, published in the scientific journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, evaluated the role played by plants at home during the first COVID-19 lockdown.
21st Jan 2021 - EurekAlert!
Sick of lockdown? Fancy some culture? Here are the best events online this week
A few suggestions to Irish readers and others for cultural highlights online this week
21st Jan 2021 - Irish Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullLockdown, quarantine and self-isolation: How COVID restrictions affect our mental health
In the year since the city of Wuhan, China, went into the world's first coronavirus lockdown, we have all had to live under some form of pandemic-related restriction. Some countries have opted for strict national lockdowns, like the one currently in place in the UK, while other countries such as Taiwan have opted for border closures and mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals. Such different approaches to restricting movement have different effects on our well-being.
20th Jan 2021 - Medical Xpress
The silent epidemic: Abuse against Spanish women rises during lockdown
Fewer Spanish women were killed by their partner or ex-partner in 2020 than in previous years, but that statistic masks a rise in gender-based violence as COVID lockdowns left victims confined with their abusers, rights groups and officials say. Emails to abuse helplines soared nearly six-fold in April, the first full month of Spain’s lockdown. “Control-based violence - which doesn’t murder, but is insidious and devastating - grew, because violent partners already had women under their physical control,” Victoria Rosell, the ministry’s top official on gender abuse issues, told reporters on Wednesday. In 2020 overall, calls to the government’s abuse helpline rose 15% while emails increased more than 230%, but contact with victims was often lost as enforced cohabitation pushed women to seek help silently to avoid partners’ reprisals.
20th Jan 2021 - Reuters
Having plants at home improves psychological well-being during lockdown
An international study coordinated by the Research Group for Urban Nature and Biosystems Engineering (NATURIB) from the University of Seville's Escuela Técnica Superior of Agricultural Engineering emphasizes that having plants at home had a positive influence on the psychological well-being of the dwelling's inhabitants during COVID-19 lockdown. Researchers from the Hellenic Mediterranean University (Greece), the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (Brazil) and the University of Genoa (Italy) participated in the study along with representatives from the University of Seville.
20th Jan 2021 - Medical Xpress
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullSix practical ways to stop the ‘working from home burnout'
There are plenty of good things about working from home. Our hair has enjoyed a break from dry shampoo abuse, we’ve been able to live perpetually in pyjama bottoms and setting an alarm for five minutes before we log on has meant more time snuggled under the sheets. But while commutes might be a thing of the past for many of us, sometimes the journey from bed to desk is a tough challenge in and of itself. So how can you stop the burnout and keep your work/life balance in order? Video conference call provider PowWowNow has five practical ways to change things up
19th Jan 2021 - Wales Online
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullMake your kitchen more 'working from home' friendly during lockdown
With more of us working from home, the kitchen can double up as a home office and cooking space with a little planning and preparation. Here are some top tips to make your kitchen working from home (WFH) friendly. The amount of people working remotely has skyrocketed in 2020, with 47 per cent of the UK workforce mostly WFH in April 2020 compared to 5 per cent of the population mainly working from home in 2019 according to an ONS Government survey].
18th Jan 2021 - Newbury Today
Get smart: the best online courses to become an even better you this lockdown
This year hasn’t started the way we’d hoped, but there are silver linings to finding ourselves at home again. This time round, we know what we’re doing (more running at lunch, fewer Zoom quizzes), which frees up space for new activities. If we have to be cooped up for the first few months of the year, we may as well do something useful with it. That guitar gathering dust at the back of the wardrobe? A chance to dig it out. That children’s book you told yourself you’d start in lockdown 1.0? Third time lucky. From (finally) learning to fix a puncture, to perfecting your handstand, this is your ultimate self-improvement guide.
18th Jan 2021 - Evening Standard
Wristband that tracks the wearer's emotional state could let bosses monitor employees' wellbeing while working from home in lockdown
A £50 wristband created by a British health technology firm is helping people track the wellbeing of their friends, family and employees in lockdown. Moodbeam features two buttons that the wearer simply has to press throughout the day depending on their mood – yellow for happy and blue for unhappy. This is logged alongside both sleep and activity and is available for other people to view on an associated app. It means users can view the moods of their loved ones during lockdown on their smartphone and know when to check in with them with a quick message. Companies could also buy the wristbands in bulk for their employees while they're working from home and may feel isolated.
18th Jan 2021 - Daily Mail
Covid-19 having 'devastating effect' on children
Northern Ireland's mental health champion is among child health experts warning of the "devastating effect" of the coronavirus pandemic on children. Professor Siobhan O'Neill was among more than 50 signatories to a letter calling children's welfare "a national emergency". It was published in the Observer newspaper on Sunday. Professor O'Neill was appointed Northern Ireland's interim mental health champion in June 2020. She is also professor of mental health sciences at Ulster University (UU).
18th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Lockdown could 'lose a generation' of young people
A "whole generation of young people" could be lost to education during the Covid-19 lockdown because they do not have access to digital learning, a leading charity warned. Schools have been closed to most children, meaning remote-learning at home with lessons via the internet. Rae Tooth, of the Villiers Park Education Trust, is concerned about children without computers. The government said it was providing thousands of laptops for pupils. Ms Tooth, chief executive of the Trust, told BBC Politics East that "digital poverty" hits the ability of children to learn if they have no access to the internet, (or can only access if via smartphones with small screens).
17th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Covid-19: Rise in suspected child abuse cases after lockdown
The number of reported incidents of children dying or being seriously harmed after suspected abuse or neglect rose by a quarter after England's first lockdown last year, figures indicate. The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel received 285 serious incident notifications from April to September. This is an increase of 27% from 225 in the same period the previous year. The data also includes children who were in care and died, regardless of whether abuse or neglect was suspected.
17th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullEmbrace green spaces, shut screens to keep lockdown blues at bay
If you want to beat lockdown and social distancing blues, head to green spaces and switch off TV, computer and smartphone as this will dramatically improve your mental health, say researchers, as several countries impose fresh restrictions amid surge in Covid numbers. Being outdoors, particularly in green spaces, can improve mental health by promoting more positive body image, and lowering levels of depression and anxiety. A new study, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, said that spending time outdoors and switching off our devices is associated with higher levels of happiness during a period of Covid-19 restrictions.
14th Jan 2021 - The Statesman
Coronavirus lockdown: 1 in 4 people in the UK drinking more than usual under Covid restrictions
A quarter of people in the UK drank more than usual during the first lockdown, with younger women and those suffering from anxiety especially prone, a UCL study has found. More than 30,000 adults were questioned about their drinking behaviour between 21 March and 4 April for the study, published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Just over a third (34.3 per cent) were not drinking but among people who drank, 48.1 per cent reported drinking about the same, 26.2 per cent reported drinking more and 25.7 per cent reported drinking less than usual.
14th Jan 2021 - iNews
Covid-19: Mysterious cluster in Brisbane a warning to stop using hotels for managed isolation, experts say
Australian health authorities have evacuated a Queensland hotel and are considering alternative isolation facilities – including mining camps – following an outbreak of the highly contagious UK strain of Covid-19, prompting questions about New Zealand's response. On Wednesday 129 hotel guests were transferred from the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane to an undisclosed facility and required to isolate for another 14 days after six previously identified cases from the hotel were found to be linked. Australian-based New Zealand epidemiologist professor Tony Blakely said the guests were moved from the building because the cause of the outbreak had not been confirmed. The further isolation was needed because they could have been exposed to the virus through the hotel’s ventilation system.
14th Jan 2021 - Stuff.co.nz
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullTo thrive in lockdown, keep looking forward
A recent study, by researchers at the University of Surrey in the UK, has explored some strategies for maintaining emotional well-being during lockdown. It suggests that the most effective strategy for managing the emotional burden of lockdown may be to train one’s perspective forward — toward positive aspects of the future. In their study, the researchers investigated the value of three emotional strategies for dealing with lockdowns: nostalgia, or sentimentally looking back toward previous, better times; gratitude, or thinking about the good things currently in one’s life; best possible self, or picturing good things in the future
13th Jan 2021 - Medical News Today
Lockdown gives us time to learn the art of letting go
Maturity and experience have a way of helping us to move on but what do we do when the art of letting go becomes difficult? Or when the situation, as the world currently stands, becomes so unmoving that we must accept a loss of control? We are at a time in our lives when letting go is proving terrifying considering we have already lost so much control over our lives and our environment with restrictive, unprecedented measures. In any situation where letting go and moving on is beneficial to our mental health, we are ultimately faced with a challenge to let go of a huge amount of control over our own lives. Susan McKenna, social care advocate and author at Bookhub Publishing, says: “This is a time of profound uncertainty with the global Covid-19 pandemic. It is a time when we have all been forced to look into ourselves and draw from our own resiliency. We are given an opportunity to reimagine how and why we engage as we do with the world and our communities.”
13th Jan 2021 - Irish Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Eyesight risk warning from lockdown screen time
An eye health charity is recommending people learn the "20-20-20" rule to protect their sight, as lockdown has increased people's time using screens. Fight for Sight advises looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes you look at a screen. Out of 2,000 people, half used screens more since Covid struck and a third (38%) of those believed their eyesight had worsened, a survey suggested. Opticians remain open for those who need them, the charity said.
12th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Are lockdown rules changing? Public Health England answers your questions
As coronavirus cases continue to rise and strong restrictions continue across the UK, people are wondering how it will all end. Vaccinations centres have opened across the UK, but who will get the jabs, and when? Restrictions are being reviewed, but what if people don't follow them? We're watching very carefully, it is early days. We won't really know until next week, or maybe the week after whether these restrictions have had the effect that we very much hope for. Every single day these things are reviewed. It's a balance between the need for what human beings want to do with what they we need to do to keep people protected. It will be kept under review. Radio 1 Newsbeat put your questions to Professor Yvonne Doyle, who is Public Health England's medical director and director for health protect
11th Jan 2021 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullFive tips to get reading again if you’ve struggled during the pandemic
Like many people, you may have resolved this New Year to read more in 2021 and spend less time on your screens. And now you may be wondering how to find the time to do it, especially in lockdown conditions, with different time constraints and anxieties pressing on us. One solution is to go with shorter bursts of reading. Our Summer 2020 pop-up project, Ten-Minute Book Club, was a selection of ten excerpts from free literary texts, drawn from a wide range of writing in English globally. Based on our larger project, LitHits, each week the book club presented a 10-minute excerpt framed by an introduction from an expert in the field and suggestions for free further reading. We found that the top two things people responded to were the core idea of brevity and the quality and diversity of the literature.
8th Jan 2021 - The Conversation
Lockdown 3.0: an opportunity to join up thinking
As we embark on what may be the very early stages of Lockdown 3.0, our fears for the future are made darker both by a real uncertainty about the course of the next few months and by the knowledge that it did not have to be like this. It is tempting to attribute such comment to hindsight, but in fact we have been led by a government which has egregiously disregarded what is actually little more than common sense. A health emergency of this potential scale required a strategic and systems-based approach from the start. This approach should have led early on to the production of a coherent plan with clear purpose. It should throughout have shown itself nimble to adapt in real time to new circumstances and to new knowledge.
9th Jan 2021 - The BMJ
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: What a winter lockdown means for mental health - and tips for coping
After two national lockdowns in the spring and autumn of 2020, England is preparing for another - but this time it will fall in the darkest days of winter. Experts have raised concerns about the impact less sunlight, uncertainty about the new coronavirus variant and more restrictive measures coming into force again could have on people's mental health. Sky News unpicks the problems and looks at some tips for coping
7th Jan 2021 - Sky News
How to mitigate the impact of a lockdown on mental health
The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting people's mental health. But what helps and hinders people in getting through a lockdown? A new study led by researchers at the University of Basel addressed this question using data from 78 countries across the world. The results hint at the pivots and hinges on which the individual's psyche rests in the pandemic. At the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, little was known about the impact of population-wide governmental lockdowns. What was known was taken from restricted quarantines of small groups of people. "On the one hand, such drastic changes to daily routines can be detrimental to mental health," explains Professor Andrew Gloster from the University of Basel, co-leader of the study now published in PLOS One. "On the other hand, because the entire population was more or less equally affected during the lockdown, it remained unclear whether this impact would occur." To address this question, Gloster and his international colleagues conducted an online survey in 18 languages. Almost 10,000 people from 78 countries participated, giving information about their mental health and overall situation during the Covid-19 lockdown.
7th Jan 2021 - EurekAlert!
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullCOVID risk 'extraordinarily high' if lockdown rules ignored - official
The risks for Britons without COVID-19 vaccinations were extraordinarily high if people don’t follow the current lockdown rules, England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said on Tuesday, adding that the risks will not disappear in the spring.
“If people don’t take the ‘stay at home’ seriously, the risk at this point in time, in the middle of winter with this new variant, is extraordinarily high,” Whitty said. “We shouldn’t kid ourselves ... this just disappears with spring.”
6th Jan 2021 - Reuters UK
Working from home? You can claim £125 back from the tax man with no strings attached
In England, millions of people who have been sent home due to lockdown restrictions could be in line for a £125 rebate from HMRC. A little known 'working from home' tax rule means anyone who has been told to work from home during the pandemic can claim financial relief, up to the value of £125, to spend on bills and other home working essentials. Even better, you only need to have worked one day from home to claim the refund - meaning millions of people could be eligible. The money can be used to pay for items such as office equipment, stationary and even printer paper.
7th Jan 2021 - Mirror Online
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullVaradkar urges employers to facilitate remote working
In Ireland, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has asked employers to facilitate their staff to work from home wherever possible at this "critical time" in the ongoing fight against Covid-19. "Christmas and New Year have passed and the vast majority of people are now back at work," Leo Varadkar said in a statement today. "We are now in the middle of a third wave of the virus and the increase in infections, hospitalisations and numbers in ICU is extremely concerning," Mr Varadkar said. Mr Varadkar said he was asking employers to encourage and accommodate their employees to stay at home unless they are essential workers.
6th Jan 2021 - RTE.ie
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullHow to be a successful remote employee
In the US, many offices remain closed in anticipation of vaccine distribution, and a significant number of people who acclimated to working from home during the pandemic will decide to stick with it indefinitely. That makes it more important than ever for companies and employees to get remote onboarding right.
5th Jan 2021 - Quartz
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jan 2021
View this newsletter in fullWhat can we learn from the great WFH experiment?
...I mention this because we are at a turning point in the pandemic. Many people, myself included, have largely been working from home. For months it has been hard to shake the feeling that this will last for ever. Now we are contemplating a vaccine-fuelled return to normality — maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. What the 2014 Tube strike teaches us is that temporary disruptions can have permanent effects. Sometimes there are scars that do not heal; sometimes a crisis teaches us lessons we can use when it has passed.
31st Dec 2020 - Financial Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to fight loneliness in lockdown
After months of lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders, some experts worry about a rise in the number of people feeling alone, especially young people and older adults. But resilience is also widespread, and studying loneliness can reveal a variety of ways to combat it. “In light of the pandemic, there are ways that we can increase that sense of connection or reduce feelings of loneliness in ways that we may be able to do safely at a distance,” says Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University. “One of the things that research has shown is that social support is incredibly helpful in times of stress.”
29th Dec 2020 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullTwo million elderly facing Christmas alone to get 'greatest gift' of someone to chat to
Elizabeth is just one of the two million older people who will be spending Christmas alone this year. The pensioner has been housebound because of the pandemic – but a new phone service set up by Age UK is helping to spread some festive cheer. The charity estimates that more than half of elderly people won’t see their friends or family this Christmas.
So with that in mind, I joined their team of trained volunteers for a day to see how the phone service is helping to combat loneliness among the over-60s. Elizabeth was first on their list of people to call and it was easy to imagine her face lighting up at the sound of a friendly voice. In a chat with volunteer Clare, she says: “It’s been a difficult week but I feel so much better today.
22nd Dec 2020 - Mirror
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullFive things I learned about working remotely as an introvert
From boosting your leadership presence to protecting your mental health, now is as perfect a time as any to learn how to truly thrive as an introvert in the remote or hybrid workplace.
22nd Dec 2020 - The Guardian
Loneliness could worsen as COVID-19 disrupts Christmas, UK charities warn
Tighter restrictions across Britain at Christmas are an “abject disaster” for mental health and could drive many into further isolation, charities said on Monday. Mental health experts and charities warned that loneliness and mental health problems arising from months of lockdowns could worsen as Britain banned millions from meeting after the discovery of a more infectious strain of the coronavirus. “There’s no escaping that it will be a difficult time both in the Christmas period and in January,” said Antonis Kousoulis, director of the Mental Health Foundation, who is researching the impact of COVID-19 on people’s mental health.
21st Dec 2020 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid vaccine: More than 130,000 vaccinated in UK in first week
More than 130,000 people have been vaccinated in the first week of the UK's vaccination programme. Minister Nadhim Zahawi, who is in charge of vaccine rollout, tweeted 137,897 people had been given their first doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech jab between 8 and 15 December. He described it as a "really good start" for the programme. The figure only captures the start of the community vaccination programme run by GPs which launched on Monday. About 200 of these local vaccination clinics are expected to be up and running by the end of the week.
19th Dec 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullDon’t see grandparents over Christmas if possible, Priti Patel says
Millions of people across Britain should not see their grandparents if possible over the Christmas period, a Cabinet minister said today. Home Secretary Priti Patel also urged families to “change their plans” if they were planning to travel long distances to see relatives during the festive season after surges in Covid-19 cases in parts of the country, including London. Asked on Times Radio if the Government guidance now boiled down to not meeting up with elderly relatives this Christmas where possible, Ms Patel said: “I think it does as we are seeing rising infections across the country.
17th Dec 2020 - Evening Standard
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Minister 'hopes' Christmas relaxations won't lead to January lockdown
A senior Cabinet minister has said he hopes the relaxation of coronavirus rules at Christmas won't lead to a rise in Covid-19 cases that force the UK into another lockdown in January. Robert Jenrick urged the public to be cautious at Christmas, with Boris Johnson confirming at Prime Minister's Questions that the rules would not change, saying all four UK nations had agreed to continue "in principle" with the easing of restrictions. But the communities secretary added that Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty "has been very clear that there are risks of families coming together and people need to be very careful".
16th Dec 2020 - ITV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullPets Help Counter Lockdown Blues
The UK’s reputation as a nation of animal lovers has strengthened even further over the course of 2020, with a surge of new pets helping to comfort owners against a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Sainsbury’s Bank, almost a quarter (24%) of UK adults say they have either welcomed a new pet into their home since March 2020 or are planning to do so before Easter 2021. Findings from the bank revealed that around half (47%) of those people who have taken in a new pet have done so for reasons of companionship and improved mental health support. Other positive advantages also emerged from the research. In addition to lifting the spirits through lockdown, about a fifth of owners (22%) pointed out that their health had improved thanks to exercising with their pet.
15th Dec 2020 - Forbes
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullKids and COVID isolation & stress: What parents need to know
Experts voice concern over how children are relating to the world outside their homes during the pandemic, as well as the stress they are feeling from their parent’s COVID-related financial struggles.
14th Dec 2020 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullGrief in the Covid era will weigh on the American psyche for years to come
The rituals of grief and mourning are as old as time: the swift Jewish burial and seven days of sitting shiva to honor the dead; the Muslim washing and three-sheeted shrouding of a body; the solemn Mass of Christian Burial with Holy Communion and the promise of an afterlife. All these — and other rites of faith and community across the globe — have been brutally curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic, with effects on the mental and physical health of those left behind that have yet to be grasped.
12th Dec 2020 - STAT
Fears of new Covid restrictions as councils struggle to fund self-isolation
More than 17 million people are living in areas under tier 2 restrictions that have seen infection rates rise over the last three weeks, new research has revealed amid growing concerns that councils are struggling to help people with the costs of self-isolation. With the government due to review the Covid-19 measures across England this week, an assessment of official data found that more than half of councils in which tier 2 restrictions are in place – or “high alert” areas - have seen infection rates rise since the last week of November. The areas cover some 17.5 million people. The research, carried out by Labour, found that 100 local authorities have seen an increase in cases since 24 November, compared with 87 that have seen a decrease. It has raised concerns that more areas could face the most restrictive tier 3 measures from this week. London is in danger of entering tier 3, with some boroughs suffering from the highest rates of the disease in England.
13th Dec 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: NHS Covid-19 app starts offering self-isolate payments
An update to England and Wales's NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app is adding a way to apply for a £500 grant if it gives a self-isolation order. Until now, those on low incomes were only offered the payment if they had been told to stay at home by human Test and Trace operators. The move comes at a time when the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus is on the rise again. Experts have suggested following the app's guidance could help reverse that.
10th Dec 2020 - BBC
Student mental health remains a priority as pandemic lingers
Whether you call it virtual, digital or non-traditional, one aspect of learning remotely in the middle of a pandemic is constant. It can be stressful. JCPS Counseling Support Specialist Michelle Sircy said some students in the district are experiencing high levels of chronic stress and loneliness. She said their peers across the country are seeing that, too. Fear and anxiety are still present for many, even as positive developments about the fight against COVID-19 arise. “Our increased level of supports will have to continue,” Sircy said. “(Counselors) will have to shift and pivot as we see the climate change from going into an area of isolation to where we’re trying to transition back to some sense of normalcy.” Sircy said school counselors are meeting with virtual classrooms, small groups and individuals.
9th Dec 2020 - WAVE 3
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Self-isolation and quarantine period to shorten in Wales
All people who need to self-isolate or quarantine will only need to do so for 10 days from Thursday, the Welsh Government has announced. The current period for those without the virus is 14 days, which has been changed after medical endorsement. It will now apply to people who have tested positive for the virus or are at risk of having it, including those returning from non-exempt countries. It means Wales will have a shorter isolation period than England.
9th Dec 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullWhat Has Lockdown Done to Us?
Drew Holden is a public affairs consultant in Washington, D.C., and a former Republican congressional staff member. He writes: " Research suggests that, to mitigate negative side effects, lockdowns should be well communicated and as short as possible. In many cities and states, one or both of these guidelines were ignored. When lockdowns seemed wanton and capricious, many Americans felt deceived. If new lockdowns are absolutely needed — something that the World Health Organization and some health experts believe is inadvisable — then policymakers must avoid both the reality and appearance of hypocrisy. This is particularly true because, unlike many other wealthy countries, the United States is not providing any type of ongoing direct aid to those who are struggling."
8th Dec 2020 - The New York Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullEvery week coronavirus lockdowns drag on increases odds Americans will binge drink by nearly 20%
Researchers surveyed nearly 2,000 US adults between mid-March and mid-April
They found that 34% of participants reported binge drinking during coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. About 60% of binge drinkers increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic compared to non-binge drinkers. The odds of heavy alcohol consumption among binge drinkers increased 19% for every week of lockdown. Binge drinkers were more likely to have their job status 'negatively impacted,' to be essential workers or to have a history of depression
7th Dec 2020 - Daily Mail
‘It’s a silent epidemic’: Mental health in newsrooms needs more attention
Heightened anxiety, feelings of isolation and depression, these are just a few of the knock-on effects felt by many as a direct result of the enforced workplace changes introduced to cope with the coronavirus. For journalists reporting on the crisis, or producing editorial products from their sofas, kitchens, and bedrooms, the last nine months have been an unrelenting slog. But the toll taken on the mental health of editorial staff isn’t front and center enough, according to media experts and seasoned journalists spoken to for this article.
7th Dec 2020 - Digiday
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullMore people signed off sick with mental health problems during lockdown, analysis reveals
The proportion of people applying for fit notes from their GP for mental health reasons jumped 6 per cent during lockdown in England, according to new research. It adds to growing concern the UK will see a surge in mental health problems as a result of the pandemic and the impact on society and the economy. The latest data on the number of statements of fitness to work signed by GPs, published by NHS Digital, shows mental health problems now account for almost four in 10 of all sick notes signed by GPs. The Centre for Mental Health think tank has warned the government needs to prepare for the aftermath of Covid-19.
6th Dec 2020 - The Independent
How Melbourne and Victoria eliminated Covid-19 cases with a lockdown
In July and August, the Australian state of Victoria was going through a second Covid-19 wave. Local leaders set an improbable goal in the face of that challenge. They didn’t want to just get their Covid-19 numbers down. They wanted to eliminate the virus entirely.By the end of November, they’d done it. They have seen no active cases for a full four weeks. Melbourne, the state’s capital and a city with about as many people as the greater Washington, DC, area, is now completely coronavirus-free. Victoria’s Covid-19 restrictions were controversial with some residents, but Australia in general enjoys more political homogeny than the US does. That must make it easier to build solidarity for these extraordinary measures.
6th Dec 2020 - Vox.com
Coronavirus: Care homes to receive Pfizer vaccine within two weeks, says regulator
Care homes are set to receive deliveries of coronavirus vaccine within the next fortnight, after the UK’s medicines regulator gave approval for packs received by the NHS to be broken down into smaller batches for distribution. Residents and staff at care homes have been placed top of the priority list for the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, but prime minister Boris Johnson said that logistical difficulties were likely to delay the delivery of the life-saving vaccine. But now the chief executive of the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), June Raine, has said that doses will “definitely” arrive at homes within the next two weeks. The problem arose because the vaccine shots arrive from manufacturers in Belgium in pizza box-style cases each containing 975 vials, which must be kept below -70 degrees celsius before use
5th Dec 2020 - The Independent
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullAstronauts’ lessons on how to cope — in lockdown and beyond
If lockdown and social distancing are not enough of a challenge, how would you like to be confined to a research lab with your colleagues for three weeks — 19 metres under the sea? Or perhaps you would prefer to be left in a cave system, isolated from the outside world with no natural light, minimal privacy and limited equipment for hygiene and comfort? Welcome to the world of astronaut training. Both Nasa and the European Space Agency run field studies in locations with similarities to working in space: a “dangerous and unfriendly” place, according to Nasa’s website. Hazards include isolation and confinement, while behavioural issues are “inevitable”
3rd Dec 2020 - Financial Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullJoy as Britain's care home residents share first hugs with relatives since March
Residents of Britain’s care homes shared their first precious hugs and kisses with relatives since March on Wednesday, after homes were able to give visitors rapid tests for COVID-19 which give results in 30 minutes. Bob Underhill, an 84-year-old retiree, was reunited with his wife Patricia, 82, who has Alzheimer’s. Both were overcome as they met, then hugged and kissed through their face masks. “I’ve only seen her twice since March because they had a shutdown here, and we just had to sit and wait,” said Underhill.
2nd Dec 2020 - Reuters UK
Only working age care home residents allowed to leave for visits over Christmas
Only residents of working age should be allowed leave care homes for Christmas, according to Government guidance. An exemption can be made in exceptional circumstances, such as visiting a loved one at the end of their life. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the risks are usually significantly greater for older people than for those of working age. The guidance says that residents, their families and care homes should very carefully consider whether making visits out from the home is the best thing to do, or whether a visit at the care home would provide meaningful contact in a safer way.
2nd Dec 2020 - Evening Standard
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullBusinesses must ensure that working from home does not equate to working in isolation warns YFM head of growth
When lockdown first brought a necessity to work at home many employees welcomed the opportunity to simplify their working day and support their families as they adjusted to a new normal, but as working from home moves into the long-term, for many businesses there is a risk that some of the workforce becomes isolated and less engaged, leading to health and well-being issues and a fall-off in productivity, according to Victor Christou, partner and head of growth at YFM Equity Partners (YFM).
1st Dec 2020 - Bdaily
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Dec 2020
View this newsletter in fullJapan's aged care facilities remain locked down amid a COVID-19 third wave, and now there are fears residents may develop dementia
The only contact Yuumi Matsuno has had with her mother since coronavirus reached Japan has been over the phone, separated by a pane of glass. For 10 months, the nursing home Hisako lives in has limited all visitors from the outside, except staff, in part to prevent any potential spread of COVID-19. While it has largely been successful, it has come at a cost. "She [my mum] doesn't talk as much as before," Ms Matsuno said. "When you speak on the phone, sometimes it's hard to hear and perhaps she feels it is troublesome, so she speaks less.
28th Nov 2020 - ABC News
Japan and South Korea see surge of suicides among young women, raising new questions about pandemic stress
Suicide rates among young women have increased notably in Japan and South Korea, raising possible links to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic as it amplifies stress levels, worsens economic woes and aggravates feelings of loneliness and isolation. No comprehensive global studies are yet available on whether the pandemic has caused higher suicide numbers or how it may have affected different age groups and genders. But Japan and South Korea are among the few countries to issue current data on suicides, with most nations taking a year or two to issue their numbers. Experts worry that the emerging trends in the two countries could be an early warning for the rest of the world as the pandemic and lockdowns take a toll on mental health.
30th Nov 2020 - The Washington Post
Global pandemic has led to chronic loneliness in young people, study finds
The global pandemic has caused chronic loneliness and social isolation in young people. Adolescents are also reporting high levels of anxiety about their future in terms of the impact of Covid-19 on their education, careers and family life. A major new global UNESCO study on the toll Covid-19 has had on young people is being spearheaded by NUI Galway, Professor Pat Dolan. Professor Dolan, Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway is leading the research project with over 100 countries taking part. It is among the first global studies to have adopted the Youth As Researchers model.
30th Nov 2020 - Independent.ie
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullPandemic inflames violence against women
No country has been spared the coronavirus epidemic, nor the scourge of domestic violence, which has surged during lockdowns. From a spike in rapes in Nigeria and South Africa, increased numbers of women missing in Peru, higher rates of women being killed in Brazil and Mexico and overwhelmed associations in Europe: the pandemic has aggravated the plague of sexual violence. According to UN data released in late September, lockdowns have led to increases in complaints or calls to report domestic abuse of 25% in Argentina, 30% in Cyprus and France and 33% in Singapore. In essentially all countries, measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus have resulted in woman and children being confined at home. “The house is the most dangerous place for women,” Moroccan associations noted in April as they pressed authorities for “an emergency response”.
28th Nov 2020 - The Japan Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus lockdowns contributing to faster deterioration in dementia patients, research finds
Forced into lockdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus, families of people with dementia have been left heartbroken that being isolated appears to have contributed to the deterioration of their loved ones. For Verity Jausnik, coronavirus restrictions meant she was unable to spend quality time with her elderly mother, Vivien "Viv" Russell. Ms Russell, 72, has lived with early onset dementia for a decade but an accelerated deterioration of her condition during the lockdown of her aged care home has meant she has lost her ability to remember her family, particularly her grandchildren.
26th Nov 2020 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullWe asked over 2,000 Australian parents how they fared in lockdown. Here's what they said
Parents have faced unprecedented stress during the pandemic as they care for children while juggling paid work from home. However, very little research so far has focused on family well-being during the pandemic. So we asked more than 2,000 parents to tell us in their own words about the pandemic’s impact on their families. We did this in April 2020, during Australia’s first lockdown. Our published study is the largest of its kind in Australia, and one of very few internationally looking into families’ experiences of the pandemic.
25th Nov 2020 - The Conversation AU
Young people's anxiety levels doubled during lockdown: Study
New research adds to a growing body of evidence that young people's anxiety levels doubled during Covid-19 lockdown. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, revealed that the number of young people with anxiety doubled from 13 per cent to 24 per cent, during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.
25th Nov 2020 - Times of India
Gender-based violence was predictable, and preventable, fallout of lockdown
The National Commission for Women sounded an alarm in early April that domestic violence cases had spiked in just the first week of the Covid-19 lockdown, as had distress calls. This was echoed by the UN Secretary-General who used the term 'shadow pandemic.' Since then, across the world, police, shelters and helplines have confirmed that although the incidence of domestic violence was always higher than we would like to admit, ther was an alarming increase in its frequenct during the panemic.
25th Nov 2020 - The Indian Express
Coronavirus: Domestic abuse offences increased during pandemic
The number of domestic abuse offences recorded by police in England and Wales has increased during the pandemic. But the Office for National Statistics said such offences gradually rose in recent years so it cannot be determined if it was related to the pandemic. Police recorded 259,324 domestic abuse offences between March and June - 7% up on the same period in 2019. During and after the first lockdown in April, May and June, roughly one-fifth of offences involved domestic abuse.
25th Nov 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullMaking headlines: COVID-19 and gender inequality
We have repeatedly heard about how COVID-19 disproportionately affects women. While men are more likely to die from the virus, in many other respects, women are bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s impact. The effects on women have been multiple: violence against women has increased, with incidents of domestic violence soaring. School closures, overburdened healthcare systems and social distancing measures have significantly increased many women’s unpaid care and domestic loads at home, which, in turn, has made them less able to balance these responsibilities with paid work.
24th Nov 2020 - Al Jazeera English
Child protection referrals surge after first lockdown as councils report rise in mental health issues
Child protection referrals have surged in the months following the UK’s first lockdown as local councils report an increase in demand for mental health and family services, The Independent can reveal. New data shows more than 630 vulnerable young people a day were being referred to councils’ children’s services in July, August and September – marking an increase of 15 per cent – or 7,518 referrals – compared to the three previous months when schools and services.
24th Nov 2020 - The Independent
Covid-19: England arrivals to be able to cut quarantine with private test
People arriving in England from abroad will be soon able to reduce their quarantine by more than half if they pay for a Covid test after five days, the transport secretary has announced. The rules will come into force from 15 December and the tests from private firms will cost between £65 and £120. Grant Shapps said the scheme would "bolster international travel while keeping the public safe". The travel industry welcomed the policy but described it as "long overdue". It follows Boris Johnson's announcement that England will come under "toughened" three-tiered regional restrictions when the lockdown ends on 2 December.
24th Nov 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullPandemic inflames violence against women
No country has been spared the coronavirus epidemic, nor the scourge of domestic violence, which has surged during lockdowns as the day marking such violence approaches on Wednesday. From a spike in rapes in Nigeria and South Africa, increased numbers of women missing in Peru, higher rates of women being killed in Brazil and Mexico and overwhelmed associations in Europe: the pandemic has aggravated the plague of sexual violence. According to U.N. data released in late September, lockdowns have led to increases in complaints or calls to report domestic abuse of 25 percent in Argentina, 30 percent in Cyprus and France and 33 percent in Singapore. In essentially all countries, measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus have resulted in women and children being confined at home.
23rd Nov 2020 - Japan Today
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to measure your child's progress during virtual learning
Blackboard out, laptop screens on and turning to online assignments- children, along with their parents have got accustomed to a new learning pattern in these past six or seven months. While it may have been an initial struggle for many, virtual classes and education is the way to go for many younger kids, with most schools still being shut off due to COVID fear.
22nd Nov 2020 - Times of India
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullHere’s seven tips to become a more sustainable UoB student in isolation
During the first national coronavirus lockdown, vital environmental changes occurred and triggered a huge surge of hope for the recovery of the planet’s ecosystems. Although it was amazing to see nature re-claiming the environment, its important to continue doing our bit for the planet outside of simply staying at home and not using our cars as much. Earlier in the year, people gathered in Birmingham City Centre to protest against climate change – and in January this year the UK’s first citizens climate change assembly was held in Birmingham with Sir David Attenborough making an appearance. Unfortunately, some of these things aren’t currently feasible, but there are still a number of ways to do your bit. Here is a list of seven tips to being a sustainable student, particularly during isolation…
20th Nov 2020 - The Tab
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in full'Students feel vulnerable': how Covid-19 has put a strain on mental health
From self-isolation with flatmates they barely know and halls of residences emptying out over lockdown to struggles to get the wifi to work for Zoom lectures, the start to the 2020 term has been riddled with uncertainty for most university students. Just one thing’s for sure: it’s been a strange few weeks. It’s perhaps unsurprising that students across campuses have been grappling with loneliness, anxiety and depression as a result of their experiences. “Students aren’t just disappointed that their university experience looks different in terms of teaching and learning, they’re also asking: ‘What does it mean for all the other things I wanted out of uni? The people I could have met? The sports and societies I could have joined?’” said Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, vice-president for higher education at the National Union of Students.
18th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Lockdown loneliness reaches record levels
The week after the clocks went back saw Britain's highest levels of acute loneliness in the pandemic, Office for National Statistics figures suggest. The start of November, with darker evenings, saw 8% of adults who were "always or often lonely" - representing 4.2 million people. This was the peak in this measure of loneliness since the lockdown in March. Loneliness Minister Baroness Barran says the next few months will be "incredibly challenging"
18th Nov 2020 - BBC News
One in 10 parents experienced severe burnout in lockdown - Canterbury University study
Parenting can be a demanding and stressful job at any time, but a pandemic can pile additional pressure on parents, new Canterbury University research shows. UC's Dr Cara Swit surveyed parents in New Zealand as part of a global study conducted in 15 countries to assess levels of parental burnout during Covid-19 lockdowns. She found that 10.5 per cent of parents in this country experienced high levels of parental burnout, which is defined as a combination of chronic stress, exhaustion, feeling like their parenting is not as good as it was, loss of pleasure or fulfilment in parenting, and emotional distancing from their children. “Any levels of parental burnout are concerning, so we need to understand the influences behind these figures and what can be done to support parents who are struggling,” Swit said.
18th Nov 2020 - Otago Daily Times
New Zealand had great success in containing Covid-19, but public wellbeing paid a price
People worldwide have been experiencing high levels of distress during the Covid-19 pandemic. A New Zealand survey shows that, despite eliminating the virus, people's mental health took a knock. Researchers are encouraging governments to prioritise mental wellbeing during this time
18th Nov 2020 - Health24
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullLearning the lessons of Covid-19
Each country is trying to find a route through winter which will disrupt life as little as possible while still safeguarding health. There’s also a wish, as the UK’s Prime Minister put it, to “save Christmas”. And each country has a slightly different approach. Here in Switzerland the government has opted for a “slowdown” rather than a lockdown. Neighbouring France has gone into another “confinement” with strict rules around movement. To our east, Austria is beginning a “hard lockdown”, with schools closed and a daytime as well as a nighttime curfew. There is increasing debate, and confusion, about which measures are most successful. In most parts of Switzerland we can still go out for dinner. Our friends in France cannot. But since the introduction of the Swiss slowdown and the French confinement, cases of Covid-19 in both countries have begun to fall
17th Nov 2020 - swissinfo.ch
Lockdown has not led to more Queensland suicides, research finds
Queensland’s suicide rate did not change during lockdowns, however the pandemic contributed to a handful of people taking their own lives, research has found. The stress of pandemic lockdowns forced many people to face mental health issues for the first time, or exacerbated existing conditions.
17th Nov 2020 - Brisbane Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in full'There's nothing to keep a lid on it': is lockdown making us eccentric?
“Not sure if it’s because of recent times of lockdown etc but Christ I talk to myself a lot these days.” So tweeted the actor and presenter Emily Atack – and she is not alone. Confined to our homes and freed from the judgments of others – perceived or otherwise – growing numbers of us are admitting to quirky behaviours, from talking to ourselves to singing more loudly in the shower or living out the fashion eccentricities we’d never have dreamed of in the office. Psychologists told the Guardian that people are likely to become more eccentric over lockdown, displaying new or accentuated behaviours ranging from unusual mannerisms and daily routines to discovering unconventional interests.
15th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Teenage pregnancies rise in parts of Kenya as lockdown shuts schools
Jackline Bosibori wept when she found out she was pregnant. The 17-year-old’s mother, who is raising six kids alone, collapsed in their one-room home. They had been repeatedly threatened with eviction and couldn’t afford another mouth to feed. “If I was in school, this could have not happened,” said Bosibori, who wants to become a lawyer. With school closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and her mother out selling vegetables on the roadside, Bosibori got involved with a man in his twenties. When she told him she was pregnant, he stopped answering her calls.
16th Nov 2020 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealand Study Reveals The Complex Psychological Toll of Pandemic Lockdowns
2020 has not been a good year for mental health. The emergence of a global pandemic has left many people fearing for their lives, stressing over their finances, panicking over the news, and yearning for their loved ones. While we're still not sure what the mental health toll will be, the World Health Organisation expects levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use, and self-harm or suicidal behaviour to rise.
14th Nov 2020 - ScienceAlert
After COVID-19 Diagnosis, Nearly 1 In 5 Are Diagnosed With Mental Disorder
New research has found that nearly 1 person in 5 diagnosed with COVID-19 is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder like anxiety, depression or insomnia within three months. The analysis was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, using electronic health records for 69.8 million patients in the U.S. — including more than 62,000 diagnosed with COVID-19. Compared with patients who had experienced certain other health events this year — such as influenza, kidney stones or a major bone fracture – those diagnosed with COVID-19 were more likely to have a subsequent psychiatric diagnosis in the following 14 to 90 days. "The incidence of any psychiatric diagnosis in the 14 to 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis was 18.1%," the study found, including 5.8% that was a first diagnosis. The research was published Monday in Lancet Psychiatry.
11th Nov 2020 - NPR
Shock new figures fuel fears of more lockdown domestic abuse killings in UK
Calls to the UK’s largest domestic abuse helpline are rising “week on week” as new figures reveal that almost 50 suspected killings may have occurred during the first lockdown. The charity Refuge, which runs the National Domestic Abuse helpline, said it was “very concerned” by the continuing upward trend in demand for its services, with England a little over a week into its second lockdown. Separate data from Counting Dead Women, a project that records the killing of women by men in the UK, identified 35 murders, with another 12 strongly suspected cases between 23 March and the start of July, when Covid restrictions were largely lifted. The rate of killings, conspicuously steep in the opening period of the first lockdown, gradually lowers to levels similar to those recorded in previous years.
15th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCall for ‘designated visitors’ to tackle coronavirus care home loneliness
Care home providers and relatives today called on the Government to urgently allow each resident to have a “designated visitor” to help tackle “heartbreaking loneliness”. The plan would mean that each resident has at least one designated visitor who, like care home staff, would be tested for Covid-19 weekly and wear protective PPE, allowing them to make regular visits safely. This would alleviate the isolation of residents, some of whom have been denied visits for nine months. The Government agreed to pilot the approach in October but there are claims it is dragging its feet.
12th Nov 2020 - Evening Standard
Pandemic and lockdown fuelled domestic violence, new study confirms
Australia’s pandemic and lockdown fuelled a significant rise in domestic violence, according to a new study published yesterday by the Australian Institute of Criminology. Researchers explored the relationship between social isolation, time spent at home, financial stress and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic – with some startling results. The paper found that most women who were victims had not experienced violence by their partner prior to the pandemic, for example. Of those who had, two-thirds experienced further violence during this period.
12th Nov 2020 - Australian Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in full5 ways to identify a child in need during virtual learning
Teachers have many jobs these days—educator, IT professional, custodian, and mentor, just to name a few. But arguably one of the biggest jobs for teachers in today’s distance learning environment is being able to provide a sufficient level of support for students’ social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Children have been isolated from their peers and teachers, and many are in homes where there is trauma from COVID-19 or the economic crisis. Strong, supportive relationships not only help keep students engaged, but also provide a foundation for building a classroom community where all children, including a child in need of help, feel safe and secure. Safety and security are especially important for children who may be experiencing the effects of violence, abuse, or addiction in the home. While child abuse reports are down nationally by 40 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts fear that it has actually risen behind closed doors.
11th Nov 2020 - eSchool News
Many taxpayers could face surprise bill over remote work misconceptions, study finds
The coronavirus pandemic has shaken up much of Americans’ financial lives this year – and it could bring tax surprises next year for many workers who are not aware of the repercussions teleworking can have. More than half of taxpayers who have been working remotely throughout the pandemic are not aware of any tax-related consequences that could apply to them if they do not update their withholding to reflect their work location, according to a new study by The Harris Poll and the American Institute of CPA’s. Another 47% were not aware that each state had separate laws governing its remote work liabilities, while 71% did not know working out of their state of residence could impact taxes owed.
11th Nov 2020 - Fox Business
Social workers' efforts to protect children in lockdown have gone unnoticed
The news that the numbers of babies in England that have suffered serious injury or neglect during the pandemic has increased by a fifth compared with the same period last year and eight have died from their injuries has been met with understandable shock and public concern. It is perhaps all the more shocking because so little public attention has been given to child protection during the coronavirus lockdown and particularly to what is happening to babies and children who aren’t old enough to be at school. The same public invisibility applies to social work, the only profession consistently going into homes since the pandemic began to try to safeguard children and help families.
11th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown children forget how to use knife and fork
The pandemic has seen most children in England slipping back with their learning - and some have gone significantly back with their social skills, says Ofsted. A report from the education watchdog warns some young children have forgotten how to use a knife and fork or have regressed back to nappies. Older children have lost their "stamina" for reading, say inspectors. The Department for Education says it shows the need to keep schools open.
10th Nov 2020 - BBC News
What it's like to be on vacation in a country on lockdown
On the evening of October 31, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the return of an England-wide lockdown, designed to stem an alarming second wave of coronavirus. American traveler Elizabeth Prairie, recently landed in the UK for a four-week trip, watched the national address from her Airbnb in London's Notting Hill neighborhood. She'd arrived in the UK capital almost two weeks prior and was about to come out of her 14-day compulsory quarantine. Prairie had planned a four-week vacation in London, accounting for quarantining while also allowing time to explore, work remotely and enjoy her break. When she boarded her British Airways flight from JFK airport, Prairie knew England had instituted a 10 p.m. closing time on all bars and restaurants, and London was entering stricter "Tier 2" restrictions that limited access to them.
10th Nov 2020 - CNN
Lockdown sparks addiction surge in Australia – 3AW
Over one million Australians have an addiction, with fears that number has soared during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Professor at Monash University and Executive clinical director at Turning Point Rehabilitation Centre, Professor Dan Lubman, told Dee Dee Dunleavy Australia needed to pay more attention to addictions. “We’ve seen significant changes in behavior in the last year due to coronavirus,” he said. “A lot of people have reported an increase of drinking, a shift to gambling, an increase of uncertainty and stress. “Addiction is a health disorder that is treatable, it’s a solution to former underlying problems normally associated with trauma, mental health and isolation. “People use it as a way to cope.”
10th Nov 2020 - 3AW
Significant psychological toll from New Zealand COVID-19 lockdown
Research has confirmed the nationwide Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown had a significant toll on New Zealanders' well-being, especially for younger people - but the results were not all negative. Researchers from the University of Otago conducted a demographically representative survey of adult New Zealanders between 15 and 18 April, corresponding to days 19 to 22 of the 33-day lockdown.
They found almost a third of participants experienced mental distress during the lockdown, but that many people also experienced some form of 'silver linings'.
10th Nov 2020 - EurekAlert
Spotlight on domestic abuse: How lockdown created a 'perfect storm'
Domestic violence and abuse is at a 15-year high in Northern Ireland, with more than 32,000 incidents reported to the PSNI from June 2019 to July 2020. Restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19 have forced people to spend much more time at home and created the "perfect storm" for abusers.
10th Nov 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 Quarantine Debate Shifts From Hotels to Homes
One of the most in-depth examinations of hotel quarantines since the coronavirus crisis began has concluded that some travellers should be allowed to self-isolate at home. The recommendation, from a government panel in Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, could offer lessons to other countries seeking ways to reopen their borders. The panel was set up by state-level authorities to investigate the hotel-quarantine program after a second-wave outbreak in Melbourne was linked to hotels, where the virus spread from travellers to personnel such as security guards. Allowing people to quarantine at home could make travel more palatable for those who can’t afford pricey hotel bills, or don’t want to spend weeks cooped up in a hotel room. It would also ease the workload for health care workers at quarantine hotels and allow more inbound travellers if hotels are full.
9th Nov 2020 - The Wall Street Journal
Covid: Wales has lessons for England on surviving lockdown
When Covid struck, no-one quite understood how ruinous its ripples would be. As England begins a new lockdown, Michael Buchanan has been in Wales, which has emerged from a short, sharp shutdown, to see the effect of the economic shock. While thousands of families grieve lives abruptly ended by Covid, others mourn the lives they once led. For Dorne Williams, the pandemic has been calamitous. "It has cost me my relationship, my mental health and my friends, who are too frightened to visit." We're talking on the doorstep of her small terraced house in Pontypool. First came the "nasty" virus, she says.
9th Nov 2020 - BBC News
The real cost of lockdown: Australia faces a mental health crisis
Psychiatrist has warned Australia faces a dangerous new mental health crisis
Called for policy-makers to turn society upside down to flatten the new curve
The COVID-19 pandemic has left many unemployed and struggling to cope
9th Nov 2020 - Daily Mail
Covid 19 coronavirus: Later lockdown could have spelt 200 deaths
Two hundred Kiwis may have died had the Government held off ordering our nationwide lockdown for another three weeks - while nearly 12,000 people may have been infected. That's the stark upshot of newly-published modelling that's underscored how crucial New Zealand's "go hard, go early" response to Covid-19 was in sparing the country a calamity - and putting it on path to elimination. The paper, by researchers at University of Auckland-based Te Punaha Matatini, also suggested a slightly earlier lockdown may have spared several hundred infections - but added that might have been impractical at the time anyway. The modelling took a sweeping look at New Zealand's initial approach to the pandemic, to find that the lockdown proved a much stronger driver in bringing down daily cases than border closures.
9th Nov 2020 - New Zealand Herald
UK making good progress on travel testing to cut quarantine - minister
Britain is making good progress with a plan to allow COVID-19 tests to cut a 14-day quarantine period for those returning from abroad, a change which could help fuel a travel recovery once current lockdowns end, the transport minister said. Airport bosses welcomed the update from the minister, Grant Shapps, at an online conference but said more needed to be done. The top priority for them is that the government eliminates the requirement for quarantine through testing for the coronavirus. “We’re making very good progress on a ‘test to release programme’ to launch once we’re out of this lockdown,” Shapps said on Monday. “Once we emerge from the lockdown, we can roll out new systems to help get people flying and travelling again.”
9th Nov 2020 - Reuters
NSPCC warns of lockdown's toll on children's mental health
Rising stress levels have taken a toll on the mental and emotional health of young people since the first coronavirus lockdown was imposed in March, children’s charity the NSPCC has warned. Calls to the charity’s ChildLine service reached nearly 43,000 between March and October, with mental health worries making up more than a third of all its counselling sessions, new figures showed. The NSPCC said its counsellors had heard from children who were feeling isolated, anxious and insecure after being cut off from their usual social support networks. Some children had developed eating disorders such as binge eating and bulimia for the first time, while others with existing eating disorders had reported worse symptoms or had relapsed, the charity found.
9th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days: study
Many COVID-19 survivors are likely to be at greater risk of developing mental illness, psychiatrists said on Monday, after a large study found 20% of those infected with the coronavirus are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within 90 days. Anxiety, depression and insomnia were most common among recovered COVID-19 patients in the study who developed mental health problems, and the researchers also found significantly higher risks of dementia, a brain impairment condition. “People have been worried that COVID-19 survivors will be at greater risk of mental health problems, and our findings ... show this to be likely,” said Paul Harrison, a professor of psychiatry at Britain’s Oxford University.
9th Nov 2020 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid: How to survive a winter lockdown, from those who've done it
Lockdown in Tromsø began in March 2020, when the average temperature was -1.1C, with lows of -8.9C. It rained or snowed almost every day. Ida Solhaug says coping with a winter lockdown is all about mindset. The mindfulness researcher at the University of Tromsø says my line of questioning - about how to "get through" the cold months - is a big part of the problem. She says Brits often see winter as "something to endure" rather than "really embracing winter for what it's worth".
7th Nov 2020 - BBC News
LIST OF 14 REASONS YOU CAN LEAVE HOME DURING SECOND CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN
As Police gear up to enforce the second coronavirus lockdown, Island Echo has put together an easy-to-read list of all the reasons you are permitted to leave your home address over the next 4 weeks.
7th Nov 2020 - Island Echo
Coronavirus lockdown childcare bubbles and linked households explained
Lockdown version 2.0 has officially begun, with the biggest difference between the first set of restrictions being the fact schools and nurseries are able to remain open this time. And while everyone is instructed to stay indoors unless they have to go out for work, essential shopping, or exercise, juggling childcare and the often complicated arrangements many families have around who looks after whose kids when and where is made even more complicated by another coronavirus lockdown.
But this time things seem to be slightly more relaxed in terms of who can look after the children or where they can go, than the lockdown in March.
7th Nov 2020 - Bristol Live
Second French lockdown less severe for the economy one week in
One week into France’s second coronavirus lockdown this year, the euro zone’s second-biggest economy is holding up much better than the first time, data ranging from traffic congestion to electricity use show. High-frequency data bear out anecdotal evidence that there are many more people on the streets and businesses open this time, compared to March and April when major French cities were ghost towns. France’s experience one week in offers an initial glimpse of what the economic fallout will look like from a second lockdown for other European countries that have since or will soon follow.
8th Nov 2020 - Reuters UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullMultifold spike in domestic violence complaints during lockdown
As soon as schools were shut due to the lockdown, 16-year old Ashi (name changed), who was studying at a Gurukul school in Karimnagar district, was asked to go back to her home. She had never imagined that the four walls of her home will become unsafe for her. After being allegedly sexually and physically harassed by her father for months, in around April, terrified and confused, she mustered the courage to reach out to the police who, with the help of the Sakhi team, rescued her. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, data from the State Women and Child Department shows that domestic violence, including physical and sexual assault against women and girls, has risen.
5th Nov 2020 - The New Indian Express
Significant psychological toll from COVID-19 lockdown
Research published today has confirmed the nationwide Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown had a significant toll on New Zealanders' well-being, especially for younger people—but the results were not all negative. Researchers from the University of Otago conducted a demographically representative survey of adult New Zealanders between 15 and 18 April, corresponding to days 19 to 22 of the 33-day lockdown.
5th Nov 2020 - Medical Xpress
Isolation of elderly at Christmas must form part of lockdown lifting decision
Isolation of elderly people at Christmas must be considered when deciding to ease lockdown restrictions, a leading member of Nphet has said. Dr Colm Henry of the HSE said the Government and public health bosses must consider the “sense of isolation and hopelessness” they feel. While the number of positive Covid-19 cases in Ireland has fallen dramatically, the HSE warned this progress must not be lost.
5th Nov 2020 - Belfast Telegraph
Nearly a third of New Zealanders felt badly distressed in Covid lockdown
The wellbeing of New Zealanders plummeted during the country’s nationwide lockdown, research has found, with nearly a third experiencing “moderate to severe psychological distress” – especially young people. On 15 March Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister, ordered the total closure of the country’s borders and on 26 March the entire population of five million entered a strict lockdown. From an infection point of the view the lockdown worked, but the social toll is continuing to be understood, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and domestic abuse, as well as widespread sleeping problems.
5th Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Nine ways England's lockdown is different from last time
In March, you could only meet others from outside your household in a very limited set of circumstances. Meeting another person socially wasn't allowed until May.
This time, you can catch up with a friend in an outdoor public place, like a park or beach, as long as you socially distance and neither of you is self-isolating. And this time, children of pre-school age are not included in the two-person limit, so those looking after youngsters can still have social contact.
4th Nov 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullNew Zealanders coming home for Christmas warned isolation hotels may be full
New Zealand’s isolation hotels are approaching capacity as the military warns there may not be room to house Kiwis planning to return home for Christmas. Some 65,000 people have passed through New Zealand’s isolation accommodation since the borders closed in mid-March. Despite the facilities generally being four- and five-star establishments, there have been numerous escape attempts from them, and they have been denounced by a conservative US television host as “Covid camps”.
2nd Nov 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus: More than 7,000 people given wrong dates for self-isolation by Test and Trace
More than 7,000 people have been given the wrong dates for self-isolation by Test and Trace, Sky News can reveal, raising further questions about the competence of the troubled service. An error in the software used by Test and Trace meant that the contact-tracing service gave contacts of people who had tested positive for coronavirus the wrong dates for the start and end of their quarantine.
3rd Nov 2020 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullFrance fears fresh wave of domestic violence amid second Covid-19 lockdown
During its first Covid-19 lockdown in the spring, France saw a steep rise in domestic abuse cases. As the country’s 67 million have now entered a second lockdown, women’s rights groups fear that the isolation will spark a new wave of domestic violence, and have put a number of safety measures in place to try to help victims.
2nd Nov 2020 - FRANCE 24 English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Nov 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Lockdown contributing to rise in mental illness in children, NHS says
One in six children in England has a probable mental disorder, according to an NHS study. The Mental Health and Young People Survey highlights how the coronavirus lockdown has made conditions like depression, anxiety and sleeping problems worse among boys and girls. The study is based on data collected in July from 3,570 children and young people, who took part in a similar survey in 2017.
31st Oct 2020 - Sky News
National Union of Students issue Covid mental health warning
Half of students in Scotland said money worries or financial pressures had affected their mental health - before the Covid pandemic struck. Research by the National Union of Students also found 72% of undergraduates said they had most concerns in their first year. The union argues the effects of the pandemic on the sector make these issues more important than ever. Universities Scotland said the mental health of students was "paramount." The NUS research, which was carried out in January and February, involved 3,097 college and university students. It found almost half of students claimed coping with course workload had a negative impact on their mental health.
31st Oct 2020 - BBC News
COVID-19 pandemic threatens young Australians' mental health: survey
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of 75 percent of Australians aged 18 to 24, according to a poll published by Ipsos and Nine Entertainment newspapers on Friday. By comparison, 65 percent of those polled aged 25 to 39 said the pandemic and restrictions have impacted on their mental wellbeing, 49 percent of those aged 40 to 54 and 35 percent of those aged 55 and over. Ian Hickie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Sydney, said the education and social lives of young people have been most disrupted by the pandemic worldwide. The University of Sydney has published modelling that projected a 30-percent rise in the suicide rate for Australians aged 18-24 over the next five years. In Victoria, the state hardest-hit by the pandemic, it was projected to rise 36.7 percent.
31st Oct 2020 - Xinhua
First mental health trust signs up to Nursing Times wellbeing campaign
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has become the first mental health provider to sign a pledge supporting the principles of the Nursing Times Covid-19: Are You OK? campaign. The Yorkshire mental health trust signed up to support the campaign, after its director of nursing, Cathy Woffendin, responded to a call made by Nursing Times to an initial group of trusts. It becomes the fourth trust overall to back Covid-19: Are You OK? and the third one from Yorkshire to do so.
31st Oct 2020 - Nursing Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 coronavirus: Lockdown blamed for immunisation rate drop
A drop in infant immunisation rates during the Covid-19 lockdown has health workers scrambling to catch up. They fear "fake news" about vaccinations during the election campaign could add to the problem. The rate of vaccination among 6 month olds dropped 2.4 per cent to 76.2 per cent in the April to June quarter, which captured most of the level 4 lockdown and gradual lowering of restrictions, compared to the same time last year. The latest Ministry of Health data showed there was also a 4.4 per cent drop in those with the greatest socio-economic deprivation and a 5.6 per cent decline in Maori infants.
29th Oct 2020 - New Zealand Herald
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in full9 tips for surviving quarantine and staying sane
Fourteen days of quarantine will be part of relocation for many international teachers for the foreseeable future. At the point of writing, my family and I are coming to the end of our own quarantine in Kuala Lumpur and will shortly join our new school community. If it’s a reality you are facing, it could be off-putting – no one really likes the idea of being forced into isolation for so long.
25th Oct 2020 - TES News
7 tips for staying safe as COVID-19 cases rise and colder weather heightens the risk
The U.S. isn’t anywhere close to herd immunity for SARS-CoV-2, estimated to be reached when about 60% to 70% of the population has been infected – likely more than 200 million people. Without a vaccine, hospitals would be overwhelmed by the illnesses and hundreds of thousands more people would die. We also don’t know how long immunity lasts. Since we don’t have an approved vaccine in widespread use yet, protective measures are still essential. As a nursing school dean, I recommend taking these seven simple steps to protect yourself and your loved ones and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
19th Oct 2020 - The Conversation US
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullJuggling act: Tips for balancing remote work and home life in 2020
Any remote worker can tell you how office demands have invaded the home in 2020 and started creeping into every corner of the day. But Jessica DeGroot is no ordinary worker. She is an expert in work-life balance as head of the consultancy ThirdPath Institute. “Work was taking over entirely, and I was becoming less and less efficient,” said DeGroot, who is working from her home office in Philadelphia, while her husband has commandeered the kitchen as his own workspace. “I just thought, I gotta do something different here.” Almost six in 10 employees say the pandemic has made their workdays less defined, according to a Pulse of the American Worker survey conducted by Prudential Financial.
27th Oct 2020 - Reuters
Covid: toddlers from UK's poorest families 'hit hardest by lockdown'
Babies and toddlers from poorer backgrounds have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with less access to books and outdoor space during lockdown than children growing up in wealthier families, research has found. The developmental impact of the coronavirus crisis on children aged 0-3 has been largely undocumented, but early findings from the new study suggest young children from disadvantaged backgrounds have missed out on activities during lockdown which play a vital part in child development. The study, conducted by researchers at five UK universities and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, surveyed more than 500 parents of children under three about the sort of activities they enjoyed with their child before and during lockdown.
27th Oct 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullAustralia's COVID-19 lockdown also prevented about 400 deaths from other illnesses - research paper
Social distancing and lockdowns in Australia not only slowed the spread of COVID-19, they saved the lives of about 400 people who would have been expected to died in June from respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia, a research paper published on Monday showed. Examining Australia’s most recent official fatality data, the Actuaries Institute said there was a shortfall between verified deaths and the number expected during the mid-winter month, which it concluded was due to a decline in respiratory illnesses.
26th Oct 2020 - Reuters
How Australian renters have suffered through the lockdowns
Australians stuck living in share houses during pandemic share their struggles
Many renters faced relationship break-ups, tough landlords and fears of eviction
At least 20 per cent of Australian renters chose to move back with their parents
26th Oct 2020 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullNavigating the Transition From Classroom to Online
Training connects people. It connects people to ideas and new ways of thinking. It connects people to growth and attainment of goals. It connects individuals to a larger purpose and helps move organizations forward. One of the most wonderful things about classroom learning is seeing those connections form right before your eyes. When you read the body language of participants who experienced a paradigm shift, you can almost see the lightbulbs glowing above their heads. Watching them make the connection between the concept and how it may be directly applied to their lives is an adrenaline rush like no other. Until, of course, a pandemic closes your training room. When our workforce was sent home, people were scared. They experienced every level of anxiety for themselves, their families, their friends, the people they serve, and the world at large. They heard heartbreaking stories and worked hard to offer their assistance. This new remote work, however, often left them emotionally drained and disconnected from the support system inherit in their physical workplace.
25th Oct 2020 - ATD
'Generation Covid' hit hard by the pandemic, research reveals
Young people, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, have had their earnings and job prospects hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, adding to fears for the long-term impact on their futures. BBC Panorama found people aged 16-25 were more than twice as likely as older workers to have lost their job, while six in 10 saw their earnings fall, according to new research. It also highlighted the impact of school closures on young people and added to growing evidence that students from poorer backgrounds have fallen behind their more privileged peers.
A quarter of pupils - some 2.5 million children - had no schooling or tutoring during lockdown, the survey by the London School of Economics (LSE) suggests. But, the study adds, nearly three quarters of private school pupils had full days of teaching (74%) - almost twice the proportion of state school pupils (38%).
26th Oct 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullThe number of older people getting coronavirus in Europe is rising again. That's really bad news
Europe is deep in the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, and a particularly worrying trend is beginning to emerge: More older people are becoming infected.
Over the summer months, the continent saw infection clusters popping up mostly among younger people who were venturing out into bars, restaurants and other public spaces. While that wasn't ideal, it meant the death rate stayed relatively low, since younger people are statistically less vulnerable to the virus and most avoid getting seriously ill. However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that more older people are now becoming infected. According to the ECDC's latest situation report, at least 13 countries in Europe saw new infection rates among people aged 65 or over rise to what ECDC defines as "high" last week -- between 64 per 100,000 in Croatia and 206 per 100,000 in the Netherlands.
22nd Oct 2020 - CTV News
Lockdown made life worse for two in five children, NHS report says
Two in five children aged 11 to 16 feel the coronavirus lockdown has made their lives worse, an NHS report on mental health suggests. They said their biggest anxieties were about missing school and family and friends contracting Covid-19.
Mental disorders have risen in boys and girls since 2017 and now affect 16% of children, a large survey suggests. The children's commissioner for England said the increase was "extremely alarming". Anne Longfield said a properly-funded children's mental health service was needed and every school should have its own NHS-funded counsellor. Mental health charities say the pandemic has put a huge strain on children, parents and carers.
22nd Oct 2020 - BBC News
Care home staff 'worried' amid Covid-19 second wave
Care home staff are "very tired and very worried" amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, a group representing care providers has said. Stormont's Health Committee has heard morale is low among workers who fear that the "system is now working against" their efforts to keep Covid out. Pauline Shepherd of the Independent Health and Care Providers outlined concerns around "no safety net" of re-testing residents on returning to care homes from hospital, staff shortages and increased visitors. She said Department of Health guidance for care partners for residents to be in place by November 5 left staff feeling very worried that the work they were doing to keep the virus out could be jeopardised by increased footfall.
22nd Oct 2020 - ITV News
Dying of loneliness: How COVID-19 is killing dementia patients
Teresa Palmer is sitting on the back porch of her home in San Francisco when the mobile phone in her hand starts to buzz. A kind, raspy voice inquires from the other end of the line: “Did I wake you?” If the question surprises Palmer, she does not show it. Her reply is plain and swift. “No,” she says: It is past one in the afternoon. She has been awake for hours.
22nd Oct 2020 - Al Jazeera English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid: Lockdown had 'major impact' on mental health
Lockdown had a major impact on the UK's mental health, including increased rates of suicidal thoughts, according to new research. The study, led by the University of Glasgow, examined the effects of Covid-19 during the height of the pandemic. Certain groups are said to be particularly at risk, including young people and women. The Department of Health in England said it was increasing investment in mental health services.
21st Oct 2020 - BBC News
A lockdown with insufficient financial support is the worst of both worlds
Greater Manchester will enter tier three, but without agreement on the extent of the region’s financial support package, while Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield will enter tier three on Saturday (24 October). Although the gap between the British government and Greater Manchester is small in cash terms at £5m – an essentially meaningless sum in the context of government spending – the difference is large because of what the two sides want to spend it on. Andy Burnham wants to be able to top up the furlough scheme to its current level of 80 per cent. The Conservative government, particularly the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, want to avoid having to resume the furlough scheme at a nationwide level.
21st Oct 2020 - New Statesman
Suicidal thoughts increased among UK population during lockdown, study finds
One in 10 people had experienced suicidal thoughts by the end of the first six weeks of lockdown, according to new research. The study, which looked at three “waves” of lockdown between March 31 and May 11, found the restrictions had a major impact on the UK population’s mental health. It found young people, women, those from more socially disadvantaged backgrounds and individuals with pre-existing mental health problems reported the worst mental health outcomes in the initial phase of the national restrictions. The research, led by the University of Glasgow, found suicidal thoughts increased over the first six weeks of lockdown, with one in 10 people reporting them (9.8%) by the end of this period.
21st Oct 2020 - Belfast Telegraph
newsGP - Pandemic's mental health impact on young people a 'national crisis'
One in two. That is the number of young people that were unable to carry out their daily activities due to a decline in wellbeing, up from two in five in 2018. That is among the findings from headspace’s 2020 National Youth Mental Health Survey of more than 1000 Australians aged 12–25. Conducted between 25 May and 21 June, when much of the country was in or emerging from enforced lockdown restrictions, the research has confirmed concerns over the pandemic’s impact on the wellbeing and mental health of young Australians. The survey found that psychological distress among young people remains high, with one-third (34%) reporting high or very high levels of distress, particularly among 15–17-year-old young men, at 29% up from 20% in 2018.
21st Oct 2020 - RACGP
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 shielding measures on hold in England
Shielding measures will not be reintroduced in England although those considered “clinically extremely vulnerable” should take practical steps to reduce exposure to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Social Care said it will write to people who have increased vulnerabilities with tips on how they can keep safe.
20th Oct 2020 - Diabetes.co.uk
Coronavirus: Homes for the elderly find ways to avoid lockdown
The doors are still open at the Lore Malsch Protestant care home in Munich, albeit to the surprise of some visitors. "Now we're getting phone calls — lots of calls," says the home's manager, Jan Steinbach. People are asking whether they are still allowed to visit loved ones as the nationwide caseload in Germany ticks upwards.
Whether to limit visitors during the pandemic is a real quandary, with no correct answers for care homes. Let visitors in, and risk bringing COVID-19 into a facility full of at-risk people. Keep them out, and deny residents contact with their loved ones, potentially damaging their health through isolation itself.
20th Oct 2020 - DW (English)
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in full28 Things To Help Cheer Up A Student Who Hates Doing School At Home
1. A comfy memory foam pillow to give their neck and back the reprieve they deserve while they're studying or learning in bed or on the couch. 2. Tiny, adorable, and helpful animal cable bites that can bring a smidge of extra excitement to their workspace and protect the part of their charger cables that gets beat up the most with regular use.
19th Oct 2020 - BuzzFeed
Toddler behaviour hardest hit during Covid-19 lockdowns, survey finds
Charlotte Gurnell’s three-year-old daughter regressed in her potty training and invented an imaginary friend. The tantrums of Olivia Rysenbry’s normally sweet-natured, 3-year-old daughter intensified. Victoria Gray’s 3-year-old son switched to a short attention span and didn’t play as well with his little brother. If you noticed a drastic and negative change in your toddler's behaviour during a Covid-19 lockdown, you’re not alone.
19th Oct 2020 - Stuff.co.nz
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullRemote but Inclusive for Years, and Now Showing Other Companies How
From her home in Beaverton, Ore., Jamie Davila leads a team of eight engineers in seven states for the technology start-up Ultranauts. Like millions of other people during these work-from-home times, she relies on popular communication tools like Zoom and Slack. But Ms. Davila and Ultranauts also work remotely in ways that make them different from most companies. They follow a distinctive set of policies and practices to promote diversity and inclusion among employees. All video meetings have closed captioning, for workers who prefer to absorb information in text. Meeting agendas are distributed in advance so people who are uncomfortable speaking up can contribute in writing beforehand. Employees are asked daily for feedback, like whether they believe their strengths are valued and if they feel lonely at work.
18th Oct 2020 - The New York Times
UK ‘sleepwalking’ to mental health crisis as pandemic takes its toll
Britain is sleepwalking into a mental health crisis as the government struggles to deal with the monumental effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Health experts and charities have told the Observer the coming winter will devastate the mental wellbeing of the nation as lockdown uncertainty, fear, isolation and loneliness are exacerbated by the colder and darker months ahead. In England, the Centre for Mental Health has predicted that up to 10 million people – almost a fifth of the population – will need mental health support as a direct consequence of Covid-19, with 1.5 million of those expected to be children and young people under 18. The effect on patients with pre-existing mental health problems and on those from underprivileged backgrounds is even greater, painting a bleak picture for those already suffering.
17th Oct 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus and care homes: The pensioners suffering through isolation
It's now seven months since care homes first shut their doors, denying many residents not only the precious touch of loved ones but also the regular comfort of a song and dance, or a hair cut. Some are now facing the prospect of a winter isolated from their friends and families as a second wave of Covid-19 gives way to fresh restrictions. At the age of 89, Blumah Samuels still loves singing and dancing to the old classics. She used to dance around her care home's lounge, shaking a maraca to Carmen Miranda's I Like You Very Much. Now, Blumah - who has Parkinson's dementia - is simply "existing", says her daughter, Lesley Lightfoot, 61.
Back in March, care homes - which house about 400,000 elderly people in the UK - shut their doors as the coronavirus pandemic surged. Their aim was to keep infections down
18th Oct 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullReady, Set, Gold! Launches Enhanced Eight-Week Virtual Classroom Series featuring Top Olympians and Paralympians
Ready, Set, Gold! today announced the launch of a new, eight-week digital classroom series designed to help kids stay active while distance learning from home. The series will be made available for free online to all students through the support of The Foundation for Global Sports Development and Sidewinder Films and will also feature standout Olympians and Paralympians, including gold medalists John Naber and Rudy Garcia-Tolson.
15th Oct 2020 - Benzinga.com
For a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown to work in the UK we need to be honest about what it’s for – buying time
The pressure is mounting on the Government to introduce a two-week national lockdown, or “circuit breaker”, to limit individuals’ contacts and thus suppress transmission of coronavirus. Such a lockdown will inevitably cause even more economic and social hardship to the country. But as unpalatable as it is, and as much as I hate the idea, I am reluctantly coming to the same conclusion.
15th Oct 2020 - iNews
Coronavirus UK: Student lockdown so they can go home for Christmas
Universities across the UK will reportedly be plunged into a two-week lockdown before Christmas to allow students to return home to their families. The lockdown will take place from December 8 to December 22 and will involve classes being taught online only. The plans are said to be in their ‘early stages’, reports the Guardian. Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously said ‘plans are being put in place to allow students home safely for Christmas’ as many hundreds of students across the country have been forced to self-isolate due to soaring coronavirus cases.
15th Oct 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullWHO Warning About Covid-19 Coronavirus Lockdowns Is Taken Out Of Context
As you can see, Nabarro said, “We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus.” Note the word “primary” here. He did not say, “do not advocate lockdowns as a means of control of this virus.” Nabarro continued by saying, “The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance your resources, protect your health workers who are exhausted, but by and large, we’d rather not do it.” Note the words “rather not do it” as opposed to “should not do it” or “will not do it.” Nabarro went on to describe how “lockdowns just have one consequence that you must never, ever belittle, and that is making poor people an awful lot poorer.” He added, “Look what’s happened to smallholder farmers all over the world. Look what’s happening to poverty levels. It seems that we may well have a doubling of world poverty by next year. We may well have at least a doubling of child malnutrition.” So basically, Nabarro was pointing out the potentially serious negative consequences of lockdowns. That, of course, makes sense. So, where exactly was the “reversal” of the WHO’s position? Did Nabarro actually “admit” something new? Not really. Again, pay attention to the words “primary” and “rather not do it.” Nabarro really never said that lockdowns should not be used at all and that everything should be opened now and kept open forever.
14th Oct 2020 - Forbes
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: 'Stay home' advice to change for vulnerable groups in England
The 2.2 million mainly elderly people on the shielding list in England are to be sent letters telling them they do not need to stay in their homes to keep safe. Instead, they will be given advice linked to the COVID alert level for their postcode, ranging from "meet others outside where possible" for Tier 1 areas, to "ask people in your household, support bubble or volunteers to collect food and medicines" for those whose homes are in Tier 3.
13th Oct 2020 - Sky News
Talking about how lockdown affects mental health doesn't make you a Covid-denier
Owen Jones talks about the toll on our mental health taken by covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. "Young people in particular have formed a cordon sanitaire around their older and more vulnerable fellow citizens, an unprecedented peacetime act of generational sacrifice – and at such cost to themselves. According to the Lancet, children’s mental health deteriorated in lockdown more than any other age group, while eight in 10 young people reported that the pandemic had made their mental health worse, with one in four opting for “much worse”."
13th Oct 2020 - The Guardian
Mental health crisis: One million ‘lost’ in coronavirus lockdown
More than a million Australians have sought mental health treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, while ongoing lockdowns in Victoria have sparked a social crisis, with a 30 per cent rise in cases in the past four weeks. The first official data revealing the depth of the mental health disaster in Victoria since the second wave outbreak reveals access to some crisis services has risen by up to 67 per cent in the space of four weeks. Demand for children’s mental health has also skyrocketed in Victoria, with access to services jumping more than 30 per cent since September.
13th Oct 2020 - The Australian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID lockdown 'fatigue' is rapidly developing
Recent polls have shown a “real lockdown fatigue” is developing across the nation with people becoming more disillusioned with the pace of restrictions being eased, according to Sky News contributor Catherine McGregor. A Newspoll conducted exclusively for The Australian shows “the once strong support for stopping the spread of the virus as a priority over economic recovery has swung significantly over the past few months,” The Australian’s Simon Benson writes. Falling from 76 per cent, now only 54 per cent of voters claim to be “most concerned” about governments moving “too quickly” to relax state-imposed restrictions.
12th Oct 2020 - Sky News Australia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullWHO says want to avoid 'punishing' coronavirus lockdowns
The World Health Organization's top emergencies expert said on Friday that authorities should try to avoid punishing lockdowns, as many countries see a sharp rise in the number of Covid-19 infections
Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/78579160.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
10th Oct 2020 - Times of India
World Mental Health Day: New Red Cross survey shows COVID-19 affecting mental health of one in two people
Half of all respondents – 51 percent – in a seven-country survey said that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected their mental health, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) survey found. In a new report – "The greatest need was to be listened to: The importance of mental health and psychosocial support during COVID-19," – the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement demonstrates how the pandemic is adding an extraordinary level of stress and suffering on communities around the world. The outbreak is worsening existing mental health conditions, triggering new ones, and making access to mental health services even more scarce. It calls for urgent and increased funding for mental health and psychosocial support within humanitarian responses.
7th Oct 2020 - Red Cross
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullWe can’t survive remote working if no one is forcing us to get dressed
There was a big moment in our pandemic household last week when the younger of the two nieces residing with me since lockdown had her first day at work. It wasn’t, however, anything like the first days you and I may remember, spent struggling to learn a bunch of new names and getting lost on the way back to your desk. Instead, having expressed a lethal amount of perfume, she simply moved ten feet, from the sofa she had been sleeping on, to her laptop on the living room table.
8th Oct 2020 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullShocking Impact Of Lockdown On Vulnerable Children And Families Revealed
Shocking data released today reveal the dramatic impact the Covid-19 lockdowns had on vulnerable children and families in New Zealand. For the first time, statistics from the Family Court in Auckland, and the Police and Oranga Tamariki nationwide, have been brought together to give a true picture of what happened while the country was in lockdown. The information has been compiled by K3 Legal Director and specialist family law practitioner Toni Brown, who has more than 20 years’ experience working with children and families, and well-known QC Kate Davenport, the former president of the NZ Bar Association.
7th Oct 2020 - Scoop.co.nz
newsGP - Australia's COVID-19 response may have saved more than 16000 lives
The University of Sydney-led research, published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), is based on modelling that used the UK’s COVID-19 response as a template. Led by Dr Fiona Stanaway, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of Sydney, researchers used data on all-cause mortality from England and Wales over the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak from March to May to directly estimate the number of excess deaths that may have occurred if the outbreak in Australia had been of a similar extent. ‘This resulted in an estimated additional 16,313 deaths in Australia: 9295 men and 7018 women,’ Dr Stanaway and her colleagues wrote.
7th Oct 2020 - RACGP
How virus lockdowns have triggered a surge in domestic violence across Australia
Coronavirus lockdown triggered a surge in domestic violence across Australia. About 13.2 per cent of women living with partners experienced a form of abuse.
Poverty and financial stress often limit women from fleeing violent situations.
Experts have warned reduced welfare payments may force women to stay.
7th Oct 2020 - Daily Mail
Working Remote Leads To Mental Health Challenges: Here’s How To Cope
Working from home has a lot of benefits. Who doesn’t love dressing in sweatpants every day, avoiding the commute and enjoying quality time with their dog? But working from home also has plenty of drawbacks—and some of those are related to a significant negative impact on mental health. In April, a large study found 75% of people were experiencing social isolation and this was correlated with working from home. The more people worked from home, the more they felt socially isolated. Now, another just-released study is highlighting the same challenges, but with even greater reports of mental health challenges.
7th Oct 2020 - Forbes
Handling Mental Health While Working Remotely
After months of millions of people working from home for the first time, it has become clear that there are both pros and cons to this work arrangement. The benefits have always been highlighted, such as no commutes, dressing casually and being able to complete home-related tasks in between meetings. However, a new study of 12,000 people across 11 countries conducted by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence revealed the downsides of remote working. The research found that 78% of respondents saw a negative impact to their mental health this year. Additionally, 41% said they are feeling challenged due to blurred lines between home and work lives.
7th Oct 2020 - AllWork.Space
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown hit food security of children, says rights body
The Covid-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated hunger and malnutrition among communities most vulnerable to food insecurity, especially children, an experts’ committee set up by the National Human Rights Commission has said. In an advisory, the rights watchdog has asked the Union ministries of food and public distribution, women and child development and education to urgently restore and expand coverage under various food handout programmes.
6th Oct 2020 - Hindustan Times
Coronavirus: How lockdown has affected mental health
Covid-19 may be a physical illness but it has also hit mental health hard. In August, a group of NHS leaders said they were seeing a rise in people reporting severe mental health difficulties while charities including Mind, Samaritans and Calm have all said they have seen an increase in people coming to them for help. The BBC's Unusual Times podcast spoke to people around the country about the impact the pandemic and lockdown has had on them.
6th Oct 2020 - BBC News
India saw spike in mental health cases due to lockdown: AIIMS doctor
In India, the ratio between psychiatrists and patients still remains poor and amidst the pandemic, issues pertaining to mental health and depression have witnessed a rise across all age groups. In order to bridge this gap and make mental health care accessible to all, the MHFI (Mental Health Foundation India) launched a web portal MiHOPE that will have medical experts across the country, directly communicate with those who need counselling via telepsychiatry, tele-counseling and holistic individual wellness (emphasising on yoga, physical activities, and nutrition among others).
6th Oct 2020 - The New Indian Express
Isolating students offered food, toiletries but no financial support by UK universities
Students in lockdown must have access to food and basic toiletries, university leaders have said, as the government made deliveries of just one litre of hand sanitiser to campuses in England. Universities UK (UUK), which represents 139 higher education institutions, published a “checklist” of measures for universities supporting students who were self-isolating after Covid-19 exposure, several weeks after teaching restarted at some sites. But the checklist makes no mention of financial support or refunds for costs incurred during lockdowns ordered by university authorities. It was also criticised as too late to help thousands of students already self-isolating, including 824 confirmed Covid cases at Manchester University, more than 770 at Northumbria University, and 800 among students at Sheffield’s two universities.
6th Oct 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullMost Covid infections are mild - so what if you're infected? Some 'common-sense' tips for recovery
There's no magic bullet for recovering from Covid-19. If you have a mild case and can recover at home, it's best to treat it like you would the flu. Professor Christine Jenkins, a respiratory disease expert from UNSW Medicine, says you should apply "common-sense rules" to your recovery. Here are some of them:
6th Oct 2020 - Health24.com
Do you have a self isolation plan sorted? ask Isle of Wight council
Be prepared in case you need to self-isolate. That’s the message from the Isle of Wight Council in the week it became law for people to self-isolate if they test positive for Coronavirus or are contacted by the test and trace service — otherwise risk being fined. To support the community through this difficult time, the council has produced a helpful self-isolation guide — an online toolkit containing advice, support and signposting information to ensure residents are well prepared.
5th Oct 2020 - Isle of Wight News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCould home coronavirus quarantine really get more Australians to come home from overseas?
In Australia, completing two weeks of quarantine in a small hotel room has been the norm for returning travellers for months, but home quarantine is apparently on the horizon. The announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that some international travellers may soon be able to quarantine at home has given hope to plenty of Australian expats and may encourage more to come home. But with only returning travellers from some "safe" countries set to be eligible, where does that leave the others? And what of interstate travellers?
3rd Oct 2020 - abc.net.au
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Scientists warn of new Covid-19 symptom
Scientists have warned a new symptom could be added to the official list of coronavirus symptoms. They said suddenly feeling confused and delirious is a common symptom of Covid-19 among frail older people. Officials in the UK don't recognise any symptoms other than coughing, fever and a lost sense of taste or smell, but there are many others that people suffer regularly. Experts who run the Covid Symptom Tracker app, from King's College London, have now found that large proportions of elderly people get delirious when they're ill.
1st Oct 2020 - This is Local London
Cats spread Covid-19 and must self-isolate, scientists warn
It’s been known for a while that cats are capable of carrying and spreading the coronavirus to each other. And scientists in the US have now publicly stated that our feline friends should stay inside and self-isolate if they live with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19. What’s more, if the owner has to be admitted to hospital the researchers from Colorado State University in the US say whoever is left looking after the cat should observe social distancing just as if it was a person. ‘Infected pet cats should not be allowed to roam freely outdoors to prevent potential risk of spreading infection to other outdoor cats or wildlife,’ the scientists said.
1st Oct 2020 - Metro
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Oct 2020
View this newsletter in fullConfusion 'is a major symptom of Covid-19 in frail older people'
Frail people more likely to become breathless, delirious and tired with Covid-19
Vital to spot most common symptoms because they are the most at-risk group
Virus may be able to cross blood-brain barrier and infect the organ, they said
30th Sep 2020 - Daily Mail
Lockdown could worsen hearing woes for U.S. seniors
Isolation due to the pandemic and failure to get hearing aids checked has fueled anxiety, depression and more hearing loss for many seniors. "This has been a very difficult time as senior facilities and individuals try to balance poor health outcomes related to COVID-19 versus poor health outcomes related to social isolation," said Catherine Palmer, president of the American Academy of Audiology.
30th Sep 2020 - Medical Xpress
Doctors plead with Victorian Premier to ease lockdown over 'disturbing' mental health concerns
A group of doctors has written to Victoria's Premier, describing "disturbing" mental health concerns among school children and pleading to have the state's lockdown eased. The letter, signed by 10 Victorian GPs, details a number of serious mental health concerns arising as a result of the state's harsh stage four lockdown rules.
"Due to the continuing harsh lockdown, the children, young adults and new mothers I mainly treat are in anguish, despair and have no hope," Dr Stacey Harris said in the letter.
30th Sep 2020 - 9News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullSeven tips for managing stress during the pandemic
Our mental health is taking a beating. Here are several ways to regain control and feel better.
29th Sep 2020 - Channel3000.com - WISC-TV3
Should We Have Corona Lockdowns Just for the Old?
The mayor of Moscow just ordered all Muscovites older than 65 to stay at home. This idea of restrictions imposed on just one category of citizens — those most at risk of dying from Covid-19, which mainly means the elderly — will come up a lot more now that the second wave is here. To put it bluntly: Should we lock down the old, or is that like locking them up, and thus unethical? This isn’t meant to be a “modest proposal” in the tradition of Swiftian satire. We need to discuss our options, because going back into general lockdowns isn’t one. Renewed shutdowns wouldn’t be accepted by the population. They’d crush our traumatized economies and cause so much second-order suffering that an honest accounting against the relative harm from Covid-19 would become elusive.
29th Sep 2020 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Psychiatrists' tips to get through university during COVID
University is meant to be a time for meeting new people, freedom from parents, embarking on a new chapter - and of course, learning. For students starting or returning this year, COVID-19 has dramatically changed things, with several universities already placing students into self-isolation after outbreaks. Maintaining good mental health is an integral part of getting through university during these unusual and unsettling times.
25th Sep 2020 - Sky News
Covid-19: Up to £10,000 fine for failure to self-isolate in England
Refusing to self-isolate when told to is now illegal in England, with fines of up to £10,000. Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, or has been told they have been in contact with someone who has, now has a legal duty to quarantine. It comes as a study commissioned by the government found just 18% of people who had symptoms went into isolation. Meanwhile, the government has promised an "uninterrupted supply" of PPE for front-line workers over the winter. Four-month stockpiles of PPE - personal protective equipment such as masks, visors and gowns - will be available from November, the Department of Health has said.
28th Sep 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Sea swims help with lockdown mental health
A sea swim before dawn to help those struggling with mental health issues has been attracting more than 100 people every week. Chris Reeves set up the Win the Morning, Win the Day group on social media six weeks ago, offering to meet up in Gosport with anyone wanting to get some exercise and talk about their problems.
The group meets every Friday at 05.30 BST and Chris has imposed coronavirus safety measures, such as splitting people into groups of six and enforcing staggered starts to the walk. The idea is now gaining popularity, with groups also starting in Leeds, Manchester and Bahrain.
26th Sep 2020 - BBC News
Coronavirus: Students 'scared and confused' as halls lock down
Students have spoken of their worry and confusion at being locked down in their university halls, in a situation described by unions as "shambolic". Up to 1,700 students at Manchester Metropolitan University and hundreds at other institutions, including in Edinburgh and Glasgow, are self-isolating following Covid-19 outbreaks. In Manchester, students are being prevented from leaving by security.
Universities UK said the wellbeing of students was "the first priority". Robert Halfon, the conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, said 3,000 students were in lockdown at universities from Dundee to Exeter. He called for the government and its scientific advisers to reassure students and families by setting out the policy for England - and warned having students in lockdown at Christmas would cause "huge anguish".
26th Sep 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullExplained: Updated Covid-19 quarantine rules across Indian states
The changing dynamic of the Covid-19 pandemic in India has seen states revising their quarantine and self-isolation guidelines for travellers from time to time to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. On Thursday, Kerala became the latest state to relax the mandatory home quarantine for passengers arriving in the state to seven days from 14 days. While some states have relaxed quarantine rules for international passengers on short business visits, some have eased guidelines for certain other categories of passengers as well. Moreover, the government has also reduced the duration of institutional quarantine for international passengers to seven days followed by home isolation for another 7 days.
24th Sep 2020 - The Indian Express on MSN.com
Gov't requires facility isolation for mild, asymptomatic COVID-19 patients
Facility-based isolation is now required for all mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the country, except if they are considered vulnerable. The government’s inter-agency task force (IATF) approved this directive on COVID-19, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement Thursday night.
24th Sep 2020 - philstar.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid ban on care home visitors risks premature deaths, experts warn
Sweeping bans on visiting at thousands of care homes risk residents dying prematurely this winter as they give up hope in the absence of loved ones, experts in elderly care have warned. More than 2,700 care homes in England are either already shut or will be told to do so imminently by local public health officials, according to a Guardian analysis of new government rules announced to protect the most vulnerable from Covid-19. Care groups are calling for the government to make limited visiting possible, including by designating selected family members as key workers. Since Friday any care homes in local authority areas named by Public Health England for wider anti-Covid interventions must immediately move to stop visiting, except in exceptional circumstances such as end of life. It also halts visits to windows and gardens and follows seven months of restrictions in many care homes that closed their doors to routine visits in March.
23rd Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Australian teenager to address UN about Covid hardship among young women
A 16-year-old Australian student, Mayela Dayeh, will address the United Nations general assembly on Wednesday night to present the findings of a survey that shows young women and girls are shouldering a greater economic, domestic and emotional load and working harder during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study, released by humanitarian organisation Plan International as part of a report called “Halting Lives – The impact of Covid019 on girls and young women”, surveyed more than 7,000 15-to-24 year-olds across 14 countries. “I think Covid has exacerbated issues we already knew were there, which we had either become complacent about or comfortable with, especially in terms of the gender divide,” Dayeh, a secondary school student, said.
23rd Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Life in lockdown: health-wise, it's not as bad as you think
While Victorians continue to endure restrictions from a second wave of COVID-19, new research from the University of South Australia is providing much-needed good news about people’s overall health and wellbeing following lockdown. In preliminary findings from UniSA’s ongoing Annual Rhythms in Adults’ lifestyle and health (ARIA) study, researchers found that effect of lockdown on people’s lifestyle and wellbeing was not as bad as we might have expected. Assessing people’s sleep, physical activity, diet, weight and psychological wellbeing, the lockdown period showed that, on average people: slept 27 minutes longer - got up 38 mins later - did 50 mins less of light physical activity - drank a bit more alcohol (0.9 per cent energy intake, equivalent to two standard drinks a week) - ate a little less protein (0.8 per cent energy intake, equivalent to three eggs a week).
23rd Sep 2020 - Newswise
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullFlu and Covid-19 at same time significantly increases risk of death
The evidence for the double whammy is currently limited and comes mostly from a study with small numbers – 58 people – carried out in the UK during the early phase of the pandemic. “As I understand it, it’s 43% of those with co-infection died compared with 26.9% of those who tested positive for Covid only,” said England’s deputy chief medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam. These were people who had been hospitalised and had been tested for both viruses, he said, and so were very ill – but the rate of death from Covid alone in the study between January and April was similar to the known rate of Covid hospital mortality generally of around 25% or 26%.
22nd Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Colds Nearly Vanished Under Lockdown. Now They’re Coming Back
Data from Australia and across Europe indicate a surge of at least one other ailment that has been lying mostly dormant: the common cold. Colds are caused by many viruses, but the culprits, at this point, are largely rhinoviruses. That isn’t especially surprising. Rhinoviruses are ubiquitous bugs that normally spread this time of year as schools and day care centers reopen, which in many places they have. “This is exactly what we’d expect during a normal back-to-school season,” says Catherine Moore, a virologist at Public Health Wales.
22nd Sep 2020 - WIRED
Australians stranded overseas 'betrayed', says a man telling of months of injury, illness and homelessness
For months Mr Hargreaves had been seriously ill, basically homeless, and stranded in a nightmare — unable to return to his home in Berry on the New South Wales South Coast. Mr Hargreaves and his wife travelled to France to house-sit in January. As concern around the pandemic spread in February his wife returned home, but he felt obliged to stay a few more weeks to honour his commitment.
22nd Sep 2020 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Sep 2020
View this newsletter in full'She was left with no one': how UK mental health deteriorated during Covid
When Lily Gardiner’s sister took her own life at the end of July, Gardiner was left feeling as though her sister’s mental health struggles and death had gone unnoticed during the pandemic. The loss is even harder for Gardiner (not her real name) to bear, given that in February her sister’s life seemed back on track. After she experienced paranoid delusions and was sectioned in 2019, she had been discharged, was on medication and had regular support from mental health services. That disappeared when lockdown set in.
21st Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Sep 2020
View this newsletter in full'A lifesaver': US seniors turn to Zoom to connect with friends and family
As the pandemic persists, older adults who are at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 are moving their lifestyles – from classes to coffee chats – online
18th Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullStudy results show elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19
Social isolation. Financial worries. They're two unfortunate realities causing great anxiety for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also may raise the risk of death by suicide. While no definitive data exists yet on suicide rates during the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study in late June on mental health, substance use and suicidal ideation in U.S. adults. The results showed elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19. Thirty-one percent of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression and 11% reported having seriously considered suicide in the 30 days prior to the study.
18th Sep 2020 - News Medical
Should seniors take extra precautions against COVID-19 this fall? Experts weigh in
As the coronavirus pandemic continues and flu season begins, leading to concerns of a "twindemic" in the United States, health experts are urging those who are high-risk for either or both illnesses to limit their social bubbles to stay healthy. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the country, said on Sept. 10 that people needed to prepare to "hunker down and get through this fall and winter." “We've been through this before,” Fauci said. “Don't ever, ever underestimate the potential of the pandemic. And don't try and look at the rosy side of things."
17th Sep 2020 - YAHOO!
Loneliness doubled among older adults in first months of COVID-19, poll shows
Staying close to home and avoiding crowded places can help older adults reduce their risk of COVID-19. But a new national poll suggests it comes with a cost, especially for those with health challenges. In June of this year, 56 percent of people over the age of 50 said they sometimes or often felt isolated from others -- more than double the 27 percent who felt that way in a similar poll in 2018.
17th Sep 2020 - Science Daily
Tips for managing mental health during COVID-19
Months in, the pandemic continues to take a toll on mental health. As part of our #AskReuters Twitter chat series, Reuters gathered a group of experts to share their tips on coping with isolation, caregiving and more. Below are edited highlights. How does isolation affect mental health? What are some strategies we can use to find community during a lockdown? “Before the pandemic, we were already in the middle of a mental health crisis. And the pandemic has only made that more urgent. An August survey from the Centers for Disease Control found that over 40% of adults reported experiencing mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.”
17th Sep 2020 - Reuters UK
Crittenton Children's Center offers tips for student mental health during pandemic
A lot of school districts in the greater Kansas City metro area are beginning their second week of school Monday. The combination of virtual learning and isolation at home is really taking a toll on children. Studies have found social isolation can cause mental health challenges for students. Licensed clinical social worker, Brit Broshous with Saint Luke's Crittenton Children's Center, said it's important to check any behaviors that may seem out of the ordinary.
17th Sep 2020 - KSHB
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullStress, anxiety and depression levels soar under UK Covid-19 restrictions
Restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus in the UK has driven stress, anxiety and depression far above normal levels and may do again in coming months if widespread lockdowns are re-imposed, researchers say. A major study into the mental health impact of the pandemic found that in the early stages of lockdown 57% of those who took part reported symptoms of anxiety, with 64% recording common signs of depression. While the mental health problems improved as restrictions eased, scientists warn they may worsen again as infections rise and more aggressive nationwide lockdowns are considered over the autumn and winter.
16th Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Children living in more costly homes have fewer mental health problems – study
Children who are brought up in more expensive homes have fewer mental health problems than those from cheaper houses, research has found. They are less likely to suffer from anxiety and low mood and also more likely to get on well with their peers, researchers at University College London (UCL) found. While the link between overall wealth and mental wellbeing is well established, the findings highlight the key role that the value of a family’s home plays in a child’s development. Dr Ludovica Gambaro and Dr Vanessa Moulton, from UCL’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies, looked at a range of wealth indicators of the families of 8,500 children, all born around 2000, who are taking part in the internationally respected Millennium Cohort Study.
17th Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Lockdown child sexual abuse 'hidden by under-reporting'
A significant drop in the number of child sexual abuse cases reported to police during lockdown masks the true extent of what's happened to vulnerable children, police chiefs say. National Police Chiefs Council data shows reports in England and Wales fell by 25% between April and August, compared with the same period in 2019. But officers told BBC Newsnight this does not represent the true picture. And senior officers are warning child protection referrals will now rise. Chief Constable Simon Bailey said he suspected the 25% fall was "a false and misleading picture" of what children may have experienced during those months.
16th Sep 2020 - BBC News
Hundreds of pupils self-isolating as schools deal with coronavirus cases
Dozens of schools hit by coronavirus cases have sent home whole classes or year groups of pupils to self-isolate. Since the start of term, at least 24 schools across Staffordshire have resorted to the precautionary measure. It means hundreds of pupils are currently having to miss lessons at school, although teachers are expected to set them work remotely. Several staff have also been asked to stay at home after coming into close contact with an infected person.
16th Sep 2020 - Stoke-on-Trent Live
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullEleven Berkshire schools have pupils self-isolating as cases spike - updates
A total of 11 schools in Berkshire have pupils self-isolating after positive coronavirus cases were confirmed. Kennet School in Thatcham and Furze Platt Senior School in Maidenhead are among the latest schools to confirm pupils are self-isolating. Twenty children from Kennet School have been told to stay home for 14 days after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus. Furze Platt school said a sixth form pupil and other students they came into contact with are self-isolating. Other schools which have sent pupils home include St Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School in Reading, Berkshire, and eight others across the county.
15th Sep 2020 - Berkshire Live
Care homes fear end of coronavirus self-isolation support fund
Care homes are on the brink of losing the emergency government funding that has allowed their staff to abide by self-isolation rules without losing pay. The government has urged care homes to be on the alert as testing shows rising levels of coronavirus infections among staff and residents.
15th Sep 2020 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullIndonesia to provide more self-isolation centers for asymptomatic, mild COVID-19 cases - The Jakarta Post
The Indonesian government is set to provide more facilities to house asymptomatic coronavirus patients or those with mild symptoms to self-isolate, as the number of daily COVID-19 transmissions continues to hit new highs in the country. “The government has prepared quarantine centers for those who test positive for COVID-19, with or without symptoms, so that no one will self-isolate at home," President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said during a Cabinet meeting on Monday.
15th Sep 2020 - Jakarta Post
Coronavirus swept through Jo's house. Here's how he managed to dodge it
When Jo Sumic's wife Laura tested positive for coronavirus, his whole family went into quarantine. When his two daughters later tested positive as well, Jo resigned himself to the fact it would get him too. But it never did. Despite the notoriously infectious virus sweeping through his Melbourne home, taking down family members one by one, Jo is now out of quarantine and back at work. Here's how it unfolded.
14th Sep 2020 - ABC News
Coronavirus: stay indoors or be fined under planned quarantine rules
Boris Johnson is drawing up plans to fine people who breach self-isolation rules amid mounting concern that Britain is facing a second wave of coronavirus. The prime minister is considering enforcing the measure after evidence suggested that people were routinely ignoring advice and leaving their homes. The move, described as a realistic next step, would be part of a “carrot and stick” approach in which people could also be given bigger payments while they were isolating. The approach is likely to mirror quarantine measures for those returning from holidays, which require isolation for 14 days. Police can issue fines of up to £1,000 for breaching quarantine, although the powers have barely been used. Only 34 people have been fined since the measures were introduced.
14th Sep 2020 - The Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullWarwickshire GP addresses depression surge caused by Coronavirus
A leading Warwickshire GP practice has issued urgent advice and guidance in the wake of an alarming rise in cases of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
13th Sep 2020 - Kenilworth Weekly News
Sydney woman has been in coronavirus lockdown since March
Jazzy Regan, who is in her 20s, has been in coronavirus lockdown for 183 days
Ms Regan is severely asthmatic and lives with her 84-year-old grandma. The pandemic has probably been the 'best time ever' for the young woman. She has learnt to cook, exercises in her loungeroom and works from home
12th Sep 2020 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullWhy lockdown is like abstinence
One of the many difficult truths about lockdown is that it sucks. It is particularly painful for people who live alone; people who live in homes of multiple occupation with strangers; the poor; schoolchildren of all ages and their parents – but it is a difficult, painful and unnatural way to live regardless of family type, income or occupation. Thus far, lockdowns are the only reliable way to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and prevent it overwhelming healthcare capacity. That is true whether those lockdowns are mandated by law, or if they take place from below – as has happened in Sweden, where the government never mandated closures to stem the tide of fresh Covid-19 cases, and here in the United Kingdom in the early days of the pandemic, when many people began reducing their social contacts in the weeks before the government forced them to do so.
11th Sep 2020 - New Statesman
Calls for help surge as teens' mental health suffers in lockdown
Mental health support services have seen calls from children and young people in Victoria jump by up to a third as the state's hard lockdown and extended restrictions on school attendance take a toll. There was a 28 per cent spike in calls to the phone counselling service Kids Helpline between March and July 2020 compared with the same period last year and a 19 per cent jump from July to August compared with the previous month.
10th Sep 2020 - The Age
Coronavirus: Why lockdown could be making you vitamin D deficient
With our minds focused on staying safe from COVID-19 and millions forced to stay indoors for weeks on end, there may be other aspects of your health that are suffering without you knowing. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the concerns among doctors with people being unable to get enough time outdoors. "Vitamin D is something that's synthesised inside our bodies and it starts with a process on the skin and often what we're needing is a certain amount of exposure to UV light to start the first step in the chain of producing vitamin D," Melbourne-based GP and spokeswoman from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Dr Lara Roeske told nine.com.au.
10th Sep 2020 - 9News
Make your bed, phone your mother in tears: as Victoria's lockdown drags on, just keep going
Maintaining good nutrition is crucial and an excellent means of incorporating structure into your day. If you are growing your own vegetables – as many have since the “toilet paper-themed scarcity apocalypse” phase of isolation – Instagram everything. Demonstrate second world war-style thrift as you transform beetroot stalks into colourful, inedible gourmet feasts. There’s no need to illustrate your daily half-a-block of Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut habit, or admit your car interior reeks of rendered pork fat because you’re driving through at Macca’s at least three times a week. It’s ... not considered polite.
10th Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus: Kiwis turned to cannabis and alcohol to cope during lockdown - study
Nearly half of all Kiwi adults drank alcohol more frequently and heavily during the lockdown and its aftermath than they normally would, a new survey has found. Women led the way, 52 percent of them drinking more often and 48 percent more heavily than usual the 2020 Global Drug Survey found. Nearly 3000 Kiwis took part in the international research, which this year focused on how people's drug use was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns implemented to suppress it. Stuck at home, many people turned to alcohol and other drugs - while others cut back, robbed of opportunities for socialising with friends. "There's been a number of New Zealanders that have increased their consumption during lockdown, and they've maintained that post-lockdown," Nicki Jackson of Alcohol Healthwatch told The AM Show on Thursday.
10th Sep 2020 - Newshub
New Zealand mental health crisis as Covid stretches a struggling system
New Zealanders are experiencing more depression and anxiety since the coronavirus lockdown, doctors say, despite the country leading the world in its battle against the pandemic. New Zealand has been lauded for its effective management of the virus, with most Kiwis returning to their normal routines following a strict seven-week lockdown in April and May. A recent outbreak in Auckland has now largely been contained. But GPs working on the front line say “generalised anxiety” is proliferating in the community, and putting a strain on mental health services that are already overburdened.
10th Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Save the Children conducts largest global survey on the impact of COVID-19
93% of households that lost over half of their income due to the pandemic reported difficulties in accessing health services; Two thirds of the children had no contact with teachers at all, during lockdown; eight in ten children believed they had learned little or nothing since schools closed; and violence at home doubled: during school closures, the reported rate was 17% compared to 8% when the child was attending school in person.
10th Sep 2020 - Save The Children Australia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullFor women and children around the world, a double plague: Coronavirus and domestic violence
“The quarantine changed everything,” she said. Shut inside their one-room house in rural El Salvador, he began drinking heavily. Soon, she says, he was regularly violating the coronavirus curfew and seeing other women openly. He would return home at odd hours, wake her and demand meals. Drunk, he would taunt Zoila, 24 years old and pregnant, calling her worthless and threatening violence. Then one morning, she says, he grabbed her by the throat, slammed her against the wall and attempted to rape her. When she resisted, she said, the punching began, stopping only when fluid began trailing down her leg. Zoila screamed, fearing a miscarriage.
6th Sep 2020 - The Washington Post
The UK's Drinking Problem Got Worse Under Lockdown. Here Are The Facts
When Adam Winstock, founder of the Global Drug Survey, was reading through the most common reasons UK respondents gave for drinking more in lockdown, one stood out to him: “I’m rewarding myself for getting through Covid.” The annual survey, conducted this year during April and May to take a snapshot of lockdown, revealed what we probably already know: that more than half of people have been drinking more – but also that excessive drinking left many of us feeling worse, exacerbating underlying mental and physical health issues.
9th Sep 2020 - HuffPost UK
Survey shows many young people are drinking less alcohol in lockdown
Our Global Drug Survey released today, which includes replies from more than 55,000 participants, shows a mixed response. We found some people are increasing their use of alcohol and cannabis, mainly due to boredom, which previous research has found. But other people have reduced their drinking and drug use now festivals, nightclubs or parties are no longer an option—a trend that has so far gained less attention.
9th Sep 2020 - Medical Xpress
Singapore’s poorest stay in lockdown while others move freely
With restaurants and malls bustling, pre-pandemic life is slowly returning for people in Singapore—except for the more than 300,000 migrant workers who make up much of the city’s low-wage workforce. Since April, these workers have been confined to their residences with limited exceptions for work. After an extensive testing and quarantine campaign, the government cleared the dormitories where most of these workers live of COVID-19 in August, letting residents leave for several “essential errands,” like court appearances and doctor’s appointments. The government said last month it was working toward relaxing more rules for workers. Those plans are now under threat, with new virus clusters emerging in the dorms, where workers from China, India, Indonesia and elsewhere share bunks and tight living spaces.
9th Sep 2020 - BusinessWorld
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus testing and quarantine rules explained - and what you're allowed to do in isolation
Self-isolation is a precautionary measure to protect those around you from potentially contracting Covid-19. It means staying at home and avoiding close contact with other people – including friends and family. But with coronavirus cases rising in the UK and Health Secretary Matt Hancock concerned that the spike is mainly among “affluent younger people” – who actually needs to self-isolate? When do you need to do it and what does it involve?
8th Sep 2020 - iNews
‘Despair of isolation is just as dangerous as the coronavirus’
Last Sunday, we published an article about the problems facing relatives who wish to visit care home residents during the pandemic. The response from readers was overwhelming. These are some of their stories:
8th Sep 2020 - The Times
New UK social work study zeros in on self-care during COVID-19
To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on social workers, researchers in the College of Social Work (CoSW) Self-Care Lab at the University of Kentucky conducted an insightful study. "We focus a lot on the acute medical issues associated with COVID-19, and social workers are definitely doing pertinent work alongside other health care providers in that arena," College of Social Work Dean Jay Miller, lead investigator of the study, said. "But social workers are also doing work to address other problematic consequences, such as unemployment, growing mental health needs, child protection and access to education. These factors certainly make for stressful practice conditions, which can contribute to professional burnout."
8th Sep 2020 - Medical Xpress
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullTalking robots could be used in UK care homes to ease loneliness and improve mental health
Robots could be used in care homes after a study found they can improve mental health and have the potential to reduce loneliness in vulnerable older people. A robot called Pepper was tested in care homes in the UK and researchers found adults who used the robot for up to 18 hours across two weeks saw a significant improvement in their mental health. After two weeks, there was also a small but positive impact on people's feelings of loneliness, the study by the University of Bedfordshire, Middlesex University and Advinia Health Care found. Pepper is able to engage in and keep up a conversation, and can also learn about people's habits and tastes.
8th Sep 2020 - Sky News
To work or stay home with kids? Question faces parents during coronavirus
Some local day care centers and community centers are creating ways for students to take virtual classes while their parents work. This became an issue after some Butler County school districts switched from in-person teaching to virtual classes at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Those decisions by school districts, some made late in the summer, gave families as little as two weeks to find a caregiver, leaving some working parents scrambling as many child care centers are already full.
8th Sep 2020 - Hamilton Journal News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullIndia didn't prioritize mental health before Covid-19. Now it's paying the price
"My heartbeats are heavy. It becomes difficult to catch my breath. My hands shake and get sweaty," said Aritri Paul of the terrifying panic attacks that strike more frequently since India went into coronavirus lockdown in March. India's government started easing the most severe restrictions on daily life in June, but the effects of the lockdown on residents' mental health are still emerging, as the country battles one of the most severe Covid-19 outbreaks in the world. India now has over 4.2 million cases of the virus, giving it the second-highest tally of recorded cases globally, only behind the Unites States.
7th Sep 2020 - CNN
During pandemic, growth of U.S. adults with mental health issues jumps to 53 percent
A growing number of U.S. adults are struggling with mental health issues linked to worry and stress over the novel coronavirus, increasing from 32 percent in March to 53 percent in July, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, for example, reached 40 percent this summer, up from 11 percent a year ago. In addition, a similar assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, by late June, 13 percent of adults had started or increased alcohol consumption or drug use to help cope with pandemic-related woes, and 11 percent had seriously considered suicide in the past month — a number that reached 25 percent among those ages 18 to 24. Social isolation, loneliness, job loss and economic worries as well as fear of contracting the virus are among factors cited as contributing to people’s mental health problems.
6th Sep 2020 - The Washington Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullDepression on the rise following coronavirus pandemic warns Warwickshire GP
Dr Alia Fahmy, from GP service Concierge Medical based in Warwick, fears the virus will spark a long-term mental health issue across the UK. Figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed that one in five adults in the UK have experienced some form of depression since the outbreak of coronavirus, almost double the figures for last year. Following the news, Dr Fahmy has issued urgent advice and guidance. She said: “People’s lives have been changed beyond recognition in the fight against coronavirus and, even if we find a vaccine soon, there will still be a long-term knock-on effect on the nation’s mental health. “There’s a significant social aspect to the pandemic because Covid-19 has caused such widespread fear and anxiety and left a lot of people afraid to go out and put themselves at risk.
3rd Sep 2020 - Leamington Observer
Air Canada to conduct study on COVID-19 quarantine periods
Air Canada said on Thursday it plans to conduct a study on international travelers arriving at the Toronto Pearson International Airport, to test the effectiveness of various COVID-19 quarantine periods.
3rd Sep 2020 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullMore children diagnosed with mental illness amid Victoria’s second Covid wave
There has been a significant increase in anxiety, depression and eating disorders in young people aged up to 14 years old since Victoria’s second coronavirus wave began, data analysis of 3 million patients across general practices in Victoria and New South Wales has found. The study was led by Monash University, with researchers analysing data from more than 1,000 GP practices in NSW and Victoria. The sample data used for the research represents about 30% of the national population. While there had been a near eradication of the usual winter infectious diseases like influenza, bronchiolitis and gastro, owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the researchers found a significant and sustained increase in mental illnesses.
2nd Sep 2020 - The Guardian
COVID-19 sparks 12-fold increase in remote delivery of mental health care across the US
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a remarkable number of psychologists across the United States to shift to delivering mental health care to patients remotely, according to a national study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. The study, "The COVID-19 Telepsychology Revolution: A National Study of Pandemic-Based Changes in U.S. Mental Health Care Delivery," which was published in the journal American Psychologist, involved a survey of 2,619 licensed psychologists across the country and found that the amount of clinical work performed via telepsychology had increased 12-fold since the pandemic began.
2nd Sep 2020 - Medical Xpress
As Victoria endures prolonged coronavirus lockdown, mental health workers see devastating impacts of COVID-19
Many exhausted Victorian healthcare workers have been among the callers. They're experiencing burn-out and fatigue, and they're stressed about not being able to take time off work, Joy says. They have also raised concerns about the possibility of unknowingly contracting and passing on the virus.
2nd Sep 2020 - ABC News
More than half of people struggled to manage their weight during COVID-19 lockdown, suggests UK survey
More than half of adults have found it difficult to manage their weight during the COVID-19 lockdown, according to the results of an online survey involving over 800 UK adults, being presented at The European and International Congress on Obesity (ECOICO), held online this year (1-4 September).
2nd Sep 2020 - Medical Xpress
'It gets into your bones': the unique loneliness of coronavirus lockdown when you live alone
Melbourne’s second-wave lockdown rules are some of the strictest in the western world – and many single people have faced weeks of isolation
3rd Sep 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullRemote Working Yields Mixed Results on Mental Health, Well-Being
Communicating with co-workers remotely can also be stressful, according to the survey. When asked about their greatest sources of pressure and frustration…42% said co-workers expected them to be “always on” or available 31% cited having to check multiple communication channels for work Some employees may need to be more proactive about setting boundaries, particularly if remote working continues after the pandemic, as some experts predict. In fact, the Adaptavist survey found that a majority of respondents (60%) said they didn’t turn off their notifications at the end of the workday, allowing colleagues to reach them at any time.
1st Sep 2020 - Yahoo Finance UK
How to talk to your boss about not wanting to go back to the office
Laura’s predicament is particularly baffling but she’s not the only one dragging her heels back to the office. A survey from Morgan Stanley’s research unit AlphaWise, conducted in mid-July, found that only 34 per cent of UK ‘white-collar’ workers had returned to work, and for city workers that’s only one in six. As the BBC also reports, 50 of the biggest UK employers have no plans to ask all staff to the office full-time in the near future. Workplace anxiety may be the driving factor in this. A ManpowerGroup survey, published last week but carried out in June, found that staff in the US and UK were both less confident about returning to work and more fearful of a second Covid-19 wave compared to Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, Singapore and Spain.
1st Sep 2020 - Wired.co.uk
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Sep 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus Australia: Free mental health and wellbeing support during the COVID-19 pandemic
When we’re not coping, it’s not always possible to see a psychologist for help. Sometimes there are barriers to professional support services – cost, distance, availability and, more recently, coronavirus lockdowns. If you’re struggling during COVID-19, there are a number of free and accessible tools available.
31st Aug 2020 - NEWS.com.au
Payments for English self-isolating on low incomes to be trialled
Regional leaders in England have called on the government to increase the level of support under a new scheme launched on Thursday for people on low incomes who are required to self-isolate and are unable to work from home. Health secretary Matt Hancock announced plans to trial the scheme in some parts of the north-west of England lockdown area. Those who test positive will be entitled to access £130 over their 10-day self-isolation period, while members of their household will be entitled to a payment of £182 when they self-isolate for 14 days.
Any non-household contacts reached via the government’s NHS test-and-trace programme will be able to claim a similar amount, depending on the length of their isolation period.
27th Aug 2020 - Financial Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullWho is eligible for the £182-a-week self-isolation benefit and how to claim it
After months of lockdown, and several last-minute restrictions placed on travellers from countries such as France and Spain, quarantine has almost become a part of normal life. But one of the biggest worries for most Britons is how to manage work when forced to stay home for two weeks. Now, the Government has launched a scheme that is aimed at helping low-income workers receiving either Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit who cannot work remotely when they need to self-isolate.
27th Aug 2020 - iNews
'Fear of failure' giving UK children lowest happiness levels in Europe
Children in the UK have the lowest levels of life satisfaction across Europe, with “a particularly British fear of failure” partly to blame, according to a major report into childhood happiness. More than a third of UK 15-year-olds scored low on life satisfaction, the annual Good Childhood Report from the Children’s Society found. They also fared badly across happiness measurements including satisfaction with schools, friends and sense of purpose compared to children in other European countries. The rise in UK child poverty and school pressures were cited alongside the fear of failure as reasons why only 64% of UK children experienced high life satisfaction – the lowest figure of 24 countries surveyed by the OECD. Children in Romania had the highest levels of life satisfaction (85%), just ahead of Finland (84%), while the UK fared worse than Spain (82%) and France (80%)
28th Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Domestic violence has seen a sharp rise – mothers will be in danger when children go to school
At least 26 women have been killed during the coronavirus lockdown by domestic terrorisers – the youngest was two, the oldest 82. A woman was on the phone behind me at the supermarket, her voice loud and panicky. She was talking about a friend or relative who was dreading the reopening of schools: “He’ll start belting her again. Kicked her head in last time. Stopped when the kids were home.” Most parents are desperate to get their children back into the classroom. But for this woman – whoever she was – and many others too, as I later discovered – being alone with an abusive partner is as dangerous as being in a cage with a raging, wild beast. It was bad enough before the pandemic, when around two women per week were being killed by men they knew. The media often neglects to report these deaths. They died as they had lived, without dignity or due care. Look up the Counting Dead Women Project, which lists these homicide cases. It’s like walking into the saddest graveyard of buried bodies, whose stories will never be fully known.
27th Aug 2020 - iNews
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullBMC fights COVID-19 pandemic: Psycho-social counselling making an impact
The COVID-19 positive cases remaining at home isolation are no longer anxious, stressed and fearful about the disease, thanks to the initiatives and counselling by the clinical psychologists and psychiatric social worker at the 1929 Call Centre. Majority of the people, contacting the call centre and are in home isolation are now happy with their present arrangement and they feel that this could be a better alternative for asymptomatic and mild symptomatic positive cases. The counsellors are also helping the shifting cases to hospitals.
25th Aug 2020 - Odisha Diary
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullPen Pals aim to ease isolation for older Australians
Senior Australians will be able to form new connections with Australia Post establishing a new Senior Pen Pal Club. The club will link together seniors' organisations to assist older Australians to find new friends and help relieve the issue of social isolation experienced by one-in-five Australians over the age of 75.
25th Aug 2020 - Stock Journal
An epidemic of depression and anxiety among young adults
Of COVID-19’s many side effects, perhaps the least appreciated are psychological. Those who have had a bad case and survived, like people who’ve been in war or accidents, may suffer post-traumatic stress for years. And even people in the as-yet-healthy majority are hurting. Young adults, in particular, are getting more depressed and anxious as the pandemic uproots whatever budding life plans they had been nursing. It’s long been clear that COVID-19, like any major disaster, is causing an increase in mental health disorders and their accompanying evils. Those range from alcoholism and drug addiction to wife beating and child abuse. In the Americas, the world’s most afflicted region with hot spots from the the United States to Brazil, this psycho-social crisis has become its own epidemic, according to the World Health Organization’s regional branch.
24th Aug 2020 - The Japan Times
Suicidal Ideation Is Increasing During COVID-19: How Best to Cope
Experts say mental health issues and suicidal ideation are rising as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. They say the mental strain of the pandemic is particularly difficult for people in marginalized groups. They note men and people who live in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to suicidal ideation. Experts recommend people avoid becoming isolated, stick to a regular schedule, and look for uplifting moments in their week.
23rd Aug 2020 - Healthline
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullGive students hope amid coronavirus mental health crisis, experts urge
The suicides of some year 11 and 12 students have prompted mental health experts to warn that Australia must act quickly to counteract a growing sense of hopelessness among HSC students. Parents and teachers are increasingly worried about the welfare of senior students as their rites of passage are cancelled, the job market shrinks and the tertiary education sector faces a financial crisis due the coronavirus pandemic.
23rd Aug 2020 - Sydney Morning Herald
Covid-19 crisis hits hard for the elderly
Elderly people have suffered the most from the massive employment contraction during the economic crisis, although more will be working beyond retirement age, according to an online forum. People aged 60 and over who are still working made up one-third of the workforce last year and 60 percent of them ran their own micro-businesses without employees, said Chalermpol Jamjan, a lecturer at the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University. Many retirees remain dependent on income they earn from being employed. Only after they reach the age of 70 will they rely more, if not entirely, on money from their children or those close to them.
23rd Aug 2020 - Bangkok Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to look after your mental health during COVID-19
COVID-19 is having a huge affect on our collective mental health. Common symptoms of the virus include fatigue, short attention span and mood disorders.
Through exercise and mindfulness training, we can train our brains to be more resilient and protect our mental health.
20th Aug 2020 - World Economic Forum
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullA psychologist's tips on protecting your mental health in the pandemic recession
AS THE economic fallout from coronavirus starts to crystallise, it is clear to everyone that difficult times lie ahead. Job losses, budget cuts and record-setting recessions – the damage looks so deep that it raises, among other things, the prospect of a public mental health crisis. “When it comes to mental health, I don’t think people are well-versed with practices,” says chartered psychologist and contributing editor for Psychologies Magazine Suzy Reading. “We all know what it takes to look after our physical health, but when it comes to mental health, people need fresh tools and new ideas.” Here’s what to do if the stress begins to build, from the power of perspective to simply getting a good night’s sleep…
19th Aug 2020 - The Irish News
COVID-19 pandemic causes mental health crisis in Americas, says WHO official
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a mental health crisis in the Americas due to heightened stress and use of drugs and alcohol during six months of lockdowns and stay-at-home measures, the World Health Organization’s regional director said on Tuesday. The pandemic also has brought a related problem in a surge in domestic violence against women, Carissa Etienne said in a virtual briefing from the Pan American Health Organization in Washington. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health crisis in our region at a scale we’ve never seen before,” she said. “It is urgent that mental health support is considered a critical component of the pandemic response.”
19th Aug 2020 - Reuters UK
Coronavirus: Depression in the UK officially doubled during lockdown
The number of people suffering from depression symptoms in the UK doubled when the country was under a COVID-19 lockdown, official figures show. Almost a fifth of British adults — 19.2 per cent — were likely to be experiencing some form of depression in June 2020, according to a survey of more than 3,500 people carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released on Tuesday. Prior to the pandemic, fewer than one in ten said so. "Today's research provides an insight into the mental health of adults during the coronavirus pandemic. Revisiting this same group of adults before and during the pandemic provides a unique insight into how their symptoms of depression have changed over time," Tim Vizard, the ONS' principal research officer, said in a statement.
19th Aug 2020 - Euronews
Lockdown makes life tougher for those in rehab
Ever since Victoria declared a state of emergency on 16 March, almost every event or gathering was cancelled or postponed so as to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. While this was an inconvenience for some, it was a loss of income for others. But for an even smaller community, restrictions meant the loss of an essential tool needed for drug and alcohol recovery: social interaction. And now that Melburnians have entered into a six-week-long period of isolation with stage four restrictions in effect, it is going to be even tougher for those who require a strong social network to combat substance use.
19th Aug 2020 - Independent Australia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullPandemic-related depression rises among young Britons, finds ONS
The coronavirus pandemic is severely debilitating the mental health of young Britons as cases of depression are on the rise, official figures show. About one in five adults in Great Britain experienced either moderate or severe depressive symptoms in June this year, almost double the level recorded before the pandemic, data from the Office for National Statistics revealed on Tuesday. The increase was more dramatic for people aged between 16 and 34, with one-third experiencing symptoms in June, compared with one in nine before the virus. “Young people across the UK have had their lives turned upside down by the pandemic,” said Tom Madders, of mental health charity YoungMinds. “Almost every young person has had to adjust to dramatic changes in their education or employment, routine and home life. Many will have struggled to cope with social isolation, anxiety, a loss of structure and fears about their future.”
18th Aug 2020 - Financial Times
Mental health services critical part of COVID-19 response, PAHO director says
Countries in the Americas should expand and invest in mental health services to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa Etienne said today. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health crisis in our region at a scale we've never seen before. It's a perfect storm in every country, as we see growing needs and reduced resources to address them. It is urgent that mental health support is considered a critical component of the pandemic response,” she said. “Mental health and domestic violence services are essential services, and we must place emphasis on addressing the gaps that have been laid bare by the pandemic. Today, I ask countries to take the steps required to ensure everyone can receive the care they need and deserve,” Etienne told a press briefing.
19th Aug 2020 - The Jamaica Observer
Ottawa Public Health provides mental health tips for isolated residents
As COVID-19 changes the way we interact with the world, Ottawa Public Health is emphasizing the importance of sticking to one’s social bubble of 10 to reduce transmission of the virus. “That’s the key part for this to work. It’s not, ‘I’m part of this bubble today and tomorrow I’m part of another bubble,’” Ottawa’s associate medical officer of health Dr. Brent Moloughney told reporters on Aug. 5. “Then the 10 becomes 20, becomes 30, becomes 40, and just becomes an opportunity for increased transmission.” “The issue is that there’s a reciprocity. There is an agreement amongst all the people in a particular circle that they are only going to treat each other in that way. You can’t belong to more than one circle,” he said.
19th Aug 2020 - capitalcurrent.ca
Family mental health crisis: Parental depression, anxiety during COVID-19 will affect kids too
In our current studies, we report that pregnant mothers and those with young children are experiencing three- to five-fold increases in self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms. A history of mental illness, current domestic conflict and financial stress were associated with worse mental health across multiple child age groups. These figures are especially concerning because young children are highly vulnerable to maternal mental illness due to their near total reliance on caregivers to meet basic health and safety needs.
18th Aug 2020 - MSN
Dreading A Pandemic Winter? Some Tips On How I Survived The Isolation Of Arctic Life.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was suddenly alone at home with only an 11-month-old baby for company as my husband, a pilot, transported medical equipment abroad. Playdates, music classes, grandparents’ visits and all the other community supports I relied on disappeared over the course of a weekend. As provinces gradually reopen, many anxiously weigh the pros and cons of resuming life as we once knew it — hosting small family gatherings, exploring the outdoors, perhaps even sitting on restaurant patios. But with August already midway, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this summertime reprieve is nearing its end.
18th Aug 2020 - HuffPost Canada
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: UK lockdown loneliness strikes women and younger workers most
Women and younger workers are the two groups most likely to have been adversely affected by feelings of loneliness while working remotely, according to a new study. Half of women and nearly three-quarters (74%) of younger workers said they had felt lonely in lockdown according to research conducted by Totaljobs. Social distancing, working from home and endless screen time has meant it is inevitable that experiences of loneliness will spike, the recruitment website said.
The poll of 2,000 UK workers found that almost half (46%) of UK workers have experienced loneliness and social isolation during lockdown. More than half of workers agreed that the majority of their social interactions happened in the workplace. Employees are facing what Totaljobs calls a “social silence” when it comes to interactions with colleagues.
17th Aug 2020 - Yahoo Finance UK
Coronavirus isolated LGBTQ students from community. Now they’re going back to school.
Micah Lance graduated from St. Petersburg’s Dixie Hollins High in 2015, but one of his strongest memories remains his first meeting with the school’s GSA club. GSAs (the acronym stands for “Gay-Straight Alliance” or “Gender and Sexuality Alliance”) have existed at Tampa Bay high schools for nearly a decade, helping LGBTQ students and allies socialize, organize and support each other.
17th Aug 2020 - Tampa Bay Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 lockdown on sexual and reproductive health in Australia
Nearly a third of participants reported difficulties accessing their usual feminine hygiene products during the lockdown in Australia. Participants reported delaying childbearing or deciding to remain childfree due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ensuring continued access to sexual and reproductive health services and products for all who require them during global emergencies is essential.
16th Aug 2020 - News-Medical.Net
London and coronavirus: Why one young couple is moving to the country
For as long as there have been cities, their residents have agreed to an unwritten contract. They tolerate cramped living quarters, noise and pollution. In exchange, they get the vibrancy that rural towns often lack.
17th Aug 2020 - CNN on MSN.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullHome-based care tips for sick to go online
The Ministry of Health plans to roll out an online home-based care programme to guide caregivers in the fight against Covid-19. This as health officials commended the positive impact of home-based care in the fight against the pandemic.
14th Aug 2020 - The Standard Digital
The pandemic has affected millions with other illnesses – here's how it affected a health professor's struggle with bulimia
Control. What does it mean to lose control? For someone who has spent nearly half their life battling an eating disorder, losing control is about an extremely heightened awareness of numbers. Numbers I believe I can control. Because I have an acute need for control, this pandemic drove me to focus on numbers that I spent years in therapy training my brain not to obsess over. What is my weight? How many minutes have I exercised today? When is the next time I can eat? How many calories have I consumed? These are numbers that I believe I can control when other aspects of life seem unmanageable. As a public health expert focusing on food and nutrition policy, I assumed that the coronavirus would impact our country heavily. But I was not mentally prepared for the level of destruction that would suffocate our communities. And I was not prepared for how it would affect me.
13th Aug 2020 - The Conversation US
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullMental health is reaching a breaking point during COVID: How employers can spot suicide warning signs
Suicide rates in the U.S. continue to rise every year and the largest number of suicides occur among those in the working age population. The isolation of remote work and the emotional strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a new mental health crisis in the workplace. “We're at a pivotal moment to address mental health or that will become the next pandemic," says Kristin Tugman, vice president of Health and Productivity Analytics at Prudential. “Suicide is elusive, and nobody wants to talk about it.”
13th Aug 2020 - Employee Benefit News
US coronavirus: Mental health access is vital during pandemic, experts say
Many people may be experiencing increased anxiety during the pandemic, which experts say can be compounded by the sense of isolation that can come with social distancing. That's why it's important for people who are vulnerable to increased anxiety to have access mental health care, panelists said during an American Lung Association event on Wednesday. "It's also really important to remember that one in five Americans had a diagnosed mental health condition before the pandemic," said Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Those people still need access to mental health care, he said. Duckworth also stressed the importance of telehealth services and phone sessions for people without internet access. "Pain shared is pain halved," Duckworth said.
12th Aug 2020 - CNN on MSN.com
COVID's Effects on Children Coming into Focus
Slowly, anecdotal examples of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on children—and the ways in which behavioral healthcare can address some of these issues—are beginning to emerge to illuminate these topics. Most of our children spent the period between March 15 and June 1 attending school online. At the same time, they were sequestered at home with their adult family members who either were working virtually from home or were laid off. Stay-at-home rules were in place to avoid the COVID-19 contagion. Very young children could not participate in play groups, and older children could not spend time with friends and peers.
12th Aug 2020 - Psych Congress Network
Half of managers fear staff are burning out because of Covid-19, report finds
Experts say change in working patterns and rise of e-presenteeism brought on by the pandemic is leading to increased risk of employee mental health issues
13th Aug 2020 - People Management Magazine
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Severe mental health problems rise amid pandemic
Doctors are seeing a rise in people reporting severe mental health difficulties, a group of NHS leaders says. It follows a more than 30% drop in referrals to mental health services during the peak of the pandemic. But there are predictions that the recent rise will mean demand actually outstrips pre-coronavirus levels - perhaps by as much as 20%. The NHS Confederation said those who needed help should come forward. But the group, which represents health and care leaders, said in a report that mental services required "intensive support and investment" in order to continue to be able to help those who needed it. The NHS Confederation's mental health lead, Sean Duggan, said that when coronavirus cases were at their highest, people stayed away from services, as they did from other parts of the NHS.
11th Aug 2020 - BBC News
Coronavirus Turmoil Raises Depression Risks in Young Adults
Social isolation and vanished opportunities caused by Covid-19 bring a mental-health toll for those on the cusp of careers and adulthood
10th Aug 2020 - The Wall Street Journal
'Like a prison sentence': the couples separated by Covid-19
Unmarried couples from different countries have been quiet victims of the sealing off of global borders in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Around 9,000 Europeans are estimated to be cut off from partners outside the EU, along with thousands of others similarly stranded apart elsewhere. Their ranks includes Felix Urbasik, a German programmer whose Australian partner, April, is stuck in Sydney, unable to join him because of a government ban on citizens travelling. In July, Urbasik found a Facebook group for people in similar situations, and set up a website and forum to organise activism and share stories. “It got 50,000 visits in the first week,” he recalled.
11th Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 has isolated disabled people from family, love, sex
For the millions of disabled people living in Canada, COVID-19 containment measures have posed unique challenges to their health and well-being. Those challenges have included increased social isolation, loss of personal support workers, disruption of vital health services and difficulties accessing basic necessities and information. Many disabled people are also facing difficulties maintaining and forming intimate relationships during COVID-19. It’s been well-documented that disabled people encounter more complex barriers and constraints to exercising their rights to “intimate citizenship,” which refers to our rights to access family, friends, sex and sexuality, and to parent. These rights are enshrined in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Canada signed and ratified.
10th Aug 2020 - The Conversation CA
Royal Commission: Australia's COVID-19 aged care death rate one of the highest in the world
The rate of coronavirus deaths in Australia's aged care homes is among the highest in the world, a royal commission has heard. From inside her Glen Waverley aged care facility, Merle Mitchell told the royal commission of life in lockdown.
"From the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep I'm sitting in my own room in my one chair," she said. "I know I'm here until I die so every time I wake up I think damn, I'm still alive. "I'm sure if you really ask most people here, they would all say they would rather be dead rather than be living here." The months of isolation are meant to protect residents.
10th Aug 2020 - 9News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullThose alone in isolation plead for 'lockdown bubble' rule for one friend
Every day Tonya Scibilia craves the one hour she can leave the house for exercise and make eye contact with other people. “I know it will be 23 hours before I can do that again,” says Ms Scibilia, who lives alone. “It’s really emotionally tough. I am an extrovert but I think it’s innately human to like to have contact with people and that just ceases.” Ms Scibilia, who works in HR, thinks the government is doing an exceptional job steering Victoria through the coronavirus crisis. She vigilantly follows the rules. She hasn’t hugged her family since March. She orders her groceries online to minimise her risk of being infected with COVID-19 at the supermarket.
8th Aug 2020 - The Age
Six months into Covid, England's quarantine programme is still a mess
Where South Korea and Germany offer practical support to those who are isolating, England offers little. Regardless of how much testing and tracing we do, without collecting data about people who are isolating, or providing support for those who need to, the virus will continue to spread. Britain should heed the example of east Asian countries. In South Korea, health authorities established a national network of community treatment centres, where people who tested positive for coronavirus and had mild or no symptoms could isolate. Patients in the treatment centres reported their symptoms twice daily, using an app, and medical staff provided video consultations to patients twice a day.
8th Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Local lockdowns reveal the need to protect workers’ wages
The imposition of stricter lockdown rules in parts of North West England highlights the need for the government to protect the incomes of workers hit by stricter rules.
As well as the additional local lockdowns, alongside the one already in place in Leicester, the government postponed August opening plans for casinos, bowling alleys and ice rinks, in a move affecting tens of thousands of workers. Other workers will have to isolate as they return from holiday in countries such as Spain.
But this hasn’t so far prompted a change in government plans to phase out its furlough scheme. This has been paying 80 per cent of the wages of workers at businesses suffering a slump in demand. It also covers those with caring or health needs which require them to stay at home. Likewise, sick pay rules remain unchanged. Earlier in the pandemic, many of those who needed to self-isolate were given rights to sick pay. But statutory pay-outs are still low and many miss out on this right due to low wages
4th Aug 2020 - TUC.org
Fatigue plagues thousands suffering post-coronavirus symptoms
In early March, as angst about Covid-19 was growing, Layth Hishmeh remained unconcerned. At 26, having never been seriously unwell, he felt pretty confident this new virus would barely affect him and would even joke about it with colleagues.
Then he caught it. After recovering from the initial fortnight of coughing and fever, he collapsed on the street while out shopping. For the next four months he has been ambushed by a baffling array of symptoms, including extreme fatigue, a foggy brain, a raised heartbeat and diarrhoea. “I couldn’t sit up for about one month, and then I couldn’t get myself to the bathroom for another month,” he said. “I’m not doing so well on the mental front at the moment, it’s traumatising.” Mr Hishmeh, who lives in Camberley, Surrey, is one of tens of thousands of people worldwide who have reported severe fatigue and other, apparently uncorrelated, symptoms for months after contracting Covid-19.
4th Aug 2020 - Financial Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus infection rates continued to fall in early stages of lockdown easing, study finds
Coronavirus infection rates continued to drop despite some lockdown restrictions being lifted, a report from the UK's largest testing study has found. The rate of infection throughout the country was halving every eight to nine days during May, according to an initial report released last month by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI. A second report has now revealed the rate of infection continued to fall in late June and early July, with the virus still halving every eight to nine days.
6th Aug 2020 - Sky News
Colombia's long virus lockdown fuels anxiety and depression
In the Colombian capital of Bogotá, the mayor’s office reports that suicide attempts are up 21% since the start of quarantine, with psychologists also reporting a rise in new patients.
6th Aug 2020 - Buenos Aires Times
Michelle Obama says she's suffering from 'low-grade depression'
Michelle Obama Podcast" on Wednesday. "I try to make sure I get a workout in, although there have been periods throughout this quarantine, where I just have felt too low." It's a familiar feeling for many Americans.
6th Aug 2020 - CNN
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown study reports surge in health anxieties
New research into people's coping strategies faced with COVID-19 highlights the mental health toll for those shielding. Coronavirus and the imposition of lockdown this year 'significantly raised' mental health challenges, particularly so for the most vulnerable groups, including those shielding, according to the first study to look at people's coping styles in face of the pandemic.
5th Aug 2020 - Times of India
COVID-19 research call for domestic violence workers
UNSW researchers seek workers helping people impacted by domestic and family violence for a study into how services are meeting community need during the coronavirus pandemic.
5th Aug 2020 - UNSW Newsroom
'I had to hide myself again': young LGBT people on their life in UK lockdown
The experiences of LGBTQ people across the UK during lockdown have been as diverse as the community itself. Married and cohabiting older gay men and lesbians have mainly felt the pandemic has had no more impact on them than on their heterosexual peers. But for many of the more than 200 respondents to the Guardian’s callout, the past few months have brought significant challenges, including weeks of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, increased isolation and deteriorating mental health. Younger LGBTQ people reported that lockdown meant being confined with families who were unsupportive or hostile. Kate, a 24-year-old bisexual demi-girl, meaning she identifies as a woman but not completely, said moving from her flat in Glasgow back into her childhood home in Ayrshire had meant hiding her sexuality again.
5th Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Lockdown HAS affected babies' development and behaviour, research shows
Lockdown has affected the behaviour of babies across the UK, survey suggests. The Babies In Lockdown report found some new parents felt 'abandoned.' Others said babies have become 'clingy', 'violent' and 'upset' in recent months
5th Aug 2020 - Daily Mail
Lockdown having 'pernicious impact' on LGBT community's mental health
5th Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 survivors should be exempt from having to self-isolate, government scientific advisers say
Sage studied evidence which found it's likely survivors can't be infected again. But admitted it is unclear how long this coronavirus 'immunity' would last for
Experts dismissed idea of immunity passports, an idea once floated by ministers
4th Aug 2020 - Daily Mail
Lockdown leaves 85 per cent of parents stressed and seeking family life changes, poll finds
More than eight in 10 parents are feeling stressed about family life and want to make changes after the lockdown, a new poll reveals. Eighty-five per cent of the 2,000 parents questioned said they felt more anxious during the pandemic, with 87 per cent concerned about their children’s emotional heath. The research was commissioned by parenting coach Zoe Blaskey, founder of the Motherkind podcast.
She has launched a “family reset plan” after coaching families through lockdown
4th Aug 2020 - Evening Standard
Lockdown study reports surge in health anxieties
New research into people's coping strategies faced with Covid-19 highlights the mental health toll for those shielding. Coronavirus and the imposition of lockdown this year 'significantly raised' mental health challenges, particularly so for the most vulnerable groups, including those shielding, according to the first study to look at people's coping styles in face of the pandemic. The new research has been published in the journal American Psychologist. It draws on survey responses from over 800 people recruited online and via social media who answered questions over a ten-day period when the UK was in full lockdown (from 17 - 26 April 2020).
4th Aug 2020 - ETHealthworld.com
One scientist's six-point recovery plan to tackle COVID-19 anxiety
Fernando T. Maestre was diagnosed with anxiety during Spain’s coronavirus lockdown. A change in approach to work, life and parenting helped to restore his health.
4th Aug 2020 - Nature.com
Amidst quieter streets and ongoing uncertainty, Paris and its post-lockdown tourists forge a new normal
A friend phoned me from Paris after a particularly dystopian morning in April. She had walked almost two miles east to venture into Bois de Vincennes and, as she approached the sprawling park, a drone buzzed overhead. “Go home,” was its strange disembodied order. My friend, an interpreter by profession, ran all the way there. The coronavirus crisis has stolen much of normal life this year. France curbed its social ways with a stern lockdown to try to tame the killer virus. In a matter of months and in time to salvage some summer holidays, the country found a better way than many others to rise above the dread. In the early days, personal travel was restricted to less than a mile and then only for essential needs—which is how my friend got in trouble. Travel limits eased as infections noticeably fell and when most citizens seemed to comprehend COVID-19 as a resilient foe.
4th Aug 2020 - National Geographic UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullBoris Johnson could tell over-50s to stay at home to avoid lockdown
Millions of people over the age of 50 could be asked to stay at home under Boris Johnson’s plan to avoid the ‘nuclear’ option of a second nationwide lockdown. The targeted approach to deal with a potential second wave of coronavirus infections reportedly emerged in a ‘war game’ session with Chancellor Rishi Sunak this week. Under the proposal, people aged between 50 and 70 could be given ‘personalised risk ratings’ – based on factors such as age and health conditions – and asked to shield themselves in the event of an outbreak, the Times reported. During lockdown, more than two million were deemed to be most at risk and asked to shield themselves from the deadly virus at home.
2nd Aug 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Coronavirus lockdown caused sharp increase of insomnia in UK
The number of Britons suffering sleep loss caused by worrying rose from one in six to one in four as a direct result of the huge disruption to people’s social and working lives after the restrictions began on 23 March. Social isolation, loss of employment, financial problems, illness, fear of getting infected with coronavirus and the pressures of juggling work and home-schooling all contributed to the trend.
Prof Jane Falkingham, from the Economic and Social Research Council-funded Centre for Population Change at Southampton University, which undertook the research, said: “Sleep loss affected more people during the first four weeks of the Covid-19 related lockdown than it did before. We observed a large increase in the number of Britons, both men and women, suffering anxiety-induced sleep problems.
2nd Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Aug 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Shielding advice ends as lockdown easing is put on hold
The government has ended shielding advice meaning the most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak can now leave their home and go to work. Some 2.2 million people with underlying severe health conditions were advised to stay at home and avoid non-essential face-to-face contact under the guidance. Around 595,000 (28%) of those usually work, according to charities. Shielding advice has now ended in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2nd Aug 2020 - Sky News
'I'm Getting Panic Attacks': How Shielders Feel About Returning To Work
The official shielding period has ended in England. Now, some people are having to choose between their health or earning money.
3rd Aug 2020 - Huffington Post UK
Coronavirus: Millions of over-50s 'could be told to stay at home' to avoid second nationwide lockdown
Millions of people aged over 50 could be told to stay at home under a "nuclear" option to prevent a new nationwide lockdown if there is a second wave of coronavirus, according to reports. Boris Johnson is said to be considering asking a greater number of people in England to take part in the shielding programme should there be a big spike in COVID-19 cases. A Sunday Times report said people aged between 50 and 70 could be given personalised risk ratings, taking into account factors such as age and medical conditions, before being asked to shield in the event of an outbreak.
2nd Aug 2020 - Sky News
With borders closed, our lifelines to family overseas have been cut. The isolation is suffocating
Thanks to Covid-19, the great global experiment that, in recent years, invited so many of us to call so many distant shores our homes has lost a little of its sheen
2nd Aug 2020 - The Guardian
Fewer than half of adults understand the current coronavirus lockdown rules, study suggests
Fewer than half of people in England understand the current coronavirus rules, a study has revealed. Researchers found that as measures eased at different rates across the UK, levels of understanding of what is and what is not permitted dropped, particularly among younger adults. University College London (UCL) research conducted on more than 70,000 adults showed that 45 per cent only had a “broad understanding” of the current rules in place.
1st Aug 2020 - Evening Standard
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullWellbeing levels fell during the pandemic but improved under lockdown, new research shows
From June 2019 to June 2020, YouGov surveyed a nationally representative sample of around 2,000 respondents each week across Great Britain. It asked them to report on 12 mood states: happiness, contentment, inspiration, optimism, energy levels, sadness, apathy, stress, boredom, frustration, loneliness and fear.
Data from the survey suggests that the pandemic had a strong negative effect on people’s mood, but that this quickly returned to baseline after the introduction of lockdown. Boredom, loneliness, frustration and apathy increased with the introduction of lockdown, but so did happiness, optimism, contentment and even inspiration. Meanwhile, sadness, fear and stress all fell.
30th Jul 2020 - The Conversation
Britain's lockdown blitz spirit 'is starting to fray', says study
Britons were brought together in the first weeks after lockdown both within their communities and nationally. Clap for Carers also played a major role in community spirit with nearly seven in ten people taking part by May. But unity began to dissipate by mid-May amid a perception that young people were not socially distancing. Support for Black Lives Matter was 'tempered by concerns about public health and violence on the protests.'
30th Jul 2020 - Daily Mail
Cummings trips damaged UK lockdown unity, study suggests
The scandal over Dominic Cummings’ trips to and around Durham during lockdown damaged trust and was a key factor in the breakdown of a sense of national unity amid the coronavirus pandemic, research suggests. Revelations that Cummings and his family travelled to his parents’ farm despite ministers repeatedly imploring the public to stay at home – as exposed by the Guardian and the Daily Mirror in May - also crystallised distrust in politicians over the crisis, according to a report from the thinktank British Future. The findings emerged in a series of surveys, diaries and interviews carried out over the first months of the pandemic as the public got to grips with profound changes to their habits, relationships and lifestyles.
30th Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus: Self-isolation rules changed as government scientists say people may be infectious longer than seven days
Chief medical officers announce the new rule as the UK braces for winter amid warnings of a "second wave" brewing in Europe. Self-isolation rules are being changed as scientists warn people with coronavirus may be infectious for longer than previously thought. The chief medical officers of all four UK nations said anyone with symptoms or a positive test result should isolate for 10 days instead of seven. They changed their advice as the country braces for winter and warnings of a "second wave" of COVID-19 brewing in Europe.
30th Jul 2020 - Sky News
Coronavirus: Home visits banned in parts of northern England
The new lockdown rules for parts of northern England come nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across the country, and people were allowed to meet indoors for the first time since late March. More than four million people in Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale, Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be affected by the tightening of restrictions.
The measures, which came into force at midnight, mean different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens, but individual households will still be able to go to pubs and restaurants.
30th Jul 2020 - BBC News
'Heartless and reckless' to force shielding people back to work, says TUC
Frances O’Grady, the TUC’s general secretary, told the Guardian: “It would be heartless and reckless for employers to demand the immediate return of shielding workers. After self-isolation for a number of months, requiring shielding workers to immediately travel to workplaces may cause anxiety and distress. “The government must make clear to employers that they cannot give shielding workers unreasonable ultimatums to return to workplaces. The job retention scheme is in place until at least October, so employers must continue using it if home working is not an option. “And the government should make clear that furlough will still be an option after October for shielding workers who cannot safely travel to workplaces or who may be subject to a local lockdown.”
30th Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Virus isolation period 'to go up from seven to 10 days'
The length of time people with coronavirus symptoms will have to self-isolate for is expected to be increased from seven to 10 days in England. It comes as ministers try to avoid a second outbreak of the virus in the UK. Currently, people showing the main symptoms - a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell - have to self-isolate for a week. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce later that the isolation period is being extended.
30th Jul 2020 - BBC News
Coronavirus: Two infected Brisbane women didn't self isolate after returning from Melbourne
Queensland Health has confirmed a third positive case of COVID-19 has been recorded in the state's south-east. This morning health authorities revealed two 19-year-old women who returned to Queensland from Melbourne via Sydney and failed to self-isolate tested positive to COVID-19. Health Minister Steven Miles said the women's close contacts were now being thoroughly traced and the women would be facing a criminal investigation.
29th Jul 2020 - 9News
Study: COVID-19 outbreaks worse at nursing homes with more complaints
Nursing homes reporting cases of COVID-19 had nearly 1.5-times as many substantiated complaints about the care services they provide than those without confirmed infections, according to an analysis in JAMA Network Open.
29th Jul 2020 - UPI News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown led to happiness rebound after wellbeing plunged with onset of pandemic
The coronavirus outbreak caused life satisfaction to fall sharply, but lockdown went a long way to restoring contentment—even reducing the "wellbeing inequality" between well-off professionals and the unemployed, according to a new study. Researchers from Cambridge's Bennett Institute for Public Policy used a year's worth of data taken from weekly YouGov surveys and Google searches to track wellbeing in the British population before and during the pandemic. They say it is one of the first studies to distinguish the effects of the pandemic from those of lockdown on psychological welfare, as it uses week-by-week data, rather than monthly or annual comparisons. The proportion of Britons self-reporting as "happy" halved in just three weeks: from 51% just before the UK's first COVID-19 fatality, to 25% by the time national lockdown began.
28th Jul 2020 - Medical Xpress
UK lockdown life: Binge eating, more alcohol, less exercise
People have been binge eating, drinking more, exercising less and suffering increased anxiety during COVID-19 lockdowns, according to preliminary findings of a UK study on Monday, with knock-on impacts likely on rates of obesity and mental illness. An online survey of around 800 adults in England who were asked about their health and habits during late June and early July found a stark rise in negative mental health, coupled with unhealthy eating and drinking, poor sleep and less exercise. Younger adults appeared to be disproportionately suffering from sadness and anxiety, while 46% of survey participants said they had been less active during lockdown. Many also reported binge eating or said they were eating more unhealthy, processed snacks and drinking more alcohol.
28th Jul 2020 - Reuters UK
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown helped restore happiness, research suggests
The wellbeing inequality gap between wealthy professionals and the unemployed even began to narrow during lockdown, according to a study. Happiness fell as the coronavirus pandemic began – but lockdown helped to restore it, research suggests. The wellbeing inequality gap between wealthy professionals and the unemployed even began to narrow during lockdown, according to the study by Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Researchers used a year’s worth of data taken from YouGov Weekly Mood Tracker surveys and Google searches to track wellbeing in the British population before and during the pandemic. They say it is one of the first studies to distinguish the effects of the pandemic from those of lockdown on psychological welfare, as it uses week-by-week data, rather than monthly or annual comparisons.
27th Jul 2020 - shropshirestar.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullPolice call-outs to mental health incidents in Edinburgh soar during coronavirus lockdown
An FOI request to Police Scotland has revealed that mental health call-outs during the lockdown soared when compared with last year
26th Jul 2020 - Edinburgh Live
Covid-19 news on WeChat and Weibo is stressing out Chinese netizens, study shows
Reading news about the pandemic on social media is leading to depression, anxiety and stress, according a survey of 3,070 social media users in China. The study was a part of the annual Development Report on New Media in China from the Institute of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Social Sciences Academic Press (China) released on July 22. It concluded that the more social media users are immersed in stories about the pandemic, the worse they feel.
27th Jul 2020 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullWomen did majority of childcare in UK lockdown, study finds
Women did significantly more in terms of childcare during lockdown compared to men, new figures reveal. According to a study from the Office for National Statistics, women in households with children under 18 carried out an average of more than three hours a day of childcare compared to just two hours for men. The research also found that one in three women home-schooling their children in lockdown said their mental health had suffered as a result.
23rd Jul 2020 - The Independent
Coronavirus: Domestic abuse helpline sees lockdown surge
More than 40,000 calls and contacts were made to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline during the first three months of lockdown, most by women seeking help, new figures show. In June, calls and contacts were nearly 80% higher than usual, says the charity Refuge, which runs the helpline. And as restrictions ease, there is a surge in women seeking refuge places to escape their abusers, the charity says.
The government says it prioritised help for domestic-abuse victims in lockdown.
23rd Jul 2020 - BBC News
Study finds lockdown having biggest impact on three specific patient groups
New research has found that women, young people, and those living with young children have experienced the greatest rise in mental distress.
23rd Jul 2020 - RACGP
Care home visitors lockdown ban ends as residents allowed to see one relative or friend
The blanket ban on care home visits has ended after four months as Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said that care residents can now begin to see relatives or friends once again. Most residents in England will be able to receive visits from just one specific person
23rd Jul 2020 - iNews
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullCare home visits to resume in England after months of lockdown
Care home visits are set to resume in England as the Government issues long-awaited guidance on how loved ones can see residents. Visitors will be allowed in specific care homes in England once local directors of public health and local authorities decide it is safe to do so, the Department of Health said. Despite the falling rate of community transmission of coronavirus, the Government says visits should be limited to a "single constant visitor" per resident where possible to limit the risk of infection spread and keep footfall in and out of the home down.
22nd Jul 2020 - Evening Standard
Mental Health Disparities Widen in U.K. During Covid Lockdown
Mental health deteriorated substantially in the U.K. population during the Covid-19 lockdown, particularly among women and young people, a survey suggests. More than a quarter of participants reported a level of mental distress that was potentially clinically significant after the first month of lockdown, compared with one in five people before the pandemic, according to the survey of 17,452 people in late April, published in The Lancet Psychiatry. The responses reveal that inequalities present before the crisis have widened, the authors wrote. Low-income households experienced a higher level of mental distress, and women are suffering more than men, according to the survey. Levels were also higher among younger age groups and those living with preschool children.
21st Jul 2020 - Bloomberg
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullNC leaders support symptom-based strategy for ending COVID-19 isolation
North Carolina leaders are hoping new guidance released by the CDC will make it easier for residents to return to work after testing positive for COVID-19. The CDC is now supporting a symptom-based strategy rather than a test-based strategy for ending isolation of people infected with COVID-19. The CDC says accumulating evidence supports ending isolation using the symptom-based strategy, “while limiting unnecessary prolonged isolation and unnecessary use of laboratory testing resources.”
21st Jul 2020 - WBTV
Melbourne stage 3 coronavirus lockdown rules and restrictions explained
When can I leave my house? As during the previous stage three lockdown, the four reasons to leave the house are: shopping for food and essential items, care and caregiving, daily exercise, work and study. But if you can work or study from home, you must. Employers must support you to work from home. Caregiving includes managing shared custody arrangements, using a babysitter, leaving home to care for animals housed elsewhere, visiting someone in an aged care home, and visiting someone in hospital. Specific directions apply. You can leave your house if you are at risk of family violence or to apply for an intervention order, and to attend court or a police station.
21st Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdowns could have long-term effects on children’s health
This may seem a foolish time to stage a gigantic volleyball tournament in Florida, a covid-19 hotspot. Yet this week several thousand young athletes turned up in Orlando to smash balls back and forth over a net. At least they will get some exercise. Many of their peers will not. The pandemic is harming children’s health. Not that they are dying in large numbers of the virus itself, which seems to affect them only mildly. And not only because of a growing body of evidence suggesting that lockdowns harm their mental health. It is also because life under confinement in rich countries has been making children fatter and more sedentary. These effects may well last much longer than the restrictions designed to curb the disease.
20th Jul 2020 - The Economist
Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental and Physical Health of Older Adults
Increased loneliness reported in older adults over 70 years according to study by ALONE and TILDA. Increased loneliness linked to public health measures like social distancing and cocooning. ALONE’s helplines provide support for the elderly
A future study by TILDA and ALONE to observe the impact of the pandemic on the older adults.
20th Jul 2020 - Medindia
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullIsolation, job uncertainty continues to take a toll on workers even after easing of circuit breaker measures
Six months since Singapore confirmed its first Covid-19 case, and a month into the second phase of the reopening of the country's economy, people are still grappling with the fallout from the pandemic. Experts and companies interviewed say that for many employees, the emotional toll includes fears around getting the infection as much as anxiety tied to the economic uncertainty and job stability. The United Nations highlighted in May the need to prioritise mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that while it is "a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well".
20th Jul 2020 - The Straits Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to avoid elderly loneliness during COVID: Tips to stay socially active
The risk for the severe form of COVID-19 increases with age, so like many older adults, Katharine Esty spent many weeks this spring without leaving her home at all. Esty, who turns 86 this week, knows all too well the toll such self-isolation can take on mental health. She’s still a practicing psychotherapist who helps patients cope with life — though the sessions are now by phone as the coronavirus outbreak grips the country.
16th Jul 2020 - TODAY
Home isolation has instilled confidence to face the infection
The steep increase in the number of COVID-19 patients at the end of May led the Delhi government to tweak its strategy. It started focusing more on home isolation of the positive cases. The basic premise was that, with limited health resources and a rising number of infections, mild cases would block services for critical patients. This strategy worked well. The Delhi government identified more COVID-19 patients for home isolation, while simultaneously augmenting hospital care for serious patients. As a result, around 80 percent of patients opted for home isolation over quarantine facilities.
16th Jul 2020 - Khmer Times
Scotland's children need post-Covid-19 mental health care, says report
Every child in Scotland will need additional mental health support as a consequence of measures taken to tackle the coronavirus crisis, according to the country’s children and young people’s commissioner. Speaking exclusively to the Guardian as he publishes Scotland’s comprehensive assessment of the impact of the pandemic on children’s rights – the first such review undertaken anywhere in the world – Bruce Adamson said the pandemic had sent a “very negative” message about how decision-makers value young people’s voices. He said Scotland has been viewed as a children’s rights champion but that efforts to involve young people in the dramatic changes being made to their education and support “went out the window as soon as lockdown came along”.
16th Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Are you worried about your elderly parents? 8 tips to help seniors stay mentally acute in isolation
AARP, the leading advocacy organization for people over age 50, has studied this issue of social isolation (it has a website devoted to it) and found that more than 8 million adults age 50 and older are affected by it. "We know about the dangers and the most striking comparison is that it can be the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of your health," says Amy Goyer, AARP'S family and care-giving expert. "I've worked in this field 35 years, we know it's bad for older adults, and we've learned more about how bad it is: It affects your mental health and your physical health."
15th Jul 2020 - USA TODAY
New research highlights increased loneliness in over-70s during COVID-19 pandemic
A joint report published by researchers at the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and ALONE examines issues of loneliness and social isolation in older adults. The report offers fresh insight into the experiences of those over 70 who were advised to 'cocoon' as part of public health measures to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus. New data from ALONE which documents increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety and isolation in older adults throughout the pandemic, is compared with experiences of loneliness and isolation in older adults before the COVID-19 outbreak.
15th Jul 2020 - Science Daily
The health benefits of physical activity: depression, anxiety, sleep, and dementia
After completing this module, you should understand: How physical activity can help to prevent depression and anxiety - How physical activity is an important part of management for patients with depression and anxiety - How physical activity can improve sleep and sleep apnoea - How physical activity can reduce cognitive decline and prevent dementia - How to recommend physical activity to patients with mental health problems and dementia.
16th Jul 2020 - BMJ.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: 'Social isolation' of new parents during lockdown
New parents have been left "socially isolated" during lockdown and unaware of how to get help, the National Childbirth Trust has claimed. Bethan Sayed, who gave birth in April, said the support she has received was "sporadic". The member of the Senedd warned of a long-term impact on new mothers' mental health. The Welsh Government said perinatal community services had continued through the pandemic. But there have been calls for better support in the event of a second lockdown.
16th Jul 2020 - BBC News
How children in the UK are coping with the coronavirus lockdown
Since lockdown began in the UK, Cathy Creswell at the University of Oxford and her colleagues have been surveying thousands of families to find out how they are affected by the covid-19 pandemic. The Co-SPACE Study has now published its first findings from a longitudinal study that questioned people over several months. More than 10,000 people have now taken part. Our first report was at the beginning of April, looking at the first 1500 people.
15th Jul 2020 - New Scientist
Can mental health services cope with the devastating effects of Covid-19?
More staff are badly needed as a ‘tsunami’ of referrals looms in the UK – but myths that the sector is dangerous to work in puts many off
15th Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Keeping Your Temper While Stuck at Home
A behavioral economist answers questions about quarantine stress, dieting while working from home and getting over a break-up.
12th Jul 2020 - The Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullShould all coronavirus patients be put into hotel quarantine? We did the maths
The increased risk of infection for individuals within the building or groups of buildings suggests hotel isolation could be both a safer and more cost-effective measure. Facing the risks of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, the Government needs to consider multiple measures to control the spread of the virus. Although our findings show the cost of self-isolating a patient at their home is cheaper than a hotel room on average, this is not the case for all household sizes.
14th Jul 2020 - ABC News
Coronavirus lockdown may have led to increased child suicides, new report warns
A “concerning signal” that child suicides may have increased during the coronavirus lockdown has prompted a warning to doctors and health services to be vigilant. A national report for NHS England found there had been 25 likely suicides of children during the first 56 days of lockdown in March and April,
14th Jul 2020 - The Independent
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of isolation pods to transport Covid-19 patients unused
‘Isolation pods’ purchased for transporting people infected with coronavirus have gone used over fears they could explode. NHS England spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on 15 of the devices for patients who have infectious diseases to be used in ambulances during the pandemic. Their manufacturer described the devices, called EpiShuttles, as a “single-patient isolation and transport system” designed for containing highly infectious patients. It has hit back at claims that they are not safe to use and believing otherwise is caused by “poor knowledge of the equipment”.
14th Jul 2020 - iNews
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoveney: Tourists shouldn't come if they cannot isolate
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said he does not think international flights should be prevented from landing in Ireland, but that people should not come here if they cannot restrict their movements for 14 days. Speaking during a post-cabinet briefing this afternoon, Mr Coveney said that people should not come to Ireland if they cannot restrict their movements when they arrive. He said now is not a time for normal holidays involving tourists coming from abroad. "I don’t think we should prevent flights from landing in Ireland or ban international travel, that is not the approach we have taken," he said.
14th Jul 2020 - RTE.ie
Nearly a third of people with dementia 'giving up' following prolonged isolation, charity warns
People with dementia have experienced an unprecedented rise in mental health problems during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, the Alzheimer’s Society has warned. A recent study by the charity showed the devastating impact the isolation from lockdown has had of people living with dementia, with nearly a third of people (32 per cent) reporting a feeling of apathy or a sense of “giving up”. Nearly half of the 2,000 people surveyed (45 per cent) said lockdown has had a “negative” impact on their mental health, while more than a third of respondents said they do not yet feel confident about going out.
14th Jul 2020 - iNews
Miami mayor says some hotels will be used as coronavirus isolation centers
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Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced on Monday his administration is working on adapting more hotels as isolation centers for coronavirus patients.
Suarez said his administration is working with the Florida Division of Emergency Management. He said this will help to reduce cases by preventing transmission among family members.
13th Jul 2020 - WPLG Local 10
Re-starting life after Covid-19
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Getting through Covid-19 was "a bit like that too", he says, adding that New Zealand had done a great job of locking down – and the population knew they could survive. As a person who travels extensively and engages with lots of people, Thatcher says he missed this face-to-face interaction during lockdown. But, at the same time, he found it helped him think more about what is important to him – his family. "I loved every moment of it in the end," he says, although he worried - and still worries - about one of his two daughters who lives in Sydney. He enjoyed spending more time with his wife Awhina, getting his garden into shape and cooking the odd meal. Now, as Thatcher is gradually getting back to 'normal', the Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency is working with a range of partners to encourage all New Zealanders— but especially those in older age-groups – to get back to doing what kept them busy before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
13th Jul 2020 - New Zealand Herald
Coronavirus: Wolverhampton PCSO back with family after isolating
A PCSO has been reunited with his family after moving out for three months to protect his son from Covid-19 while patrolling the beat. William Till moved out of his Stourbridge home at the start of April and into a nearby flat. He took the decision as son Alfie, seven, was shielding after surgery to remove growths on his brain caused by mastoiditis. Mr Till said it was "one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make". He said he "accepted I had to sacrifice contact with my wife and children" in order to keep working and protect his son.
12th Jul 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullDougy Center Director Brennan Wood on Coping With Grief, Loss, and Isolation During the Pandemic
‘Talking openly and honestly with your children about traumatic moments or tragic events creates a foundation of trust, enabling them to come to you in the future with their questions, fears, and concerns.’
12th Jul 2020 - Portland Monthly
Hidden victims of lockdown: ‘Mum attacked me and dragged me to the floor. Drinking made her mood swings worse’
It was when lockdown was first announced that 18-year-old Ray began to panic. The south London student had barely been coping with his mother’s drunken tirades, spending as much time out of the home as possible, but lockdown would mean there would be no escape. As the eldest of four siblings, the youngest aged nine, he felt the burden of making sure they would be all right. “At first I tried to manage lockdown by keeping myself busy and redecorating my room,” he said. “We were used to my mother drinking heavily, but as lockdown progressed, she went from shouting and becoming abusive every weekend to every night.
12th Jul 2020 - Evening Standard
The lost families of lockdown
Invisible, ignored and at risk, these are the lockdown children politicians don’t discuss. Now charities and medics are 'gravely concerned' about the toxic impact of the pandemic on an already desperate situation. Jen Williams reports.
29th Jun 2020 - Manchester Evening News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullWill We All Have PTSD from Dealing with COVID-19?
Anxiety is skyrocketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 30 percent of Americans saying the crisis is having a “serious impact” on their mental health, and most saying it is affecting their daily lives, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Local trauma therapist Shari Botwin, LCSW and author of Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing explains that the social upheaval and anxiety from the virus may have long-term effects on our mental health, including causing post-traumatic stress disorder.
9th Jul 2020 - Philadelphia Mag
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullDoctor reveals seven practical tips to be prepared for the second wave of coronavirus lockdown
A doctor has revealed the seven practical tips for surviving isolation 'round two', after Melbourne was plunged into lockdown for the second time on Thursday. GP Dr Preeya Alexander, from Melbourne, said little things like routine and staying 'connected' with family and friends is key to combatting the malaise that can come with isolating at home to slow the spread of coronavirus. But she also said you need to watch things like your alcohol consumption and exercise levels, which can easily drop off at such a time.
9th Jul 2020 - Daily Mail
Mental Health and Coping Tips
Feeling irritation, anger or denial - Feeling uncertain, nervous or anxious - Lacking motivation - Feeling tired, overwhelmed or burned out - Feeling sad or depressed
Trouble sleeping - Trouble concentrating - When stress becomes too much, there are resources for help. Make sure your employees are aware of your employee assistance program resources, and post and share these resources to help those who may be struggling or experiencing a crisis. In an emergency, call 911.
8th Jul 2020 - Wexner Medical Center - The Ohio State University
UAE COVID-19: 11 Tips for protecting parental mental health in a pandemic
We asked Tanya Dharamshi, Clinical Director and Counselling Psychologist at Priory Wellbeing Centre, Dubai (www.priorygroup.ae) for her advice on staying positive during these challenging days: “Current advice in relation to the coronavirus pandemic recommends limiting social contact and going into self-isolation if displaying symptoms. This will be a significant cause of concern for many people, but for those who suffer from acute anxiety, it could exacerbate their condition so it becomes more debilitating. “It is important to normalize the feelings you are having and the impact self-isolation has. While we need to limit our interactions, in our mind our focus has shifted from living to surviving and the social withdrawal can lead to loneliness and as well as a feeling of hopelessness.
8th Jul 2020 - Gulf News
Left behind generation: Children need space to come to terms with coronavirus crisis, say experts
Children need to be given “space” to come to terms with what they have been through during the Covid crisis, experts said today. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) also stressed that some would need long-term support. Children may even need help choosing words to express their feelings and thoughts given the complexities of what they have experienced. The Evening Standard has launched a special investigation into the impact of coronavirus on children and vulnerable families.
8th Jul 2020 - Evening Standard
French children traumatised by coronavirus crisis, expert warns
The coronavirus crisis has caused an uptick in stress and anxiety disorders in French children, with some experiencing thoughts of suicide, a leading child psychologist has warned. Benjamin Landman, chief of psychiatry at Paris’s Robert-Debré paediatric hospital, told French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche that lockdown measures and new social distancing norms have had a significant impact on children’s mental health.
Young children were experiencing developmental regression, such as bedwetting, difficulty falling asleep and separation anxiety, while older children were showing behavioural problems, signs of agitation, sudden withdrawal and a fear of going back to school.
8th Jul 2020 - RFI English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus shielders: 'We're a bit forgotten'
She says it can feel like pub-goers "think that disabled people should just stay inside and look after themselves - when I think it needs to be a community effort".
She did go out to an electrical shop at the weekend to return something she'd bought online. But she won't do it again in a hurry. "It was kind of stressful," she says. "They weren't limiting the number of people going in. "None of them had face coverings and I think I was the only one who did."
7th Jul 2020 - BBC News
Psychologist explains why the youth fear social isolation more than coronavirus -
In recent weeks, the percentage of cases in people between 20 and 39 years old has been increasing compared to other age groups. Currently, they represent about 50% of the cases being reported. San Diego County Health Officer Wilma Wooten said, “the surge in cases is occurring in these age groups because they are less likely to wear a face covering and maintain physical distance.” The younger population is more likely to be hanging out with friends, participating in the protests, and visiting public places and businesses because the risk to them is extremely small. They would rather enjoy their life, than stay in for months because a disease that rarely impacts them is spreading.
7th Jul 2020 - KUSI
Tough self-isolation mode unlikely to be happening during COVID-19 second wave - expert
The emergence of the second wave of coronavirus infection in Russia is inevitable, Deputy Director of Research at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology at the Federal Service on Surveillance for Consumer rights protection Alexander Gorelov said
7th Jul 2020 - TASS
Parkinson's Patients in UK Survey Detail Struggles With COVID-19...
Many Parkinson’s disease patients in the U.K. feel challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it has placed on social interaction, reporting problems ranging from canceled appointments and limited exercise to worsening symptoms, according to a survey conducted by Parkinson’s UK and Lancaster University. “Unfortunately this report shows just how hard the Parkinson’s community has been hit by the coronavirus crisis, both physically and emotionally,” Katherine Crawford, director of services at Parkinson’s UK, said in a press release.
The survey, done between April and May 2020, was completed by 1,491 people with Parkinson’s (mean age, 67) across the U.K., and by 275 of their caregivers. Respondents were asked a variety of questions about their experiences related to the pandemic and lockdown in the context of this disease.
7th Jul 2020 - Parkinson's News Today
Study from Uni.lu: Luxembourgers satisfied despite lockdown
A study whose results were published by the University of Luxembourg analysed the impact of the confinement on several countries. The results were surprisingly positive in Luxembourg. The study investigated the impact of the lockdown (or similar measures) in Luxembourg, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. Individuals in Luxembourg increased time spent for children’s care and for household chores. According to the report, "Luxembourg experienced the highest increase of 2.65 hours on average in childcare."
7th Jul 2020 - RTL Today
How many children at risk? UK health visitors count the cost of lockdown
Since lockdown, many services in England have had to stop or severely restrict face-to-face appointments in homes as health visitors have been redeployed to other healthcare roles. This has led to concerns about being able to pick up on vital clues about people’s mental health, particularly new mothers; children’s development; and domestic violence. “We expect children are having a difficult life in households with domestic abuse,” says Jacky Syme, a service development manager at Bedfordshire community health services. “The level has gone up, we’ve seen it on the ground.” Calls to the UK’s national domestic abuse helpline have reportedly risen by 66% during lockdown and visits to its website increased by 950%. Demand for beds in refuges has also rocketed. “There is a lot of concern around vulnerable children behind closed doors,” says Cheryll Adams, chief executive of the Institute of Health Visiting.
7th Jul 2020 - The Guardian
No distance learning for 12.7% of students in lockdown
Italy's communications regulator AGCOM said Tuesday that 12.7% of Italian students did not have access to distance learning during the coronavirus lockdown. It said this figure was "unacceptable for an advanced democracy". The authority said the pandemic has exacerbated "pre-existing social and digital inequalities" and risked "compromising the slow process of digitalization" in Italy. It said the problem was especially serious in Italy's less wealthy southern regions. The authority said Italian families' "inadequate" technological resources were "a significant obstacle and an unacceptable condition in the case of access to essential services such as education
7th Jul 2020 - Ansa
Coronavirus in Switzerland: 280 forced into isolation after venue 'attended by partying superspreader'
Party organisers are considering taking legal action after a person knowingly infected with the coronavirus attended a private party, forcing almost 300 people into quarantine. The management of the Parktheater in Solothurn said it was considering suing the attendee who reportedly attended a private party at the venue in late June despite knowingly being infected with the coronavirus. After the incident, 280 people were forced to quarantine - including members of the club’s staff. Swiss tabloid Blick reported late on Monday that all who attended the party in late June were forced into a ten-day quarantine.
8th Jul 2020 - The Local Switzerland
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullOnline counselling for home isolation +ve patients
In a new initiative, a counselling session has been started by the Health Department Gurugram under the supervision of psychiatrists for corona patients undergoing home isolation in the city. So far the Gurugram district has 706 home isolation patients and they have all been counselled by the team of doctors. During the counselling session the psychiatrists gave them tips to deal with depression and cleared their doubts about the coronavirus disease and precautions about home isolation. These patients are divided into different groups according to age. Their counselling is being done according to the prescribed time. “A panel of doctors has been prepared for Corona infected patients in the district. During the session, the doctors are motivating patients to remain stress free along with the prevention of doubts living in home isolation,” said Dr. Virender Yadav Civil Surgeon, Gurugram.
6th Jul 2020 - The Pioneer
"Hope and faith pulled me through" - Nurse shares Covid-19 experience
Sister Brenda Joshua, a professional nurse at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital says faith and hope pulled her through her ICU Covid-19 experience. Joshua recalled how she spent 10 days in hospital fighting the coronavirus. Three of those days were in ICU.
6th Jul 2020 - IOL News
Coronavirus lockdown lifts: how to take care of your mental health as we enter a ‘new normal’
Whether you’re feeling anxious about returning to the office or want to learn more about setting boundaries in your friendships, here’s how to manage your mental health as lockdown eases.
6th Jul 2020 - Stylist
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullHealth Ministry issues revised guidelines for home isolation as COVID-19 cases cross 6 lakh-mark
Asymptomatic positive patients will now be included in the list of mild or pre-symptomatic coronavirus infection cases. Patients suffering from immune-compromised status (like HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) will not be eligible for home isolation. Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease and cerebrovascular disease among others shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer
Patients under home isolation will stand discharged after 10 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for three days...
3rd Jul 2020 - India TV News
CDC study reinforces COVID-19 cautions with pregnancy
Federal health officials last month cited new study results when adding pregnancy to their list of conditions that might put people at greater risk of serious illness from the pandemic virus. Last week, the Minnesota Department of Health similarly updated online information for pregnant women while adding prevention tips. Pregnant women shouldn't be alarmed, doctors say, but the study underscores the wisdom of following guidance on avoiding the coronavirus.
6th Jul 2020 - StarTribune on MSN.com
CDC Expands List of Those with Higher COVID-19 Risks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added new underlying conditions to its list of conditions that can lead to more serious COVID-19 cases.
Among the conditions added are diabetes and pregnancy. The agency also has amended its guidelines on aging, now saying people are more vulnerable to serious cases as they get older instead of just people over the age of 65.
2nd Jul 2020 - Healthline
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullPeople who stayed home before lockdown likely helped slow spread of COVID-19: Researchers
A new study has found that people who were proactive and stayed home even before lockdown orders were implemented in the United States may have helped slow the spread of the novel coronavirus back in March and April. The study, published Wednesday in the Lancet, shows that in the 25 most affected U.S. counties, people started staying home more than would be typical nearly a full week to a month prior to their state's stay-at home policies were put in place. The decrease in movement was strongly correlated with reduced COVID-19 case growth in those counties during March and April. This suggests that social distancing prior to policy enforcement played an important role in controlling the spread of the virus.
2nd Jul 2020 - ABC News
India's visually impaired population grapples with Covid-19 challenges
For millions of Indians who suffer from visual impairments, the new Covid-19 normal poses new hardships in everyday life – such as how to respect social distancing rules when you can't see. Mahesh Jain, an office clerk who works in Nariman Point, the commercial hub of Mumbai, wonders what life will be like under the new hygiene restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus. “I dread the day when I need to get back to office," Jain, who was born blind, tells RFI. "Will there be someone to help me cross the road or board the crowded train to get to work? These questions bother me a great deal." Touch is essential for the visually impaired and contactless mobility is a world unknown to them.
2nd Jul 2020 - YAHOO!
South Africans unhappier than Australians, New Zealanders over lockdown experience
A comparative well-being study between South Africa, New Zealand and Australia has found that South Africans were the least happy with the strict lockdown regulations. Researchers performed the study to explore the effect that lockdown has had on people’s happiness.
2nd Jul 2020 - IOL News
Locked down and liquored up: Research reveals the truth about Australians' drinking during COVID-19
Researchers at the University of South Australia's Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science have found that despite predictions that the lockdown might cause a spike in alcohol consumption, the truth is, there was very little change in people's drinking habits during the restrictions. Not only did overall wine consumption rates remain reasonably stable, but people tended to buy their wine from the same places and drink wine on the same occasions. In a new paper—How has wine and alcohol purchasing and consumption changed during COVID-19 isolation in Australia? – UniSA researchers found that across red and white wine, beer and spirits, only 15 to 18 percent of respondents reported drinking more often than before lockdown. Between 82 and 85 percent of those surveyed were consuming none, less or about the same of all types of alcohol as they were before the lockdown.
2nd Jul 2020 - Medical Xpress
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullWays To Help Young Children Understand COVID-19 Pandemic
The increasing cases of COVID-19 comes with growing stress and anxiety that can also affect children. It is important to help younger people understand sudden changes around them to avoid problems with their physical and mental health. The isolation, physical distancing and restricted time outdoors can be confusing and unsettling to kids. There have been reports about young children having problems with their sleep, eating habits and mood linked to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Claire McCarthy, a primary care pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Children may also become more clingy. It may sound positive but it can be a problem for parents who are working from home.
1st Jul 2020 - Medical Daily
Tips on Retiring During the Pandemic
This spring, as the coronavirus tightened its grip on Britain, my mother began preparing for the end of her four-decade career at the National Health Service. But she didn’t get the goodbye she had expected. In mid-March, on the day she had planned farewell drinks at a bar in London’s Soho, she and colleagues were told that they should work from home. The cocktails were put on indefinite hold, and Mum never went back to the office. Three months later, she’s now officially retired, but she hasn’t turned in her laptop or badge, and she has no closure. “There’s a sense of unfinished business,” she says.
1st Jul 2020 - Bloomberg
Post-Covid New Zealand tackles a new threat – anxiety over an uncertain future
“It’s not so much the presence of Covid-19 that presents us with our greatest challenge, but the absence of it,” says Sarb Johal, a clinical psychologist based in Wellington, New Zealand. “We’re living with this reduced visibility of what’s coming in the future, and it feels sort of ominous and foreboding at the same time.” “It’s not so much the presence of Covid-19 that presents us with our greatest challenge, but the absence of it,” says Sarb Johal, a clinical psychologist based in Wellington, New Zealand. “We’re living with this reduced visibility of what’s coming in the future, and it feels sort of ominous and foreboding at the same time.”
1st Jul 2020 - The Guardian
Child obesity risk as lockdown causes increased snacking among teenagers
Lockdown has had a mixed impact on healthy eating among young people, with teenagers finding new enjoyment eating as a family but reporting increased snacking, research has found. Over 1,000 14 to 19 year-olds from England were surveyed by the anti-childhood obesity campaign Bite Back 2030 and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity.
1st Jul 2020 - iNews
Lockdown loneliness: COVID-19 quarantine has quarter of adults feeling like they have no friends
Disheartening survey reveals nearly four in ten people experience days without talking to a single person.
1st Jul 2020 - Study Finds
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jul 2020
View this newsletter in fullThe Covid-19 changes that could last long-term
From the extinction of the daily commute to transforming our relationship with food, Covid-19 is changing our world already – and in some ways, it looks set to get better.
30th Jun 2020 - BBC News
UK's mental health has deteriorated during lockdown, says Mind
Lockdown has been devastating for mental health and the worst could be yet to come, a leading charity has said. The mental health charity Mind says a survey has revealed that lockdown has had a dramatic impact on the nation’s mental health, warning that unless action is taken now, the problem could grow. “Overall there has been a deterioration in people’s mental health, regardless of whether they had the mental health problem before [lockdown],” said Megan Pennell, the parliamentary and campaigns manager at Mind. The charity said the government must take urgent action not just to address immediate need but to invest in services and put safety nets in place for the future, noting stressors including unemployment and housing problems were set to worsen.
30th Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Asian New Zealanders experienced high rates of anxiety, depression during lockdown - survey
According to new research the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has been tough on the mental wellbeing of Asian New Zealanders. The New Zealand Asian Mental Health and Well-being report, commissioned by charity Asian Family Services, found high levels of anxiety and nervousness, as well as racism. The research surveyed 580 Asian New Zealanders across the country and found almost 44 percent of them experienced some form of mental distress since level 4 lockdown. Nervousness and anxiety are the most widely experienced (57 percent), followed by little interest or pleasure in doing things (55.2 percent), uncontrollable worrying (47.4 percent) and feeling down and hopeless (44 percent).
29th Jun 2020 - Newshub
The Covid-19 survivors who may have PTSD
Leading mental health experts are recommending that thousands of survivors of Covid-19, particularly those admitted to hospital, be screened for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is suggested that events in hospital, especially if the person required admission to a High Dependency or Intensive Care Unit (ICU), enforced separation from loved ones, and indeed the lack of a cure for coronavirus, provide the perfect storm for the development of the condition most of us recognise by its abbreviation, PTSD.
29th Jun 2020 - The Northern Echo
As coronavirus lockdown eases, U.K. domestic abuse charity sees huge surge in calls for help
29th Jun 2020 - CBS News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus Lockdown: 26 Graphic Design Resources to Engage Kids
If your kids’ school is providing them with online classes, that’s a few hours of respite during which you can take it easy but if no such system has been put in place by your child’s school, what can you do to keep them productively engaged while also getting some time for yourself (or your work)? In this article, we are going to share 26 of the most fantastic and productive graphic design resources that will keep the kids engaged when you can’t go out due the coronavirus pandemic (or otherwise). These will help them learn something new, and may enable them to develop a new hobby or think of a future career choice.
26th Jun 2020 - Logo Design.Net
South Korea distributes 'pet plants' to fight COVID depression
Forget puppies, who need to be housebroken and sometimes chew your shoes. The government in South Korea, looking to help people fight the mental strain caused by the coronavirus pandemic, is turning to plants. It announced this month that it will offer a first batch of 2,000 “pet plant kits” to people living in self-quarantine to help them battle depression and other mental health conditions brought on, or exacerbated, by the pandemic. “We understand that the general public is suffering from feeling blue and fatigue because of drawn-out COVID-19 and some people are calling such state of mind 'COVID-19 Blue,'” said Yoon Tae Ho, the head quarantine official at South Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
27th Jun 2020 - NBC News
Healthcare worker from Manenberg shares her Covid-19 recovery story
A healthcare technician has shared her story of recovery after having tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. Zaakirah Watson, 26, from Manenberg, tested positive on June 6, and in less than three weeks had recovered and returned to work this week. “My symptoms started on June 4 after my lunch hour. All of a sudden I felt really weak and exhausted and I checked my blood pressure, and it was lower than usual because I do suffer from low blood pressure,” said Watson.
She said before testing positive, she took every possible precautionary measure. “In my line of work I’ve literally seen this virus at its worst. I’ve seen people coming into hospital and leaving this world without seeing their loved ones for as long as they’ve been in hospital.
28th Jun 2020 - IOL
How teens can deal with COVID-19 anxiety in Charlotte NC
Being a teenager is by no means easy. Every day, teens are faced with the stress of classwork, friend drama and extracurricular activities — all of which contribute to a burdensome amount of confusing and sometimes overwhelming emotions. Throwing a global pandemic into the mix produces a whole new array of unimaginable challenges that teens must overcome. Some are missing their first high school sports seasons, their choral concerts, their last high school prom or even their graduation. No matter what each teen may be missing out on, they all seem to share the common feelings of disappointment, stress and isolation. Teens have been pulled away from the structured routine that a normal school day brings: with early wake-ups, hour-long classes in a room full of half-awake students, social interaction with peers and respected adults, sports practices, and hours of homework and studying. The absence of a systematic routine leaves students, especially teenagers, more likely to slip into a pool of bad habits.
26th Jun 2020 - Charlotte Observer
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow lockdown impacts women: From weight gain to mental health issues; self-care tips for a healthier you
We are in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, but the world is already bearing the brunt of the impacts of the dreaded disease. Researchers have warned that the COVID-19 outbreak could have a major impact, particularly on women and girls globally. With the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading rapidly worldwide, many countries had to implement strict measures, including nationwide lockdown, resulting in a number of physical and mental health issues.
25th Jun 2020 - Times Now
Mental health trends and tips during uncertain times
With the increase of racist acts in recent weeks, Dr. Sally Chung, a clinical psychologist who owns a private practice in Bellevue said some of her patients are afraid to leave the house. “They are thinking about ways they might have to protect themselves. There is also this awfulness of not being able to trust your neighbors or the people around you.” Chung, who specializes in working with Black, indigenous, and people of color within a multicultural feminist framework, observes that “most of my patients who identify as Black or as a person of color are experiencing increased anxiety, frustration, and anger.” Washington state ranks tenth in the nation for average rate of depression, says data from QuoteWizard. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government measures, 88% of workers have reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress.
25th Jun 2020 - Northwest Asian Weekly
New shielding advice gives vulnerable people hope 'but the lockdown has been hard'
People deemed most vulnerable to Covid-19 received 'shielding' letters outlining restrictions which, while protecting them from the coronavirus, meant a more challenging lockdown. We spoke to two of them
25th Jun 2020 - The Irish News
Victorians with disabilities speak of 'lifetime lockdown' due to inaccessible public transport
The coronavirus pandemic has seen lockdown restrictions applied across Australia, forcing people to find new ways to interact, work and travel. But barriers like this are nothing new for the thousands of people with disabilities across regional Australia who struggle with unreliable access to public transport.
25th Jun 2020 - ABC News
Coronavirus: Young people 'more anxious during lockdown'
The number of young people experiencing anxiety has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, a study has found. Bristol-based Children of the 90s asked 7,000 people across two generations about their mental health and lifestyle before and during lockdown. The study found the number of 27-29 year olds experiencing anxiety rose from 13% to 24% and they were more anxious then their parents. Underlying conditions and financial worries may be behind the increase.
25th Jun 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Seven mental health coping tips for life during a pandemic
There are actions that individuals can take at home to help ease loneliness, depression
24th Jun 2020 - TimminsToday
The real reason lockdown is exhausting
Whether schooling children at home or facing many months living alone, lockdown has proven to be challenging for large numbers of people. At the start of May people in many countries, including the US, India, Canada, Japan, France and Germany, were in favour of lockdown measures being prioritised to protect health rather than the economy. About two-thirds of Britons said they could cope well with a lockdown that lasted until July, but might struggle with much more. More recent polling, however, suggests that adherence to lockdown measures began to wane even before restrictions were eased. Clearly, people’s patience has been tested.
Video calls, bizarre dream-filled nights’ sleep and reduced exposure to daylight have all been blamed for lockdown lethargy. But another unforeseen problem could be tiring you out – the disruption to your daily habits. With daily routines shaken up – and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future even after restrictions are eased – we are now making many more little decisions about our daily lives. This can cause “decision fatigue”.
24th Jun 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullLockdown to ease for vulnerable people in England from next month
The more than 2 million people who are “shielding” from COVID-19 in England because clinically they are extremely vulnerable to the virus will be allowed to spend more time outside their homes from July 6, the health department said on Monday. Bringing the guidance for them into line with rules set for the wider population, the health ministry said they will be able to meet outside in a group of up to six people and, if single or living alone, create a so-called “support bubble” with one other household of any size. From Aug. 1, the guidance will then be relaxed so clinically extremely vulnerable people will no longer be advised to shield and those who cannot work from home will be able to return to the workplace as long as it is COVID-secure.
23rd Jun 2020 - Reuters UK
Shielding in England: how do you feel about coming out of lockdown?
From 6 July, people in England with underlying health issues who have been shielding since March will be allowed to leave their homes. They will be able to meet up outside in groups of up to six people from different households, provided they keep 2 metres apart, and they will no longer have to remain 2 metres apart from the rest of their household at home.
23rd Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Domestic abuse reports soar in Hampshire as police called to 7,950 incidents since coronavirus lockdown began
Figures obtained exclusively by The News have today revealed the county’s force has responded to a massive surge in domestic incidents during the coronavirus lockdown. Hampshire police have attended 7,950 reports since stay-at-home measures were announced in March, an increase of almost 500 compared to the same period last year. The worrying spike comes amid calls from abuse charities for the government to accelerate plans to create a new national strategy to combat the violence during the pandemic
23rd Jun 2020 - Portsmouth News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullSupporting children's mental health during COVID-19
Mutisya says that as you help children to label their emotions, you also want them to engage in activities that help them self-regulate. These activities can include mindfulness, breathing exercises, exercise, and yoga. Mbuga advises that parents
should be role models. That they should consider sharing their feelings about COVID-19 with their children at a level they can understand. “You may express worry, even frustration for what is happening. You may share some anxiety, but it is important for you to also share with your children ideas for coping,” he says. “Remind them what everyone in the family is doing to stay healthy and well. Talk about the many helpers. Consider how the family may also consider helping too,” he adds.
22nd Jun 2020 - Independent
'I felt depressed and didn't see anyone for four weeks' - Generation Z 'loneliest' age group during lockdown
Generation Z has been the loneliest age group during the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly three-quarters of people aged up to 25 admitting to feeling lonely since April, according to exclusive data. The study, by Kaspersky research group, involved 10,500 people across 12 European countries, and Japan, and was part of Loneliness Awareness Week. It found that 68% of people in this age demographic felt lonely during the lockdown, compared to just 37% of the Silent Generation - those aged 75 and over.
23rd Jun 2020 - Sky News
‘I'm broken’: how anxiety and stress hit millions in UK Covid-19 lockdown
Nashaba Matin is a single mother with three daughters: Kaya, 17, Amber, 15, and Natalia, 13. She is also an NHS doctor, working full-time on the Covid-19 wards of the Royal London Hospital. Exhausted by her work, Matin has relied on her eldest daughter to provide a protective wing over her younger sisters. “I think they’ve all had to grow up a lot,” she says.
22nd Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullQuarantine salad: 'What two weeks in an isolation hotel has taught me about eating well with less'
In the hotel food is provided, left outside your door three times a day and signalled by a little knock. I will not complain about the food. I know they’re trying to appease everyone with the rotation of meals – sushi, roast beef and polenta, and Greek salad with smoked salmon are among some of the fancier dishes. A Russian roulette of global cuisine in 14 days, as chosen by catering companies assigned to feed the masses. Admirable.
21st Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Kerrisdale kids illustrate children's book for charity on isolating during COVID-19
A class of Grade 1 and 2 students in Vancouver's Kerrisdale neighbourhood have helped create a children's book about staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book, Why am I Still at home? A curious tale of quarantine, features stories and pictures that take the reader through the joys and challenges for families isolating at home. Helena McShane, an author and communications manager, says she began writing the story early into her family's self-isolation. "It came together pretty quickly," said McShane. "You know there's a lot of kind of funny situations in a day that us parents aren't quite used to having, so it was kind of an unstoppable writing project."
21st Jun 2020 - CBC.ca
When we were quarantined
Three months into the COVID-19 way of life, even as a national crisis of conscience rises up alongside a still surging pandemic, writers are doing what they are compelled to do: create new narratives. Often those take the shape of essays, flash poetry or novels still in gestation. But with enough time now gone by, we can also discern a rising meta-narrative from daily accounts like those collected here — a series of quarantine diaries The Times began to commission a week into California’s shutdown.
21st Jun 2020 - Los Angeles Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullNonflict: 3 Tips On The Art Of Everyday Peacemaking For Couples
The Nonflict way can be used to bring about constructive resolution. Conflict Is Emotional. According to Hecht, “We have to deal with our emotions and conflict on its own is merely two or more different perspectives coming into contact with each other. So by definition conflict is neither positive or negative. But how we deal with it is either constructive or destructive. Because most of us don't have the tools to deal with conflict constructively, we need a structure.”
18th Jun 2020 - Forbes
Coronavirus lockdown brings extra challenges for people with disability
But for many Australians living with a chronic illness or disability, social isolation is still their main way of staying healthy and safe, and the challenges posed by the virus are far from over. "It's frustrating hearing people go 'I really want a haircut' and I'm like, 'I really want my quality of life back'," says Emily McIntyre. Emily, 29, lives with what she describes as invisible disabilities. Her health conditions mean her immune system is compromised, which puts her at a high risk of both contracting COVID-19 and getting extremely ill if she does get it. She says she hopes Australia learns some lessons from lockdown, because she's terrified of it happening again.
18th Jun 2020 - ABC News
How lockdown has affected mental health across UK
Millions of people are experiencing loneliness during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Mental Health Foundation is part of the national mental health response during the coronavirus outbreak. The charity conducted a survey at the beginning of lockdown which revealed one in four people said they had feelings of loneliness in the previous two weeks. When the same question was asked shortly before lockdown, just one in ten people said they had these feelings. Weeks later, social distancing left millions more people in the UK feeling isolated.
18th Jun 2020 - Belfast Live
Post-lockdown divorce: jump in number of Australian couples seeking help
The coronavirus lockdown has put a strain on couples, new data has confirmed, with family therapists and lawyers noting a jump in clients seeking counselling or divorce. A study on the impacts of Covid-19 by Relationships Australia, the leading national provider of relationship support services, found that 42% of people had experienced a negative change in their relationship with their partner during the last few months. Its national executive officer, Nick Tebbey, said this statistic was directly related to the finding that 55% of people reported feeling challenged by their living arrangements during this time.
18th Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullStaying mentally healthy: the biggest challenge faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes’ survey shows - Olympic News
A survey conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May revealed that managing mental health and sports careers, as well as nutrition and diet, were the biggest challenges faced by athletes during the unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was conducted among more than 4,000 athletes and entourage members from 135 countries and was available in eight languages. The results highlight that 50 per cent of athletes struggled with the complexity of conducting proper training as a consequence of the restrictions imposed in most countries to contain the virus. Managing mental health and sports careers (both 32 per cent) were identified as the two biggest challenges, followed by nutrition and diet (30 per cent).
17th Jun 2020 - Olympics
Newton panel hosts talk on isolation, loneliness during pandemic
Newton panel hosts talk on isolation, loneliness during pandemic. By Inyeong Kim Boston University journalist
17th Jun 2020 - The Boston Globe
An unexpected upside to lockdown: men have discovered housework
With families under lockdown, men are doing more housework and childcare. Experts suggest this could lead to a lasting change in gender norms
17th Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullPilot scheme plays key role in preventing social isolation at Sudbury care home during coronavirus lockdown
A nationwide pilot scheme has played a key role in helping to combat social isolation among residents at a Sudbury care home during the coronavirus lockdown. As part of the project, St Joseph’s care home in The Croft has been provided with a Facebook Portal electronic device, which has enabled residents at the facility to host regular video calls with their loved-ones. Spearheaded by Facebook, the social media giant who created the electronic equipment, the scheme is being rolled-out to care facilities and hospitals across the country in partnership with NHSX, a government-led initiative designed to boost the digital transformation of health and social care.
16th Jun 2020 - Suffolk Free Press
'Loneliness kills people': Researchers say social isolation affects mental, physical health
As restrictions on social gatherings continue across the country in the fight against COVID-19, new research is revealing how the feeling of loneliness can have far-reaching consequences for people’s psychological and physical well-being, and even their life expectancy. The findings, published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences earlier in June, show how social isolation can negatively affect the health of the brain as well as the immune system. “Social isolation, or a lack of social opportunity, gives rise to a sense of loneliness. Directly or indirectly, this feeling has many wide-ranging consequences for our psychological well-being as well as our physical health, even our longevity,” the study states. “In short, loneliness kills people.”
16th Jun 2020 - CTV News
The Toll That Isolation Takes on Kids During the Coronavirus Era
15th Jun 2020 - The Wall Street Journal
The Hidden Emotional Cost of the Coronavirus Pandemic
In the past couple of years, I thought I’d made headway toward real healing, so much so that it had become one of the big themes of the novel I’d written. It was the story of a young man, much like me, who meets a mysterious healer who promises to “fix” his emotional issues in three days. As he begins to face the ghosts in his past, he interrogates the problem of thinking of oneself as broken in the first place. I’d thought while promoting the book–looking very trim, of course–I would deliver inspirational speeches about the transformative power of self-acceptance. Now that was the very thing upon which it seemed I had lost my grip, and I felt like a fraud, backsliding into addictive patterns I’d believed I’d conquered.
11th Jun 2020 - TIME
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullPartner Insights: Impacts of COVID-19 on mental health
Before the pandemic we were helping to provide support to our customers and their families particularly in situations where both parents were having to commit professionally to work longer hours causing greater pressure on the family as a unit. There is currently a high demand for accessible community support systems and treatment options for children and adolescents suffering with mental ill health, which could potentially increase post COVID-19 lockdown.
15th Jun 2020 - Health Insurance and Protection Magazine
Social bubble: 'Pure joy' for families reuniting after lockdown
This is the moment a brother is reunited with his sister after living apart for weeks.
The Ashby family, like thousands across the country, have been separated during lockdown but reunited over the weekend. David Sheriff, who has Down's Syndrome and autism, and sister Elizabeth Ashby were reunited over a Sunday lunch in Stourbridge, West Midlands. Mum Helen Ashby said the day had brought "pure joy" for the whole family. Ms Ashby said David, 31, had found lockdown and being separated from his sister "very difficult".
14th Jun 2020 - BBC News
Woman who spent 14 months in Antarctica shares tips for reentering society
Rachael Robertson is one of very few people who have spent a continuous year in Antarctica — Cool Antarctica, a travel and information website, estimates that just 1,000 people do so each year. From November 2004 to January 2006, Robertson served as the expedition leader of Davis Station, one of three Australian research bases in Antarctica. During the winter, she and her team experienced months of near-total darkness and had no way of leaving the continent. Robertson, now an international keynote speaker and author, sees parallels between her experience in Antarctica and the experience of self-isolating at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
15th Jun 2020 - Business Insider
Lockdown anxiety levels in the UK fall as restrictions ease but remain higher than usual
As restrictions continue to ease across the UK, fewer Britons are suffering increased anxiety levels compared to the start of lockdown, new figures show. But average anxiety scores are still higher than last year, with an estimated 19 million adults in Britain suffering high levels of anxiety. At the beginning of lockdown, there was a “marked” increase of anxiety, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Between March 20-30, almost half (49.6%) of people reported high anxiety. This reduced to 37% between April 30 and May 10. Older people were twice as likely as younger adults to report high levels of anxiety while one in five said they had found working from home had affected their mental health.
15th Jun 2020 - ITV News
How to Cope with Mental Health Concerns Related to COVID-19
The current pandemic is negatively affecting our mental health on multiple levels:
Social isolation is extreme and prolonged, with no definite end yet in sight. Anxiety, worry and fear of exposure to an unseen threat is constant. Millions have lost their jobs and source of income. Large-scale societal systems are impacted, affecting education, health care, religion, financial markets, commerce, and travel. Access to critical health care resources is scarce in some areas. The barrage of troubling information and accounts in the media is unceasing. Grief and loss from the ever-increasing death toll is mounting.
15th Jun 2020 - Psychology Today
Why mental health issues require more than online advice
Research shows that learning about mental health from a reliable source, which is called psycho-education, can be a powerful way to help understand ourselves. It is empowering when we can access support and remove the stigma surrounding our own mental health issues. This is especially important when many of us have spent long periods in isolation, experienced difficulties adjusting to the changes to our routine and suffered job loss or the loss of loved ones. It is promising to see an openness emerging around mental health difficulties online and well meant discussions of this kind.
15th Jun 2020 - RTE.ie
New Zealand did 'support bubbles' first. Here's what England can learn from them
First, support bubbles made a huge difference. Whether it was having grandchildren stay over, reconnecting with a partner, or simply being able to cook and clean for a loved one, bubbles allowed people to provide and receive much-needed forms of support. As they did so, they rediscovered their sense of value and purpose....
12th Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullNew Coventry isolation group launches in lockdown - and wants lonely people to join in
Lockdown restrictions are slowly starting to lift, but many of us might continue to feel isolated and anxious as the country adjusts to the new normal
13th Jun 2020 - Coventry Telegraph
Tips on handling the Covid-19 isolation from a solo sailor
13th Jun 2020 - TheJournal.ie
Therapists are under strain in COVID-19 era, counseling clients on trauma they're also experiencing themselves
"I can't be both a really worried human and a good therapist at the same time."
14th Jun 2020 - NBC News
Coronavirus: Child psychologists highlight mental health risks of lockdown
It comes after an opinion piece in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health warned of the damaging long-term consequences of a lack of face-to-face contact among young people and their peers. Prof Ellen Townsend, professor of psychology at the University of Nottingham, who organised the letter, said mental health problems such as anxiety were already rising in young people before lockdown. She told the BBC there was evidence that growing feelings of loneliness and social isolation as a result of school closures during the pandemic could be making that worse, especially among teenagers. And she described hearing some "heart-breaking stories" of children struggling. The letter also points to evidence that children are at low risk from Covid-19.
14th Jun 2020 - BBC News
How COVID-19 lockdown has altered sleep in the US and Europe
Two new studies show that relaxed school and work schedules and more time spent at home has led people to sleep more on average with less 'social jetlag' as indicated by a reduced shift in sleep timing and duration on work days versus free days. But, at the same time, one of the studies also finds that the pandemic has taken a toll when it comes to self-reported sleep quality.
10th Jun 2020 - Science Daily
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to Soothe Your 'Re-Entry Anxiety' As COVID-19 Lockdowns Lift
Kerber, who says he’s never struggled with anxiety before, now feels “underlying concern or unease” when he spends time in public, in large part because he has an autoimmune condition that makes him more susceptible to coronavirus. At the same time, he says, he’s anxious about the prospect of working and living remotely for months more, or longer. “I’m concerned about going into public, but now I’m also concerned about how long I can [last] without going out,” he says. When COVID-19 lockdowns were first instituted, it felt, for many people, unfathomable to stay home nearly 24/7. But for people like Kerber, it now feels equally strange—and nerve-wracking—to do anything else after months cocooned inside. Psychologists have dubbed the phenomenon “re-entry anxiety.”
11th Jun 2020 - TIME
In post-lockdown China, student mental health in focus amid reported jump in suicides - The Jakarta Post
The heightened post-lockdown anxiety has become a matter of central government concern as domestic media report a spate of suicides by young people. It has also led to unprecedented measures by schools and local governments to focus on student mental health - a topic that like suicide has often been taboo in Chinese society. "There have been some heartbreaking incidents as schools reopened," Yan Wu, vice mayor of the southern city of Zhuhai, said at China's annual parliamentary meeting last month. "This highlights the importance and urgency of promoting mental health development in young students," he said. At the parliamentary meeting, at least four delegates put forward proposals for more attention to be paid to students' psychological needs.
11th Jun 2020 - Jakarta Post
How the coronavirus pandemic changed kissing culture
To show affection for those you love is a basic human desire that is perhaps needed now more than ever. However, because of COVID-19, it’s one we can no longer express without a bit of caution. The coronavirus pandemic has turned sweet kisses — the ones that give you flutters during date night or the precious ones from a mother or father to a child — into risky business.
11th Jun 2020 - Los Angeles Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 Coverage: Dealing with Isolation
Richard Ollis, CEO of Ollis/Akers/Arney, says all of us are going to be impacted by the mental effects of isolation and the pandemic. Ollis recommends some simple tips to help you navigate the difficult time.
10th Jun 2020 - Springfield Business Journal
OWU professors: Distance is not isolation
Two Ohio Wesleyan University psychology professors explained how to maintain one’s social connections during this stressful time at an online panel discussion held Monday. “Social Distance, Not Social Isolation: Staying Connected During COVID-19” featured Kira Bailey and Vicki DiLillo discussing best practices from a scientific perspective. It was the 13th of 24 free classes on the novel coronavirus offered by Ohio Wesleyan. “COVID has impacted our social connections,” Bailey said. This has been sensory-based, in terms of vision and touch. “There has been a lot of turmoil and troubles in the past few months. However, it has hit some of us harder than others.”
10th Jun 2020 - Delaware Gazette
Keep your isolation stresses in check by learning some easy coping mechanisms
ARE you riding a coronavirus-coaster of emotions? You’re not alone. People with no history of mental illness are feeling the strain of isolation, job worries, relationship strife and loss of routine, the Royal College of Psychiatrists reports.
10th Jun 2020 - The Sun
5 Tips to Promote Positive Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During this time, it is important to practice skills that will enhance our mental well-being. Here are five tips to promote positive mental health. Engage in self-enhancing activities — Whether it is learning a new language, taking dancing lessons or meditating daily, developing new skills provides a sense of confidence and achievement leading to stronger emotional health.
10th Jun 2020 - The Herald-Zimbabwe
5 Tips to Promote Positive Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During this time, it is important to practice skills that will enhance our mental well-being. Here are five tips to promote positive mental health. Engage in self-enhancing activities — Whether it is learning a new language, taking dancing lessons or meditating daily, developing new skills provides a sense of confidence and achievement leading to stronger emotional health.
10th Jun 2020 - The Herald-Zimbabwe
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullStay Active During COVID Lockdown: Stay Fit, Stay Healthy, Stay Safe
Staying active and fit is difficult at the best of times. But add the self-isolation rules associated with the current Corona Virus pandemic then keeping physically active becomes even more problematic.
10th Jun 2020 - Jagran Josh
Coping with children’s feelings of isolation during pandemic times
It is normal that children and youth may be anxious or upset during the COVID-19 outbreak. Young people that were already at risk prior to the pandemic may be disproportionately affected by the media saturation, school closures and additional stressors that are being experienced during this time. There are numerous online resources available that provide support, tips and links to services for families and youth, including Children’s Mental Health Ontario at cmho.org, and Jack.org, a partnership between Jack.org, School Mental Health Ontario and Kids Help Phone. Both resource hubs contain easily accessible education, tools, support and reliable information.
10th Jun 2020 - Manitoulin Expositor
Coronavirus: Mental health of women and young hit hardest by pandemic
Institute for Fiscal Studies report finds substantial negative impacts on mental health across the population — but some groups worse affected than others.
10th Jun 2020 - iNews
The coronavirus quarantine has changed us — and it’s not all bad
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living in quarantine for months has offered some — mostly the privileged among us — a rare opportunity to reflect on our lives and, potentially, to reset them. Workers whose jobs defined their lives are now asking what all that productivity was for, and whether we really want to measure our self-worth by the yardstick of hypercompetitive capitalism. Many are finding that the things that made them look “successful” actually also made them feel miserable, or precarious, or physically unwell. Quarantine has allowed them to experiment with new habits and new lifestyles. And they want to keep some of these things going, even in a post-lockdown world.
10th Jun 2020 - Vox.com
Coronavirus: Social bubbles key to helping unlock economy and ensuring mental health well-being, says Naomi Long
Families could soon be allowed to meet up with other households in Northern Ireland under new proposed "social bubbles".
9th Jun 2020 - Belfast Telegraph
Struggling with anxiety amid COVID-19 pandemic? Ease your mind with R-A-I-N
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ Rico Hizon, Henick said people are not prepared for the mental health effects brought by the pandemic. “They have to change their entire lives and haven’t had contact with people that they love and care about for a long time now. The loneliness is setting and the isolation is being internalized. People are having difficult time in dealing with it,” Henick said. Being irritable and the feeling of isolation are some of the signs that one has an anxiety or stress disorder, Henick explained. To overcome the anxiety brought by the movement restrictions due to the pandemic, Henick laid out his four-step R.A.I.N. tips that might be useful for everyone:
9th Jun 2020 - CNN Philippines
Cabin fever: Definition, symptoms, and how to cope
With people around the world in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cabin fever may be more common and widespread than ever. In this article, we outline the signs of cabin fever and provide tips on how to cope. We also offer advice on when to seek help for the psychological or behavioral effects of cabin fever.
8th Jun 2020 - Medical News Today
Wondering How To Sleep Better? These 11 Products Can Help
Even in normal times, approximately 30 to 35 percent of the population experiences acute, or short-term, insomnia, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Add on the stress of coronavirus, social distancing, home schooling and job loss and you have a recipe for sleep problems, says Dr. Raj Dasgupta, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. “Everyone became a night owl in lockdown and now that the country is slowly opening up, we’re finding it hard to get back to our normal sleep schedules,” he says. Dr. Dasgupta stresses that a good night’s rest is highly individualized. “It’s like a puzzle,” he says. “The missing piece is different for everyone.”
3rd Jun 2020 - Forbes
Covid-19 lockdown has negatively impacted kids’ diet, sleep and physical activity: Study
“The tragic COVID-19 pandemic has collateral effects extending beyond direct viral infection,” said Myles Faith, PhD, childhood obesity expert and co-author of the study.
10th Jun 2020 - The Indian Express
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullWhat hobbies can I learn during coronavirus isolation?
Are you looking for a way to keep your brain active during these trying times? Why not try your hand at studying another tongue, suggests English tutor and language coach Darren Cameron, of Kewstoke, in Weston,
8th Jun 2020 - Weston Mercury
7 mental health coping tips for life in the time of COVID-19
There are actions individuals can take to ease the burden, writes Linda Carlson, Cumming School of Medicine, in Conversation Canada
8th Jun 2020 - UCalgary News
Coronavirus: Fears of ‘loneliness epidemic’ as dozens of UK patients found dead at home undetected for two weeks
Dozens of Covid-19 patients died at home alone and weren’t discovered for up to two weeks, according to a report. Medics investigating such deaths said that people had only been found after friends, relatives or neighbours had sounded the alarm and alerted authorities. Some cases had gone under the radar for so long that their bodies had begun to decompose, leading to fears of an “epidemic of loneliness“.
8th Jun 2020 - The Independent
What impact will Covid-19 have on the UK Government's loneliness strategy?
Building on excellent work done by the Jo Cox Foundation and other civil society groups, in October 2018 the then-Government published a strategy called A Connected Society: a strategy for tackling loneliness, and a progress report was published in January 2020. The strategy relates to England, but there are similar initiatives elsewhere in the UK. It has attracted the attention of policy makers and media commentators around the world. I was proud to contribute to the strategy as lead official for the Department for Transport, recognising that transport can play a big part in alleviating loneliness.
8th Jun 2020 - Cambridge Network
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullInternet-Based CBT for Health Anxiety Compares Well to In-Person Therapy
Potential healthcare savings could be in the thousands per patient
5th Jun 2020 - MedPage Today
Diary of a Wuhan lockdown survivor
The Wuhan authorities are testing 11 million citizens to rule out a resurgence of cases. Such painstaking efforts to contain the virus may not have been directly precipitated by free speakers like Fang, but without her diary and her repeated exhortation to fellow citizens to record the trauma of these tragic times, the history of the pandemic would be incomplete. When she began writing the diary, Fang was a celebrated writer in China, seldom translated into English. With the publication of Wuhan Diary in English, she has become a global figure of free speech. Here are the highlights from the 60-odd days Fang recorded in her diary. The original entries have been excerpted and shortened with permission from her publisher.
6th Jun 2020 - Livemint
Paul Workman: Locked down in London, Day 75
Tomorrow will mark 76 days since the U.K. was put under lockdown and it’s still counting as many as 8,000 daily infections. The country’s scientist adviser says the numbers are “still not coming down fast.” And yet a lot of people are acting as if the lockdown is over. I don’t even know what to call it anymore. Lockdown Light I suppose.
5th Jun 2020 - CTV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow 14-day coronavirus quarantine law will work - and everyone who won't have to isolate
Lorry drivers, postal workers, pilots, sailors, commuters and fruit pickers will be among hordes of people exempt from the quarantine rules - and people can leave the country early if they wish. Here's everything you need to know
3rd Jun 2020 - Mirror Online
Coronavirus lockdown: Levels of anxiety and depression in the UK fall as restrictions ease
Ongoing UCL study of over 90,000 adults shows that depression levels have decreased particularly among the under-60s
4th Jun 2020 - iNews
Young parents juggle online schooling, child care and isolation during COVID-19
Young parents in Edmonton are facing mounting challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many try to finish high school online. “I’m in four core classes this year, so it’s definitely a lot,” said Grade 12 student Katelyn Dawe. “It’s definitely a lot on top of child care. But, I’m handling it.” Dawe said her 11-month-old daughter, Stella, is keeping her busy in between those online classes. “She’s amazing. She makes me incredibly happy. She is laughing all the time at everything,” said Dawe.
4th Jun 2020 - Globalnews.ca
‘Did I Miss Anything?’: A Man Emerges From a 75-Day Silent Retreat
Daniel Thorson went into a silent retreat in mid-March, meditating through 75 coronavirus news cycles, Boris Johnson’s hospitalization, social distancing and sourdough starter. Now he’s catching up.
4th Jun 2020 - The New York Times
68 days of isolation and 22 swab tests: A Singaporean's long COVID-19 journey after possible infection at UK party
On Friday (May 30), he tested negative for the illness, after a total of 22 uncomfortable swab tests. With that test result, he was able to take the first steps out of his home for more than two months - a single-bed ward in Gleneagles Hospital. “When I went down to the lobby, and smelt the fresh air, it felt very good, because I couldn’t even pop my head out when I was in the ward,” he told CNA in a phone interview. “When I found out I was going to be discharged, that was the happiest day of my life.”
4th Jun 2020 - CNA
This moment in time: Reflections on life in coronavirus isolation
Life is slowly transitioning to 'normal' as COVID-19 restrictions ease, but over recent weeks the ABC and State Library of NSW have been creating a time capsule of life in lockdown. Isolation and loneliness feature prominently in images and anecdotes representing the lives of ABC audience members during the coronavirus pandemic. But, as Sydney photographer Amanda Naylor says, there has also been humour and connection.
4th Jun 2020 - ABC News
Some people forced to self-isolate will be now charged £20 to get a coronavirus food parcel
Some self-isolating people are now to be asked to pay £20 to receive a coronavirus food parcel distributed by a town hall’s ‘humanitarian hub’. Tameside’s executive cabinet has agreed to introduce a means tested payment charge for its food packages that have been delivered to people who are self-isolating during the pandemic. The ‘humanitarian’ emergency hub, which was set up by the council in March, has delivered food and medical support coordinated through a special helpline.
4th Jun 2020 - Manchester Evening News
Lockdown prompts surge in Germans seeking help for alcoholism
When the coronavirus lockdown started in Germany, all Marco wanted to do was get drunk. The musician from Berlin, 38, was downing roughly a bottle of gin every night. “I was like, why not, come on! It’s quarantine, let’s party!” But as the days went on, he started to see things differently. “Because of quarantine you’re forced to look at yourself and realize, wait a second, this is not OK. This is actually a problem, this is addiction.” Marco — speaking on condition of anonymity — reached out to a local Alcoholics Anonymous group and made the decision to get sober after 20 years of drinking heavily almost every night
4th Jun 2020 - The Japan Times
COVID-19 lockdowns worsen childhood obesity, study finds: Research finds obese kids under lockdown in Italy ate more junk food, watched more TV at expense of physical activity
Lockdowns implemented across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively impacted diet, sleep and physical activity among children with obesity, according to new research.
4th Jun 2020 - Science Daily
Coronavirus: UK quarantine plans and £1,000 penalties confirmed
Plans to force almost all arrivals to the UK to isolate for 14 days have been confirmed by the home secretary. Priti Patel told the Commons that Border Force will check that travellers fill out a form with their contact details and location for isolation. Leaving isolation prematurely in England could result in a fine of up to £1,000 or prosecution, she said. "We will not allow a reckless minority to put our domestic recovery at risk," she said. Ms Patel told MPs that scientific advisers had said quarantine would not have been effective earlier in the coronavirus pandemic when infection rates in the UK were higher.
5th Jun 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullDr Michael Mosley reveals how to minimise the risk of infection if a loved one gets coronavirus
The person with symptoms should stay at home for seven days from the day their symptoms started. Everyone else in the household should isolate, together, for 14 days (from the first day any symptoms were spotted among members), even if none of you show symptoms. If anyone else there develops symptoms within that time, they need to stay at home for seven days from the day those symptoms started, even if this takes them over the 14-day period. This is proper isolation, which means you should not leave the property even for exercise or shopping.
3rd Jun 2020 - Daily Mail
7 Mental Health Coping Tips in Wake of Coronavirus
Half of Canadians reported a worsening of their mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an April poll. In Alberta, a similar government poll found 74 per cent of Albertans felt the pandemic had negatively affected their mental health. These stats are not surprising, because a pandemic is a perfect “anxiety stew.” It has all the ingredients that go into causing worry even in people who are not typically anxiety-prone. These include: uncontrollability, uncertainty and high consequence.
3rd Jun 2020 - The National Interest
Losing sleep over the coronavirus pandemic, here are the tips to Sleep Better
The novel coronavirus has brought the world to a halt and people are stressed out and there is a sense of uneasiness.Keeping up with work-from-home obligations to managing a house full of children who are accustomed to being at school can pose real problems leading to stress and discord. As economic activity stalls and job losses mount, it's normal to worry about income, savings, and making ends meet. People have been managing reductions in income and facing other stresses related to isolation, anxiety about illness, and disruptions to their routines.
3rd Jun 2020 - The Hans India
Stress-coping strategies amid protests, COVID-19, financial hardships and more
Between the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing protests and unrest in the wake of the death of George Floyd, many people are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. Dr. Jeffrey Gardere shared some important tips and strategies with PIX11's Marysol Castro for coping with the side effects of issues like racial tensions and racism, financial hardships and loneliness amid isolation.
3rd Jun 2020 - WPIX
Coronavirus: How the UK is sleeping under lockdown
A survey suggests more than half the UK population has struggled with sleep during the lockdown. Sleep problems were more common in people facing financial hardship, while two in five reported having more vivid dreams than usual. And some people, particularly the young, slept for longer than usual, but without feeling rested. The study was carried out by market research company Ipsos MORI, and King's College London. The findings are based on online interviews in late May with 2,254 UK residents in the 16-75 age bracket.
4th Jun 2020 - BBC News
7 mental health coping tips for life in the time of COVID-19
Half of Canadians reported a worsening of their mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an April poll. In Alberta, a similar government poll found 74 percent of Albertans felt the pandemic had negatively affected their mental health.
3rd Jun 2020 - Medical Xpress
I've been 'sheltering in place' long before COVID-19 — here are some tips on how to make it easier
Sean Towgood is used to long periods of isolation. The combination of Canadian winters and electric wheelchairs have forced him to frequently “shelter-in-place” over his lifetime. Along the way he has developed some helpful tips while waiting out any storm.
28th May 2020 - CBC.ca
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow will the UK's new 14-day coronavirus quarantine work?
All international arrivals into the UK, including returning British residents, will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. They will be required to fill in a contact locator form with contact and travel information so they can be reached if they, or someone they may have been in contact with, develops coronavirus. The exemptions list includes road haulage workers, a registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare and Eurotunnel drivers.
2nd Jun 2020 - The Guardian
Mental health challenge amid coronavirus is 'a crisis on top of a crisis': American Medical Association President
In a newly released interview, American Medical Association President Patrice Harris says that the coronavirus outbreak has exacerbated mental health challenges nationwide that predated the uncertainty and self-isolation that have accompanied the pandemic, calling the already-difficult situation made worse a “crisis on top of a crisis.” ‘We were having an increase of adolescents and adults who were experiencing anxiety. I have seen an increase in, unfortunately, the number of suicides and suicide attempts in adolescence,” she says. “That was pre-COVID.”
2nd Jun 2020 - YAHOO!
Coronavirus: Effects of loneliness in children could last up to nine years
Children who have experienced long periods of loneliness are three times more likely to suffer from depression in years to come, according to a review looking into the long-term mental health impacts of lockdown.
2nd Jun 2020 - Nursery World
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Jun 2020
View this newsletter in full7 mental health coping tips for life in the time of COVID-19
Half of Canadians reported a worsening of their mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an April poll. In Alberta, a similar government poll found 74 per cent of Albertans felt the pandemic had negatively affected their mental health. These stats are not surprising, because a pandemic is a perfect “anxiety stew.” It has all the ingredients that go into causing worry even in people who are not typically anxiety-prone. These include: uncontrollability, uncertainty and high consequence.
1st Jun 2020 - The Conversation CA
How to seek and provide mental health support in a remote work context
As many people worldwide have started working remotely due to the pandemic, face-to-face communication has become more sparse. How can we tell if a teammate may be experiencing mental health struggles when all our interactions are from behind a screen or computer keyboard?
1st Jun 2020 - Medical News Today
Coronavirus recovery: COVID-19 recovery tips and how to call for help
From paracetamol to isolation guidelines, follow Dr Juliet McGrattan's simple steps to help with coronavirus recovery.
1st Jun 2020 - NetDoctor
Life after lockdown: astronauts and adventurers on the ‘shock’ of getting back to normal
After circumnavigating the world solo at 16, spending 20 weeks in space, and summiting Everest (twice), Jessica Watson, Andy Thomas and Peter Hillary have learned a lot about life after isolation
31st May 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Jun 2020
View this newsletter in fullTackle the stresses of COVID-19 with these psychology tips
According to a report from the Columbus Dispatch, the Franklin County Coroner's Office reported 60 overdose deaths in the county in April, a 50% increase from April 2019. In Cuyahoga County, the medical examiner's office saw overdose deaths rise 45% from 33 in February to 48 in March 2020. "People are having a harder time adjusting to higher levels of depression or stress management, with so many added reasons for stress. People can't have a loved one come to see them in the hospital, people losing jobs, support groups are harder to access right now. This all is leaving people vulnerable right now," Van Keuren said.
29th May 2020 - ABC6OnYourSide.com
Self-Care Tips For Expectant Moms Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Pregnancy is a stressful period in a woman’s life, with or without having the COVID-19 pandemic to contend with. But expectant mothers could feel more vulnerable in quarantine due to the lack of social support and extensive isolation. Prospective mothers might also harbor worries regarding their capabilities to nurture a newborn child and the pandemic might be exacerbating their anxieties.
31st May 2020 - Medical Daily
Coronavirus Australia: How to ease your pets into your return to the office
Before dashing back to the office, experts are urging people to transition their pets to avoid stress or separation anxiety.
1st Jun 2020 - NEWS.com.au
The coronavirus pandemic and its impact on mental health
For people who have had depression or anxiety, these fears can be ‘exacerbated’, says Debbie Workman, the team leader for the East Berkshire and Buckinghamshire branch of peer support group Friends in Need. While face-to-face group meetings and activities have been cancelled the service, which supports those who are living with mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety, or people who are socially isolated or lonely, has moved online. It is now delivering virtual activity sessions in a bid to continue supporting members during the lockdown. The group, which is funded by the NHS and run by Buckinghamshire Mind, aims to reduce social isolation and build ‘community resilience’.
31st May 2020 - Maidenhead Advertiser
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullTen top tips to look after your mental health during coronavirus lockdown
"Looking after our mental health during the coronavirus outbreak is as important as looking after our physical health," says medic.
28th May 2020 - Bristol Post
Government suggests Brits use holiday to cover self isolation due to coronavirus
People who are asked to self isolate at home under the new test and trace regime will be entitled to statutory sick pay if they can no longer work. But the official advice suggests that some people might prefer to use their holiday entitlement to cover the time at home
28th May 2020 - The Mirror
Mobile data shows which European countries took lockdown seriously
28th May 2020 - Yahoo News UK
Dermatillomania in lockdown makes skin picking feel inescapable
While the causes behind dermatillomania, also known as excoriation disorder, are complex, an unexpected side effect of the coronavirus pandemic is that it has triggered and worsened skin picking, alongside a fresh fear over how the behaviour’s resulting open wounds and constant touching could put sufferers at increased risk of catching Covid-19. It’s hard enough not to react to warnings about touching your face by immediately touching your face – now imagine you have a compulsive disorder that can make it feel impossible to stop poking, scratching, and picking. Being confined to the home, no longer going out to a workplace or to see friends or family, allows the secretive habit of skin picking to thrive.
28th May 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullSelf-isolation if you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms
Wash your hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds - Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available - Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze - Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards - Clean objects and surfaces you touch often (such as door handles, kettles and phones) using your regular cleaning products - Clean a shared bathroom each time you use it, for example, by wiping the surfaces you have touched
27th May 2020 - NHS Choices
Concern over 'silent' oxygen deprivation prompts new approach to virus
Silent hypoxia is “quite newly observed but also quite significantly concerning”, said Jeremy Rossman, lecturer in virology at the University of Kent. Although telling people to self-isolate at home helps curtail the spread of the virus, some cases of serious illness are being “missed” until people are “critically unwell,” he said. A Covid-19 guide published by the UK’s health service in April warned that “‘silent hypoxia’ is common”, though the NHS could not provide any data to support the claim. A guide published by a group that represents London doctors said pulse oximeters — simple, clip-on-the-finger devices that measure oxygen — could be “a very useful tool in helping to monitor and assess patients”. In Brazil, Esper Kallas, an infectologist and professor at the University Hospital of São Paulo, said that by the middle of April: “We had begun to see a lot of people arriving at the hospital when they were already very sick. Most of them didn’t know they had hypoxia and were not feeling any shortage of breath.”
27th May 2020 - Financial Times
Italian study links social isolation to elderly COVID-19 cases
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The study authors did find a correlation between the proportion of COVID-19 infections in the elderly and two variables: percentage of households with one member and the nursing home beds rate. Because both of these variables are associated with social isolation, the results suggest that social isolation is a greater risk factor for the elderly than intergenerational contact. While the authors suggested that social distancing does not necessarily imply social isolation, they similarly offered that social connectedness does not imply physical closeness with social contacts. In conclusion, they speculated that social relationships may, in fact, serve as a protective factor against increased mortality rates.
27th May 2020 - The Science Board
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullPositive Parenting: Mental Healthy Hygiene During COVID-19
Scientists looked at 300 – fifth through eighth-grade students, and they found those who participated in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program – reported improved psychological functioning and less stress. The ‘mindfulness program’ focused on the practice of good mental hygiene, and includes:
27th May 2020 - 9&10 News
Mum makes coronavirus 'cuddle curtain' so she can hug self-isolating daughter
Lara Green, 35, surprised her daughter Katie, 13, with the homemade contraption last Monday. When the government suggested vulnerable people should shield at home from the coronavirus in March, Lara made the heartbreaking decision to send severely asthmatic daughter Katie to self-isolate with her grandma Helen, 65, for 12 weeks. But after noticing Katie had been feeling homesick, preschool worker Lara whose key worker status meant she was still spending more time in proximity with others, constructed the ‘cuddle curtain’.
25th May 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Why you're losing hair in isolation
Thousands of Australian men and women have reported suffering hair loss while at home during the virus pandemic - and now experts have revealed exactly why this is.
27th May 2020 - Daily Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Window cleaner helps elderly clients through isolation
When window cleaner Vin Kennedy goes to work, he knows that he'll be spending more time talking than cleaning. Although not classed as key workers, window cleaners fall into the government's "exception" category, so he could continue working. Mr Kennedy, who works in and around Southampton, says for his clients who are self-isolating he can be a link to the outside world.
26th May 2020 - BBC News
‘I beat COVID-19 with home isolation'
Three patients with mild coronavirus symptoms share experienences of recovering at home with good care and precautions
25th May 2020 - Mumbai Mirror
Humans 'not meant to be alone': Many Americans haven't seen or touched another person in 3 months because of COVID-19
In the early days of her quarantine, Ema Martinez maintained a routine: For 15 minutes each day, she would throw herself a "pity party" and weep. At her home in Lubbock, Texas, Martinez used to watch her 3-year-old grandson, Hendrix, so often that he has his own bedroom for overnight visits. But after Martinez, who suffers from chronic leukemia, decided she had to quarantine alone to protect herself from the coronavirus, the room sat empty and silent. "I'd sit for 15 minutes and cry because I missed my grandson, and I was convinced I was never going to see him again," she said. "And then I'd move on."
25th May 2020 - USA TODAY
Beyond the locker room: Coronavirus isolation is an opportunity to teach boys about toxic masculinity
Coronavirus distancing may have removed some of that fear by removing that physical context. Parents have an opportunity to support boys acting and being different. At home, they should not have to “prove” themselves to be a man so they can be loved, accepted or “fit in.” Supportive parents should allow boys an opportunity to explore an array of interests — as well as an array of emotions that are often guarded, shielded or repressed because of external social pressures to be accepted within male peer groups and among sports teams.
25th May 2020 - The Conversation CA
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullOur romantic relationships are actually doing well during the pandemic, study finds
Well, here’s encouraging news for America’s sweethearts. A recent Monmouth University poll found that most people in relationships are satisfied with them, despite the expected stresses that might come from, say, working from home together, losing a job, managing kids at home or preventing your family from getting the virus. “Relationships aren’t perfect — there are always some underlying issues,” said Gary Lewandowski, a psychology professor at Monmouth University who helped craft the survey questions. “But on average, the relationships we’re in are pretty good.”
23rd May 2020 - The Washington Post
For Some, Necessary Isolation From Coronavirus Is Detrimental To Mental, Physical Health
According to a study in The Lancet, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, anger and heightened stress may come as side effects of the nationwide quarantine, and they may be long-lasting. Stressors for symptoms of poor mental health include lack of resources (medical and otherwise), extended quarantining, fears surrounding the virus, monetary loss, stigmatization of the illness and boredom. Lack of information and quarantining with no end in sight are also risk factors for declining mental health.
23rd May 2020 - CBS Baltimore
The coronavirus forced my friends and me to celebrate Eid in isolation - Insider
The Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr starts on Sunday May 24, and many Muslims in the US are still unable to gather to celebrate. The holiday is a social one, where communities pack into Mosques or rented facilities to offer prayer, catch up, and congratulate each other on the new year. While we'll be spending the holiday isolated, my friends and I reflected on what we can take away from having to reimagine how we spend it.
24th May 2020 - INSIDER
Keir Starmer: Mental health toll hidden cost of coronavirus pandemic
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak on mental health is a hidden cost of the pandemic, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Labour leader called on the Government to provide immediate help to people most at risk, including healthcare staff on the frontline and people who have had to shield for weeks. Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness week, he urged a commitment to put mental and physical health "on a par", and to ensure mental health services have adequate resources for the long term.
22nd May 2020 - Evening Standard
Coronavirus pandemic leaves us bound together by our isolation
I also knew that I was better positioned to do this than many others. I began pausing to gaze out the window, grateful that I had a window. I took breaks from my computer throughout the day to listen to music, read poetry, and take deep, nourishing breaths. I found myself not just walking to the sink to wash dishes, but dancing to the sink. I began to revel in how different this moment was. The whole planet was being forced together by this virus, being asked to slow down and make sacrifices in order to save the lives of the most vulnerable among us — a radical shift for a culture normally focused on individual happiness and gain.
22nd May 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle
Tackling isolation and loneliness during lockdown
For the many elderly people in Bristol living alone, apart from family and friends, the months of lockdown are a particularly isolating and lonely time.With groups and activities halted during the pandemic, organisations in the city are having to come up with new ways to stay connected and provide support to those who need it most.
“Creativity and connections have never been more important for older people,” says Isobel Jones, the CEO of Alive Activities.
21st May 2020 - Bristol247
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd May 2020
View this newsletter in fullStudent nurse sets up social media support group to tackle COVID-19 isolation
There is an increase in stress and anxiety due to people being at home on their own. A final-year student at the University of Huddersfield has developed an online resource designed to help people connect during the COVID-19 lockdown. Sophie Rane is in the closing stages of her Mental Health Nursing BSc degree at the University, and is already working in an acute mental health ward, caring for patients with a wide of range of conditions, including schizophrenia, psychosis, acute depression and personality disorders.
22nd May 2020 - NursingNotes
Is your hair falling out during the pandemic? Doctors say you’re not alone
Pandemic-related stress can start to show itself in the body as hair loss, with many patients “who have been in lockdown, social distancing and dealing with job uncertainty,” said Hogan, who works at the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.
“I definitely think this is a thing we might see more of in the coming months because it is a delayed process,” Hogan said, “and it’ll be interesting to see if we still see this through summer,” because hair grows more during the season. The majority of patients Hogan sees — mostly via telehealth due to the pandemic — are showing telogen effluvium: a condition where the amount of follicles growing hair drops during a “resting phase,” resulting in shedding or hair loss, according to WebMD.
21st May 2020 - Miami Herald
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st May 2020
View this newsletter in fullPositive Parenting: Mental health hygiene during COVID-19 | Coronavirus Info Center
A new study shows there may be some simple ways to help your little ones practice good mental health hygiene. Scientists looked at 300 fifth through eighth grade students. They found those who participated in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program reported improved psychological functioning and less stress and anxiety compared to those who took a health education course. The mindfulness program taught the children breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, mindfulness while eating, and more.
19th May 2020 - WFMZ Allentown
A U.S. Expat in China Weighs the Decision of Where to Shelter in Place
20th May 2020 - The New Yorker
Lockdown poetry parties 'bring families closer'
A poet who specialises in health and wellbeing said poetry could help people feel "less alone" during the pandemic. Beth Calverley, from Bristol, created The Poetry Machine in 2015 to help people "put their feelings into words". During lockdown, she has worked online and with families and the hospital where she is also poet in residence. Bristol Royal Infirmary said her specially written poems "embodied everything we as staff are feeling for our patients and their loved ones". After almost all her pre-existing work until next year had been cancelled or postponed, Ms Calverley said the months ahead looked "very uncertain".
20th May 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to survive self isolation with your partner during the novel coronavirus
After weeks of isolation with a partner, all of this togetherness may be getting old and taking a toll on marriages and intimate relationships. Dr. James Rouse of Denver7’s Human gRace Project has some suggestions to work through those tough times. “The more things aren’t working out there, we’re like ‘I gotta make everything work here’ and we get a little overzealous and that’s brings a lot of stress into those relationships,” he said.
19th May 2020 - The Denver Channel
‘There have always been barriers for us’: how Covid-19 has further isolated deaf Australians
Even before isolation, Gavin Balharrie was used to feeling isolated. It’s a side effect of being deaf in a hearing world. “In a way [the deaf community] has been preparing for this our whole lives,” he says. “There have always been barriers for us, so we are kind of used to it.” There were plenty of extra barriers for Balharrie as the Covid-19 pandemic hit Australia. The first hurdle was just getting information, as Auslan interpreters weren’t initially common at press conferences.
19th May 2020 - The Guardian
Ramadan during the coronavirus pandemic — how a new perspective made me feel less alone
It is easy to complain about not being able to see my family or not being able to attend social gatherings. But the core of what Ramadan is supposed to be has never been the social aspect of it. Once I stopped focusing on the things I would miss during the special month, I realised that there were a lot of things that I still had, which made me grow as a person. I may not be able to see my family, but at least my family is safe and well back home and I have good friends here to keep me company.
19th May 2020 - ABC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullTips to stay active and healthy during social isolation
A recent article by leading physiologists of Bath University in the UK highlights that staying active and healthy during social isolation may improve your immune system. The goal is to achieve 150 minutes of regular moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week doing activities like walking and cycling. And keeping up with regular daily exercises can help manage chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, according to Melbourne exercise physiologist Mohamed Saad.
18th May 2020 - SBS
How disabled people are problem-solving in the pandemic
As people in the UK continue to respond to the challenges of self-isolation, one community is helping itself find solutions to complexities most would not have to think about.
Disabled people have spent years finding workarounds to inaccessible situations and now, during the current coronavirus crisis, one group has emerged kicking around ideas like using a smart speaker instead of a carer.
18th May 2020 - BBC News
“We're staying home today”: The unexpected anthem of Russia's COVID-19 lockdown
As Russia gradually eases its COVID-19 lockdown, a song by Moscow indie band Hadn Dadn is being hailed as the “anthem of self-isolation.” “We're staying home today,” begins the song of the same name, “We're staying home tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. And the day after that.” Given the strictness of self-isolation requirements for Russians, particularly in Moscow, it's not surprising that the song's bittersweet homage to being housebound has struck a chord. It incessantly shared on social networks. Independent station TV Rain organised a flashmob with around a dozen prominent female actors, television presenters, and videobloggers singing the song from their homes.
18th May 2020 - Global Voices
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow Social Isolation Affects Older Adults In Coronavirus Quarantine
PODCAST - Seniors citizens can get cut off from family and routine under quarantine, but there are ways to minimize isolation and encourage healthy socialization. One of the groups taking extra precautions during the coronavirus pandemic are people over the age of 65. But for older adults living alone at home, there is an increased risk of social isolation. We talk to them
16th May 2020 - KCUR
COVID-19 is taking gaming and esports to the next level
The global video game industry is thriving, despite the widespread economic disruption caused by the coronavirus. With the practice of social distancing reducing consumer and business activity to a minimum, gaming offers an engaging distraction for people at home looking for social interaction, and initial data shows huge growth in playing time and sales since the lockdowns began.
15th May 2020 - World Economic Forum
Voluntary collective isolation as a best response to COVID-19 for indigenous populations? A case study and protocol from the Bolivian Amazon
Voluntary collective isolation as a best response to COVID-19 for indigenous populations? A case study and protocol from the Bolivian Amazon
15th May 2020 - The Lancet
Coronavirus: Capturing isolation on New Zealand's Stewart Island
On the far southern tip of New Zealand, sparsely populated Stewart Island has been closed off from the world during the coronavirus pandemic. As the country emerges from lockdown, photographer Laire Purik has documented how locals coped.
17th May 2020 - BBC News
Has coronavirus-induced self-isolation out in the middle of nowhere been boring? I've got a two-word answer: Baby goats
Endlessly curious, they follow us everywhere, skittering around like pinballs, hopping onto anything that'll hold them (as well as some things that won't): wheelbarrows, patio furniture, cars – even yours truly when I made the mistake of kneeling to weed the arugula. So much for boring isolation. This time alone in the quiet country had been anything but – and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
15th May 2020 - News-Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullAs Pandemic Drags On, The Burden Of Isolation Takes An Increasing Toll On Mental Health
Some days are better than others, says Lisa Charland, a 36-year-old who lives in Billerica. She fills her days reading, blogging and watching TV. But that isn’t enough to stave off the feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression that have harried her since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
14th May 2020 - WBUR
Student pen pals help senior citizens cope with coronavirus isolation
Some high school students in the American heartland are turning to the old-fashioned art of letter writing to reach local senior citizens who are not allowed to venture out or have visitors during the coronavirus pandemic. Chip Reid found some of these letter-writing relationships leapt off the page into newfound friendships.
14th May 2020 - CBS News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: How to look after your mental health if you're 'shielding' and facing uncertainty
The Government has set out its plan for returning life in the UK to ‘as near normal as we can’ following weeks of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
13th May 2020 - Sunderland Echo
Astronaut Christina Koch on Dealing with Isolation, Coronavirus, and Space
13th May 2020 - Spectrum News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Family of 14 say life in lockdown is 'calmer'
A family of 14 have said life under lockdown has been "calmer and more sedate than normal everyday life". The Shaw family live in a Victorian semi-detached house in Mapperley, Nottingham, with mum Stacy and dad Tom joined by 12 of their children. Mr Shaw said while food shopping had become more difficult, the absence of a morning school run had led to a quieter start to the day. And some siblings had even bonded well enough to build a PC together. "It's been different, but probably not in the way everyone imagines," he said, adding they were all "coping well" under the circumstances.
13th May 2020 - BBC News
Loneliness is on the rise due to the coronavirus. These entrepreneurs are making tackling isolation their business
Even before the coronavirus outbreak, isolation was on the rise. In the era of connectivity and social apps, loneliness is ironically pervasive. Today, close to two-thirds (61%) of adults in the United States report feeling lonely — up from just over half (54%) in 2018. That can have major implications for our health. Studies suggest people suffering from loneliness can be more susceptible to physical health issues, such as stroke, heart disease and early mortality. One person who knows that better than most is 29-year-old Karen Dolva, co-founder of No Isolation.
12th May 2020 - CNBC
In rural France, the coronavirus bolstered a sense of community and isolation
Communities that previously lamented their isolation have found that it has helped spare them from the worst of the outbreak
11th May 2020 - The Washington Post
WHO warns heatwaves especially dangerous for vulnerable in lockdown
A summer of heatwaves is expected to hit many European cities, according to the World Health Organization. Every year, high temperatures affect the health of many people, particularly older people, infants, people who work outdoors, and the chronically ill, the WHO said. With the coronavirus in play, the extreme heat can be even more dangerous as it can aggravate existing conditions. Experts have previously dismissed the idea that warmer weather can automatically stop or slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
12th May 2020 - Business Insider
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 12th May 2020
View this newsletter in full14 Small Self-Care Tips That Will Make A Big Difference Right Now
With everything going on in the world right now, self-care may not be high on your priority list. But it should be. “During crisis, self-care is often the first to go and the last to integrate back into our lives,” San Diego therapist Jennifer Chappell Marsh told HuffPost. Perhaps you’ve been neglecting self-care because you think it’s selfish to focus on yourself when so many others are struggling. In reality, taking care of yourself will help you show up for those who need you.
11th May 2020 - HuffPost
Cabin fever tips for both extroverts and introverts
You're certainly not alone if you're beginning to feel the pressure of being cooped up at home. If you think the present situation is affecting your general state of well-being - feeling that the "cabin fever syndrome" is setting in - the obvious question is, what can you do to cope? How can you deal with the mental anguish that you may be experiencing? Here, I have a few suggestions:
12th May 2020 - AsiaOne
Coronavirus anxiety: How to cope with life after lockdown
As some countries ease coronavirus restrictions, mental health experts are noticing an emerging phenomenon; anxiety about life after lockdown. Meanwhile people who remain living under the most stringent measures are fearful about what will happen when these rules are lifted. "It is going to be uncomfortable for most of us," says Akanksha Bhatia. The 25-year-old writer and advocate for mental health and women's rights lived with anxiety before the lockdown.
12th May 2020 - BBC News
Quarantine Blues: If You're Feeling Lonely, Here Are 5 Ways To Stay Connected : Shots - Health News
Finding ways to connect is essential to our well-being, since prolonged isolation can increase the risk of depression and anxiety, says Dr. Sandro Galea of Boston University's School of Public Health. "We know from other events, the longer the isolation, the more risk," Galea says. Social distancing recommendations will remain in place for months to come, and until there's a vaccine, limits on big gatherings will likely continue. For the elderly or those who live alone, the isolation can be particularly grueling. But, people are finding new ways to interact with each other, even under extraordinary circumstances. Here are some strategies to connect with others.
10th May 2020 - NPR
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents
Tamar Mendelson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health and Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Beth Marshall, associate director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health and an assistant scientist at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, joined MPH/MBA student Samuel Volkin to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents, and what parents can do to help. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
11th May 2020 - Medical Xpress
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 11th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullHow to look after your mental health during the coronavirus lockdown - according to the NHS
It’s important to look after your mental health and wellbeing – and this has never been so vital as it is during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown
9th May 2020 - Hartlepool Mail
Coronavirus: Eight things that have kept us going in lockdown
Coronavirus has forced people around the world to change the way they live their lives. In Britain we have been spending most of our time at home, attempting to educate our own children and leaving the house only for essential reasons. What has kept us going? Here are eight things British people have been doing to cope with life in lockdown.
9th May 2020 - BBC South East Wales
Italians put on 2kg on average during lockdown, says survey
Italians put on an average two kilos each during the nation's coronavirus lockdown, according to a study by Italian agricultural group Coldiretti. Being stuck at home and unable to take their usual exercise, coupled with a boom in the purchase of sugary and fatty comfort foods filled with sugar, has bloated the average Italian, Coldiretti said. If you thought Italians ate well already, it may come as a surprise to hear that the amount of food on Italian tables increased further by 18 percent during the lockdown, it said.
8th May 2020 - The Local Italy
Lockdown Brits get more experimental in the kitchen and embrace Japanese food
Bonnie Chung, founder of home cooking brand Miso Tasty, said there is a "real thirst" for trying out new types of food, and one fifth can now confidently cook up a Japanese feast
4th May 2020 - Mirror Online
In India, Getting Online Therapy For Mental Illness During A Lockdown Can Be Daunting
From lack of privacy to technical glitches, connecting with a therapist online may be difficult, but it’s worth the effort.
9th May 2020 - HuffPost India
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullTips for managing social isolation during coronavirus, from women on the autism spectrum
Everybody is learning to handle social isolation and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. People with autism spectrum disorder, like me, have often had to deal with social isolation our whole lives. It gives us a unique perspective and experience honing strategies that could help the rest of the world cope.
7th May 2020 - Medical Xpress
Q&A: The Power of Memoir in the Time of Coronavirus
“This time of quarantine can be an opportunity to delve into our own histories, to excavate what moments carry significance for us and for those who might read our stories,” said Charlotte Matthews, a professor in the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, who has both taught memoir writing and recently published her own, “Comes With Furniture and People.”
7th May 2020 - UVA Today
‘Some days I get very depressed:’ Ontario seniors discuss isolation amid coronavirus pandemic
“What’s clear are levels of anxiety and depression have really taken an unprecedented toll on people psychologically,” said Dr. David Dozois, a psychologist on the board of the research council and a professor at Western University. “Social isolation and loneliness are huge public health issues not only for the general public, but particularly for seniors who experience greater risk for isolation.”
6th May 2020 - Global News
'Children at risk of lasting psychological distress from coronavirus lockdown': Save the Children - World
Almost one in four children living under COVID-19 lockdowns, social restrictions and school closures are dealing with feelings of anxiety, with many at risk of lasting psychological distress, including depression. In recent surveys by Save the Children of over 6000 children and parents in the US, Germany, Finland, Spain and the UK, up to 65 per cent of the children struggled with boredom and feelings of isolation.
7th May 2020 - ReliefWeb
South Africa 'virtual safaris' liven up lockdown with jackals and leopard cubs
For South African company WildEarth — which brings virtual safaris to your living room via a camera that their guides drive around in an open top vehicle — it is boom time. “We’ve seen a dramatic rise in our viewership of our live safaris,” founder Graham Wallington told Reuters. “A fivefold increase in the first two weeks in March.” Wallington said they are currently attracting up to 3 million viewers a month, with an individual virtual safari hooking in as many as 200,000 at their most watched.
6th May 2020 - Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullTop Mental Health Tips For People In Isolation Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
The spread of COVID-19 alone causes stress but the mass isolation adds to the mental health challenges facing many people in affected areas. There have been reports of increased anxiety linked to lack of social interaction, outdoor time and economic issues. But some people have found several ways to stay positive amid the global health crisis. This article explores effective strategies to help people stay calm and reduce stress alone or with family while dealing with the impacts of COVID-19.
6th May 2020 - Medical Daily
How to deal with coronavirus-related stress: Harvard expert gives tips
Health care workers, the elderly, and parents and kids are all under extraordinary stress due to the coronavirus and dealing with the pandemic’s trauma will be a long-lasting process for all, a Harvard professor said. “It’s very hard to process something when you are in the middle of it,” said Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Stress from the coronavirus pandemic has manifested in several ways for people such as trouble sleeping or eating, feelings of depression or anxiety, or increased drinking habits, Koenen said in a Tuesday afternoon webcast about mental health.
Koenen compared the COVID-19 crisis to the period that followed the 9/11 attacks, saying they share a community-wide impact, enduring sense of threat and shutdown of regular society.
5th May 2020 - Boston Herald
How mindfulness can help us cope with lockdown life
During periods of challenge and change the mind, body and emotions tend to react based upon our deeply rooted habitual responses. Whereas some of these may be beneficial, others may well be problematic. The situation in response to the Covid-19 pandemic certainly represents such a period for most of us and our families. Here, Dr Dean Howes of Warwick University sets out five ways mindfulness could help you and your family during lockdown.
6th May 2020 - Linlithgow Journal and Gazette
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th May 2020
View this newsletter in full10 positive things that social isolation has taught us
In every grey cloud, there is a silver lining. If by now you’re feeling the effects of dealing with social isolation, you’re not alone. It’s an environment most of us are not used to.
Here, Dr Elena Touroni, an experienced consultant psychologist, highlights shares her thoughts on the effects of social isolation, highlighting some of the positives we can learn from it.
5th May 2020 - The Press and Journal
Cooking in isolation: This social platform is providing an opportunity for everyone to share their love for food
“The world is trying to come to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic, and for most people, this means sheltering at home, and cooking for themselves. Some of these people have been cooking for ages, while others are just learning the ropes,” says Kavita, one of the co-founders of Isolation Cooks.
5th May 2020 - Your Story
Margot Robbie Shares How She’s Staying “Mentally Healthy” During Isolation
No matter who you are – or how robust your mental health – lockdown has been hard. Margot Robbie has shared some tips on how she’s keeping “mentally healthy” while isolation continues. In a short video for the Child Mind Institute’s #WeThriveInside campaign, the Australian actor revealed that there is one thing that is helping to stay focused: making lists.
5th May 2020 - British Vogue
What we've learned about life in isolation with kids
Women’s Agenda we wanted to try and figure out some general trends on how parents have been coping, and document what we learned. So midway through April, we asked 1257 such parents to share just what the juggle’s been like at home, and any tips and strategies they’ve applied to help get through the days. Our report on the survey is available here.
5th May 2020 - Women's Agenda
Margaret Atwood’s Isolation Diary: How to foil squirrels and sew face masks
So, in the spirit of my grandmother’s washcloths – not ultimately useful, perhaps, but let’s hope they focused the mind and gave a sense of accomplishment – I present some of my more bizarre self-isolation activities. You can do some of them at home. Though perhaps you won’t wish to.
5th May 2020 - The Irish Times
French connections - France under lockdown: Staying in shape and Paris sightseeing, with a difference
In this week's French Connections, Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula continue to explore how the French are coping with life in lockdown. How are people staying in shape? Surprising as it may be, according to a study, the French haven't gained as much weight as you would think. Another perhaps surprising fact: the sale of alcohol has actually gone down. Meanwhile, what does Paris look like under lockdown? Join Flo as she takes you sightseeing around the capital like you've never seen it before.
5th May 2020 - FRANCE 24
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 5th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullLife on the inside: 10 ways to make your home isolation-friendly
Home is traditionally where the heart is, but it is easy to fall out of love when faced with the same four walls 24 hours a day. Suffering bouts of loneliness, boredom and fatigue is inevitable during lockdown, but there are ways to make our abodes feel more accommodating and inviting during these tricky times. Whether you are craving company or seeking distraction, here are some tips for making homes a place of heaven rather than hell.
4th May 2020 - TheOldhamTimes.co.uk
Being a Parent Has Made My Pandemic Life Simpler, If You Can Believe It
Perhaps it’s the strange effect of being forced to slow down, to spend all of one’s time outside work pootling and pottering rather than actually doing things and seeing people. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere, the eerie streets, the cordoned-off playgrounds and lines of masked shoppers. Perhaps it’s just being a dad with a garden, a shelf full of Dr. Seuss stories, and sudden access to Disney’s entire back catalog. Whatever it is, something in the air is making a time that should be anxious, monotonous, and frustrating somehow pleasant, and even meaningful.
4th May 2020 - The Atlantic
Coronavirus: Free, Must-Read picture books for kids to learn & cope
Keep the kids entertained and educated with the best free picture books and e-books that have come as a result of the global pandemic.
Our top five essentials also include cheap books that come with fun, practical advice on hygiene that have become more relevant than ever in these strange and unprecedented times.
4th May 2020 - Digital Arts Online
How to go on a virtual tour of landmarks including the Taj Mahal, Pompeii and Machu Picchu
As the Covid-19 pandemic brings global travel to a halt, we can but dream of our next adventures. But there is a way to snoop around some of the world's most interesting historical places without even leaving the comfort of your own home.
We're talking the likes of the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu and even the Louvre Museum in Paris, as reported by the Mirror. Whether it's somewhere you've always wanted to visit, or somewhere new, settle in with a cup of tea and have a look around,
2nd May 2020 - Wales Online
Coronavirus: Dr Hilary Jones clarifies isolation advice for over 70s
The resident Good Morning Britain health expert joined Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard in the studio where he explained that while there is nothing stopping the elderly population from going out, they must understand they are more at risk. ‘There are many risk factors that we know about; diabetes, obesity, age is one of them,’ Dr Hilary began. ‘Of course, there are plenty of people in their 70s who are very fit and very active and they desperately want to go out and meet their friends and socialise and go to clubs and play sports and all the things they want to do – and they can.
4th May 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Neurodiversity: the impact of lockdown and social isolation
Many of us are neurodivergent and HR always has to be aware of mental pressures people are being put under by the current crisis. Matthew Trerise and Dr Angela Armstrong discuss the challenges neurodivergent individuals may experience due to lockdown and social isolation, with tips on how to help manage them
4th May 2020 - Personnel Today
Qatar- Advice on how to avoid injuries at home during Ramadan isolation
The Hamad Injury Prevention Programme (HIPP) has offered advice on how to avoid injuries at home during Ramadan and quarantine. Dr Rafael Consunji, director, HIPP, listed the tips in a video posted on Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) social media channels.
4th May 2020 - MENAFN.COM
Surviving Isolation: A Submariner’s Tips That Could Help in Coronavirus Hell
"We’re about a month into our collective COVID-19 isolation experience, which means we have five months to go. Or at least, that’s what I am used to. A typical submarine deployment lasts six months."
2nd May 2020 - The National Interest
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 4th May 2020
View this newsletter in fullHave you found a new hobby or skill during the lockdown?
When social distancing and lockdown measures began in the UK, packets of eggs, yeast and flour disappeared from supermarket shelves as people turned to home baking to pass the time. Others have taken up gaming, gardening, or virtual dance classes. For some people in lockdown, the sanctioned daily exercise has been a chance to discover jogging and outdoor fitness.
1st May 2020 - The Guardian
Quarantine tips: How isolation can foster self-discovery
“Something I already knew but was confirmed is how fundamentally kind he is,” Colburn said. “I’ve seen his heart.” Pulido, who knew Colburn for her “strong, independent” streak, is learning about a different side, a softer one, especially as he has started taking testosterone in February as part of the hormonal transitioning process. “Faith has been such a great supporter in allowing me space to find myself during this whole experience.”
30th Apr 2020 - Los Angeles Times
The best mental health tips for staying sane in isolation
This article is part of Confined Grind, our crowdsourced guide to maintaining a balanced, healthy life while working and living at home amid Covid-19.
30th Apr 2020 - BBC
Mental health care providers offer tips to deal with self-isolation and COVID-19
Cabin fever, the fear of becoming infected, grieving those lost due to the respiratory illness, and anxiety about the economy and job loss during the pandemic weighs heavily on many minds.
1st May 2020 - Brainerd Dispatch
Coronavirus tips: How to help kids with pandemic anxiety
Normally adolescence, a developmental period marked by impulsivity and feelings of invincibility, is a time in which teenagers separate from their parents and bond with their peers. Now that families are confined at home, parents are in a peculiar position in which they have to balance the seriousness of the novel coronavirus with their teen’s desire for social interaction.
29th Apr 2020 - Los Angeles Times
Channel 4 announces new isolation shows, including a series where dogs spy on their celeb owners
Channel 4 will be releasing five brand new shows during lockdown… including a series where pet dogs spy on their celebrity owners. Snoop Dogs will see cameras go inside the homes of famous faces across the country, whilst attached to their pets. The four 30-minute episodes will see celebrities’ pooches sniff out their owners’ secrets in what is a truly barking mad premise.As if that weren’t wild enough, the identities of the dog owners will be kept a secret until the end of the episode so viewers can guess who they are based on the pup-arazzi’s handy work
29th Apr 2020 - Radio Times
Coronavirus: Australians search for mental health tips as self-isolation takes a toll
From the stress of working from home to increased anxiety and loneliness from social isolation, many people are struggling to manage their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. One study released this week found that people reported being depressed, stressed or anxious up to five times more than they were before the outbreak. Many people are turning to the internet for information on how to cope with the coronavirus, which has been the most searched topic on Google for the past eight weeks in Australia.
30th Apr 2020 - The New Daily
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st May 2020
View this newsletter in fullBeing alone doesn’t mean you have to be lonely: How to connect during coronavirus isolation
Regan Gurung, a professor of Psychological Science at Oregon State University, thinks there are plenty of ways to mitigate our collective suffering. “Social isolation is a state of mind,” Gurung said, when I called him to talk about isolation and loneliness. “Of course, isolation is a physical thing, but I think social isolation is a state of mind.” Instead, he said, it’s the quality of the interactions we have with each other that matters. “You can have two very close friends that you’re texting every day,” Gurung said, “and that will be better than somebody who is communicating with five so-so friends.”
30th Apr 2020 - OregonLive.com
After the restlessness finally there's stillness: my last stage of coronavirus isolation
I’ve been to monasteries and religious retreats seeking calmness. The pandemic is giving me the same experience at home
1st May 2020 - The Guardian
Lockdown should be easy for me, so why is it like doing time?
One day this pandemic will be in the past tense. We will look at this time with distance, and sadness, and relief. We will suffer from other things then. And we will try to piece out how the experience of self-isolation changed us. Did we take advantage of it? Were we even able to? Did we enjoy being with our families, or did we want to hide even from them? Did we actually unplug, or did we plug in harder? Did a break from society free us from a system that holds us captive, slaves to commerce and media? Or did time outside of the system paralyse us? Are our minds really free?
30th Apr 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus Scotland: Ex-soldier on island in splendid isolation
When it comes to coping with social distancing and self-isolating, Chris Lewis is, quite literally, in a field of his own. The former paratrooper is spending lockdown on Hildasay, a tiny uninhabited island in the North Atlantic that forms part of the rugged Shetland archipelago. His neighbours are 15 sheep, a family of otters, a visiting whale and the thousands of birds that provide him with nightly entertainment.
29th Apr 2020 - The Times
Indonesian Muslims spend Ramadan with an eco-friendly isolation twist amid the coronavirus pandemic
29th Apr 2020 - Gulf Today
Covid-19: Music meets Medicine inside Lagos Isolation Centres
Yinka Olatunbosun reports on how the Arts4Life programme by the Lagos State government explores music, amongst other forms of arts to impact positively on the lives of frontline workers and the Covid-19 patients at the isolation centres across the state in this encounter with the leader of the string Quartet that recently performed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba.
29th Apr 2020 - This Day
Struggling through 4 years of infertility prepared me for the uncertainty and isolation of the coronavirus pandemic
As people across the world continue to live with stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus many are feeling isolated, hopeless and anxious. Author Amy Klein writes about how enduring four years of infertility prepared her for the challenges people are experiencing right now
30th Apr 2020 - Business Insider India
Centralized isolation has been successful fighting coronavirus in Asia
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Isolation is the less warm-and-fuzzy side of the “more testing and more contact tracing” mantra. But it does seem to work. Singapore, for example, had coronavirus well contained but didn’t practice centralized quarantining among its population of migrant workers — only to see their dorms become a major outbreak hot spot.
29th Apr 2020 - Vox.com
This is what it's like having a mental health condition during coronavirus
Mental health charities in Greater Manchester have reported unprecedented numbers of calls from people in need of help, since the country went into lockdown over six weeks ago. As people come to terms with a drastic change in every day life, what has the coronavirus pandemic been like for people with existing mental health conditions? We spoke to four people from across the region, who have been diagnosed with depression, post traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders and anxiety.
29th Apr 2020 - Manchester Evening News
Coronavirus: Watch as NI care home resident emerges from isolation after defeating Covid-19 to reach 98th birthday
Next week a resident of a Portadown nursing home will celebrate her 98th birthday, one which she has had to defeat Covid-19 to reach.
28th Apr 2020 - The News Letter
From Brooklyn to Beijing, Portraits of Isolation During the Coronavirus
Photographs and interviews by Ruddy Roye, Francesca Volpi, Edu Bayer, Maryam Rahmanian, Saumya Khandelwal, and Gilles Sabrie for The Wall Street Journal
25th Apr 2020 - Wall Street Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 29th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullParenting expert reveals tips on how to make isolation easier for your children
28th Apr 2020 - Heart FM
Advice for people with dementia and carers in lockdown issued
New guidance has been published to support people with dementia and their carers facing isolation and reduced services as a result of COVID-19. The leaflet features five simple tips, developed using the latest research and with the input of people affected by dementia and be distributed across Greater Manchester via the Adult Social Care team and Dementia United. It is part-funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in a project led by the University of Exeter and the NIHR Older People and Frailty Policy Research Unit
28th Apr 2020 - The University of Manchester
Is isolation turning your pooch into one big furball? This vet has tips for home grooming
Smith thinks her dog looks OK after the grooming session, but admits "we're not going to start a grooming business any time soon." "Hopefully [he] won't feel too embarrassed when he goes out and about," she joked.
28th Apr 2020 - CBC.ca
Isolation in Antarctica: One Woman's Story
The important part is putting thoughts into words, no matter how inarticulate or banal—the point is expression. “You don’t need to think about your audience because who is your audience if not yourself.” “Routine was key.” Setting and maintaining a daily structure encourages a state of acceptance. If we’re constantly having to make choices there’s too much room to feel we’re making the wrong ones—with routine the next step is always clear. Leaving room for second guessing is all too risky when that routine involves an hour long ordeal of washing with ice.
28th Apr 2020 - Vanity Fair
8 tips that will help you have the perfect virtual date during self-isolation
Virtual dating has now become the new normal, with video calls serving as a stand-in for the usual dinner-and-drinks routine. Looking to recreate the magic of meeting someone while staying at home? The experts are here to help. We got Priti Joshi, vice president of strategy at Bumble, and Shahzeen Shivdasani, author of Love, Lust and Lemons, to share their tips on making an unforgettable first impression virtually.
26th Apr 2020 - Vogue India
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 28th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullTips to take care of the mental health of children during COVID-19
Reassure children that this is a temporary phase and that it is a beautiful way to spend quality time with their parents and family members, who are otherwise busy with office or work.
27th Apr 2020 - The Indian Express
Times Of Swaziland - writer muses on their lockdown experiences
I have found that if one has a routine one does not get bored. Upon awakening I see to all my pets and after cleaning my house, I have to do my washing after which I get down to cleaning the yard or to painting and re-arranging things. I endeavor to jog thrice weekly in the minimum as this ensures I stay upbeat and remain mindful of my thoughts. The grass still has to be cut and the pool has to swept lest everything piles up and I begin to feel I have lost control. As we settle into the lockdown and it is the first month-end where one will not be receiving their regular income, unsettling thoughts do tend to surface from time to time
27th Apr 2020 - Times of Swaziland
New resource for 'overwhelmed' families living with dementia during lockdown
The guidance has been developed using feedback from dementia patients who are reporting concerns about maintaining supplies of food and medications, anxiety about what would happen if they were admitted to hospital , feelings of loss and grief, increases in symptoms like agitation, and a more rapid decline in cognitive and functional ability. For carers, evidence from the project suggested lockdown was depriving them of respite opportunities away from their role, while at the same time they had heightened fear about the safety and wellbeing of the person with dementia and were finding it difficult explaining the crisis to them. The leaflet gives practical and self-help tips in five key areas: staying safe and well; staying connected; keeping a sense of purpose; staying active; and remaining positive.
27th Apr 2020 - Nursing Times
Coronavirus: Government launches plan to tackle loneliness during lockdown
The Government has launched a major effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation during the coronavirus outbreak and period of social distancing. Led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, the plan will aim to ensure that, for people of all ages and backgrounds, staying at home does not need to lead to loneliness. The latest #Let’sTalkLoneliness public campaign has been rolled out to get people talking openly about loneliness, which includes new public guidance offering useful tips and advice on what to do to look after yourself and others safely.
28th Apr 2020 - Keep the Faith
5 pandemic isolation tips from mental health pros who live alone
Nicole Yarmolkevich and Carl Evans both live alone and are experiencing the challenges of solitude during the coronavirus stay-at-home order. But their jobs could give them an advantage over others during this phase of isolation: They both work in mental health.
27th Apr 2020 - Chicago Daily Herald
Coronavirus diary: Jeremy Thompson on life under lockdown
The former Sky News presenter is writing a weekly diary revealing how the COVID-19 virus has changed his life.
27th Apr 2020 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullFamily lockdown tips and ideas to help you get through self-isolation with your kids
Lemon-Aid, a newsletter community of like-minded parents and carers are helping parents get through this period of self-isolation by sending daily emails with tips and tricks on how to keep kids of all ages entertained. Whether you have little ones, teenagers or any age in-between, there is something for everyone. Here are some of the tips and tricks to help you get your family through lockdown:
25th Apr 2020 - Cambridge News
How to move around the city freely during quarantine
How to move around the city freely during quarantine
25th Apr 2020 - @Best_Fact
Coronavirus has changed the way Muslims are celebrating Ramadan, in virtual spaces and in solitude
"One of the greatest opportunities that's going to be coming out of Ramadan 2020," Ahmed said, "is that we get to celebrate in real time virtually with Muslims all over the world, so we're not just participating and interacting with our family and friends in our local communities."
26th Apr 2020 - USA Today
Dad came up with a great lockdown idea for the kids
Dad came up with a great lockdown idea for the kids - a slide next to the stairs
26th Apr 2020 - @yaplakalcom
Tips to remain 'sane and safe' during physical distancing
Maintaining a routine, helping others and taking time to focus on self-care are among the tips one Ball State University professor is sharing to help people stay “sane and safe” while practicing physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jagdish Khubchandani, a health sciences professor, has 15 recommendations to “counterbalance” the physical and psychological effects of social distancing, which involves reducing close contact with others in an effort to help stop the spread of the disease, per guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
26th Apr 2020 - Safety+Health magazine
Edinburgh solo adventurer offers tips for surviving self-isolation in Alone Together podcast
In the latest episode of Alone Together - A Coronavirus Podcast, you’ll hear from experts who know just how to do that. Derek Watson, associate professor of cultural management at the University of Sunderland, discusses his research into handwashing, offering practical advice on how to wash and dry your hands properly and thoroughly. He tells Alone Together’s Morven McIntyre that good hygiene practices can stop the spread of the virus and save lives.
The lockdown has also left many people coping on their own. Solo adventurer Jenny Tough, from Edinburgh, chats to Morven about building up your physical and mental resilience in isolation.
24th Apr 2020 - Edinburgh Live
How to Live in Isolation – 9 Tips From Astronaut Support Engineer That Spent 520 Days Locked in Mockup Spacecraft
In these times of confinement, ESA astronaut support engineer Romain Charles shares nine tips on how to live in isolation – he spent 520 days locked in a mockup spacecraft and is a true expert on the subject. Mars500 locked six ‘marsonauts’ in a simulated spaceship near Moscow, Russia for 520 days, the time it would take to fly to Mars and back plus 30 days spent exploring its surface. It was the first full-length, high-fidelity simulation of a human mission to our neighboring planet. The crew went into lockdown on June 3, 2010, and they did not open the hatch until 17 months later on November 4, 2011.
24th Apr 2020 - SciTechDaily
“I survived 59 days in isolation – here are my tips for remaining mentally and physically strong in lockdown”
That trip lasted for 59 days. Having nobody to rely on for that time really helped me to find my own strength and to realise just how powerful I am in my own life. It showed me my own physical strength, getting through situations like waves and getting lost in the woods, but also my mental resilience as I was alone when making crucial decisions. These are the lessons I’ve taken from that experience into lockdown, and you should too.
24th Apr 2020 - Stylist
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullParenting Tips for Spending the Coronavirus Lockdown with Your Family: 'Throw Out Every Single Rule'
Wondering about how to parent while your kids are home during the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic? Lindsay Powers has the only tip you need: “Throw out every single rule.” The author of You Can’t F— Up Your Kids joined PeopleNow on Wednesday to answer parent questions about life in self-isolation and covered everything from how to manage snack time to homework in her chat.
22nd Apr 2020 - People
'Lockdown made me realise what’s important’: meet the families reconnecting remotely
Here, three people who found isolation has had a positive effect on their relationships share their experiences – from building bridges, to creating the foundations for better communication, and reconnecting with family members they haven’t spoken to in years …
23rd Apr 2020 - The Guardian
Being Mindful: Deepak Chopra shares 5 tips on coping with self-isolation during the coronavirus crisis
23rd Apr 2020 - YAHOO!
Self-isolation tips from Oxford ME sufferer on lockdown positivity
The challenges though, I am used too. I have worn an anti-viral mask for years. I have had to learn how to deal with isolation, it was not always easy at the beginning. For many years I rebelled against being ill and paid dearly. However, feeling rough was not much fun, so after a while I was forced to self-isolate, so that it was possible to enjoy some of my life. After a while, I got used to self isolation. I tried not to miss things, there were so many things to miss. If I went down that path, I would lose my mind. Instead I tried to focus on the positives and live in the moment.
23rd Apr 2020 - Oxford Mail
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullFacebook - Rainbow Trails Groups
All you have to do is create Rainbow pictures and stick them in your window for children to find on walks especially during this hard time of self isolation. You can be as creative as you like using pens, paints or anything you have to make one. Please share it would be great to get everyone involved including young and old
22nd Apr 2020 - Facebook
The Virtual Traveller : Galleries of Art
No one can travel at the moment, but that doesn't mean you can't travel virtually. This week, we've complied a list of immersive virtual tours you can take in art galleries around the world. Warning: you can fall down a rabbit hole and lose hours of time doing this, which is the point; we all have time to kill during this pandemic. Plus viewing art virtually costs far less and is easier on the feet; no more museum fatigue.
8th Apr 2020 - The Islander Online
17 Famous Art Museums You Can Visit from Your Living Room
Did you know that most major art museums around the world offer virtual tours and resources for free? Why not take your students on virtual museum tours to the lavish Louvre in Paris? Or the majestic Metropolitan Museum of Art? Or any one of these historic art museums from around the world? Check out the list below to get started!
22nd Apr 2020 - We Are Teachers
Take A (Virtual) Tour Of The Tate's Blockbuster Andy Warhol Exhibition, With Its Curators
21st Apr 2020 - YAHOO!
Around the world in 30 minutes: KAYAK launches virtual getaways for stay-at-home escapism
With travel plans on hold and social distancing in full force, would-be adventurers and travellers across the globe can only dream of their next getaway. To help keep the dream alive, KAYAK is launching its virtual travel hub featuring a selection of curated city guides so globetrotters can #TravelFromHome. Whether eager explorers need a 10-minute escape from #WFH life or to view a screen that isn’t hosting another conference call, KAYAK’s series of curated virtual city guides will provide some light relief to those suffering from cabin fever and offer a chance to be submerged in new surroundings.
21st Apr 2020 - Travel Daily Media
Live-streamed safaris, sunsets and 'virtual small group tours' bring travel to stay-at-homers
22nd Apr 2020 - Independent.ie on MSN.com
A 24-hour tour of Paris: experience the City of Light from home
Paris, also known as the City of Light, was at the forefront of the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century — not only because of its “enlightened” artists, poets, and philosophers, but also because it was one of the first European cities to illuminate its streets at night. If you’re looking to add some Parisian light to your life right about now, you’re in luck. With a little help from the internet, there’s no reason you can’t virtually experience the best food, museums, artwork, architecture, and entertainment that Paris has to offer, right from the comfort of your sofa. Here’s how to plan your perfect digital day.
23rd Apr 2020 - Skyscanner
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 22nd Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullIsolation: tips and advice to help your children the situation manage well
Blandine Césard child and family psychologist, working for the city of Orleans, guides readers on how to best help children continue to grow without stress or anxiety during this period of unexpected house-bound confinement:
15th Apr 2020 - France Bleu
Eight tips to reduce parenting stress during pandemic
Parenting can be tough at the best of times, but family life has changed dramatically during social isolation that’s been mandated by COVID-19. The good news is children thrive in an incredible variety of settings. Emerging evidence suggests that a little stress, particular in the context of a supportive parent-child relationship, can actually be beneficial because it builds resilience when taking on future challenges. As clinical psychology scholars, our research looks at how parent-child relationships can promote healthy development, particularly in the context of stress.
21st Apr 2020 - New Optimist
Southsea woman transforms her kitchen for less than £100 in isolation creation DIY project
After being furloughed from her job as assistant manager of Dune in Gunwharf, Hayley Derry had plenty of time on her hands to take on some isolation creations.
‘I successfully taught myself how to tile, took the cupboards off the wall and put up industrial style shelves to open up the space. I upcycled the handles and cupboards all for under £100. ‘I just wanted to show that you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds ripping out a good kitchen.’
21st Apr 2020 - The News, Portsmouth
How to manage your relationship in self-isolation
21st Apr 2020 - YAHOO!
Loneliness, anxiety, grief — dealing with the mental health impacts of the coronavirus
We can see this mental health crisis coming, yet we lack both national and international programs to address it.
21st Apr 2020 - The Boston Globe
Fitness experts in Hunts provide isolation tips | Wisbech News
“Exercise boosts your levels of serotonin, known as the ‘happy hormone’, therefore boosting your mood and reducing levels of anxiety you may be experiencing right now,” Lauren Manlow, who is a personal trainer in the district, said. “Video sessions help give clients a structure and routine that’s as close to normality as possible.”
It comes as global health officials advised last week that people should “exercise, maintain a healthy diet and stop drinking and smoking” during the pandemic
21st Apr 2020 - Wisbech Standard
10 hacks to make your food last longer during self-isolation
Research by environmental charity Hubbub in the UK reveals that almost half (45 per cent) of those surveyed are more worried about food than before the COVID-19 crisis began. Of the 2,000+ adults asked, 90 per cent said their shopping and/or cooking habits have changed since the lockdown started. On the plus side, over half are planning meals more carefully and 41 per cent are getting better at using leftovers. To help us all make the most of what we buy, Hubbub is offering ten tips to get us through this challenging period.
21st Apr 2020 - Euronews
Tips to maintain your mental wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic
With lockdown extended, how are you coping mentally with the social distancing measures and isolation guidelines? ITV News Central has asked Dr Charlotte Hilton, a Chartered Psychologist from Derbyshire, to provide some tips for keeping up your mental wellbeing at this time.
21st Apr 2020 - ITV News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 21st Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullLessons in enjoying self-isolation from a 21st century hermit
‘Things haven’t changed for me … I’m free to go out whenever I want,’ says Italian who’s the lone resident of a remote village in coronavirus-hit Lombardy. He says people in lockdown with only themselves for company should use the time to consider their actions, and how they can improve their existence
18th Apr 2020 - South China Morning Post
Quarantine survival tips for extroverts and perfectionists — and those who live with them
As a psychologist, I see the differences in how people adjust to the challenges of isolation, constricted life, uncertainty and dramatic change. Two personality traits that seem to have especially strong effects on people’s current functioning and household disagreements are extroversion, though introverts can also have issues, and perfectionism.
17th Apr 2020 - The Washington Post
VicHealth's three tips to avoid 'isolation fatigue' (it's a thing)
It may seem counter-intuitive given many of us are moving and working less, but…
“Isolation fatigue is definitely a thing,” VicHealth CEO Sandro Demaio confirmed to Ross and John this morning. Lethargy, inability to focus and moodiness are some symptoms that you might notice. But it’s best to act before isolation fatigue hits, so Mr Demaio gave us his TOP THREE tips:
16th Apr 2020 - 3AW
Coronavirus Help: Dr. Ken Hopper Shares Tips On Coping With Confinement During COVID-19 Crisis
Fear and anxiety about the outbreak of the coronavirus has a lot of people living on the edge. It may not help that many have been forced to be confined inside their homes with hardly any social or physical interaction for several weeks. Dr. Ken Hopper is a nationally renowned behavioral and population health specialist with 30 years of experience. He joined Rudabeh Shahbazi and Eliott Rodriguez via Skype to discuss some coping techniques to help with the burden of isolation.
20th Apr 2020 - CBS Miami
Clinical psychologist's lockdown tips
“Begin by asking yourself some questions,” Dr Parker said, “including what are your usual coping strategies in difficult times and what has helped in the past? What aspects of these things can you reintroduce now? How can you adapt them for social isolation?” Another strategy she suggested is to “focus on what you can control rather than what you can’t. “You can focus on how you follow Covid guidelines, how you relate to others and how you choose to spend your time
20th Apr 2020 - News & Star
Here are 56 really fun things you can do at home if you've run out of isolation activities
We've rounded up fun things to do at home and some brilliant ways you can spend your time indoors that are a little more exciting than watching your freshly-painted wall dry. From cheese tasting to virtual beach cams and even making your own crazy golf course, there's something for people living alone, those looking for a romantic evening in with a loved one and fun things to do with the family.
20th Apr 2020 - GLAMOUR UK
Cooped up by coronavirus? Ex-astronaut José Hernández has NASA-approved tips to stay sane
He recommends a technique NASA used as a safety procedure: Say something more than once, and get confirmation. "What I have found is that it's probably good to repeat when you communicate with others, because it allows you to hear what you have told the other person, and when that other person repeats it to you, you hear what you said, and it filters out unreasonable requests, for example," Hernández says. "That way you can defuse situations that could escalate."
20th Apr 2020 - NBCNews.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: How to get to sleep during lockdown
Your hot water bottle is all warmed up, you've not looked at your phone for the past hour, you've just counted your 600th sheep - backwards - and yet still, sleep won't come. Sound familiar? Since the coronavirus lockdown, the hashtag "can't sleep" has been trending, with tales of people struggling to get their heads down for the night. One of those people is Laura Coppell. "Before the lockdown, I would sleep like a log. But now it's the opposite," the 26-year-old tells Newsbeat. If that's you, here's how you can reverse that trend.
20th Apr 2020 - BBC News
During #COVID19, looking after your #mentalhealth is vital. Pay attention to your own needs & feelings - Engage in healthy activities - Exercise regularly - Keep regular sleep routines & eat healthy food - Keep things in perspective #TogetherAtHome
19th Apr 2020 - World Health Organization
For Ukrainians, quarantine: good tips for what to do at home, so as not to go crazy with boredom because of isolation
Delo.ua is giving you a range of good advice for all of you who are having to spend time at home under quarantine for the next few weeks both working remotely and looking after your young children
22nd Mar 2020 - Delo.ua
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullTips on how to cope with social distancing from people isolating in China, Italy, and US
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Vox spoke with people from across the world who’ve been isolating for months. For those in other countries, many of their anxieties felt different from those facing most Americans, about 12 to 13 percent of which are currently unemployed. Italy, for instance, has frozen layoffs, and South Korea boasts labor laws that make it hard for companies to fire people in large numbers. In much of China, life looked close to normal as far back as late February. Those sorts of protections are not available to the same degree in countries like the U.S.
16th Apr 2020 - Vox.com
Coronavirus: How to stay physically active during self-quarantine with no equipment
This guidance is intended for people in self-quarantine without any symptoms or diagnosis of acute respiratory illness. It should not replace medical guidance in case of any health condition. WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both. These recommendations can still be achieved even at home, with no special equipment and with limited space. The following are some tips on how to stay active and reduce sedentary behavior while at home in self-quarantine:
16th Apr 2020 - Daily Breeze
Best Tips To De-Stress While In Self-Isolation Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Stress and anxiety can affect us all, but food and drinks are not the only way to raise your spirits higher even when you are holing yourself up at home for weeks to lessen the likelihood of getting infected by the virus. The good news is there are expert-recommended tips that you can apply to de-stress yourself while self-isolating without affecting your overall health in the long run. Here are some, via Healthista:
15th Apr 2020 - Medical Daily
5 Tips to Contain Anxiety and Fear During Coronavirus Quarantine
Stress and anxiety consume much of our time, and while there are many things that we cannot control during this unprecedented time, some of the following strategies are things we can control, and thus may make this time a little more bearable, and even valuable.
16th Apr 2020 - Greenwich Sentinel
Coronavirus: Astronaut Helen Sharman shares isolation coping strategies
Many of the methods she used to get through her time in space, nearly three decades ago, are being echoed now, as - like most people - the 56-year-old spends more time than usual at home. For Dr Sharman, that is in west London. "The main difference is that [in space] we had some element of choice that we went there, we chose our isolation, but nonetheless we were with our crewmates in a small environment and not able to go out when we wanted," she said. "Think about what you can do, rather than what you can't," said Dr Sharman, who became the first woman to visit the space station Mir.
17th Apr 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 16th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in full7 new mothers share the practical hacks they swear by for navigating like with a newborn in isolation
If you've recently welcomed a baby or are struggling to recalibrate following maternity leave, we've enlisted the advice of 7 incredibly positive and practical new mothers - many of whom are balancing running their own businesses with motherhood, to share their clever hacks for navigating this strange old time.
15th Apr 2020 - GLAMOUR UK
How can we cope with isolation during coronavirus? Formerly incarcerated women give advice. | Perspective
The People’s Paper Co-op (PPC) recently asked eight people in their program to give advice on how to cope. They share tips for getting through, including how to deal with loneliness, what to do when you lack control over your daily schedule, and the importance of eating well even without regular grocery access. Their stories of resilience and hope show the strength of the human spirit, when tested by extreme circumstances.
15th Apr 2020 - The Philadelphia Inquirer
Why Adopting A Dog During Coronavirus Pandemic Could Be Good For You
Keeping mental health intact is a challenge with financial uncertainties and health risks rising. An easy cure is pet adoption or being more pet friendly in general, specifically towards dogs, whose presence can bring down stress, depression and anxiety. Simultaneously, this might improve immunity as stress is the driving force behind many diseases. While recent reports highlighted people abandoning pets in fear, they might be doing more harm than good to themselves, since spending time with dogs is said to reduce heart rate and improve blood pressure.
15th Apr 2020 - Medical Daily
Scottish solo adventurer offers top tips for tackling coronavirus isolation
To help those less used to being alone for an extended period of time, Ms Tough opened up on some of the tips that helped her cope with loneliness during the difficult times. Among the tips are making sure to sleep properly and to be creative with the food you are eating. She said: “On an endurance challenge, avoiding boredom and keeping concentration is crucial and I’ve always found it helps to have a plan.
15th Apr 2020 - Edinburgh News
Rise in number of people seeking counselling in Derbyshire during coronavirus crisis
Based from eight venues across Derbyshire, Derwent Rural Counselling Service (DRCS) normally works face-to-face with individuals suffering from common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress and long-term conditions. But with the restrictions based around face-to-face contact and social distancing due to Covid-19, the charity has had to move quickly to adopt other ways to change how it’s talking to people.
15th Apr 2020 - Derbyshire Times
Lockdown life: Top tips from Royal Navy's isolation experts
15th Apr 2020 - Helensburgh Advertiser
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 15th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullBest Tips To De-Stress While In Self-Isolation Amid Pandemic
Stress and anxiety can affect us all, but food and drinks are not the only way to raise your spirits higher even when you are holing yourself up at home for weeks to lessen the likelihood of getting infected by the virus. The good news is there are expert-recommended tips that you can apply to de-stress yourself while self-isolating without affecting your overall health in the long run. Here are some, via Healthista:
14th Apr 2020 - Medical Daily
Hostages held for years in isolation give survival tips
Former hostages John McCarthy and Terry Waite have shared their advice for those struggling to cope with isolation during the lockdown. Journalist Mr McCarthy, 63, was kidnapped in Lebanon by the Islamic Jihad terror group in April 1986. Mr Waite, the Church of England’s special envoy, went to Beirut to negotiate his release in 1987 but was taken hostage. Both men were freed in 1991.
14th Apr 2020 - Metro Newspaper UK
Endurance challenger who has cycled and run around the world alone gives her tips for surviving isolation
If anyone knows how to stay sane without social contact, it's the woman who spent 25 days running across Kyrgyzstan on her own. As coronavirus pushes more of us into self-isolation and social-distancing becomes the norm, Jenny has shared her tips for surviving and thriving in lockdown. Here’s what she says.
14th Apr 2020 - Metro
6 weeks in isolation on Cork lighthouse... I loved it!
Gerald Butler was a lighthouse keeper in Cork for 21 years and often spent periods of six weeks at a time in complete isolation on Fastnet. He tells CHRIS DUNNE about his life and career — and has advice for those struggling to cope with the Covid-19 virus
14th Apr 2020 - Echo Live
I Spent Eight Years in a Myanmar Prison. This Is What I Learned About Surviving Confinement
The anxiety of not knowing how long the situation will last, and the daily dread of wondering whether you will survive the ordeal. When you lose your freedom, you feel fear, hopelessness and an inability to be useful. You feel as if you can’t protect your family, your loved ones or even yourself. After that, you may lose your confidence. Here are some basic tips and advice I can offer based on my experience which will help you get through the ordeal
14th Apr 2020 - TIME Magazine
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 14th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus in Minnesota: Social isolation tips from polar explorer Ann Bancroft
Ann Bancroft, the first woman to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole, recommends getting outdoors and exercising every day. The Pioneer Press asked Bancroft for tips on how to handle social isolation. Here they are:
12th Apr 2020 - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
These six tips will help your relationship survive isolation
Being locked down with your family or partner can put a strain on your relationships. Tips on how to survive it during isolation and lockdown
12th Apr 2020 - The Loop
High anxiety calls for innovation in digital mental health
Are you feeling depressed or anxious? There’s an app for that. Globally, there are more than 400 million annual downloads of mobile health apps, which suggests that consumers are eagerly seeking technology to manage their health.
13th Apr 2020 - World Economic Forum
North Wales mum creates hilarious self-isolation diary in pictures
With a hormonal teenager, a child with autism and a toddler who needs potty training, Vickie has turned her self-isolation experience into a hilarious photo diary ... s project - all you need to do is fill in the form below or at this link. For daily tips on how we can survive lockdown with our families sign up to our new Lemon-Aid newsletter ...
12th Apr 2020 - Daily Post Wales
College of DuPage psychology professor shares tips on managing stress while working remotely
For many, established daily routines have shifted substantially in the last several weeks due to COVID-19, and by now, the novelty of working remotely may have worn off. In this new normal, overcoming stress can be one of the best ways to work more efficiently from home.
13th Apr 2020 - Daily Herald
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 13th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullViral ping pong ball video 'perfect example' of why social distancing works
A public service warning that uses ping pong balls and mouse traps to visually display the importance of social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic has gone viral ... In the second half of the video, another lone ping pong ball is dropped onto a surface of mouse traps, except this time the traps are widely spaced apart, allowing the ball to bounce through without setting off the traps.
12th Apr 2020 - Independent
Home clear-out tips: how to declutter before downsizing
There’s more to self-isolation than Netflix. For the over-70s, who must stay at home for three months, according to the government’s advice in this pandemic, now could be the time to declutter a
10th Apr 2020 - The Times
Top Online Coaching Mental Health Tips To Overcome COVID19 Isolation
COVID19 has brought serious mental health challenges to many. These simple, yet highly effective tips from a top online coach can help you power through.
10th Apr 2020 - Thrive Global
COVID-19: Self-Isolation Tips
If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or have symptoms, contact your health care provider or the Florid Department of Health in Orange County immediately. If it is determined you do not need to go to the hospital and can stay at home to recover, the Florida Department of Health recommends the following self-isolation tips to help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community:
11th Apr 2020 - Orange County Government Florida
Easy tips to manage weight gain during self-isolation
With the COVID-19 measures making our lives more sedentary, plus the tricky task of having to adapt our food shopping habits, it’s inevitable that we might gain a bit of weight and start to feel less healthy. Worry not for Devinder Bains, personal trainer and nutrition coach at Fit Squad DXB, has six simple tips to get you back on track.
12th Apr 2020 - Arab News
Roz Purcell shares her routine, recipes and tips for staying positive during Covid-19 isolation
12th Apr 2020 - TheJournal.ie
Katarina Johnson-Thompson: World heptathlon champion shares isolation tips
World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson shares her tips on how to maintain motivation while in lockdown with help from her two workout buddies.
11th Apr 2020 - BBC Sport
DIY Hair Color, Skin Care and More: Top Salon Beauty Hacks While Isolated at Home
With shops shut, hair, face and brow gurus share their top tips for keeping up appearances, while some deliver personalized touch-up packages to clients: "We have been leaving them in driveways."
12th Apr 2020 - The Hollywood Reporter
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 10th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullSleep expert gives five top tips to help you sleep well during lockdown
9th Apr 2020 - YAHOO!
Astronauts share isolation workout tips from space (video)
Getting exercise is a great way to stay both physically and mentally healthy, but it can be tough to get a good workout at home, as many of us who are self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic are learning. And, while working out outside can be great, options are limited while practicing social distancing. So, who to turn to for advice on working out in a cramped space? Astronauts, of course!
9th Apr 2020 - Space.com
Musical guide launched to beat the COVID-19 isolation blues
Backed by broadcaster and Music for Dementia 2020 ambassador Lauren Laverne (pictured with a resident), the guide offers creative tips and activities to help everyone in isolation, using music as a unifying language. Grace Meadows, Senior Music Therapist and Programme Director at Music for Dementia 2020, said: “We’ve already seen how music has played a vital role in keeping people’s spirits up across the world during isolation. It echoes exactly what the Music for Dementia 2020 campaign has been saying – although the feeling of isolation is an ongoing situation for people with this condition. For people living with dementia, music is a lifeline to connect in a way that nothing else can.”
9th Apr 2020 - Care Home Professional
7 Healthy Ways to Manage Your Coronavirus Anxiety, According to Psychologists
While you shouldn't feel shame or concerned if you feel anxious during this time, Dr. Saltz also clarifies that, often, a person can easily elevate their concerns to a life-consuming level of anxiety that's inhibiting altogether. "Here's when I would be concerned: If your anxiety becomes way out of proportion to what's going on ... and it interrupts your ability to function, then it's time to think about addressing it [with a professional]," she says.
3rd Apr 2020 - GoodHousekeeping.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 9th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullThree Tips To Stay Busy During Self-Isolation
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, millions of people are self-isolating around the globe. The voluntary decision to cut themselves from the outside world and stay safe at home hasn’t been easy to take as it has forced us to restructure our lives in a manner that we never imagined.
8th Apr 2020 - Thrive Global
Coronavirus: how to manage stress eating during self-isolation
Struggling to manage unhealthy food compulsions and maintain healthy eating habits during self-isolation? Read on for our expert tips.
8th Apr 2020 - Netdoctor
Self-isolation measures could cause a back pain epidemic
Harley Street Osteopath, Oliver Eaton, warns of the increased risk of injuring your back during self-isolation
8th Apr 2020 - Journalism.co.uk
COVID-19: Tips For Keeping Your Child Mentally Healthy During Self-isolation
Children and young adults account for 42 percent of the worlds population; this age group is very susceptible to entering into an emotional crisis while the world is busy containing the pandemic. Children perceive changes in their surroundings as early as they come into this world. It is almost impossible to keep them in the dark about the pandemic, and also inadvisable. On world Health day, it's important to focus on our littlest and youngest members of society.
8th Apr 2020 - News18
Coronavirus in Norfolk UK: boss of Age UK charity calls for ore to adopt a grandparent | Latest Norfolk and Suffolk Business News
A boss of Norfolk’s Age UK charity needs volunteers to “adopt a grandparent” to help people who fear being cut off more than catching coronavirus. people were terrified of isolation while the country is on lockdown. He is asking for more volunteers to take part in its telephone befriending scheme whereby you ring a pensioner and simply have a chat.
8th Apr 2020 - Eastern Daily Press
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 8th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in full'Start a daily routine – and make the weekends different': the isolation experts' guide to lockdown living
It can feel daunting to think about the weeks ahead. But many people have not only lived but thrived in similar circumstances. A polar scientist, a monk, a solo sailor and more offer tips
1st Apr 2020 - The Guardian
Tips to survive self-isolation from citizen scientists on a remote Norwegian island
For more than seven months, Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Fålulm Strøm have self-isolated by choice in a one-room wooden cabin in Svalbard, Norway — a cluster of islands midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. With their nearest neighbor about 100 miles away and with no running water or electricity, Sorby and Strøm have found a few tricks to cope with being alone together. Those tricks could come in handy, as people around the world spend more time with roommates and family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
6th Apr 2020 - PRI
4 Tips for Handling COVID-19 Isolation When Working From Home
Yes, working from home is isolating, and it’s easy to see how those technologists used to an office can feel increasingly depressed by the isolation—and stress—of working alone during a global pandemic. Fortunately, there are some ways to mitigate some of those feelings during this difficult time.
7th Apr 2020 - Dice Insights
Calming Tips for Parents During Social Isolation
We humans are exceptionally resilient. We have a remarkable capacity to adjust, accommodate, invent, and adapt, even with little warning or preparation when we are nimble and willing to come to terms with the reality in front of us. Here are a few things parents can to do to help us find greater calm and stability during the Covid-19 crisis.
7th Apr 2020 - Thrive Global
Coronavirus: How to ensure your relationships survive self-isolation
Struggling to cope with spending extended periods at home? Experts share their tips on maintaining good relations with children and partners
7th Apr 2020 - The Independent
Top 10 tips to surviving self-isolation from a NASA spacesuit tester
Some people suffer from uncontrollable giggling. Others become selfish, with their worse personality traits emerging,’ NASA spacesuit tester Benjamin Pothier says on the subject of self-isolation. The 46-year-old from France has travelled all over the world to remote locations to study isolation and investigate how astronauts adapt to living in confined environments for months at a time. He once spent six weeks living on a research station in the high Arctic during the winter months when it stays dark 24/7. ‘I’m not mad,’ he jokes, ‘I was there to find out how one adapts to coping in such extreme conditions.’
7th Apr 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Must-read tips for boosting concentration, energy and immunity in self-isolation
Viva! are the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity and their experts from Viva! Health have compiled a simple list of key foods that will help you to stay focused, maintain energy levels and support your immune system whilst in self-isolation.
7th Apr 2020 - Foodservice Equipment Journal
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 7th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullThis Is How People Who Are Self-Isolating Are Looking After Their Mental Health
The coronavirus pandemic is a world event unlike any experienced in a generation, with countries all over the world — including the UK — taking unprecedented measures to stop its spread. But as the names suggest, the practices of self-isolation and social distancing can begin to quickly take a toll on people’s mental health and wellbeing, from not being able to visit family members who may be sick to being unable to do something as normal as walk to the supermarket. It’s therefore crucial that amid it all, we strive to maintain a life of normalcy — even when the current situation is anything but.
6th Apr 2020 - BuzzFeed
Coronavirus UK: People share positive experiences of self-isolation
Most of us have now spent several weeks in self-isolation and it’s completely normal to feel like you’re going a little stir-crazy. But it’s not all doom and gloom out there – in fact, for many people, self-isolation has brought positive experiences. Suddenly, we find ourselves with so much time on our hands – so, what are people doing? Because it’s Friday and we all need some light in the coronavirus darkness, we asked 13 people to tell us how self-isolation has improved their lives. Here’s what they told us.
6th Apr 2020 - Metro.co.uk
No flour, eggs or butter? No problem! 23 cake recipes for when you're missing an ingredient
Cake has taken on a new significance now that most of us are stuck at home all day, every day. We’re comfort-eating and baking like there’s no tomorrow. But what do you do when you fancy a sponge, but can’t find eggs or your oven is broken and no one will fix it? Here are some recipes to get you through every ingredient shortfall.
6th Apr 2020 - The Guardian
Ex-astronaut launches training kit for coping with self-isolation
A former Nasa astronaut, Jay Buckey, has launched an online self-help toolkit aimed at replicating the kind of training designed to help astronauts cope with confinement in small spaces for extended periods. “It’s challenging to be isolated with a small group of people and to not be able to get away,” said Buckey, who flew on a 16-day Space Shuttle Columbia mission that orbited the Earth 256 times. “Outer space and your own living room might be drastically different physically, but emotionally the stressors can be the same.”
6th Apr 2020 - The Guardian
10 miniature clay homes created in self-isolation
Instagram users have shared the tiny clay versions of their ideal homes they created to keep busy while in isolation. The clay sets were created for a competition that Brooklyn designer Eny Lee Parker launched on Instagram, just as New York began to tighten measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. "I started three weeks ago when New York City started to quarantine," Parker told Dezeen.
6th Apr 2020 - Dezeen
Coronavirus: 'How I'm coping with self-isolation'
Maddy's top tip for not allowing the isolation to overwhelm you is to stay in touch with family through voice notes. "It's nice to hear someone's voice - not everyone wants to pick up the phone and ring all the time so short voice notes can really help." She's also been video chatting with her mates but says she's learning to enjoy the silence too. "It's been nice to get a bit of time away from my phone and having to be in constant contact with people. Now, I can just chill by myself and spend a few hours cross-stitching."
6th Apr 2020 - BBC News
#CopingWithCovid19: The ups and downs of self-isolating and social distancing
Just a few weeks ago, a life of social distancing and self-isolation was unimaginable. Covid19 has flipped our lives on its head. How are we coping?
30th Mar 2020 - The Bristol Cable
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 6th Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullThe Science Behind A 14-Day Quarantine After Possible COVID-19 Exposure
If you're one of the many people who are being asked to quarantine for a fortnight, you might be asking: Why 14 days, exactly? The answer has to do with how viruses invade cells and replicate.
1st Apr 2020 - NPR
Coronavirus: how not to go crazy with the whole family in isolation
“Very strange times have come. We are trying to overcome them and not lose our temper,” says 34-year-old Annie Reedout. She and her husband and three young children are in isolation after two of the children develop symptoms of coronavirus.
Usually Annie conducts online training courses for groups of different ages, now she pays special attention to her school children and compiles a daily schedule for them.
19th Mar 2020 - BBC World Service
Top tips for coping with the coronavirus lockdown
Helena and Marissa, two members of MS Trust team who live with MS, chat about how they are coping with self-isolation, and the things that are helping them get through this very strange time.
3rd Apr 2020 - MS Trust
Pros and cons of quarantine: a psychologist with experience shares tips
The two largest cities of Kazakhstan - Almaty and Nur-Sultan are quarantined, many have switched to remote work, some have chosen a self-isolation mode, and some have been isolated forcibly for medical reasons. Now there's a need to understand how not to succumb to fear and maintain an upbeat frame of mind in such a difficult situation? Psychologist Victoria Chebotnikova, PhD in Psychology, with experience of 14 years, shares her advice with correspondents from MIA Kazinform.
25th Mar 2020 - MIA Kazinform
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 3rd Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullSeven crucial research findings that can help people deal with COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered the world into uncharted waters, and researchers, health-care workers and public health authorities are scrambling to keep up. “It’s a rapidly changing landscape,” says University of California, Irvine, psychologist Roxane Cohen Silver, PhD. While the new pandemic is unique in many ways, there are lessons to be learned from a significant body of literature on the psychological and behavioral health responses and consequences of disaster events.
16th Mar 2020 - American Psychological Association
A Viennese physiotherapist has found a social-distancing workaround. His clients follow instructions and work with him from inside a box made of plexiglass
A Viennese physiotherapist has found a social-distancing workaround. His clients follow instructions and work with him from inside a box made of plexiglass
3rd Apr 2020 - @Reuters
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 2nd Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullTips for maintaining your sanity during self-isolation
With all of us thrust indoors, maintaining our sanity during isolation should now be our focus. Here’s how to not go cuckoo.
30th Mar 2020 - The Big Smoke Australia
Tips On How To Cope With Self-Isolation If You’re Struggling With Mental Health
Unfortunately, those activities are now exactly what we are being urged not to do. Isolation is, by definition, a lonely prospect. And while maintaining social distancing is vital to help tackle the spread of coronavirus, it can still be tough on mental health. To help address this issue, Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at mental health charity Mind, has shared with UNILAD some tips on how to maintain good mental health and stay connected while social distancing.
30th Mar 2020 - UNILAD
Turn self-isolation into family bonding time: Tips to keep kids engaged during lockdown
Presenting pitches from your sofa, collaborating on team decks remotely and bringing your laptop to the breakfast table. Working from home is an adjustment for many. But adding children to the mix brings its own complexities. How do parents keep their children entertained and engaged while they juggle team video conference calls and draft presentations? What happens to snack time, play-time and me-time? ETPanache spoke to a few pediatricians, counsellors and parenting consultants
1st Apr 2020 - Economic Times
Podcast - Tips on coping with self-isolation stress in Suffolk | Latest Suffolk and Essex News
Listen as PTSD sufferer John and Amy talk to head of news Natalie Sadler here, discussing quarantine, fitness and homeschooling, and explaining how they are keeping the dream of a gap year in South East Asia alive.
30th Mar 2020 - East Anglian Daily Times
The Beat Goes On, Even During a Pandemic: Can You Add to My Family's Music Playlist?
As we head further into the unknown, the one thing in our house that remains consistent, reliable and makes us all mostly happy is music. So as homeschooling mostly wraps for the day, dinner plans are laid out and and that oh-so-welcoming adult beverage slides into our hands. Then, we play an album, record, CD (whatever you want to call it) throughout the house nightly. Recently, we’ve been reaching back a decade or two or more. Some stuff my wife grew up on, some stuff I grew up on. Some our parents played for us – maybe their parents even played for them – but nonetheless, since we have the time we thought we’d expose the kids to some of our seminal soundtracks.
1st Apr 2020 - 30 Seconds
Surrey County Council share tips on isolation
Surrey County Council (SCC) have shared tips with residents to help them get through the lockdown measures imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus. SCC also directed residents towards a number of services available to all residents that are easily accessible from home like mental health support services or E-books from the county's libraries.
1st Apr 2020 - Surrey Comet
A cabin in my living room or why do confined children build hiding places?
A hidden virus, more schooling and friends to play with, parents ... in order to cope with this new environment, some children are building inner shelters. So many ways to smooth staying at home
1st Apr 2020 - Le Monde
Confinement: an Azurean woman runs a marathon on her balcony
An Azurean woman from Saint-Jeannet has just completed a marathon ... on her 6m long balcony. Confinement needs must she launched this crazy bet and held up her end. Here is the story of this incredible positive sporting moment.
25th Mar 2020 - France Bleu
The five secrets of happy containment according to the Finns
The happiest citizens of the planet, the Finns know how to keep morale high in all circumstances. Here we have their recipe for helping you to continue bubbling with confidence
1st Apr 2020 - Le Figaro
Three Useful Ways to Fight Boredom, Coronavirus During Self-Isolation
On Monday, the Science Alert website cited several options through which people can help experts in tackling COVID-19. The first option is by playing Foldit, an online game designed in 2006 by researchers at the University of Washington. It challenges players to fold proteins to better understand their structure and function. The Foldit team is now challenging citizen scientists to design antiviral proteins that can bind with the coronavirus. The second option allows people to track the influenza infection by partaking in the online surveillance project FluTracking. By completing a 10-second survey each week, participants will aid researchers in monitoring the prevalence of flu-like symptoms across Australia and New Zealand. It could also help track the spread of the coronavirus and its influenza-like symptoms.
1st Apr 2020 - Asharq Al-awsat English
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 1st Apr 2020
View this newsletter in fullPM Jacinda Ardern answers Kiwis' self-isolation questions
1st Apr 2020 - Newshub on MSN.com
Top tips for self-isolation from Dr Helen Sharman
Dr Helen Sharman, CMG OBE CChem HonFRSC, the first British astronaut, is no stranger to isolation, uncertainty, and confined spaces. As many of us around the globe prepare for several weeks of lockdown, Helen shares with us her top tips for keeping spirits up, staying connected, and making the most of a difficult situation.
31st Mar 2020 - Royal Society of Chemistry
Coronavirus: Geoff Thomas gives isolation tips after cancer recovery
A former England footballer has been giving tips on how to self-isolate, after having to do that himself when he was diagnosed with leukaemia. Midfielder Geoff Thomas, who played for clubs including Wolves, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, was given three months to live. But after being diagnosed in 2003, he overcame the disease two years later. Thomas set himself "little goals" and advised "doing little jobs you've been putting off for probably years". A strong tip would be exercise, he said.I've been getting on my static bike. It gives you the virtual sort of experience of getting out on the road.
31st Mar 2020 - BBC News
In isolation, Brits find unity
One of the epidemiologists advising the government, Neil Ferguson, warned that the isolation measures aimed at reducing the spread of novel coronavirus could continue until early June. Then, England’s deputy chief medical officer said it may be six months before life returns to normal. Both estimates extend well beyond April 14, the date when the British government is expected to reassess the restrictions.
30th Mar 2020 - PBS NewsHour
Coronavirus: social distancing could save millions of lives, study says
Researchers from Imperial College in London say that without steps such as social distancing Covid-19 could have killed 40 million people this year. Study warns governments will have to make ‘challenging decisions’ but limiting social contacts could halve the death toll
31st Mar 2020 - South China Morning Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 31st Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus confinement: Thirteen tips to make self-isolating easier
In the days ahead many of us will be spending a lot more time in our homes. Some people will be working from home, some people will be self-isolating and too many people will be sick. For those who are well but struggling to cope with the confinement (and we include ourselves in that cohort, to be honest) thought we’d look for some diversions that will hopefully not only help us through the tough days ahead but might also save us a few bob. And – all going well – we’ll learn how to play the ukulele too.
23rd Mar 2020 - The Irish Times
Coronavirus and your wellbeing
If you are staying at home more than you usually would, it might feel more difficult than usual to take care of your mental health and wellbeing. These are some ideas which may help:
26th Mar 2020 - Mind.org
'We have to get used to a new normality' - looking after our mental health as Covid-19 lockdown continues
People with existing mental health conditions may struggle to adjust to a 'new normality' if the UK remains in lockdown for many months, according to the boss of a charity. Olivia Craig, CEO of Devon Mind, says a lengthy spell of isolation will be challenging for people who rely on seeing friends and family as a way to cope with life. Many people might struggle to access vital medication, while some therapy sessions are having to be postponed or delivered online.
30th Mar 2020 - ITV
Coronavirus: What are social distancing and self-isolation?
Strict rules have been placed on people's personal movement to limit the spread of coronavirus. Rules for those showing symptoms were already in place, as well as measures to protect the most vulnerable.
29th Mar 2020 - BBC News
How to survive isolation with your roommates, your partner, your kids – and yourself
In 2017, engineer Ansley Barnard spent eight months living in an isolated dome habitat with five other scientists as part of Nasa’s Hi-SEAS program, which was developed to simulate the experience of traveling to Mars. During that time, she learned several lessons applicable to anyone living with roommates.
17th Mar 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus self-isolation: The latest advice for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms
As ministers prepare to ban mass gatherings as part of the delay stage of the UK's response to coronavirus, people across the country will be self-isolating to help prevent the virus spreading. We look at the latest advice to anyone forced keep themselves away from other people.
15th Mar 2020 - Sky News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 30th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullFive Tips To Decrease Social Isolation For Older People During COVID-19
It turns out that approximately one-third of those 65 and older may have never used the internet and may not have internet access at home; among those who do use the internet, almost half need someone's help when it comes to setting up or using a new device. And substantial differences in the adoption of technology adoption exist based on factors such as income and educational level.
18th Mar 2020 - Forbes
Managing your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic
With many people staying at home and many self-isolating Bay Health and Care Partners want to share a few tips on how to look after your mental health through these trying times.
27th Mar 2020 - Lancaster Guardian
How to help people who are isolated during the coronavirus outbreak
Some simple but effective things we can all do to help include: - Collect and deliver shopping or medicines - leaving deliveries on the doorstep or safe place to avoid close physical contact. - Putting out bins or taking in parcels.
- Help others to use Skype or FaceTime so they can see a friendly face, helping to reduce their isolation.
28th Mar 2020 - Bridgwater Mercury
Clitheroe barber shares his tips on how men can maintain their hair during isolation
Life in self-isolation, which could go on for months, is almost certainly going to take a toll on men's hair ...especially for some who tend to visit the barbers every fortnight!
27th Mar 2020 - Burnley Express
My tip for self-isolation? It’s best not to stockpile books
From apocalyptic themes to audiobooks – pointers from a specialist in staying at home
21st Mar 2020 - The Guardian
Joe Wick's Fitness Tips For Self-Isolation
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with fitness coach Joe Wicks about his new at-home, online workout for kids, "P.E. with Joe."
28th Mar 2020 - NPR
Jodie Whittaker: thanks, Doctor Who, for top tips from self-isolation
From home, the actor has produced her own mini DIY episode of the BBC series, in which she reminds fans that darkness never prevails
28th Mar 2020 - The Guardian
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 27th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullSeniors: Tips on coping with COVID-19 isolation | Coronavirus
Ryan Hastings, Program Director, said “It is important to find ways to connect and engage in activities to help mitigate symptoms of anxiety and depression during this time. We put together these quick tips to share with our communities and hope they will encourage self-care and support.” Quick tips for older adults experiencing social isolation
26th Mar 2020 - Platt County Journal-Republican
Tips for surviving self-isolation and social distancing
There is no denying that the new coronavirus is changing the way we go about our daily lives, which in itself is unsettling and scary – never mind the threat of getting sick. But remember you are not alone (even if you are self-isolating), we are all in this together. Here is a handy guide to surviving the social symptoms of Covid-19.
20th Mar 2020 - Inverness Courier
Coranavirus: Is video calling the key to happiness during the COVID-19 lockdown?
Video calling is one way of keeping up communication, but is it as effective as seeing someone in real life? The good news for people under the COVID-19 lockdown is, apparently so. Professor Sophie Scott, Director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, told Sky News that video calling has been proven to be just as good for your brain and happiness as being in the same space.
26th Mar 2020 - Sky News
Coronavirus: In Space, at Sea - Tips on Self Isolation From the Pros
With billions of people around the world suddenly adjusting to social distancing measures as part of the battle to slow the spread of COVID-19, some professionals who are used to confinement have some tips. From astronauts to submariners, here are some practical ways to boost your well-being and stave off cabin fever during those weeks stuck at home.
26th Mar 2020 - Gadgets 360
Find Your Quiet, and 6 Other Isolation Tips From a Submarine Commander
How to work from home with the same people for a long, long time
26th Mar 2020 - Forge
Phil Sharp: Tips to succeed in isolation
Key messages can be transferred from ocean racing to land as people move into isolation to support the fight against COVID-19. Adapting to change is a daily routine for an offshore sailor, and so solo ocean racer Phil Sharp shares his top tips on how to live productively in an isolated and turbulent environment:
25th Mar 2020 - Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Covid-19: weathering the storm
David Oliver counsels against political point scoring: there will be time enough for that when this is over, he says. So we should for the moment focus on things that will help us weather the impending storm. An urgent return to community contact tracing, says Allyson Pollock. Testing of frontline healthcare workers, says Julian Peto. Lowering the baseline of underlying illness, say Robert Hughes and colleagues. To these, like Mary Black, I would add three more necessary things: candour about the scientific and political uncertainties, kindness to ourselves and each other, and courage.
26th Mar 2020 - BMJ.com
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 26th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullStaying at home will reduce the spread of #COVID19 and will save lives. But what does that mean? What’s open? What’s closed?
Staying at home will reduce the spread of #COVID19 and will save lives. But what does that mean? What’s open? What’s closed?
26th Mar 2020 - @gavinnewsom
Coronavirus: Prince Charles tests positive but 'remains in good health'
The Prince of Wales has tested positive for coronavirus, Clarence House has announced. Prince Charles, 71, is displaying mild symptoms "but otherwise remains in good health", a spokesman said, adding that the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, has been tested but does not have the virus. Charles and Camilla are now self-isolating at Balmoral.
25th Mar 2020 - BBC News
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 25th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullChris Hadfield and other astronauts share self-isolation tips during coronavirus
On Saturday, Hadfield posted a video called Astronaut's Guide to Self Isolation to help those struggling with working from home or just feeling stir-crazy during the pandemic.
24th Mar 2020 - CNET
How to self‑isolate: coronavirus advice and tips for over‑70s
The Times offers basic steps for people self-isolating to reduce risk, protect their immune system and stay healthy throughout the coronavirus crisis
25th Mar 2020 - The Times
Tips for handling work and kids during COVID-19 isolation
The combination of working and supervising children during a pandemic has the potential to create stress and family conflict. Experts say that the best route forward is to maintain some semblance of structure, while allowing that this is an unprecedented situation.
25th Mar 2020 - Livescience.com
In coronavirus self-isolation? 8 top health tips to keep you sane and strong
As the covid-19 pandemic forces people out of their daily routines and into quarantine, stress and anxiety is rife here are some ideas to help you get through it
24th Mar 2020 - Mirror Online
Coronavirus lockdown: An introvert's guide to self-isolation
Firstly, this is the biggest of big ones: You need a to-do list. You need a structure to your day, a plan and a goal. This is not only good for getting things done, but it’s also great for your mental health and feeling you’ve achieved something – feeling there is a point to your day. If you are actively working from home many of these things may be defined by your job. If you’re simply stuck at home with nothing to do, remember: There is never nothing to do!
24th Mar 2020 - Metro.co.uk
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 24th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: how to self-isolate
What to do if you have symptoms of Covid-19, have travelled to a badly affected area, or have been in contact with someone who has the disease
14th Mar 2020 - The Guardian
How to talk to your child about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 8 tips to help comfort and protect children.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you’re hearing about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) right now. It’s also understandable if your children are feeling anxious, too. Children might find it difficult to understand what they are seeing online or on TV – or hearing from other people – so they can be particularly vulnerable to feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness. But having an open, supportive discussion with your children can help them understand, cope and contribute
11th Mar 2020 - UNICEF
People self-isolating must ask for help says Norfolk’s public health chief
"If you are self-isolating, ask other people for help, for example to fetch groceries, collect deliveries, post mail and walk the dog.” People helping should maintain good hygiene, such as regularly washing their hands and should leave items outside people’s homes, rather than seeing them in person.
17th Mar 2020 - Eastern Daily Press
Taking care of your mental health during coronavirus
Feeling anxious and fearful with all this uncertainty, or angry, frustrated and confused is pretty common. "These are normal reactions to a not-normal time," says the mental health foundation, Headspace. With that in mind, we've collected a bunch of tips from the most reputable organisations, on how you can best protect your mental health while we all grapple with COVID-19.
18th Mar 2020 - ABC.net
Being Positive during a Pandemic: 5 tips for getting through the coronavirus as a better person
The arrival of COVID-19 to Milwaukee brought a great deal of uncertainty in its wake. Beyond the obvious health risks is an economic vulnerability that has not been experienced before. Many people feel that the routine of daily life has been sidelined, because COVID-19 has shut down educational institutions, entertainment venues, public events, places of business, and leisure activities. Dr. Malika Siker was a recent guest of the GoGedders Podcast on the subject of the coronavirus. She offered suggestions for people seeking ways to cope, and those eager to help others. These 5 tips expand on that advice.
20th Mar 2020 - Milwaukee Independent
Caring for mental health during the pandemic
During a time in which individuals are urged to stay inside whenever possible, it may become harder to care for one’s mental health. According to the CDC, natural responses to stress during a pandemic may include anxiety surrounding the health of themselves and loved ones, changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, worsening of chronic health problems, and an increased use of substances such as alcohol. The following advice on how to care for one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic is compiled from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the WHO, the National Alliance on Mental Health, and the CDC.
23rd Mar 2020 - Pontiac Daily Leader
Don’t neglect your mental health during this pandemic
Just as we are moving rapidly to safeguard our physical health, we must act with equal urgency to preserve our mental health and make psychiatric care accessible.
We have the technology we need to allow doctors to stay in touch with patients they can’t see in person. Now, we must act quickly to remove the obstacles posed by regulations and insurance bureaucracies, so doctors can provide critical mental health care.
23rd Mar 2020 - The Washington Post
Full guidance on staying at home and away from others
When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why the government is now (23 March 2020) introducing three new measures.
1. Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
2. Closing non-essential shops and community spaces
3. Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public
23rd Mar 2020 - UK Government
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 23rd Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullWHO Health Alert brings COVID-19 facts to billions via WhatsApp
20th Mar 2020 - @WHO
Coronavirus symptoms: how quickly do they show and what to look out for
This guide on coronavirus symptoms, underpinned with advice from leading health experts, is designed to protect you and your family
21st Mar 2020 - The Telegraph
One doctor’s straight talk about the coronavirus strikes a chord with anxious Americans
A Chicago epidemiologist is drawing praise for her comments at a Friday news conference that outlined with clarity and urgency how seemingly small sacrifices today will prevent deaths of loved ones and strangers next week.
21st Mar 2020 - Washington Post
Stress, Anxiety and Depression Associated With the Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a particular and rare situation. It can affect people physically, but also psychologically. In this type of context, many people will experience stress, anxiety and depression reactions. This page should be seen as a resource that can help you to minimize the repercussions of these kinds of reactions on your life.
21st Mar 2020 - Quebec.ca
How to deal with stress and anxiety induced by the coronavirus epidemic
CNN's Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta speak with psychologist Gretchen Schmelzer during a CNN town hall about how to cope with stress induced by the coronavirus outbreak. #CNN #News
20th Mar 2020 - CNN
Listen to these medical professionals - join them and save lives - its easy STAY AT HOME
Save lives stay at home
22nd Mar 2020 - @AmandaFBelfast
Self-isolating in style - Sally and Ken from Penzance are both in their 80s, both have dementia but she loves to play the piano - no sheet music! - and he loves to dance
This is self-isolating in style - Sally and Ken from Penzance are both in their 80s, both have dementia but she loves to play the piano - no sheet music! - and he loves to dance Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes #coronavirus #selfisolating
20th Mar 2020 - @BBCCornwall
Recruiting adults in the UK to answer weekly 10-15min online surveys about their psychological & social experiences during Covid-19.
*** NEW COVID-19 STUDY ***
Recruiting adults in the UK to answer weekly 10-15min online surveys about their psychological & social experiences during Covid-19. Results will help identify the effects of social isolation & how to support mental health. http://covid19study.org
21st Mar 2020 - @Daisy_Fancourt
Tired of all the bad news?: 10 good news about the coronavirus
Tired of negativity ?: 10 good news about the coronavirus; we know what the virus is, we know how to detect it, China just saw two days in a row without a new infection, 80% of the cases are mild, most are cured, children and young people 'seem to be' less affected, washing your hands regularly can deactivate any virus traces on them, there are hundreds of published scientific articles, a vaccine to prevent it is getting closer, there are already more than 80 clinical trials with antiviral medicines seeking to combat it
21st Mar 2020 - 65Yman.com
Traffic and Pollution Plummet as U.S. Cities Shut Down for Coronavirus
In cities across the United States, traffic on roads and highways has fallen dramatically over the past week as the coronavirus outbreak forces people to stay at home and everyday life grinds to a halt. Pollution has dropped too. A satellite that detects emissions in the atmosphere linked to cars and trucks shows huge declines in pollution over major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Atlanta.
22nd Mar 2020 - The New York Times
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 20th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullPlease help us (#nhsworkers) to help you... by staying at home
19th Mar 2020 - @Dr5Nick
Simple Food Swaps For When You Run Out Of Ingredients
Has a coronavirus quarantine emptied your kitchen? These are the best substitutes for butter, eggs, milk, onions, lemon, sugar, flour, broth and more.
18th Mar 2020 - Huffington Post
When it’s all too much, here’s how to quell coronavirus anxiety, according to experts
There are so many sources of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic (pandemic!), it’s normal to feel some anxiety when a global infectious disease is impacts every realm of your life. Here are some ways to cope with stress and anxiety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
14th Mar 2020 - CNBC
I'm an Italian mom under coronavirus lockdown. Here's what I wish I had done differently before things got bad
Italy has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak that's rapidly spreading worldwide.The country is on lockdown, its 60 million citizens have been instructed to remain indoors, and all public gatherings have been canceled. Katherine Wilson, a mother of two who lives in Rome, said she wished that she and other Italians had listened to warnings about the coronavirus. She warned Americans not to make "similar misguided choices."
19th Mar 2020 - Insider
Coronavirus: How to help the elderly and other vulnerable people during the outbreak
‘There are some simple steps we can all take that will make a huge difference,’ says Caroline Abrahams at AGE UK...
20th Mar 2020 - The Independent
It's Totally Normal To Feel Weird, Anxious Or Scared Right Now. We're In A Period Of Grief
Therapists explain us how we can maintain some form of control – no matter how big or small – in our lives.
18th Mar 2020 - Huffington Post
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 19th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullTop UK Covid-19 expert self-isolates after developing symptoms
One of the government’s top coronavirus experts has had to self-isolate after developing coronavirus symptoms and revealed he was probably infectious when he attended a Downing Street press conference on Tuesday. Prof Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, tweeted that he has a persistent cough and high fever, and had been forced to self-isolate in his central London flat for seven days.
Ferguson, head of the modelling programme at Imperial’s MRC centre for global infectious disease analysis, who has been working round the clock with a team of experts advising the government, tweeted: “Sigh. Developed a slight dry but persistent cough yesterday and self-isolated even though I felt fine. Then developed high fever at 4am today. There is a lot of Covid-19 in Westminster.”
18th Mar 2020 - The Guardian
Coronavirus: NHS trusts gave staff the wrong advice on self-isolation
Staff at several NHS hospitals were wrongly told to go to work when they should have been self-isolating, it has emerged. Doctors and nurses were advised they could work even if someone else in their home had symptoms of coronavirus – despite official guidance being that their household should self-isolate for 14 days if anyone shows signs of the symptoms. On Monday night, after the advice to the public had changed, the Worcestershire Acute Hospital, in the West Midlands, sent out a briefing to staff saying: “We have been told that this guidance will not apply to healthcare workers.”
18th Mar 2020 - The Independent
Le Monde answers questions about the new laws governing confinement in your home in France
With so many French people unsure and uncertain about what to do in this new situation they find themselves in, le Monde tackled the most common questions that readers are asking explaining how things will work in the coming weeks
18th Mar 2020 - Le Monde
Coronavirus. Conditions for going out to play sports - what must you do
You need to apply for certificate or permit to leave the home, it does enable you to go jogging or cycling but you must stay within the close proximity to your home
18th Mar 2020 - Ouest-France
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 18th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullHousehold isolation, social distancing and shielding – who should do what and for how long?
Household isolation - If anyone is symptomatic – with a high temperature or a continuous cough – the whole household should stay at home for 14 days to avoid the spread of infection. Who needs to undertake “social distancing” measures?
Everyone has been asked to undertake social distancing measures to delay the spread of the virus.
People who live alone should isolate themselves for seven days.
17th Mar 2020 - ITV
Coronavirus emergency kit: Social distancing to flatten the curve
According to the WHO, the most common symptoms are fever, fatigue and a dry cough. Some patients may experience aches and pains, nasal congestion, a runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. Current estimates of the incubation period - the amount of time between infection and the onset of symptoms - range from one to 14 days. Most infected people show symptoms within five to six days. However, infected patients can also be asymptomatic, not displaying symptoms despite having the virus in their system. The elderly, and those with underlying medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.
17th Mar 2020 - Al Jazeera English
Coronavirus empties out Berlin's public spaces
The coronavirus pandemic is throttling social and cultural life in Germany's public spaces. Chancellor Angela Merkel's message to the nation to reduce travel, stay at home and keep social distance is also being heeded in Berlin.
17th Mar 2020 - Deutsche Welle
Coronavirus: "Social distancing" visualizations on the Internet
For some people, especially children, it is difficult to understand why we suddenly have to isolate ourselves socially in times of Corona. Animations in social networks explain why this is so important.
17th Mar 2020 - Deutsche Welle
Isolation Tips - Connecting Communities for COVID19 News - 17th Mar 2020
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong to quarantine arrivals from all foreign countries
Travellers arriving in Hong Kong from any foreign country from Thursday will be put under home quarantine, the city’s leader has said, as she extended a red travel alert to cover all overseas nations. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor noted on Tuesday that the coronavirus outbreak had become a pandemic
, and the total number of infections abroad had exceeded the total in China. She said that in the previous two weeks, Hong Kong had recorded 57 new infections, 50 of them imported. “If we exclude these imported cases, we only have seven local cases in the past week,” she said.
17th Mar 2020 - South China Morning Post
Covid-19: Everything you need to know about social distancing
For those of us not in self-isolation, social distancing is one of the ways we can stop the spread of Covid-19. This is a step by step guide explaining how to do it.
17th Mar 2020 - The SpinOff
Coronavirus latest: UK told to stop non-essential contact and avoid public spaces
Key points from the Prime Minister's announcement were: a) Anyone living with someone who has a cough or a fever should also stay at home for 14 days b) All people should work from home if they can and avoid unnecessary travel c) The Government will no longer support mass gatherings with emergency workers d) People should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social gatherings e) Those classed as 'vulnerable' will be asked to remain at home for 12 weeks f) Schools are not being closed yet
16th Mar 2020 - inews
Social distancing prevents infections, but it can have unintended consequences
What effects, if any, might be caused by social distancing in response to the coronavirus is an open question. “I have a couple competing hypotheses,” Holt-Lunstad says. “On the one hand, I am concerned that this will not only exacerbate things for those who are already isolated and lonely, but also might be a triggering point for others to now get into habits of connecting less.” A more optimistic possibility, she says, is that heightened awareness of these issues will prompt people to stay connected and take positive action. “We’d love to be collecting data on that,” she says.
16th Mar 2020 - Science Magazine
How to Prevent Loneliness in a Time of Social Distancing
Recent research by the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health paints a more nuanced picture: how you use such platforms seems to matter more than how much you do so. We can all benefit from developing digital habits that support meaningful human connections—especially now that it may be our only option until the outbreak calms. Whether you are quarantined, working remotely or just being cautious, now is the perfect time to practice using technology in socially healthy ways.
12th Mar 2020 - Scientific American
