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What is lock-down like around the world?

Hajra Tahir
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What is lock-down like around the world?
Migrant workers throng buses amid the nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus at Lal Kuan Bus Stand n Ghaziabad, India, on March 29. Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Having already spent over a month in lock-down, it’s safe to say that we’ve had plenty of time to pursue new hobbies, complete unfinished work, get fit, spend time with family and experience extreme boredom. Although this stretch of extended ‘holiday time’ has come with a plethora of opportunities, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to become engaged in new productive activities amidst the current grim environment.

Though, it is important to note that lockdowns around the globe don’t always mirror the same humdrum monotony we are experiencing in the UK.

As countries around the world hasten to contain the spread of Covid-19, lock-down has become the method of choice to combat its dispersal. By reducing social contact on a national scale, governments aim to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus contagion, alleviating the burden from healthcare staff and suppressing the virus. Despite this, many nations have adapted their lock-down strategies in line with their own norms and customs – this has had varying implications on the widespread public.

Middle East

Regions in the Middle East such as Kuwait have enacted stricter lock-down measures through upholding an 11-hour curfew, allocating time only to complete weekly shopping and essential hospital visits. These measures have been relaxed as a result of the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. In stark contrast to this, other areas of the Middle East such as Egypt have effected a much more lenient version of this lock-down, the bi-product of which has been the emergence of a prevalent social stigma. Whilst lock-down has proven to be an effective method of reducing the spread of the disease, it has failed to satisfy many locals who continue to act based on illogical theories and speculation. Incidents such as an Egyptian doctor being removed from her apartment building due to complaints from fearful neighbours over her work in the hospital’s respiratory department illustrate how variations in preventative measures are having alternate effects on different sects of society.

South Asia

In South Asia, the initial reluctance to implement a national lock-down stemmed from the expanding wealth gap between the various echelons of society. In countries such as Pakistan where a quarter of the population earn less than $2, an inflexible national lock-down is a fate that would drive many to the very brink of poverty – causing more to fear death by hunger than the disease itself. Similarly, devastating scenes can be seen in India where rural labourers are struggling to return home due to austere transport suspensions – immuring them in cities thousands of miles away from home. The lock-down has foisted a life of frugal spending, hunger and desperation upon India’s 170 million blue-collar workers who continue to ineffectually sustain the gig economy.

Source: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/04/06/Coronavirus-Kuwait-orders-two-areas-into-full-lockdown-extends-partial-curfew-to-6-
The majority of Indians are are in lock-down in Maharashtra, India’s third-largest state renowned for being the country’s industrial hub – home to the majority of the country’s labourers.

United Kingdom

Although the UK seems relatively unaffected by the lock-down in comparison to the aforementioned countries, the Covid-19 crisis has brought Britain’s underlying wealth gap into sharper focus. As a large majority of workers continue to be furloughed, sacked or given permission to work remotely, the British population have become heavily reliant on savings. According to the ‘Colour of Money Reports’, a total of 34% of Black, Asian and minority ethnic households are paid below the National Minimum Wage compared to 3% of White workers within the UK, having a knock-on effect on the quantity of savings possessed by each household. The level of accumulated wealth in the possession of each household is an indication of their relative capacity to cope in extreme situations. The reduced level of savings possessed by BAME households instantiates Britain’s fundamental inequality issue and how in times of a crisis, BAME minorities are disproportionately affected. With this in mind, Downing Street has recently confirmed that it will formally review the disproportionately high number of coronavirus cases among people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Although lock-down for many can be seen as an opportunity for self-development, for others it is a critical time that requires many to adapt to extreme circumstances. Whilst lock-down measures are not the same throughout the world, similar dilemmas are being brought to light as a result of it. As the vulnerable become increasingly susceptible to the disease due to inordinate wealth distributions, we should expect to see more and more communities around the globe striving to survive as they persevere through brutal conditions and circumstances.

War commemorations during a pandemic: right or wrong?

Richard Bolton
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War commemorations during a pandemic: right or wrong?

For a nation that loves any excuse for a good old party, frustrations were riding high as Victory in Europe’s 75th anniversary celebrations were underway. Many felt this was a weak pretext to forget about lockdown for a few hours’ soiree with little regard for the risks. Wars are not black and white, and our surviving ‘heroes’ aren’t all in favour of glorifying a darker moment in our history; bringing into question whether we should celebrate at all. Not to mention our front line workers dying while attempting to save lives, nor those suffering in less than ideal living spaces who can’t escape the claustrophobia, cabin fever, abusive or overwhelming relatives.

Brits love throwing out the bunting, putting Vera  Lynn on loudspeaker and all gather around our Victoria Sponge and scones for the Queen’s address. But what does all this tradition really mean and why do we do it?

Victory

Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces Tuesday 8TH May 1945 marked the end of a long siege of the British isles and the liberation of Europe from 5 years of occupation.

Dame Vera Lynn, wartime nostalgia // Source: wartime Canada

This was marked by days of street parties and celebrations. The free world rejoiced we had defeated tyranny and free peoples had stood against incredible odds to triumph against a cruel dictator. London’s St Paul’s Cathedral held 10 services, which were attended by thousands of people.

But VE Day was also a moment of great sadness and reflection, as millions of people had lost their lives or loved ones in the conflict. Lives turned upside down.

Many had to continue fighting in other battles and lots of people were being kept as prisoners of war abroad. At home, there were crippling war debts, rationing and food stamps until 1954.

No victors in war

The Allies weren’t your superhero movie, clear-cut good guys in WWII. We abandoned eastern Europe in 1945 to communism and decades of oppression, murder and poverty behind the iron curtain that descended across Europe. Our bombing of Dresden and the ensuing firestorm that destroyed the city and took 25,000 non-combatant lives in February 1945 was highly controversial. British Joint Intelligence Subcommittee reports stated Germany might collapse by mid-April if the Soviets overran the Eastern front, making the civilian population air bombings unjustified.

The war hero myth

Not all of our war veterans were saints and heroes, as they themselves were often the first to admit. War veteran Harry Billinge told interviewers last D-Day commemorations, our collective memory is largely “bullshit”. “Don’t thank me, and don’t say I’m a hero,” he insisted. “All the heroes are dead.”

The American veteran Leonard Creo equally wasn’t taken in by commemorations. He believed that those few survivors were being heaped on more praise with each passing year as they dwindle in number.

Once they get to the last, he thinks they will have a big hurrah for “one little guy, who could have been a cook or a clerk or something.”

Pyrrhic Victory

Those who lived through such times know how morally complicated life was back then. A generation that understood wars are far from glorious, but in fact blot the very core of their moral fibre. It is why we sought refuge in supranational bodies to try and avoid repeats of such terrible times.

Our national leaders are already comparing the current coronavirus crisis to the last war. Perhaps it is time they followed our grandparents’ example and learned to work together once again, to tackle Covid-19 so we can emerge with our dignity intact. And, more importantly, without resurrecting old resentments toward other nationalities.

Does any event justify breaking lockdown restrictions?

With funerals limited to 20 minutes with only immediate family members, and even then 2 metres apart; the 2-metre interval conga lines from Grappenhall, in the North, to large street gatherings down South in Cosham Portsmouth rather show how some are taking liberties without regard for the consequence. With 35,000 deaths among a mere quarter million cases, flouting rules may have been permissible were we in February, but not now that it could have been many multiples of this. Sweden did not go into lockdown, and yet their economy is expected to shrink similarly to those that decided upon quarantines, according to the National Institute of Economic Research.

Swedish economy didn’t lockdown and yet will suffer similar economic perjury to the rest // Source: Red alert

Why prolong the agony through selfish one day bender?

In comparison with most other prosperous nations, Brits suffer terrible housing, being forced to treat green, open spaces as a luxury rather than a right. There’s only so long you can expect those cooped up in small box-like high-rise tower blocks to keep fit, mentally well and carry on. Consider then atop this, children sharing rooms, students stuck in together, urban working classes without other options and local parks the only form of escapism. It is easy for most of us to imagine every home is alike in comfort and amply resourced as the next. We take for granted our gardens, computer rooms, quiet study and work rooms, nearby supermarkets and open spaces, our own bedrooms and bathrooms. So, before we keep breaking restrictions through whatever innovative mechanism we can devise, consider the potential damage we are unwittingly doing to those people trapped in home environments that are marred by economic and social disadvantage.

Commemorative activities are complex things. VE Day is not a straightforward celebration of revisionist history, but a time for reflection on a brutal conflict and the divided world it left behind. An aftermath that struggled desperately to overcome the horrors of our baser instincts, yet still allowed evil to flourish. Coronavirus shouldn’t be likened to another war against China, or the infection itself, but we should respect the sacrifices that most of the country are making toward defeating this common foe. Especially those risking it all on the front lines.

Male mental health hit hard by COVID-19

Shaun Flores
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Male mental health hit hard by COVID-19

In the last three weeks, a charity has said that more than half a million people accessed training to prevent suicide.

The Zero Suicide Alliance, founded in 2017 a group of NHS trusts, charities, businesses and individuals, found that during the COVID 19 lockdown, 503,000 people had completed its online course to spot signs that a person needs help.

Zero Suicide Alliance - Resources
Zero Suicide Alliance Campaign picture // Source: zerosuicidealliance.com

COVID-19 has heightened current mental health issues, as future uncertainty combines with the very real and evident threat of death. Families have lost loved ones, and many are still fighting for their lives. The country is facing recession with jobs being lost and people unsure of their next step, causing many individuals to become vulnerable to mental health issues.

The Martin Gallier Project, a helpline for those who are suffering from mental health issues, has seen calls to their helpline go up 300% since lockdown began. The NHS and other services will face numbers they will again be unable to cope with.

Men as “hidden victims”?

Men aged 18-25 are reported to have been badly affected by first-time mental health issues. According to a study, by Dr Liat Levita, surveyed 2,000 13-24-year-olds in the UK, examining Covid19’s effect on young people.

The research found half of the young men aged 19-24 had breached lockdown rules to meet friends, meaning men are less compliant than other young people, as they feel the worst affected by restrictions on their movement, and are less likely to listen to the rules, putting them at further risk.

Additionally, middle-aged men from poorer backgrounds according to Samaritans charity have been identified as potential “hidden victims” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Samaritans: here for the farming community - YellowWellies.org
Small talk saves lives slogan // Source: Samaritans

Feedback from 1,920 volunteers was analysed who have worked for its helpline throughout the lockdown and found middle aged men are most at risk of suicide and the least likely to seek help.

In 2018, 6,507 suicides were registered in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics, three-quarters of them were men.

New Ministry of Justice figures confirmed that men were significantly more likely than women to kill themselves: males accounted for 77% of suicide verdicts, which has risen by 11% since 2018.

A suicide is equivalent to a rock thrown into the water, the ripples cover friends, family, and loved ones.

Jobs lost will affect men physically and mentally

Today it was confirmed Rolls-Royce confirmed they will cut 9,000 jobs, due to the dramatic reduction in the air travel business. CEO Warren East would not confirm how many UK jobs will be lost. It has been estimated through Research by the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex 6.5 million jobs possibly could be lost due to the economic fallout from the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, This massive figure equates to about a quarter of the UK’s total jobs.

Job Loss and Unemployment Stress - HelpGuide.org
Distress from job losses will have a lasting effect on men // Source: helpguide.org

Accommodation and food services are predicted to be worst affected, as 75 % of jobs – about 1.3 million positions – lost, while some sectors referred to as “other services” are predicted to lose 50%.

As an example “wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles” is expected to lose 47.6% of jobs. Men often work in jobs that pose threats to their physical health and safety, characterised by low pay and insecurity, posing physical and mental health challenges. COVID-19 has turned the economy upside down. With work rendered central to male masculinity, current circumstances will have significant implications for men’s mental health.

How will it be challenged?

Covid19 should change how mental health is addressed. Samaritans with the University of Glasgow have launched a study to map the impact of COVID 19 on suicidal thoughts, cases of self-harm and mental health. This is just one of many ongoing studies into mental health impacts of the pandemic and lockdown.

Whilst there is a furlough scheme extended until October, the future continues to be unresolved. Jobs lost will affect men, who’s worth is placed in being traditional providers for their families and may find a lot of instrumental, emotional and practical support from their work-based support networks and friendships.

We are not entering into an oppression Olympics. However men’s issues need to be looked at in greater depth, with a clear plan to help them during this COVID-19 epidemic. It’s already widely known the disease itself hits men harder. In the six countries that report sex-specific records of death from Covid-19, male mortality rates were higher than female. While we can’t put full trust in the figures, it certainly points to a quite obvious trend.

There are complex behavioural and biological reasons for this, but also social and cultural norms that are also contributing towards the numbers needing mental health support. Men are less likely to reach out for both mental and physical health support and services. Stereotypes of men not needing outside help and being always strong and independent without emotion, the now infamous ‘toxic masculinity’ idea still can prevail. Some men still suffer in silence in fear of judgement, causing some men to act out in a self-sabotaging manner to their own detriment.

Charities and organisations coming out with these sex-specific numbers could be helpful; only then will we generate more individualised responses based on what people actually say. However, with the system already chronically underfunded, campaigns telling men to “speak out” and “share their emotions” are going entirely unrewarded. Men may go to individual charities, but may not be linked into responses and support that works and information may not be centralised to activate better responses.

In such turbulent times, men must find solace in our masculinity which is being reinvented daily. Perhaps to re-focus on male assets and strengths and the experience of masculinity, and accurate data on how that looks in 2020, will be the gateway to better services and wellbeing for men.

Ending the silence on mental health in Africa

Common Sense Contributors
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Ending the silence on mental health in Africa

In certain African countries/cultures, mental health is an issue on which many are silent, especially among the youth. There are lots of stigma and superstitions attached to it for different African countries. Mental health and physical health are inseparable. In certain African countries/cultures, mental health is an issue on which many are silent, especially among the youth.

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A young girl holding her hair // Image source: Create Zim Facebook page

Africa is a big continent with 54 different nations, cultures and language and so it’s naïve to generalise mental health in the continent. Each African nation has their different stigmas and suspicions around mental health. NGOs health organisations that work to aid some African countries with health issues deliberately link mental health with poverty and human rights. They say high prevalence of emotional distress is fuelled by the harsh economic circumstances. Some African nations are not involved in the study of psychopathology. According to the WMH surveys, lack of mental health testing and research in Africa is the only explanation for evidence of absence of mental health awareness in the region.

Mental health challenges in Africa has also been linked to a very high level of HIV/AIDS in the region causing high sucide rates . 75% of South Africans won’t get treatment, or cannot access mental health facilities, while more than 90% of people in Nigeria don’t have access to mental health care. These are the middle income nations of the continent, pointing to an even worse situation in others. WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys in Nigeria found low rates of mental disorders.

WHO surveys find it hard to trace mental illness causes in Africa as there is not enough studies, facilities and testing or more importantly therapists; in Nigeria a country of over 200 million people, there are 150 practising psychologists and 3.3% of the health budget goes towards mental health. Nigerian mental health professional Dr Ayo Ajeigbe said to The Guardian he received a patient in his practice who came to visit him with no request for support, only to find out what a psychologist looked like. Giving the faults to merely stigma and superstition is no longer enough. There is a need for scientific evidence and provisions and resources, which currently are chronically lacking.

Since the early 2000s there have been trials to evidence that tackling mental health in Africa can be very effective to reduce African countries’ poverty levels. African political leaders are often to blame as they overlook the role mental health can play in reducing poverty levels. Systematic reviews have shown that mental health interventions improve economic situations of households affected. Mental health is important to attain many of the Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty.

In April 2016 the World Bank and World Health Organisation commissioned Making Mental Health a global development priority. WHO global Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2020) and the World Bank’s Mind, Behaviour and Development Unit outlines the actions to fight global mental health. Nigeria’s movements towards user-led and community based services, to take action to fill this gap is one that Western nations can learn from. Networks empowering people with skills and embedding a culture of listening to people’s needs first, rather than implementing top-down systems upon them, may lead towards sustainable action.

Zimbabwe has made huge steps in it’s awareness raising for mental health challenges. The country has more than 30, 000 adults that receive mental health services every year. At least 80% of those who receive mental health therapy reports improvement after six months in their experiences.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is SharedScreenshotnnnn.jpg
Zimbabwe youths smiling with#I’MFINE // Image source: Create Zim

May 18-24 May is Mental Health Awareness Week, as promoted and championed by the Mental Awareness Foundation. Tarisiro Anesu Fundira from Zimbabwe, a civil engineering 3rd year student at the University of Manchester started Create Zim, a mental health initiative to address apathy amongst the youth in Zimbabwe. After posting a short video on Instagram of himself speaking about his experience on mental health, many Zimbabwe youth have taken part in the challenge and tag their friends to speak about their mental health experience with the #I’MFINE. Creative Zim was recognised by the Chancellor at University of Manchester Lemn Sissay MBE to win the University of Manchester Outstanding public and community engagement initiative Award this year.

A member of Create Zim in a face mask with #I’MFINE // Source: Create Zim Instagram

Tarisiro was inspired by the loss of his brother Farari Anesu Fundira in July 2017. He had been suffering through depression for a couple of years and consequently took his own life. After mourning and dwelling over his death, Tarisiro was stirred to create an environment where people could have the opportunity to speak about such mental health conditions, a luxury his brother never had. Tarisiro described his work, “Create Zim is a way in which I could provide a fun and therapeutic environment in which the people of Zimbabwe could feel like they could have an opportunity to talk and face their mental health issues due to the decades of trauma our country has gone through.” He aims to use Create Zim’s momentum success to expand mental health awareness among youth of other African countries during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Junior Usina is a managing editor at The Common Sense Network, focusing on marketing.

Agency workers are in the Coronavirus firing line

Shaun Flores
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Agency workers are in the Coronavirus firing line

Gig economy workers are not being given personal protective equipment or being tested for infection leaving them at risk of contracting coronavirus.

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has written to the Department for Work and Pensions threatening legal action after failing to enforce EU safety at work regulations. IWGB are threatening legal action if the duty of care is not extended to include those who are not employees. 

Members of the union include foster care workers, cleaners, couriers, drivers and others in non-staff roles, who are claiming they not be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) or tested for COVID-19.

IWGB in their letter said: “Under EU law, which still applies, the relevant measures to protect the health of workers, including in conditions caused by this pandemic, should encompass and protect not only employees but also workers who, under UK law, are not defined as employees.”

Agency NHS workers also at risk

Over the weekend before the government’s announcement of the testing expansion, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) conducted a UK-wide survey of more than 22,000 health and care workers.

76% of those surveyed claimed no test was offered. 44% were unsure of how to access testing.

Furthermore, more than four in five temporary staff had not been offered Covid-19 testing, compared to three-quarters of permanent staff. 79% of those working outside of the NHS had not been offered a test, compared with 75% in the health service. In care homes and prisons, about 50% did not know how to access tests. With temporary staff, this figure was 60%.

Talking to NHS agency worker Mrs M Joshua, she said “I am asthmatic and struggling with the PPE given, there are no isolation procedures when a patient comes in. There should be measures when the status of somebody is not known. Staff have walked out due to lack of PPE and ended up sick.”

Mrs Joshua continued: “Agency staff sometimes are worried to speak up about PPE. Some of us agency workers are pressured to send money home, making some people take advantage of the extra shifts, which put us directly in the firing line.”

There is another level of instability, as these agency workers already go without employee benefits and rights and no guarantee of work. In an agency worker contract, ‘workers rights’ only apply when the person is actually working, rather than ‘employment rights’ that apply to regardless of an employee. Agency contracts are of course temporary, meaning no continuity or retention of contracts. These loopholes mean agency workers can fall through these government protection schemes. To then go to work and not have the adequate equipment presented adds further insult to injury. Many agency workers cannot afford to take days off, as a day off is money lost.

Losing jobs

Richard Branson - Island, Life & Companies - Biography
https://www.biography.com/business-figure/richard-branson

Recent events and the extent of the economic fall out means that jobs and employees across the board are also at risk.

Virgin Atlantic faces a “massive battle to survive and save jobs”, Richard Branson recently told his workforce of over 10,000. The company has retired its seven 747 jumbo jets and plan to cut over 3000 jobs. Branson is the 268th richest person in the world and the seventh richest person in the UK with an estimated $5.2bn (£4.2bn) paper fortune. The government recently rejected his plea for a £50m bailout for tax-payers to shoulder his losses, despite paying no taxes. Similarly, Rolls-Royce announced job cuts of 8000, which may rise further when announced at the end of this month.

Branson’s Virgin Care Ltd has been one of the biggest private providers of NHS contracts in the UK since 2010, which operates over 400 NHS services around England in community care and adult social care. These contracts have been worth over £2bn. The company has recorded an annual loss since 2010 and pays no tax in the UK, as it is registered to the parent company Virgin Group Holdings in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands. Through a complex series of loopholes, Virgin Care eliminates it’s tax liabilities in the UK, as Richard Murphy’s research has previously shown.

Socialist Party :: Rolls-Royce: fight all job cuts!
https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/27521/20-06-2018/rolls-royce-fight-all-job-cuts

In 2018, due to Freedom of Information requests, it was revealed the NHS was relying on agency workers for years at a time and spending over £2bn a year on average since 2013 to plug staffing gaps. At some trusts, more than one in ten workers were provided by agencies.

Hospitality workers have also suffered as they have fallen through the cracks. This week forty-four cross-party MP’s signed a letter to Deliveroo calling for proper PPE provisions for all riders, a halt to terminations and regular testing, without which they say the firm is putting “thousands of people at risk”. Despite the vital work providing food across communities, especially to people who are less mobile, Deliveroo riders are all independent contractors and thus have no recourse to sick pay, minimum wage or furlough.

Rampant privatisation and hypocrisy shown by actors such as Branson at the expense of centralised funding and investment have created this false economy within the NHS. Chronic staffing shortages are causing huge problems, agency bills climb higher and yet they fail to provide workers with adequate protection. Whilst this is going on, private entities continually avoid tax payments towards the health service.

We cannot forget about other workers who have lost jobs due to COVID 19. While the government’s extension of the furlough scheme is amazing people are being left behind. The UK is the 6th biggest economy in the world, and the government have proven themselves chronically inept in putting safety over and above profits. The government must extend it’s support schemes to low-paid and agency workers, whose work has been and continues to be vital.

R number: What is it and is there a better measurement?

The Common Sense Network
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R number: What is it and is there a better measurement?

As part of our Common Sense On: Coronavirus series, Contributor Adesewa explores the meaning of the R value, its importance and its relationship with the lockdown and social distancing restrictions. 

The highlight of last Sunday’s highly anticipated briefing by Prime Minister Boris Johnson surrounded the R value. Johnson launched the new Covid Alert Level system alongside a new set of guidelines for social distancing. It was strongly emphasised that any changes to the current social distancing measures would be dependent on monitoring this R value.

The 5-tier Covid Alert System. Source: Evening Standard

What exactly is the R value? 

Until a couple months ago, the R value was a term mainly used by epidemiologists and in public health literature.

R value (R0), pronounced R-nought, refers to the basic reproduction number. It’s a way of measuring, on average, the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus onto within a population that has no immunity to the virus.  

In other words, if the R value of COVID-19 is equal to 3, this means every infected person has the ability to infect 3 other people, and each of these new cases would infect another 3 people and this continues on until there is a vaccination or immunity is reached.  

A close up of a map Description automatically generated
Transmission of COVID-19 with a R value of 3 and the impact of social distancing. Source: GOV.UK

It’s important to note that R0  is not a stable number. This number varies and is highly dependent on factors including the characteristics of the pathogen (SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the COVID-19 disease), human behaviour and location. For example, an outbreak of COVID 19 in highly populated cities like London or New York, without any social distancing restrictions, would likely result in a higher R value than a less populated cities with these restrictions in place. 

In comparison with other known human viruses, the R0  for chickenpox ranges from 10-12 and although highly contagious, deaths are rare due to vaccination and general immunity in the population. Whereas for influenza (the common cold),  R0 ranges between 0.9 to 2.1 and even with a lower R value and vaccination, a significant number of deaths are recorded yearly due to the virus’ ability to mutate and therefore invade the immune system. 

What is the ‘ideal’ value for R?

Maintaining a value below 1 is critical to tackling the spread of the virus and informs the government of any changes to the social distancing and lockdown restrictions. A stable R value of 0.5, for example, would mean the rate at which the virus spreads is halved as an infectious person will transmit the disease to fewer people and eventually significantly slows the spread of the disease.  

What is the R value right now?

As of the 10th of May 2020, R0 in the UK is currently between 0.5-0.9 which means that the number of new cases are reducing. However, as this is a tight and fluctuating margin, any rush to remove the lockdown and social distancing measures may lead to an increase of R number above 1 and therefore damaging all the effort so far and increasing the number of new cases.

The effect of the R value and phases of social distancing restriction. Source: GOV.UK

In Germany, lockdown restrictions lifted such as shops, schools and museum openings, have contributed to an increase in R-value from below 1 to 1.13 with an increase in new cases reported.

Is there a better number than the R number?

The challenge with R number is that it does not measure how infectious the virus is. Although the government can exert a level of control over human behaviour, we cannot always control the innate properties of the virus i.e. its ability to mutate. Recent findings by researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory US have identified several mutations in the spike protein (the protein that allows the virus to invade human cells) which suggests the virus could be more infectious with an increased ability to spread. 

Scientists nationwide are moving at a speed like never before to find a vaccine for COVID-19. The best course of action remains to follow social distancing measures and isolate if you have any symptoms. This means we can collectively bring the R value down, reduces the burden on the NHS and allow them to effectively deal with current cases. 

Adesewa Adebisi is a recent Biochemistry graduate from The University of Huddersfield with an upcoming Masters of Research in Oncology. She is also Sabbatical Officer for the University of Huddersfield.

COVID-19: Private wealth over public health?

CheVaughn Starling
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COVID-19: Private wealth over public health?

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, seeing America, leader of the world stage and self-proclaimed champion of the free world, suffering terribly. Not only are Americans growing antsy over the coronavirus, but the economy is also failing. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the American economy has plummeted severely to the brink of a recession. With the economy on the brink of crashing, some states in the U.S. feel that it is time to return to business as usual, in an attempt to save face. 

The U.S. Economy 

The spread of coronavirus in the States left the economy in ruins in less than a few weeks. More than 17 million Americans filed for unemployment within the last month, the government passed over a 2 trillion dollar bailout bill to help keep the economy afloat and GDP was down 4.1 percent. All of this triggers a domino effect on the world’s economy, which has shrunk by 3 percent – the lowest it has been since the Great Depression. Whilst the numbers are declining at rapid speeds and death count’s rising, many states in the U.S. have “opened” up in hopes to save the crumbling economy. 

Closed sign; Source:www.investors.com

States Reopening 

In hopes to turn the economy back around, many state governors have started to lift their restrictions on lockdown protocol. On the one hand, states such as Georgia and Texas are allowing non-essential businesses like movie theatres, barbershops, retail shops, and beaches to open back up. Meanwhile, states like Florida and Nevada went from a stay at home order to an “encourage stay at home” suggestion, which means people can enjoy outdoor restaurants and go to personal care shops while lightly encouraging citizens to stay at home without enforcement. 

The Risk

The purpose for stay at homes orders was to protect citizens and contain the virus. In less than 4 weeks, the U.S. went from a hand full of states with small numbers of people infected to all 50 states and over 1 million people infected.  There have been over 70,000 deaths reported in the U.S. due to COVID-19, and the numbers are steadily rising every day. The main risk in re-opening too soon could cause the U.S. to make backwards strides, fuelling a public health emergency and doubling the numbers of people infected in the matter of weeks. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, and with no cure for COVID-19 America could stay struggling to cope with the pandemic, both economically and socially. 

Stock markets; Source: www.essendonaccounts.co.uk

The Importance 

 While the state issued orders have slowed the progression of the virus and flattened the curve in states like California and New York, America is far from the safe zone. America is still very vulnerable to thousands of new infections monthly. Despite these grim realities, the Trump Administration seems to be willing to take the risk for the sake of returning to business as usual.

 Although the President vows to reopen America in 3-phases and take the safety of Americans seriously, one cannot help but wonder if this is a gimmick to save the economy he constantly bragged about for the last three years in hopes for re-election. COVID-19 arrived during an election year and it has not been a secret that Trump has received some backlash for his handlings of containing the virus. It seems as if the economy is worth saving more than the lives of the wider population. A stable economy is important because it affects everybody’s day to day. But a stable economy stands for little, if the majority won’t live to reap the benefits.

Shifting Blame: Who will be held responsible for COVID deaths now?

Courtney Carr
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Shifting Blame: Who will be held responsible for COVID deaths now?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out the Government’s steps to ease the lockdown and “control the virus” in a recent speech that addressed the British nation on Sunday evening.  Over 30,000 people have been recorded to have died in the UK from COVID-19 and the Government has struggled to meet their daily testing targets. TCS Network look into how the failures to set and meet feasible targets may be making the crisis worse.

It was only last month that the British government spent £16 million on “antibody” tests that did not work, from companies in China. Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced that the government had surpassed their COVID-19 daily testing targets of 100,000. This figure included the home test kits that were sent out by the government, but a large oversight in this is that there is no telling whether these kits were even used. Boris Johnson, perhaps prematurely, rushed to announce that the government were doubling the goal to 200,000 tests a day. As the BBC reported, Boris Johnson had said that it is his “ambition” to hit 200,000 tests by the end of May. 

Some have argued that this announcement was simply to distract the public from the fact that the government has failed to meet its original target of 100,000 a day, for several days in a row now. Britain will need to meet these goals and potentially surpass them, in order to get to the level one of the newly adopted Coronavirus Alert System, where there is no trace of COVID-19 in the UK. 

The new Coronavirus Alert System being adopted in the UK; Source:meltingood.com

The Alert System address

As the Prime Minister outlined in his address to the nation on Sunday 10th May, we must obtain more “control” of the virus as a nation before lockdown is fully eased. That being said, he is asking that those who can return to work to do so, urging people to avoid using public transport and opting to ride a bike or walk to work. 

He said: “Though we grieve for all those we have lost, it is a fact that by adopting those measures we have prevented this country from being engulfed by what could have been a catastrophe in which the reasonable worst case scenario was half a million fatalities.” 

He continued on to say, “Although we have a plan, it is a conditional plan. We cannot move forward unless we satisfy the five tests.”

These tests in summary, are to “protect the NHS”, “see sustained falls in the death rate”, “sustained and considerable falls” in the infection rate, overcome challenges in providing PPE, and to avoid and ensure that actions taken will not increase the reproduction rate (R). The Prime Minister made reference to the new Coronavirus Alert System with level 5 being “the most critical – the kind of situation that we could have had if the NHS had been overwhelmed.”

SNP Leader and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon showed she will not be adopting the new slogan; Source: @NicolaSturgeon on Twitter

However, many testimonials of NHS workers do demonstrate that there indeed have been examples of the NHS being overwhelmed. Just recently, we here at TCS Network spoke to a diverse range of healthcare professionals who voiced their concerns over lack of protection and unclear guidance from the government. And with the UK witnessing the second highest death rates from coronavirus in the world, it seems the Prime Minister’s optimistic speech had overlooked the true reality of our poor handling of the pandemic.

Labour MP and Doctor Rosena Allin-Khan expressed her concern following the address; Source:@DrRosena on Twitter

How do testing targets fit into the picture?

It is important that the government are held accountable for their handling of the crisis, and statistics are one of the key ways to keep track of the virus. If testing targets are not met, how can we know the true scale of the virus and adequately monitor the alert level?

Furthermore,  testing is not only an important area for patients, but also for NHS workers and other key workers such as those who work in care homes and social workers. The lack of testing, especially within care homes, arguably contributed to the amount of hidden deaths that were witnessed within the UK’s most vulnerable communities.

There is also the clear question of whether the government  will be able to prevent a second wave of the virus if testing targets are not met and lockdown measures are lifted too soon. We have seen the government adopt new strategies with testing, such as testing being expanded in England to more people including those in the over-65 age bracket, as well as similar and extensive enhancements in Scotland and Wales. It is very important that in the race to defeat COVID- 19, we continue to take all the preventative measures to suppress the spread and do not disregard the seriousness of the situation. Failure to do so will compromise our public health and undermine the devastation that we have already witnessed as a result of unclear leadership.

COVID-19: The Backward West?

Common Sense Contributors
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COVID-19: The Backward West?

The year 2020 has undoubtedly transformed into one of the most devastating years in our memories. The threat of international war, the Australian fires and the outbreak of COVID-19 have touched the lives of those across the world with no regard for background, ethnicity or gender and the loss of normality has been felt worldwide. However, the dilemma of the pandemic has brought a range of other critical issues to the forefront. While the disease itself doesn’t discriminate, unfortunately, people do. As the issue of the disease’s transmission rose to prominence, so did some worrisome reactions from both countries and individuals alike.

One deeply problematic example of this is Trump’s address in which he referred to the Coronavirus as the ‘Chinese’ virus, provoking calls for clarification and correction, but this was both too late and too little. That these xenophobic ideas have resurfaced in politics sends a dangerous message that they are not only welcomed in the political sphere, but also reveal the normalised racist sentiment in one of the most ‘developed’ countries in the world. 

Despite WHO regulations against such defamatory language, it was utilised to play on fears of the unknown and fuel racialised othering, reinforcing systematic discrimination of minorities. Just two months ago, Asians across the globe were celebrating a historic Oscar win for Parasite, heralding acceptance and better Asian representation. Now, many are too afraid to leave their homes or wear masks for hygienic precautions in fear that they will be discriminated against, abused or attacked in the cities and neighbourhoods that they themselves are citizens.

One victim of racist abuse since the pandemic; Source: BBC news

Stop Hate UK has reported a rise in calls across their helplines from victims of such behaviour, particularly those of Chinese origin, who are offensively branded as carriers of the virus. Such was the case of Jonathan Mok, who despite being from Singapore and not carrying the virus, was physically assaulted in London with his attacker stating ‘we don’t want your coronavirus in our country’. The verbal abuse perpetuated by figures in the media such as Piers Morgan who mocked Mandarin live on television, is being swept under the rug and ignored in the UK.

Unfortunately, this appears to be a small part of a much broader issue across the West. In a recent video posted online, an Asian man is harassed on an underground train in New York on his daily commute. Fearmongering and xenophobia have also started to play a more prominent role on the internet as the world is staying inside. Viral videos continue to be circulated online such as one in which a woman consumes ‘bat soup’, with thousands sharing and blaming the Chinese community for the spread of the virus, making sweeping generalisations that Chinese eating habits are barbaric. 

These xenophobic and orientalist sentiments are not slowing down. This is sadly something we have seen before; infectious disease outbreaks have historically become politicised and have incentivised discrimination against minorities. 

Asian community in America; Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

In the early 2000’s in Toronto during the SARS outbreak, xenophobic abuse towards the Chinese Canadian community became heated, even when the community in question was doing the most to counter the spread of the virus. Such rhetoric and racist behaviour often spreads as fast as the diseases themselves. Even the seemingly most progressive factions of society, such as universities, are prone to such acts.

Ironically, despite the Western portrayal of China and its culture as backwards and archaic in nature, it is clear that Chinese and other Asian countries, such as South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam, policy and societal adherence regarding containment of the virus has worked well, compared to Western reactions to COVID-19. All are different in their backgrounds, and yet all have supported their people, infected or not, recognising that they are the victims, not the perpetrators. 

In the global West, however, COVID-19 policy responses continue to disproportionately affect people of colour and migrants — those who are predominantly in lower socioeconomic groups, have limited healthcare access, or work in precarious jobs. Those who are now called key workers were only a few months ago regarded as ‘low-skilled’ under the new British immigration policies. This is especially true in resource-poor settings, that lack forms of social protection and have a weak welfare system, such as the US. For many, self-isolation is often not possible, leading to a higher risk of viral spread, hence why Boris Johnson’s ‘herd immunity’ approach would essentially leave the most vulnerable and those in desperate need of protection at greatest risk.

LA residents wearing protective face masks; Source: Al Jazeera

The resilience of public health is inherently intersectional with other inequalities and social policy addressing these, and COVID-19 has shown us that despite the incredible efforts of healthcare professionals, our systems are failing. After harsh cuts and a vote against the increase of healthcare workers’ base pay just last year in the UK, our current system looks after neither those who need it nor those who work hard to provide such care. 

On the contrary, those ‘underdeveloped’ or ‘third world countries’ such as Cuba or Vietnam – often considered inferior to the West – have dealt with the spread effectively, prioritising people before profit. Not only did the Vietnamese government provide essentials for its citizens who were immediately quarantined upon developing any COVID-19 symptoms, but it also provided free food to those in lockdown, easing anxiety and fear for many. COVID-19 has been a harsh lesson – a reminder to all of just how vulnerable we are. It ought to compel the West to save our judgements and urges a global re-evaluation of what we deem as ‘advanced’, prosperous nations.

Julia Szczesna is a Content Writer for the Immigration Advice Service, an organisation of UK immigration lawyers which is providing free legal advice to all NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BAME NHS worker’s remain in the firing line against COVID 19

Shaun Flores
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BAME NHS worker’s remain in the firing line against COVID 19
nhs deaths

The British government is being called to investigate the astonishing amount of BAME workers who are dying due to Covid-19.

NHS England has called upon health trusts to assess (BAME) workers who are “at potentially greater risk” from coronavirus. One in five of the 1.3 million NHS staff are from BAME backgrounds. The Guardian uncovered that out of 53 NHS staff who have died 68% were BAME. 22 nurses, two porters, a radiology support worker, a patient discharge planner and a hospital bus driver. There are more minority ethnic people working in the NHS 20%, rising to 44% for medical staff. As a result, the rate of mortality is seriously uneven.

Data from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre suggests 34.5% of Covid-19 patients who are critically ill are from BAME backgrounds. Despite only 10.8% of the population is black or Asian, according to the 2011 census.

The first 10 doctors in the UK who died from coronavirus were all BAME. Dr Adil El Tayar was the first BAME worker to die from Covid-19. He was a 63-year-old Sudanese heart surgeon. He was volunteering in an A&E department in the Midlands and died on 25 March at West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth in West London.

On Wednesday 8th April, Bangladeshi doctor, Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, 53, died from Coronavirus. yet he had no underlying conditions. Before he died he wrote a letter to the government asking for adequate provisions of PPE to protect workers.

His son Intisar Chowdhury, 18, wrote a later to the government questioning why his father’s letter to Boris Johnson was ignored.

Son of doctor who died from Covid-19 still hoping for PPE apology ...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/son-of-doctor-who-died-from-covid-19-still-hoping-for-ppe-apology

Intisar Chowdhury said: “When he was unwell he wrote an open letter to the prime minister appealing for more PPE for NHS frontline workers, it was a request that was ignored, two weeks later he passed away and since then over 100 NHS and social care workers have passed away from contracting the virus,”.

The chronic lack of PPE has been a issue of hot debate and lives are being lost as a consequence of insufficient planning and prompt action.

The letter sent by the Seacole Group offering to help as independent advisory group

https://twitter.com/inzyrashid/status/1252963871134035968

17 non-executive NHS directors of the Seacole Group, the largest network of BAME leaders within the service, have written to Mr Hancock, offering their services as an independent advisory group in hopes to address the deaths of BAME health and social workers.

Coronavirus continues to entrench the instiutional racism

There has been a long-held belief that institutions are nourished by racism and Covid-19 deaths have only reinforced and further evidenced this. The death rates of workers and those admitted only reaffirm this.

Infographic showing typical PPE for health workers dealing with coronavirus patients
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-52440641

According to the Cabinet Office, (2019), black minority ethnic people are more likely to be key workers and/or work in positions where the threat of exposure is greater. Some of these positions include cleaners, public transport (including taxis), shops, and NHS staff.

Black and minority ethnic people are 40% of doctors, 20% of nurses nationally (and 50% in London). Within the NHS Black and minority ethnic people make up 17% of the social care workforce, and 59% in London.

The government have proven themselves chronically inept when dealing with the coronavirus pandemic; failing to buy crucial protective equipment, in turns affecting BAME staff who are at a far higher risk of contracting Covid-19 as they are the majority of the NHS workforce.

Cultural Reasons as to why BAME workers are more at risk

It has been said that cultural reasons are a key component resulting in COVID-19 killing more BAME workers. Covid-19 has a higher prevalence on those with underlying health issues, in particular, those suffering from obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes all more common amongst the BAME population. Further more Vitamin D deficiency is more common in people of an ethnic minority group.

In 2017 a study conducted highlighted that black adults were the most likely out of all ethnic groups to be overweight or obese. Obesity predisposes individuals to other issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

According to Diabetes UK , “Type 2 diabetes is up to six times more common in people of South Asian descent and up
to three times more common among people of African and African-Caribbean origin.”

Environmental factors play a part as to why underlying health issues are so prevalent in the BAME community. In black and minority ethnic groups on average poverty is twice as high. Poverty has a major correlation to obesity, access to overly processed and calorie-rich foods, resulting in poor nourishment puts the body at greater risk to health-related issues. Those with low socioeconomic status, healthier lifestyles may not always be a tangible reality, as money must be spent on other necessities such as rent. Black and minority ethnic families also tend to be larger on average, exacerbating stresses on the family and finances.

Ordinarily, a virus would not discriminate or stereotype on the basis of race or ethnicity. However, Covid 19 is massively affecting BAME NHS and front line workers. The government must do more to protect all those who protect and saves lives. Discrimination continues to seep through our institutions and rather than being a “great leveller”, the virus exposes the deep inequalities in the suffering of different communities. Focusing on genetics merely shifts blame; health inequality must be properly researched, measured and addressed. The government inquiry announced this month must publish data collected on ethnic minority deaths by Public Health England, to unravel uncomfortable truths, ensure wider understanding of the actual scale of threats BAME individuals and workers are facing and generate action.

In the destruction of COVID-19, we must protect asylum seekers

Common Sense Contributors
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In the destruction of COVID-19, we must protect asylum seekers

When a person fleeing persecution arrives in the UK, the initial emotional relief is soon cast aside by the harsh realities of the asylum process. Not only is the financial assistance offered by the government barely enough to cover food and other basics, but the housing provided is often substandard and overcrowded. Medical care can be hard to access; Hostile Environment policies mean that many asylum seekers are too afraid to seek treatment. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this concoction of issues places a group- already deeply marginalised- in a hugely precarious and vulnerable position.

At just £37.75 per person per week, the allowance provided to asylum seekers is not enough for an adequate standard of living. A Scottish Refugee Council study found that a number of asylum seekers struggle to afford items such as clothes and toiletries. Even in normal times, the inability to afford essentials places a person in a deeply fragile position. In the midst of a global pandemic, the danger it poses is enormous with people making decisions between eating and keeping safe.

We know that a healthy diet is part of what can help fend off illnesses. The poorer our diet, the more likely we are to pick up infections. At a time when COVID-19 is growing in scale, it is all the more important that asylum seekers are given the help they need to feed themselves properly, not least to boost their first line of defence. This is exactly the time when the government should be investing in the health of the most vulnerable by increasing financial assistance to them. It could of course be counter-argued that increasing the level of support would be a detriment to the economy at a time of national crisis. However, our collective fight against Coronavirus will only work if all people receive an equal level of protection.

Queue of asylum seekers // Source: Forbes/Getty Images

Poor diet is not the only issue putting the physical health of asylum seekers at risk. Many are being forced to live in accommodation which is not fit for purpose. The government’s provision of housing is riddled with issues such as damp, mould and poor ventilation. As Coronavirus is a respiratory disease, living in these conditions places an individual at increased risk.

The government’s official COVID-19 guidance states that ‘all shared spaces should be well-ventilated’, yet much of the housing provided to asylum seekers directly contravenes this advice. An investigation by the ICIBI found that on one occasion, damp and poor ventilation had caused the ill-health of a child. With these issues in mind, flawed housing support leaves our most vulnerable brutally exposed to COVID-19 and its impact.

Some are also housed inappropriately. Young people who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are being placed with older men with alcohol and drug abuse problems. Instances of overcrowding are not uncommon. This presents particular challenges during the COVID-19 crisis as it makes social-distancing difficult, if not at times impossible. Adhering to social distancing rules is key to limiting the transmission of infection. Overcrowded housing also means that asylum seekers are unable to follow government advice.

Hospital scene // Source: Royal Cornwall NHS

Asylum support accommodation is subject to the same law and regulation in relation to overcrowding, health and safety, houses in multiple occupation as any other accommodation. The government needs to ensure the rules are upheld so that an already difficult situation is not made worse. Many are now having to rely on friends to provide a roof over their heads but this is rarely a long-term solution and makes isolating safely nearly impossible.

These concerns simply compound those faced by asylum seekers when it comes to healthcare. With the weekly subsistence rate failing to provide the essentials, the cost of prescriptions in England places vital medication out of reach. Added to this, the cost of booking an appointment over the phone, or getting to an appointment on public transport, is unaffordable to those living on £37.75 per week.

Many asylum seekers are too afraid to access healthcare due to the fear of detention or deportation. The ‘Hostile Environment’ introduced data-sharing between the NHS and Home Office, meaning that undocumented immigrants can have their details passed on to immigration enforcement. Whilst the government have said that COVID-19 treatment will not necessitate revealing one’s immigration status, this information needs to be communicated effectively to those seeking asylum. Although some may argue that free healthcare should be reserved for British citizens, this would leave considerable numbers of people exposed to COVID-19 at a time when everything must be done to limit the spread of infection. 

UK Border sign // Source: WSJ

All this comes during a Coronavirus crisis when keeping healthy could not be more important. Better and more easily available language support would help. There are also calls for healthcare staff to have better training and for the Home Office to ensure people get the right information, particularly about their entitlements. There’s a need for change at the policy and legislation level so that access to healthcare is protected by clear separation from immigration enforcement.

The Coronavirus pandemic may have made us sit up and think, but it has not in any way been a leveller in society. At least not yet. What it has done is put additional strain on those like asylum seekers who were already some of the most vulnerable amongst us. Home Secretary Priti Patel will finally appear before a select committee this week, after a long period of noticeable absence. It is of paramount importance to take this chance to ensure asylum seekers are protected.

Peter Markham is a content writer for the Immigration Advice Service, an organisation of immigration lawyers.

Want to see art not ads? You’re In Good Company

Rachel Trafford
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Want to see art not ads? You’re In Good Company

What do you miss most about being outside? Maybe just meandering on the streets, rather than only being let out to shop. Being in our public spaces is the ultimate privilege, and for now, one we cannot claim. Just as goats overtook Llandudno, art and creativity have also crept in through the cracks in the brick work in our absence.

Mural reads “By fighting the epidemic, we protect the human being and preserve the earth” in the Gaza Strip // Source: theguardian.com Photgraph: Mohammed Abed

Messages etched in chalk on pavements to murals painted on boarded up store fronts have brought art to us through our screens; ‘wish you were here’ postcards from the outside world. In Leeds, curated street art project In Good Company has worked to diversify the city’s streets and in lockdown has taken over prime advertising space. Founded in June 2019 by British designer Laura Wellington, In Good Company has brought art and colour to the cities buildings. By working with property developers, local businesses and international artists Laura and partner James have created large scale works on Graphical House, with artist Mr Penfold and on a 100 year old narrow boat with Benjamin Craven and Jenny Beard.

Graphical House, Leeds // Source: kingandcoleeds.com

Lockdown has given their mission an entirely new iteration. A conversation with another independent business owner Tom of We Are FYI, an advertising company for the entertainment and hospitality industries, combined with their ownership of huge billboards on Hyde Park corner, a densely populated area of Leeds, Laura decided there was no better place for a thank you for key workers.

After approaching award winning artist Morag Myerscough, four billboards and a huge colourful sign shouting a message of gratitude to those on the frontline were turned around in just 72 hours. Inspired by the outpouring of support for the NHS, they are designed to include everyone. “There are a lot of people that have to keep going to work everyday and have no choice but to put themselves at risk. I set out to say thank you to everyone through art and colour”.

Morag Myerscough Thank You billboards in Hyde Park, Leeds // Credit: In Good Company

“The response initially was phenomenal and lots of people were asking how do they bring it to their city.” After spending a week pitching the idea to national billboard companies and garnering no support, the project took on a city centric approach to get the message out. “Posters for the People became a people powered approach to get the posters all over the world. It came out of adversity and I’ve enjoyed watching it grow through people.” The posters are available online for anyone to purchase, print and put up in their locality already reaching around the UK, Italy and the US.

By then partnering with Pop Art Media, who’s outside advertising is contracted by Leeds City Council, the campaign took over 150 poster sites in the city with art work from seven independent creators.

Posters for the People takeover campaign on billboards in Leeds // Credit: In Good Company
Posters for the People banners on peoples homes // Credit: In Good Company

Where art belongs, seen but not heard in frames, private collections and galleries, has been relatively fixed, in comparison to advertising’s growth. For some, art in all its forms is the most freeing form of expression. For others it can be exclusive and exclusionary. In 2018, a BBC survey of 40% of UK secondary schools found that nine in every ten had cut back on staff time and resources for at least one creative arts subject due to funding pressures. It isn’t surprising then that by the time many young people enter adulthood, art can be characterised as a luxury not everyone can afford. Though young people and adults may come to encounter art later in life with free or subsidised admittance to some galleries and cultural venues, feeling like you don’t belong in a space is just as powerful a barrier as other inaccessibility practicalities.

A 2015 Warwick report showed that attendees to art galleries were overwhelmingly white and middle class. Additionally, a government survey from last year of over 8,000 people showed only 33% of black people and 43% of Asian people had even visited a gallery. This is not to say art galleries are systemically racist, but that evidently more must be done to reach certain communities.

Posters for the People banners, Leeds // Credit: In Good Company

Art being outside has generally been understood as rebellion. Graffiti became synonymised with vandalism, with the use of tags on buildings demonstrating a visual fight to reclaim urban spaces. Banksy began turning the tide in the early 2000’s, creating beautifully subversive street art and social commentary with huge public appeal. People loved Banksy not because he was necessarily the best or the first, but because his work could be anywhere and by anyone, but most importantly, carried accessible and relatable visual messaging. Despite our cities being full of surfaces, art was vilified or squeezed onto street corners. The movement of full wall murals has only continued to grow ever since.

Advertising outdoors however has been completely ubiquitous with our environments for decades. When Laura approached Clear Channel, who own huge billboards all over Leeds, “they decided the billboards could not be used”. Even just the Leeds council website boasts opportunities to reach over 300,000 people a year. It seems no place is out of advertising’s reach, with “lampposts, recycling centres and green spaces such as flower beds” all up for grabs. If every surface is encouraging you to buy, is it any wonder we are overconsuming? There are also multiple studies, that more materialistic values are an indicator for lower levels of wellbeing. We feel worse about ourselves after constant exposure to consumer goods.

Outdoor advertising // Source: medium.com

Advertising is not simply bad or evil. It’s a powerful informative medium to make you think, laugh and cry. In a four week campaign this February, Clear Channel created a campaign on digital ad boards across Leeds City Centre showing health warnings when temperatures dropped below 8 degrees. With over £260m cuts in funding in 10 years, it also brings a vital income stream to Leeds City Council. But this treats citizens, and in turn our city spaces as one-dimensional, powerful only through consumption. In Good Company’s work taking over sides of buildings and now huge billboards with curated art works asserts a bold right to public space. Involving developers and commercial interests in this movement shows tentative steps in an exciting direction towards art and creativity having a central role in the outside every-day.

Bringing art into the public goes back to its roots as a communication tool, whether as a portrait of a monarch, a graphic illustration or a huge message of thanks. “Graphic design and posters have played a key part in history and key messages, from Keep Calm and Carry on to female liberation in the 70s”. The poster and the protest sign as artforms, as shown by In Good Company’s people powered movement, is an example of accessible art that everyone can claim a piece of ownership within. Rather than being talked to by ads, we can talk to each other even when apart.

Creating an ArtNotAds movement could be the next step. It seems a bit of a ridiculous idea doesn’t it? With personalised Ad technology everywhere, billboards and posters might feel like a drop in the ocean. In 2007, then Mayor Gilberto Kassab of Sao Paulo, Brazil, enacted the Clean City Law removing all 15,000 billboards from the city, which continues to this day. Similarly, in 2015, the city of Tehran, Iran, replaced all advertisements with art on 1,500 billboards for 10 days.

Billboard in Tehran replaced with art // Photograph credit: Hamed Khorshidi

Either way, In Good Company’s project asks bold and colourful questions about not only access to art, but citizens rights to our public spaces, and shaping environments to serve public interests in our post-lockdown future.

 And what of that future? Take comfort in Laura’s words: “we must disrupt, and go our own way.”

Support the Posters for the People campaign and independent creatives during lockdown and beyond here

NHS front line experiences; the key worker highs and lows

Courtney Carr
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NHS front line experiences; the key worker highs and lows

The UK’s NHS staff are tasked with facing coronavirus on a daily basis. They have struggled with challenges such as the need and lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) in some cases, as well as risking their lives everyday. We here at TCS Network decided to speak with staff on the front line to find out how they are coping with the challenge.

COVID-19 has become a frightening and incomparable experience for the world – over 21,000 people have died in the UK alone. How does it feel to face something that most, understandably, want to hide from?

Martelle Henry is a nurse with a background in infectious diseases and respiratory infections. She now provides clinical and educational support in the High Dependency Respiratory Unit.

She said: “I don’t think that anything could have prepared me for the severity of illness in some cases, frequency of death or the joy experienced when a patient defies the odds and begins to turn around for the better.

Martelle Henry – a specialist nurse in PPE. Source: Martelle Henry via Facebook


There’s a real sense of peace (for me anyway!) and collegiality between all specialities, all job roles, all people. I’ve spent 12+ hours working alongside amazing, selfless staff, only identifiable by their eyes and name/role written on their gowns.”

The specialist unit that Martelle works on did not exist before COVID- 19, and she is proud to say that it puts patient and staff safety first; all staff in any patient-facing areas must wear PPE, regardless of whether they work in designated COVID- 19 areas or not. This is an essential preventative and protective policy, ensuring that the health of those caring for the ill and vulnerable are valued as well.

Martelle told TCS Network: “It’s during the saddest times that teamwork and collegiality has made all the difference. For example, we took it in turns to hold the phone to facilitate a video call between a patient and their children and grandchildren, who were able to say how much they love and appreciate their relative – as they were taking their last breath.”

Another key worker we spoke to, Naomi Coleman, has been a qualified midwife for seven years.

“Fortunately, we haven’t had any ladies who are seriously ill with the coronavirus, but it has changed the way that we practice. It can become a little bit impersonal – it’s a career where we are used to touching a lot but now we are having to find other ways to comfort women.”

Naomi’s daily activities have not changed per se, but she has been feeling the impact of social distancing within her work. I asked her how she felt in terms of being physically protected whilst serving the public.

She said: “We have protection – is it adequate? We don’t think so. A lot of staff are getting sores on their face from wearing masks all the time. There’s not enough money to pay for the proper equipment that we need – that’s what it boils down to. It’s not cheap, and the industry knows that, and they’ve given us protection to the best of their ability.

We’ve had a few staff members that have contracted this nasty virus – members of staff have passed away. Everyone has reacted differently to the situation at hand – I personally don’t feel completely uneasy due to my personal faith, but it is scary. As a team we make videos to uplift ourselves – to the outside world it can look like that’s all we do, as if we are not caring for the patients, but that’s not true. When we have a laugh, it releases the stress that’s on our shoulders and brings us together as a unit.”

Ventilator tubes. Source: Flickr

Some healthcare students are practicing in medical environments during the pandemic – Grace’Anne Coleman is one of them – a student and aspiring community nurse.

She told TCS Network of her emotional highs and lows.

“In terms of working on the front line, I have had the experience of seeing people when they’re first admitted and discharged, but on the other hand, seeing people towards the end of their lives.

It’s quite an emotional experience to watch someone die without having their family with them. Often, the purpose of us caring for someone at the end of their life is to make sure that they have that full holistic care – family is often a part of that. It’s been a strange way to allow someone to die peacefully, but yet, there’s been a lack of peace. They can’t breathe.

There’s almost a vacant, awkardness within the hospital- there’s a lot going on and it’s difficult to learn and absorb as a student. We’re right down in the deep end and you want to help, but you don’t always know what to do sometimes.”

These are simply a glimpse into the everyday battle that NHS staff face, and they are doing a phenomenal job in light of their resources. COVID- 19 has taken many lives, but with professionals fighting for the public, a victory of some sort is certain.

The Façade of Philanthropy: saviour or self-seeker?

Benedicta Denteh
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The Façade of Philanthropy: saviour or self-seeker?

Money. It’s what makes the world go round. It sustains most of our livelihoods, even influences our social connections. Some people are constantly short of it and others possess it in such abundance that they could just about buy anything and everything they wanted.

But what if rather than choosing to invest and multiply their wealth, the rich advocated for redistribution? What if perhaps some of the world’s renowned millionaires and billionaires decided to spread some of this wealth, and put some of those millions to good use, to help those who are needy?

Well some do in fact many take on this civic duty, but behind this charitable frontier often exists an ulterior motive, where philanthropy is often another opportunity for business expansion. With this then, is it possible that those who take out charitable ventures do more harm than good?

What is Big Philanthropy?

Jeff Bezoz, founder of Amazon holding up money (Source: MarketWatch)

Big Philanthropy, describes the act of bestowing colossal sums of money to worthy causes and charities. Charity has existed from time immemorial, and even makes up a fundamental part of many of the oldest religions, such as Islam which sees charity one of the 5 pillars of the religion. Big Philanthropy is a new phenomenon, which has materialised alongside the growth of the number millionaires and billionaires in the world.

Examples of big philanthropists in the modern era include Amazon founder and world’s richest man Jeff Bezos, who contributed $10 million toward climate change prevention and Bill Gates and his wife Melinda committing $36 billion overall to their Foundation which focuses on supporting healthcare in the developing world. Whilst there may be some good in this, because these contributions do in fact lighten the hardships of those they seek to help, the deeper consequences of one person having this much power to change millions of lives, must be considered. Ideology and practice are inseparable, and whilst charity may be framed as a politically neutral, it is never that simple.

Following the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 a few of the world’s billionaires have been attempting to financially support the outbreak. Jack Dorsey is among the most generous who has contributed $1 billion to an LLC to support COVID-19 whilst the Gates have again have stepped to contribute $255 million towards finding treatments and diagnostics testing.

The dark side of charity

There is a suggestion that exists, popularly birthed by a political theorist at Stanford University Rob Reich, who puts forward that these ‘donations’ from the rich are actually an “exercise of power” and that is to move private assets for appraisal, public influence and sometimes money gain all whilst pulling the wool over the eyes of the pubic. Therefore, big philanthropy is essentially smoke and mirrors, trying to hide a bigger plot to obtain more power and money.

Rob Reich a public theorist side to side with cover of his book (Source: Stanford University Master of Liberal Arts)

Big contributors sometimes use these donations as a way to evade paying taxes, as tax regulations differ on sums invested under a charity or foundation. They also have the power to criticise governments on how they organise society, but by stepping in and becoming the hero, using philanthropy as a tool to cover their more selfish actions – tax evasion being a common issue.

On the other hand, there has been an ulterior motive at hand, and some have been undermining this dire and deadly situation as an opportunity to help support their own companies.

Richard Branson owns Virgin Healthcare Group, which has around 400 contracts across England, and treats around one million people. They are among one of the big winners from NHS privatisation, with profits of £290 million in 2019. A regular big philanthropist but someone who has also been labelled a parasite on the NHS; he has evaded taxes on £2 billion worth of taxes as well as sueing the NHS for not being awarded a £83 million private contract. Despite this, he has sought donations to apparently support the NHS, using a ‘Run 5 Donate 5 Tag 5 challenge’ which has gone viral in the past couple of weeks.

Group protesting against Virgin’s expansion into the healthcare sector at the expense of the NHS (Source: The Guardian)

Through his Virgin Giving platform he takes a profit cut from the kind donations from those trying to help support the key workers relentlessly working to care for the ill and vulnerable. It would be much more commendable for Branson to pay his due taxes; that is if he genuinely cared and wasn’t doing this to exploit the general public’s kindness.

A double edged sword

Forbes has currently tracked out of the 77 billionaires that donate money, 23 did not disclose where the money actually goes. So when it comes to Virgin Giving, how do we even know all of it is being channelled into healthcare? And even if it is, it directly takes a cut from resources that the NHS could use. Surely it would be better for there to be one centralised and regulated body to combat and fund social issues? But it would seem that the social inequalities that deepen under globalisation are at the mercy of those same wealthiest individuals who call themselves philanthropists.

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