Episode 8 Community – 10 Ways the Covid Response Harmed Society
Series Playlist
The crisis disrupted social relationships and routines of work, school, childcare, social life and meaningful events. Precise data on these changes are limited; some evidence suggests adverse consequences on social networks and increases in stigma and social stereotyping. Global immigration appears to have declined, with hardship for internal and international economic migrants and refugees.
An exodus from urban areas occurred in some countries; mobility in many North American cities remained below pre-pandemic levels in 2022. A reduction in police-reported crime was found in many countries during lockdown, although homicide was not changed. Some studies suggest increases in certain types of crime during and after lockdown. Cybercrime increased globally, with reports of substantial fraud related to government Covid stimulus spending. Very little data is available on corruption. Lockdown measures increased police and military abuses, arrests and fines for non-compliance and disrupted the legal system. Prison populations were subjected to inhumane conditions, with an increase in solitary confinement. Studies on trust generally suggest an initial increase in trust in government and scientific officials consistent with a ‘rally-around-the-flag’ effect; this then declined in late 2020.
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About the Author
Kevin Bardosh is the Director of Collateral Global, a UK-based charity dedicated to researching the global impacts of Covid-19 policy responses and helping the world better balance societal trade-offs during future health emergencies. He has worked in more than 20 countries on infectious disease control programs (including Ebola and Zika), authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and edited two books. He is currently an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, University of Washington USA and an Honorary Lecturer at the Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh UK.
Follow Kevin Bardosh on X (formerly Twitter) @KevinBardosh
Follow Collateral Global on Twitter @collateralglbl
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