Stereotypes about the elderly having more than their fair share can be heightened during times of crisis when resources are seen to be scarce.
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To reduce ageist perceptions of older people, we should encourage collectivist norms and the importance of acting for the common good.
A woman wears a face mask as she walks by the sculpture ‘The Illuminated Crowd’ on a street in Montréal. Vulnerable people may benefit from measures like face masks even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Decreases in respiratory infections during the pandemic suggest there may be a continued role for the selective, non-mandated use of measures like masks and social distancing even post-COVID-19.
‘King Lear’ sculpture seen in Chicago in 2008.
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Understanding consent is key to avoiding ambiguous and socially awkward encounters and reducing the potential to cause harm. There are lessons in Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’.
Our lives consist of a complex and dense web of interactions that ultimately make physical and social distancing attempts impossible. And this has always been the case in human society.
People wearing face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 walk past a window display at a store in downtown Vancouver on Dec. 13, 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has become more than a safety regulation for those working in retail — it’s a sign of respect and an acknowledgement that they’re people too.
A man sips a drink while sitting in environmentally friendly physical distancing circle at Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto on May 28, 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
As the pandemic wears on, some people struggle to keep adhering to restrictions and social distancing guidelines. There are psychological reasons for caution fatigue, and ways to overcome it.
Many countries around the world have launched digital contact tracing apps.
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Digital contact tracing apps can successfully contribute to the management of viral outbreaks. These apps can even be designed to protect privacy rights and to work across borders.
More people are wearing masks and using hand sanitisers.
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As lockdown restrictions are relaxed, it is key to continue high-impact non-pharmaceutical interventions that will not impede economic activity, but limit the spread of COVID-19.
Melbourne’s stage 4 lockdown forbids residents travelling more than 5km from home during their daily hour of exercise. Fine for those in leafy suburbs, but not for those with less greenery nearby.
Volunteers handing out masks to residents in Johannesburg.
Changing social norms in a short amount of time is difficult, and a one-size-fits all policy is unlikely to have the desired effect.
People wear face masks as they gather in a city park on Canada Day in Montréal. Incentives could encourage more Canadians, especially younger Canadians, to embrace COVID-19 safety measures.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Policy-makers and public health officials would be wise to consider a modern, data-driven approach and incentives to encourage people to adhere to safety measures in the COVID-19 era.
Preliminary research has found that people are increasingly incorporating new behaviours — including technology-based ones — into their sex lives during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The coronavirus pandemic affected many aspects of everyday life — including our sex lives. But erotic technologies are gaining wider acceptance as we look for ways to fulfill our desires for intimacy.
A lifeguard keeps watch over a packed beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., on June 28, when the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the state have been climbing.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
South Africa’s testing and tracing has not been at a level needed to suppress the spread of COVID-19. It must now focus on containing opportunities for super-spreading and transmissions.
Distancing rules will make life very difficult for smaller bars, cafes and restaurants. Our streets can be modified quickly to help save an important part of the life of cities and their economies.
To save as many lives as possible, public health efforts must take into account our subconscious biases.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University