THREAD: Especially during a pandemic, every local authority needs to do its very best for our collective public health.

We need people to exercise for their physical and mental health.

We need our streets to not only accommodate this but to ENCOURAGE it 1/6

#activetravel https://twitter.com/WHO_Europe/status/1252594184143413248

We know that our built environment impacts on our public health.

We know that @WHO Healthy Cities @WHO_Europe_HCN advises on the value of place to our public health and how our physical environment facilitates health and well-being.

And we know what works. 2/6

#healthycities

And what normally works, can be applied during a pandemic.

* Trial temporary measures and evaluate them.

* Make it easy for people to choose to walk/cycle.

* Do not make it difficult or confusing.

'Perfection is the enemy of the good.

#WHOadvice #activetravel

3/6

What normally works includes:

* Allow permeability!
* Widen footpaths
* Filter traffic from streets
* Reduce speed limits
* Segregate cycle lanes
* Enforce traffic laws
* Don't tolerate parking on paths
* Prioritise pedestrians at crossings

#walkability #limerick #health

4/6

The virus is with us until there is a vaccine.
Everything else is management.

* Capacity in our health services is being increased.
* Eventually much needed elective surgeries will resume.
* Care for those with #Covid19 will continue.
* There will be a flu season

5/6

We need to do everything to build resilience in our people
* for those recovering from the virus
* for those who are most vulnerable to it
* to reduce the load on our health services

Councils need to do everything they can to provide the space for people to be healthy.

6/6

p.s. And now that we know how much more sociable and friendlier our communities can be when people are out walking and cycling, why would we not want to do everything we can to encourage that?

#socialisolation #socialintegration #activetravel #publichealth #healthycities