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Remember when UK lockdown was being debated and government advisors were fighting over whether 'behavioural fatigue' existed? The @WHO have just released a report on it and it turns out it's a substantial problem https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/technical-guidance/2020/pandemic-fatigue-reinvigorating-the-public-to-prevent-covid-19,-september-2020-produced-by-whoeurope
Long story short, rather than examining the evidence for public adherence to infection control the debate turned into a massive unedifying fight in the media between the head of the 'nudge unit' and the academic advisors to the government, who claimed there was no such thing.
However, if they examined the evidence available even at the time it would have indicated that declines in compliance are common but typically don't happen within the time frame relevant to the lockdown decision and there was no reason to delay.
Now the @WHO have released their report after their data has shown people are reducing adherence to COVID-19 infection control measures.
Importantly, the report also gives guidance on how to maintain public adherence and enthusiasm.
Here are their 5 cross-cutting principles. You may notice the UK government is doing badly.
Here are their 5 cross-cutting principles. You may notice the UK government is doing badly.
And here are the concrete actions they are recommending. All sensible stuff.
To their credit, the academic advisors have been clear on this from the start and have continually stressed the need for an approach that emphasises transparency and collective effort.
However, in the UK, Dominic Cummings happened, and a downward turn quickly followed.
However, in the UK, Dominic Cummings happened, and a downward turn quickly followed.
In fact, data showed the Cummings affair harmed public adherence to infection control measures. And he now has the dubious honour of having an effect named after him https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31690-1/fulltext
So in the spirit of the WHO report, keep yourself self, keep others safe, and let's get through this together.
And check out the full report if you have time, it's very good https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/technical-guidance/2020/pandemic-fatigue-reinvigorating-the-public-to-prevent-covid-19,-september-2020-produced-by-whoeurope
And check out the full report if you have time, it's very good https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/technical-guidance/2020/pandemic-fatigue-reinvigorating-the-public-to-prevent-covid-19,-september-2020-produced-by-whoeurope
