By elizabeth irelandThe COVID-19 outbreak was arguably the greatest disaster of 2020, with it causing mass disruption and panic across the globe. Originally emerging in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared it an official pandemic only three months later. This crisis has caused scientists throughout the world to work harder than ever in the greatest race to produce a vaccine. Researchers, developers and funders have had to seek unprecedented collaboration, immense funding, and increase the current manufacturing capacity, leading to the first COVID vaccine only taking a year to develop (Wellcome, 2021). This is an amazing scientific achievement, with most vaccines taking up to ten years to be developed. However, with this rapid development of the vaccine has come the greatest anti-vaxxer movement, with conspiracy theories circulating before the vaccine was even developed. These vaccine sceptics pose a great threat, not only to the current public health crisis, but also for the future of science as they continue to spread harmful misinformation.
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by clea strathmannConspiracy theorists are not always wrong, and sometimes governments have been found to be involved in shocking activities. The infamous project MK-Ultra saw the US government involved in top-secret experiments, dosing patients with – a type of hallucinogenic drug – in an attempt to create a successful method of mind control (MK-Ultra, 2018). However, these projects are unlikely to be common and conspiracies are rarely supported by evidence. Despite this, conspiracy theories frequently gain traction, providing alternative explanations for world events.
by hannah youngbloodInformation and research surrounding the problem of climate change is growing every year, yet, as an issue that is affecting the whole world’s population in one way or another, it has proven to be a deeply polarising subject. Although people know a fair deal about the existence of the problem, knowledge alone is not enough to move people to care and stay concerned for the environment (Moser & Dilling, 2011). For the purposes of this article, the term “care” is considered to be the concern and worry over the topic of climate change, separate from actually believing in its existence as an issue. It is possible to acknowledge that our planet is suffering without displaying a concern for the issue. In a 2015 article Per Espen Stocknes, a psychologist studying concern with climate change, suggests that there are five main psychological barriers people face when thinking about climate change: distance, doom, dissonance, denial, and identity (Schiffman, 2015). Meanwhile, research has shown that two factors associated with those who do worry for the environment are group identification and gender, specifically identifying as a woman. Climate advocacy, alerts, and warnings need to acknowledge these barriers and aids to caring about the environment and alter the way in which they emphasise their points in order to sufficiently persuade their audiences to change.
by amy pullanFor nearly six years, civil war in Yemen has endured, resulting in famine so awful that 80% of the population is dependent on aid (Al-Hamdani, 2020), a resurgence in outbreaks of preventable diseases such as cholera, destroyed infrastructure and faith (Alrubaiee, Al-Qalah and Al-Anwar, 2020), and their natural yet devastating progeny: a deep and widespread mental health crisis (Al-Hamdari, 2020). When April of 2020 brought the first confirmed case of coronavirus (Aljazeera, 2020), and with it the pandemic to Yemen, the country’s response was tragically revealing of the psychological effects of dealing with multiple incendiary crises at once.
by hollie banksWhilst people have been eagerly awaiting for ‘normal life’ to return since the COVID-19 pandemic began, why now do many of the situations we have been waiting for instill anxiety and intimidation? Amongst all the hardships brought to the foreground during the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health is one area that has been negatively impacted as the general public have had to adapt to a very unusual living situation. Unexpected strain has been put on people’s relationships, whilst they have simultaneously been isolated from their regular coping methods. I, amongst many other University students, have found it difficult to navigate studies and social life in this time with very little interaction with teachers and cohorts, only emphasizing feelings of isolation and confusion. Mind reported (2020) that people aged 18-24 reported worse mental health and wellbeing during the 2020 lockdown, and 73% of students stated their mental health had declined within the lockdown.
By wanda meisterThat ‘bad news is good news’ is a well-known phrase in media and maybe during a period of normality, brushing it aside without much second thought would not be too problematic. However, the world is currently experiencing a period of abnormality due to the rise of COVID-19 and its effects of severe social disconnection. Work and social events occur remotely, confining people to their home and phone. Meanwhile, as we remain cramped indoors, news notifications have access to our attention 24/7. Thanks to the internet, and the rise of social media, ‘bad news’ headlines pile up, repeat and spread as fast as the virus itself. With younger generations becoming increasingly active on social media platforms I wonder what impact the constant notifications of chaos and confusion will have on us?
by jesse wiseHumans do not naturally understand uncertainty, risk and complex information very well. Both the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have exemplified all three exceptionally. Why did our responses differ so dramatically?
By mikaela dizonSince the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a consistently increasing amount of people have faced situations that have forced them to go into isolation. More often than not, many of these people eventually reported difficulty coping with isolation and have admitted to struggling with mental health issues as a result. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) This is because humans are wired to thrive on connection, to thrive on being a part of something beyond themselves. Humans have the ability to sense when something is “off”— that feeling of loneliness is the body’s way of saying that it needs social interaction. However, this feeling of loneliness that people experience is a mentally complicated and unwelcome phenomenon. People fail to realize that this dilemma is as simple as the fact that when they are hungry, they need to be fed: when they are lonely, they need to interact with others. Simply the “perception of isolation”— realizing that they are not connecting with others— can be the root of the feeling of loneliness. The brain signals a need to survive and people can experience an “[increased] vigilance for threat.” (Hawkley and Cacioppo, 2010)
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WritersAmy Pullan |