Hi Everyone!
I hope you are staying healthy and well. Since my last update, you have been joined by 1400 volunteers around the world on this study! Like you, our team of experts have chosen to respond quickly in hopes to learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on our health. We are happy that you have chosen to stay in touch and hope we can navigate the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 together.
Given that research can take a long time to bear fruit (and our study is still on-going) it may be some time before we can report our findings.
We have a plan.
In each fortnightly study bulletin, I will aim to:
- Give you an update on our study and;
- Share resources and fun facts that maybe helpful for you now.
This will come in the form of links to reliable resources, blog posts by our team, and videos/apps that we’ve come across with an international perspective wherever possible. We believe that having a platform to discuss what we are going through together is important in planning for the future.
As the WHO Emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan announced Wednesday, COVID-19 may not be going away. Thus, under these circumstances, longitudinal studies like ours may be even more important as we gather information on what are the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on our mental health and relationships.
Send us suggestions. Ask us questions. We would love to connect with you through Twitter, Instagram, or Email!
Research.
- Our study is still recruiting! Continue to share our survey with your network at www.globalcovidstudy.com until it closes in July. Any person 18+ can take part!
- Penn Vet Pilot COVID-19 Canine Scent Detection Study. Talk about innovative research, UPenn researchers have started training dogs to distinguish between COVID positive/negative scent. Read more on their website!
- *NEW* in Nature Scientific Reports by our study’s Dr Gialuca Esposito (University of Trento & Nanyang Technological University) shows that parents who are physically together are more aligned in their parenting responsibilities and practices. Learn more about the study below!
For Parents.
- Are you a parent with little ones? Check out our first study blog by Dr Claire Forrest on ‘What can parents do to help their children?’. Claire has collated some useful tips for parents on how to help children during lockdown. Some of these tips definitely apply to adults, too!
- Homeschooling. While some researchers have argued that the reopening of schools is a good idea and children are unlikely to be COVID-19 spreaders, it is perhaps even better to equip parents with the skills so they feel confident and comfortable to take care of their children should this plan fall through. Here are some homeschooling tips by the UCL Institute of Education.
- You can only take care of your children if you are well too! Here are some self-care tips for parents from charity Young Minds.
For you.
Uncertainty fuels worries, and knowledge is power. Here are two interactive tools that may address some of your questions:
- Many of us may be frustrated by the uncertainties surrounding our future travel plans, finances, and the economy. Here’s a neat interactive infogram by the World Economic Forum from our Resource page that clarifies some of the inter-related industries affected by COVID-19.
- Have you wondered if you are you at risk for COVID-19? Matimatica has created a ‘19 and me‘ risk calculator to give you a visual estimation of your likelihood of infection. This is a US application. It is not endorsed by us, but is data driven and interesting.
- Mental Health Awareness Week (18 – 24 May 2020). This year’s theme is Kindness, which is so important pre-/post-COVID times. We will begin to explore this on our instagram next week. Please visit the Mental Health Foundation for more information.
The above list is not exhaustive. For other COVID resources check out: WHO, NHS, YoungMinds Charity, What Works Wellbeing, and Samaritans.
Until next time, have a lovely weekend and stay healthy!
Keri
On behalf of the Global Covid Team
Covid-19: Global study of social trust and mental health 
