Recovery, Renewal, Resilience

Children with hearing loss return will increasingly come into contact with other school students and members of staff wearing masks. Consider how to optimise communication with children with hearing loss by adapting the use of face coverings in schools:

• Use face shields instead of masks as these have been reported to improve communication through visual cues and lip reading
• Be aware of how sound may be reduced when wearing a face shield so utilise technology such as personal microphones to mitigate loss of sound
• Ensure staff's face is visible to children by mitigating fogging of face shields by rubbing a small amount of soap, using an 'anti fogging' spray, or inserting a folded facial tissue between the face and top edge of the mask
• Remind staff of basic communication strategies such as use of clear speech. This can include clear enunciation, speaking slowly, minimizing background noise as much as possible, and facing the class while speaking. Teachers should also remember to repeat the questions and answers provided by other students in the classroom to provide a better opportunity for every child to hear peers' comments
• Offer a recorded version of the lesson whether this is in written or video form, or speech-to-text technology to provide real-time notation

To avoid singling out students with hearing loss, teachers can develop a silent communication system with the student to signal comprehension or misunderstanding e.g. a card system where a red card on the child's desk indicates their need for assistance and a green card indicates comprehension.

Planning for the mass gathering of people after a disaster amid COVID-19 is essential to mitigate the transmission of disease. Mass gatherings may occur at health facilities, evacuation shelters, or distribution centres supporting the immediate needs of those affected by a disaster. Consider adapting plans for mass gatherings at sites such as health facilities to accommodate COVID-19 safety measures including:

• Identify facilities for phased relocation of hospitalised patients to manage the influx of new patients considering risks of COVID transmission
• Outline capacity arrangements for on-site emergency care, and special care options for people with pre-existing conditions who are at increased risk of the virus
• Identify resources for further disease outbreaks to counter the increased burden of additional infections and strains on resources (e.g. PPE) that are needed to mitigate COVID-19 transmissions
• Revise estimates of requirements for shelters and transportation for mass movement of people. Increase estimates by at least a 3-times to account for physical distancing
• Maintain an inventory of available dwellings (e.g.school buildings, community halls, places of worship) that will allow enough space for socially distance emergency accommodation
• Plan for distribution centres that distribute basic necessities such as food and medicine. Consider capitalising on community engagement at these sites to continue pandemic risk communication

University students are beginning to return to communal housing located in residential areas. This, alongside rising COVID-19 infections in younger people and fatigue for COVID-19 restrictions, requires consideration of student welfare, and the management of potential transmission. Consider:

• Who should lead the management of a new community of students in cities (e.g. voluntary sector, universities, local authority) including responsibilities for welfare checks, test and trace, GP registration, and food distribution to student households if they are required to isolate
• Providing a point of local support for students, outside of their academic institution, for students who may have moved away from home. Consider partnership with local voluntary sector to coordinate with the local authority such as the OneSlough project which uses 'Community Champions' to provide information and resources to residents
• How the potential movement of students will be managed e.g. if they become ill and decide to go back home, and the impacts of this on potential transmission in two communities i.e. where they reside as students, and their home
• Targeting local online social media influencers to reach younger audiences to communicate COVID-19 messaging and promote track and trace

The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in countries closing their borders at short notice, and the suspension or severe curtailing of transport. These measures have implications for those who are not in their country of residence including those working, temporarily living, or holidaying abroad. At the time of the first outbreak, over 200,000 EU citizens were estimated to be stranded outside of the EU, and faced difficulties returning home[1].

As travel restrictions for work and holidays ease amidst the ongoing pandemic, but as the possibility of overnight changes to such easements, there is an increased need to consider how repatriations may be managed. This includes COVID-safe travel arrangements for returning citizens, the safety of staff, and the effective test and trace of those returning home. Facilitating the swift and safe repatriation of people via evacuation flights or ground transport requires multiple state and non-state actors. Significant attention has been given to the amazing efforts of commercial and chartered flights in repatriating citizens, but less focus has been paid to the important role that emergency services can play in supporting repatriation efforts.

In the US, air ambulance teams were deployed to support 39 flights, repatriating over 2,000 individuals. Air ambulance teams were able to supplement flights and reduced over reliance on commercial flights for repatriations (a critique of the UK response[2]). This required monumental effort from emergency service providers. After medical screening or treatment at specific facilities, emergency services (such as police) helped to escort people to their homes to ensure they had accurate public health information and that they understood they should self-isolate.

Authorities should consider how to work with emergency services to develop plans for COVID-19 travel scenarios, to better understand how to capitalise on and protect the capacity and resources of emergency services. Consider how to:

• Develop emergency plans that include a host of emergency service personnel who have technical expertise, and know their communities. Plans should[3]:
  • Be trained and practiced
  • Regularly incorporate best practices gained from previous lessons learned
• Build capacity in emergency services to support COVID-19 operations through increased staffing and resources
• Anticipate and plan for adequate rest periods for emergency service staff before they go back on call during an emergency period
• Protect emergency service staff. Pay special attention to safe removal and disposal of PPE to avoid contamination, including use of a trained observer[4] / “spotter”[5] who:
  • is vigilant in spotting defects in equipment;
  • is proactive in identifying upcoming risks;
  • follows the provided checklist, but focuses on the big picture;
  • is informative, supportive and well-paced in issuing instructions or advice;
  • always practices hand hygiene immediately after providing assistance

Consideration can also be given to what happens to repatriated citizens when they arrive in their country of origin. In Victoria (Australia), research determined that 99% of COVID-19 cases since the end of May could be traced to two hotels housing returning travellers in quarantine[6]. Lesson learnt from this case suggest the need to:

• Ensure clear and appropriate advice for any personnel involved in repatriation and subsequent quarantine of citizens
• Ensure training modules for personnel specifically relates to issues of repatriation and subsequent quarantine and is not generalised. Ensure training materials are overseen by experts and are up-to-date
• Strategically use law enforcement (and army personnel) to provide assistance to a locale when mandatory quarantine is required
• Be aware that some citizens being asked to quarantine may have competing priorities such as the need to provide financially.
• Consider how to understand these needs and provide localised assistance to ensure quarantine is not broken

References:

[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/649359/EPRS_BRI(2020)649359_EN.pdf

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53561756

[3] https://ancile.tech/how-to-manage-repatriation-in-a-world-crisis/

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/ppe-training/trained-observer/observer_01.html

[5] https://www.airmedicaljournal.com/article/S1067-991X(20)30076-6/fulltext

[6] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/18/hotel-quarantine-linked-to-99-of-victorias-covid-cases-inquiry-told

To read this case study in its original format follow the source link below to TMB Issue 21 (p.20-21)

COVID-19 is reported to spread via airborne transmission. Engineering controls that can target airborne transmission may be a useful overall strategy to limit infection risk indoors. Air monitoring systems can detect conditions amenable to spreading diseases such as COVID-19. Consider installing air monitors to:

• Assess information on CO2, dust, volatile organic compounds, temperature, humidity, and other information on the environment to warn users when there is increased risk of spreading respiratory infections
• Use air quality information to make informed decisions about safe use of buildings and facilities, and to communicate the impacts of environmental factors on human health

COVID-19 has added thousands more cases to the backlog faced by courts in England and Wales, has delayed proceedings for those already in the justice system, impacted police capacity and could negatively impact reporting of more serious crimes. Delays in processing and handling criminal cases has negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of victims, and could lower confidence in the justice system. Consider how to effectively support those involved in criminal proceedings by:

• Making arrangements with telecoms companies to provide free access to websites that provide information/support to victims of crime to avoid mobile data usage. This should include websites run by organisations such as charities, official government sites (including health), the police, and law courts
• Increasing communications with victims about the progress of their cases. This may require careful partnership working with specialist organisations to mitigate victims' anxieties and create additional capacity for services such as the police, who may be increasingly stretched during COVID
• Ensuring there is support for specialist communications from all partnering organisations. This may include the use of translators, experts able to speak with children, or those with special educational needs

We describe perspectives on recovery strategy as it has been broadly configured in relation to a variety of crisis events and the effects that recovery has had. We then elaborate on the idea of Repair as an aspect of Renewal that needs to be considered if we are to attend to the shortcomings of recovery. This briefing takes steps towards putting Repair into practice by offering recommendations for its integration into policy.

To read this briefing in full, follow the source link below to TMB Issue 21 (p.2-7).

GISs use computer-based tools to allow users to create interactive queries, edit and analyse spatial data and to visually share results by presenting them as maps or other infographics in real-time. During COVID-19 GISs have been used to reveal patterns and trends to help communicate information to the public, develop forecasting tools to identify trends in the virus’ transmission, and to support resource allocation during COVID response. Consider using GIS to:

• Develop publicly available maps. In Singapore, a publicly available real-time map updates on the current situation in public spaces. This can help residents to plan their activities safely e.g. show how busy public spaces are and the location of less busy spaces
• Provide near real-time updates of estimated wait times at Accident & Emergency. In Northern Ireland, a dashboard is updated hourly by NIDirect (an official government website) that provides information on open hospitals and wait times
• Inform people about changes in business operations and location of key services. In New Zealand, officials built a map that shows open businesses and whether or not the organization’s operations have been impacted e.g. reduced hours or closures
• Develop self-reporting health systems. In Switzerland, public health officials built a crowdsourcing application for people to anonymously self-report their health status. In addition, they can report their post code, age, size of household, living situation, and pre-existing health conditions. The results are shown on a map that health officials can use to assess gaps in confirmed cases and areas where people are self-reporting symptoms, and to identify areas for intervention

Assessing projected job losses and economic vulnerability as a result of COVID-19 can be supported by using digital tools informed by official national statistics. Tools such as the Kentucky COVID-19 Economic Impact Dashboard can provide information on (un)employment by tracking industries that have experienced the greatest job losses nationally. Dashboards like these point users to a single, accessible, authoritative source for information. This helps organisations to maintain situational awareness and communicate critical information. For the economy, consider using digital tools like dashboards to:

• Evaluate the needs of local economies more closely and to develop policy responses tailored to the unique needs of each locality
• Evidence the need to support and fund aspects of economic recovery that are monitored by the dashboard
• Share data with other relevant stakeholders that also see the impacts of economic vulnerability e.g. health and education sectors
• Use the data for strategic planning and staffing purposes to anticipate and meet demand for services in different regions of the state
• Provide the public and businesses with data on economic vulnerability, alongside signposting them to other relevant information e.g. transmission rates in their area, COVID-19 testing facilities

Local government are producing online materials to help people understand what has happened during response and what is meant by the next phase of COVID-19. This can communicate expectations and align aspirations for what recovery may involve. Consider:

• Producing a short video on how the response effort aims to support people and businesses
• Producing a short video on Recovery and Renewal
• Encouraging widespread dissemination of the video to households, classrooms, offices, waiting rooms, public spaces, social media
• Reach the widest audience by providing the video in different languages

Watch Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council's video: https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/health-and-wellbeing/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-plan-for-barnsley/

Sharing information is a powerful way to relate the changing situation of the COVID-19 crisis to the public. We know that local information is best for keeping people up-to-date on how the virus is affecting people in their area – essentially, by communicating what is happening in their local community. Boise State University (Idaho) have developed an online interactive dashboard to communicate an array of information to the public about Idaho State and its counties. Johns Hopkins University provides a similar dashboard for global cases of COVID-19, providing country-level information. Consider providing:

• An interactive map of the area for the public clicked on and drill down to access area-specific information
• Colour coded areas of the region to communicate comparisons across key measures
• Updates of the number of cases and deaths presented numerically and graphically
• Layer on information on where to get local support i.e. available community resources
• Providing updates of:
  • key behaviours that officials want the public to adopt
  • changes in guidelines
  • significant decisions made by the crisis committee
• The date/time when the information was last updated
• The dashboard in relevant languages for the area

In the USA, the impacts of natural disasters are being felt more frequently and earlier than expected. As a result, emergency planning for potential evacuation is of increasing importance. Consider: Locale specific, local guidance on evacuating safely during the pandemic:

• Reviewing agreements and plans with neighbouring regions to provide mutual aid resources
• Adequate stocks of personal protective equipment for staff, and to distribute to evacuees and residents at risk of evacuation
• Adequate stocks of COVID-19 testing kits to evacuation centres to avoid spread of the virus during evacuation
• Capacity to perform temperature checks on all arrivals at shelters
• Ensure residents are prepared to make plans for alternative arrangements during an evacuation such as staying with friends/family, or in hotels, rather than relying on communal shelters (which should be the last option)
• Ensure residents have adequately prepared for an evacuation and understand they should bring their own personal bedding and care items to mitigate transmission

Accelerating the use of online digital tools for improved resilience and pandemic preparedness is important for reducing the risk of transmission of the virus, for reaching a wider audience, and for sharing best practice more effectively.

However, when digitizing activities, it is important to consider those who may not have online access due to remoteness, digital illiteracy, and/or the costs of (smart)phones and mobile data, and to ensure important information still reaches these communities. This may be done by adapting activities into written or picture format, or providing necessary resources or training. Consider raising awareness of activities, training, and ways of organising the community:

• Raising awareness:
  • Conduct face-to-face health and hazard awareness programmes through infographics, podcasts, and videos on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter
  • Use platforms that provide health advice about COVID-19 to raise awareness of other diseases that may have similar symptom e.g. influenza, dengue etc.
  • Use online community engagement as an opportunity to raise awareness about other risks, and resilience strategies e.g. flooding
• Training:
  • Establish 'community brigades' that can help prepare the community for emergency situations - educate and train them by creating and sharing instructional videos
  • Share podcasts promoting COVID-19 safety measures with local leaders and authorities, who play them on loudspeakers in the community
• Organising the community:
  • Develop virtual community networks that support the community to organise themselves, working with local leaders, authorities, schoolteachers etc. who can disseminate information widely
  • Conduct regular follow-up calls with community leaders to create feedback channels and to help monitor local situations

Some people who are not able to not wear a face covering are reporting being confronted in enclosed public places and, as a result, being fearful and unwilling to leave their homes. Consider:

• Information campaigns to make the public aware that some people may not be able to wear face coverings. For example, the UK government provides three 'reasonable' reasons for not wearing a covering:
  • You have a physical/mental illness, impairment, or disability that means you cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering
  • Putting on, wearing or removing a face covering would cause you severe distress
  • You are travelling with/providing assistance to, someone who relies on lip-reading
• Whether it is appropriate to encourage those who cannot wear a face covering to get an exemption card or wear an exemption badge to reduce the likelihood of confrontation

Example face covering exemption card: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/hidden-disabilities-face-covering.html

There is much concern about the combination of coronavirus with winter flu and the effects on transmission rates and a recent report outlines concerns and plans. It recommends to plan for coronavirus during winter months by:

• Analysing current COVID-19 data to develop prevention and mitigation strategies for winter, considering the rise in other illnesses during colder weather
• Considering how mitigation strategies should protect, and pose no further disadvantages to high risk patients or communities
• Engaging with patients, carers, public and healthcare professionals with enhanced coordination, collaboration and data sharing between central and local initiatives

It also suggests considering:

• Minimising community SARS-CoV-2 transmission and impact through:
  • developing effective policies to maximise population engagement in essential control measures e.g. participation in test, trace and isolate (TTI)
  • extensive autumn public information campaigns co-produced by communities and professional organisations
  • guidance for commercial, public and domestic properties on temperature, humidity and ventilation to reduce virus transmission indoors
  • consideration of those most vulnerable to COVID-19 who are least able to heat their homes adequately in winter
• Maximise infection control and ensure that COVID-19 and routine care can take place in parallel by:
  • prioritising system-wide infection prevention and control measures
  • o providing training to use personal protective equipment (PPE) and other infection prevention and control measures
  • maximising remote consultations for hospital and community care
  • testing and quarantining patients being discharged into the community or care
  • prioritising the backlog of clinical care by clinical need, not waiting times
• Improving public health surveillance for COVID-19, influenza and other winter diseases through:
  • comprehensive, population-wide, near-real-time, health surveillance systems
  • conducting large-scale population surveys comparable data collected from hospitals and the community
  • overseeing and coordinating data centrally
• Minimise influenza transmission and impact by maximising influenza vaccination uptake

Information asymmetry means that one party has more or better information than the other. During COVID-19 information asymmetry has led to food waste and unsustainable farming practices as information about food production is only available to a small number of people in the supply chain. Decentralised information that includes small-scale and flexible production can support more uncertain operating environments such as those needed during COVID-19. Producers and retailers can consider how to increase the flexibility and sustainability of their supply chains by:

• De-concentrating markets and supply chains by ensuring they are not concentrated in a small number of large companies by using online platforms that create more access for businesses to sell goods and provide producers and consumers more options:
  • In Peru, 80% of merchants at a major market tested positive for COVID-19, but authorities felt closing the market would result in significant food shortages as the supply was concentrated. However in India, by selling through digital platforms, coffee producers were able to keep selling, and obtain significantly higher prices than usual
• Tracing food throughout the supply chain in a decentralized manner creates opportunities for safer, more sustainable food to protect from zoonotic disease:
  • In Uruguay, foot and mouth transmission was mitigated through de-centralized information sharing where the system would assign an identification code to cattle, letting you know its treatment and location on the production chain in real time
• Disseminating open data throughout the complex food system to: correct information asymmetries, encourage innovation, and increase efficiency of public spending

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyday life which has emphasised concerns about environmental sustainability and resilience. Lessons to consider for dealing with climate change include capitalising on people's increasing interest/knowledge in climate risks, and associated opportunities. Consider how measures can help mitigate or adapt to climate change, or can exacerbate existing barriers:

• Environmental considerations:
  • Implement nature-based solutions that aim to increase the resilience of ecosystems e.g. considering water security and pollution
  • Be aware of potential for increased illegal deforestation and poaching (as a consequence of less governmental control during lockdown)
  • Mitigate the interruption of environmental monitoring projects that can cause data gaps in climate/environmental data
• Social considerations:
  • Assess changes in working conditions e.g. frequent, or sole use of virtual solutions, encouraging car-free days, reductions in energy consumption in businesses, and reductions in waste
  • Renovate and diversify the tourism sector towards sustainability so capitalise on environmental awareness since COVID-19
  • Develop policies that help reduce unemployment and mitigate potentially harmful domestic migration to rural areas that could cause environmental degradation

Lockdowns and COVID-19 have exacerbated inequalities in the most deprived areas. Many responses assume people have adequate living space, access to affordable basic services, and social safety nets. However, many lack adequate resources to survive lockdowns without defying COVID-19 restrictions e.g. leaving the house to work. Consider working with civil society, government, and charities to:

• Provide support for informal sector providers and workers to encourage tenure security schemes that can offer benefits to informal workers such as more secure housing, and increased legitimacy to work or trade. This may help reduce unauthorised working and living conditions that may increase transmission of COVID-19
• Regular situation monitoring of deprived areas to track key concerns relating to working and living conditions that can inform COVID-19 responses and transmission mitigation. Use online surveys completed by the community or local organisations that know the population
• Creating or maintaining effective use of public spaces for to provide COVID safe community care to reduce isolation, counter misinformation and collect reliable data on COVID-19 impacts

In the UK, it is expected that youth unemployment will rise by over 640,000 in 2020 taking the total to over 1 million. Under 25s may face years of reduced pay and limited job prospects long-term. Consider strategies to tackle youth unemployment:

• Encourage organizations to develop partnerships with UK employers, government, education institutions, and civil society to create quality work placements for young people
• Promote the benefits of employer networks e.g. lower recruitment costs and improved staff retention to facilitate more work placements
• Consider measures such as the ‘EU measure against youth unemployment’. The Commission wants EU countries to increase their support for the young through their recovery and suggest member states should invest at least €22 billion for youth employment. Initiatives also include:
  • Youth Employment Support which includes The Youth Guarantee which aims to ensure people under the age of 25 get a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.
  • Extending the Youth Guarantee which covers people aged 15 - 29 (previously the upper limit was 25) and:
    • Reaches out to vulnerable groups, such as minorities and young people with disabilities
    • Provides tailored counselling, guidance and mentoring
    • Reflects the needs of companies, providing the skills required and short preparatory courses

A guest briefing, by Michael Palin (GC Consulting), outlines the key challenges and considerations for local government in advance of the 'Recovery and Devolution' White Paper 2020.

To read this briefing in full, follow the source link below to TMB Issue 20 (p.2-9).

Research by the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests COVID-19 can spread from people to animals after close contact with a person sick with COVID-19, although the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low. Consider how to work with vets, zoos, animal charities, animal shelter programmes and other stakeholders to disseminate information to pet owners, the public, and those who work with animals to understand how to protect themselves and others from transmitting the virus through and to animals. Consider how to:

• Protect those with pets at home by:
  • Informing the public about possible transmission to, and between their pets. The CDC states that common household pets such as cats and dogs can be infected with COVID-19, but caution is advised as there may be other types of animals that can get infected
  • Due to possible transmission, consider reiterating that if owners have symptoms they, and their animals should be isolated and practice social distancing to reduce risk of transmission
• For those who work with animals consider:
  • Paying attention to species suspected by CDC research to contract COVID-19 from humans e.g. in zoos (big cats), in breeding (cats, dogs, hamsters), or farms (mink or ferrets)
  • Make staff aware of possible transmission, provide appropriate PPE and ensure distancing/isolation guidelines
• The CDC suggests that more studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19

Test and trace systems have been implemented worldwide to try to track and contain the transmission of COVID-19. While these efforts have been broadly successful, there are some communities in which the test and trace process is inefficient due to limited uptake[1]. This has been particularly relevant in communities where there are language barriers[2], and in work environments in which sharing colleague’s information may be difficult because a positive result could mean unpaid sick days[3]. Commonly, such occupations include those with a large number of migrant workers, or where workers are employed through agencies and staff members are inconsistent or turnover is high[4]. In these cases alternative mechanisms such as mass swabbing through mobile testing units have been employed to try to boost the number of people tested, including those who may be asymptomatic[5]. Taking swabs can be unpleasant, however, using saliva samples can be less invasive, more reliable than nasal swabs, and can be done more frequently, even once a week which would help mitigate the false negatives swabs can produce[6].

Targeted mass swabbing is currently being undertaken in some countries such as Canada, where there have been outbreaks and deaths of those working in agriculture due to poor living and working conditions5. The vulnerability of these groups to COVID-19 was addressed in The Manchester Briefing 13 where it addressed localised spikes in COVID-19 transmission as a result of poor working conditions in food and garment industries.

Mass swabbing could help to mitigate the lack of reporting to contact tracers, improve the transparency of information within the health system, and improve the efficiency of testing[7]. Efficient mass testing should consider:

• Effectively mapping all existing testing and laboratories capabilities including those in health services, research centres[8], and scientific institutes to reduce the risk of running parallel systems with the private sectors which may encourage competition for supplies and potentially reduce the capacity of existing systems13
• Use existing capacities to help develop important localised approaches to improve the coordination of mass testing through involvement with local authorities and industries13
• Develop partnerships with life science industries to build resources and capacity for mass testing14 that should account for, and complement, existing local capacity
• Be mindful of how targeted mass testing may (further) stigmatise certain communities. Careful consideration should be given to the location of testing centres so not to create an association between a particular community and the virus
• Ensure there is clear and simple dissemination of public information in areas in which mass testing takes place. This should include sensitivity to the local conditions including languages, culture and the level of community (dis)harmony

Increasing effective capacity for mass testing, especially in high risk populations, is central to limiting the spread of COVID-19. Developing an integrated localised system that is capable of regular, repeat testing may not only help stem the spread of the virus, it may also help support other sectors adversely affected by COVID-19. For example, this type of testing may help mitigate the issue of quarantine after travel as the virus can be more closely monitored, even in asymptomatic patients. In addition, particularly vulnerable groups may be protected through close observation, including those who work in jobs where there is a high risk of infection, and those who may feel forced to go to go to work due to financial insecurity.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/04/four-key-failings-of-england-covid-19-test-and-trace-system

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/04/four-key-failings-of-england-covid-19-test-and-trace-system

[3] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-pivots-on-testing-strategy-for-migrant-workers-to-contain/

[4] https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/mass-testing-planned-after-24-year-old-migrant-worker-dies-of-covid-19-1.12612356

[5] https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/mass-testing-for-migrant-workers-planned-following-death-of-24-year-old-man-1.4972533?cache

[6] https://www.newscientist.com/article/2246880-city-in-uk-takes-steps-to-test-entire-population-for-coronavirus/

[7] https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/a-hidden-threat-test-and-trace-failure-edges-closer

[8]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878121/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-strategy.pdf

To read this case study in its original format, follow the source link below to TMB Issue 20 (p.22-23).

COVID-19 has meant organisations have had to rapidly innovate online. This has required them to embrace some unfamiliar digital tools. Those with a relative lack of skill or confidence in this unplanned digital transformation, are at heightened risk from cybercrime. Consider actions:

• That determine an organisations’ confidence:
  • Gather information on the digital skills and confidence in businesses, and what they need to improve these
  • Raise awareness of the risks of cybercrime
  • Provide appropriate support to businesses as they innovate online
• That organisations should implement now:
  • Secure remote access/ collaboration services
  • Increase anti-phishing measures
  • Address business continuity
  • Establish a culture of cyber hygiene by resourcing and managing/monitoring assets
• That organisations should implement soon:
  • Understand your security and the effectiveness of controls
  • Put security actions into all decision making
  • Secure users’ confidence, and data, protect your brand
  • Prioritise security in budget allocations
• That organisations should implement in the future (12 months):
  • Think longer term about security of processes and architectures
  • Prioritise, adopt and accelerate the execution of strict access control and security through virtual network functions
  • Automate to improve security of users, devices and data

COVID-19 has made companies have a major re-think about how and where their staff work. Germany's Siemens as decided to let its employees work from wherever they want for two or three days a week, where they feel most productive. These changes are based on outcome focused work, rather than time spent in an office.

Engaging with art and culture can contribute to well-being, serenity and intellectual stimulation, and can help build resilience in the community. Consider:

• How to digitize as many cultural assets as possible to maintain public engagement with arts/culture
• That some organisations may have been negatively impacted financially and could benefit from operating online
• Providing national and local lists of available online arts and culture content
• Promotion of smaller independent venues, artists and collections

Inclusive recovery practices are essential as additional groups of vulnerable people emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside data on the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on vulnerable and marginalised people. In particular, people living with visible and invisible disabilities have been adversely impacted by the virus due to challenges in accessing health services, and because they are at greater risk of experiencing complex health needs, worse health outcomes, and stigma[1].

While disability alone may not be related to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, some people with disabilities might be at a higher risk of infection or severe illness because of their underlying medical conditions[2]. In particular, “adults with disabilities are three times more likely than adults without disabilities to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer than adults without disabilities”2. In the UK, working-age women with a disability are more than 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than women without a disability, and for men, the death rate was 6.5 times higher than for men without a disability[3].

Health-care staff should be provided with rapid awareness training on the rights and diverse needs of people living with disabilities to maintain their dignity, safeguard against discrimination, and prevent inequities in care provision[4]. Advice on how to do this is extremely important. In the UK, guidance on how to safely care for people with disabilities is provided to protect carers and the person they are caring for, and includes consideration of[5]:

• Protecting yourself and the person you care for e.g. appropriate use of PPE in specific settings
• Supporting the person you care for through change e.g. providing accessible information
• Maintaining the health and wellbeing of carers

In recovery, some people with disabilities may have restricted access to social networks, systems that provide support, job security, consistency of income, education – aspects that others may take for granted. “The more a person is excluded, the more challenging the recovery, and persons with disabilities often fall in this category.”[6] Recovery from COVID-19 must therefore reflect disability-inclusive strategies to provide action-oriented directions for government officials and decision makers responsible for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

The Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Recovery Guidance Note[7] developed by the World Bank / Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) aims to accelerate global action to address the needs of persons with disabilities. Overall, the World Bank and GFDRR estimate that a quicker and more inclusive recovery could reduce losses to well-being by $65 billion a year[8].

Disability-inclusive recovery is about including people with disabilities in recovery planning and enabling equal opportunities through the removal of barriers. This can be done by gathering baseline disability data and incorporating it into needs assessments, by mainstreaming disability inclusion in recovery programmes, and by recommending specific interventions. There are four essential steps to support inclusive risk planning:[9]

• Collect data on barriers and accessibility improvements to understand and assess disability inclusion in recovery and reconstruction
• Adopt appropriate disability legislation to support a disability-inclusive recovery process that will prioritize needs and allocate resources. New policies should be in alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to guide disability-inclusive recovery and reconstruction
• Establish institutional mechanisms to ensure the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the planning and designing of recovery and reconstruction processes. Also identify and designate an agency with responsibility for coordinating and overseeing disability affairs in recovery and reconstruction. Additionally, ensure standards for disability inclusion in recovery are established and communicated
• Target households and groups that have limited ability to self-recover, including households with persons with disabilities, to receive financial support and other interventions. Set standards for disability inclusion in budgeting and procurement quickly and ensure they are applied across the recovery and reconstruction process. Also require full consideration of accessibility, including the principles of universal design, as a condition of financial contributions and assistance by all involved in recovery.

Disability-inclusive recovery can help reduce poor representation of people living with disabilities in post-disaster recovery efforts. This provides an opportunity to build a more accessible environment that is inclusive and resilient to future disasters, and to reduce the disproportionate risks faced by people living with disabilities by[10]:

• Making infrastructure resilient and accessible (barrier-free buildings and land use planning)
• Setting up programs to actively employ persons with disabilities, such as hiring them in the recovery and reconstruction planning and implementation process
• Making healthcare and education readily available and ensuring healthcare is accessible to persons with disabilities before and after a disaster
• Communicating hazard exposure and risk information in a way that can be understood and acted upon (for example, sign language interpretation and plain language)
• Improved accessibility before and after a disaster also benefits older people, those who are ill or have been injured, pregnant women, and some indigenous and non-native language speakers

Recovery is often tumultuous and traumatic, but it is also an opportunity to renew systems and processes by understanding and addressing unequal practices and structures. By making disability inclusion a priority in the recovery agenda, we can ensure more self-sufficient, inclusive, and resilient societies for all.

[1] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30076-1/fulltext

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-increased-risk.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fneed-extra-precautions%2Fpeople-at-higher-risk.html

[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53221435

[4] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30076-1/fulltext

[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-supporting-adults-with-learning-disabilities-and-autistic-adults

[6] https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/ensuring-equitable-recovery-disability-inclusion-post-disaster-planning

[7] http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/559111587448620405/pdf/Disability-Inclusive-Disaster-Recovery-Guidance-Note.pdf

[8] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30076-1/fulltext

[9] https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/ensuring-equitable-recovery-disability-inclusion-post-disaster-planning

[10] https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/ensuring-equitable-recovery-disability-inclusion-post-disaster-planning

To read this case study in its original format follow the source link below to TMB Issue 19 (p.15-16).

FEMA (USA) has made freely available some training materials on a range of topics. The trainings below are not specific to COVID-19 but are helpful to the broader issues of planning for emergencies. These links are to just the slides, but they provide a helpful background and sources for further study. Consider reviewing the materials in the following FEMA courses:

• Animals in Disasters: Awareness and Preparedness
• Animals in Disasters: Community Planning
• An Introduction to Exercises
• Leadership and Influence
• Decision Making and Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Developing and Managing Volunteers

Each of these courses have online materials available on the URLs given above - often over 100 slides are freely available.

There is research being done on most conceivable topics related to COVID-19. Many projects are looking to expand the range of governments, cities, organisations and individuals that will get involved in the project to contribute information into the project and provide a testbed for their work. Participation may enable you to influence the project towards your priorities, get early access to project findings that could change the ways you deliver, get funding to support your involvement, and provide access to a wider network that can help you in your job. Consider whether to:

• Identify what knowledge gaps you have in your organisation that research could usefully help to fill
• Identify the information that you can feed into projects and other contributions you can make to a project
• Approach local universities and research institutes to partner on research or mutual interest
• Talk to national bodies on what research they have funded
• Contact national and overseas researchers to request participation and/or early notice of their emerging findings
• Joining research webinars, research network email-lists, and research observatories to receive notification of project results
• Join advisory boards of projects to direct their focus
• Search databases of funded projects to find those that align with your interests

Business continuity of transport systems is critical while ensuring safe conditions for staff and passengers. IAPT provide early advice to considering:

• Preparing - follow their recommendations for all public transport networks
• Personal protection - increase personal protection and hygiene measures to reassure both staff and passengers
• Reduced service - may be required in outbreak areas
• Reduced contact - reduction of contact measures for affected areas

Many countries face multiple risks from COVID-19 and natural hazards. To combat these dual challenges consider how to:

• Integrate climate change into green recovery plans post COVID-19
• Use COVID-19 as an entry point to engage communities in preparing for other diseases that may be brought about by climate change
• Engage the local community in designing local preparedness and response plans e.g. to address COVID-related food insecurity, distribution of PPE, local finance solutions that meet the communities needs

Consider:

• How digitization can facilitate capacity for longer-term economic recovery. For example, in Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa, increased migration from cash to digital transactions has resulted in more account-to-account transfers and e-commerce sales which boosts economic activity and maintains social distancing
• The role of digital-payment platforms in increasing financial inclusion outside of traditional banking systems e.g. in Togo through cash transfers that disburse social welfare payments through mobiles
• Collaboration with banks and non-bank payments players to restructure transaction fees and limits to encourage digital payments
• Promoting easier access to digital-payment tools e.g. the Ghanaian government eased account-opening regulations

We propose key considerations for local governments when managing wide-ranging change, such as that induced by a complex, rapid and uncertain events like COVID-19. Identifying and understanding the types of change and the extent to which change can be proactive rather than reactive, can help to support the development of resilience in local authorities and their communities.

To read this briefing in full, follow the source link below to TMB Issue 19 (p.2-6).

There is a glut of information on COVID-19 and more often we are seeing news outlets attempting to check and correct misinformation that be being shared. This should aim to ensure that the public have conclusions about the virus which are substantiated, correct, and without political interference. Myths can be debunked, misinformation corrected, and poor advice challenged. Consider whether to:

• Provide your own fact-checking website
• Contribute to others' fact-checking sources
• Check facts of colleagues and partners to ensure correct information prevails
• Remind others of the importance of not spreading misinformation and checking other peoples' facts
• Link your website to official sources of information so not to promulgate misinformation

The public know that there are vast amounts of money being committed to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in many countries they do not know how much this is costing as the spending is constantly being adjusted as new responses and recovery initiatives are released. Consider producing an easy to read statement to make the costs transparent. See Japan's example: https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100061342.pdf

The health impacts of COVID-19 such as organ scarring, and long-term lung problems are gradually coming to light. However, wider implications from lockdown on working socialising and living in small spaces is less understood. Consider the impacts of this and the steps that can be taken to address them:

• Eye strain. Consider the amount of time being spent on online calls e.g. on Zoom or Skype:
  • Where possible replace Zoom with phone calls
  • Make meetings shorter and limit them to 40 minutes
  • Use the 20/20/20 rule. In a 40 minute meeting, take a mid-time break to rest your eyes and look at something 20 feet away for 20 second
• Back pain. Consider impacts of home working environments on back pain such as working from the sofa:
  • Ensure employees have a set-up that's fit for purpose like they do at their office
  • Do not stay seated all day as the spine is out of alignment - set reminders to walk every hour for a few minutes or do simple stretches
• Circulation. Improve awareness of the risk from poor circulation as a result of moving less:
  • Look for signs of varicose veins such as aching legs, swollen ankles, and red or brown stains around the ankles
  • Keep hydrated and mobile to decrease the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or clotting in the deep veins of the legs
• Maintain contact with your doctor as DVT is associated with underlying health issues that may go undiagnosed

During lockdown more consumers have been turning to online shopping. Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, received over 16,000 reports about online fraud during the lockdown totalling over £16m. Consumers report buying mobile phones (19%), vehicles (22%), and electronics (10%) on sites such as eBay (18%), Facebook (18%), and Gumtree (10%) only for the items to never arrive. Considering reinforcing to citizens:

• The prevalence of online fraud
• Actions to make online shopping safer e.g.
  • choose a trusted retailers or build confidence in the retailer by researching other consumers’ experiences
  • create accounts that have strong passwords that are not identical to email accounts
  • be aware of scam email messages offering deals and don’t click on links that you are unsure about
  • use a credit card to pay as it offers more payment protection
• What they should do if they think they have become a victim of online shopping fraud e.g.
  • note the website’s address, close the browser, report to a consumer fraud advice service
  • monitor bank transactions if payment details have been submitted to the site
  • contact your bank about any unrecognised transactions, however small

The "Three Cs" are:

• Closed spaces
• Crowded places
• Close-contact settings

Advising people to avoid these three Cs may contribute to a communications message to prevent new outbreaks.

Part 3: Building on TMB 16 and 17, we present a detailed view of how to assess the performance of the system of resilience before/during/after COVID-19. This briefing presents a comprehensive Annex of aspects against which performance can be considered.

To read this briefing in full, follow the source link below to TMB Issue 18 (p.2-7).

FEMA (USA) make freely available training materials on a range of topics which are of relevance to the current pandemic. The list of training below is not specific to COVID-19 but is helpful for the broader issues of planning for emergencies and commanding emergency response to incidents. These links are to just the slides, but they provide a helpful background and sources for further study. Consider reviewing the materials in the following FEMA courses:

• Emergency Planning
• Fundamentals of Emergency Management
• Introduction to the Incident Command System
• Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
• An Introduction to the National Incident Management System
• National Response Framework: An Introduction

Each of these courses have online materials available on the URLs given above - often over 100 slides are freely available.

During response, individuals and organisations have shown a huge outpouring of support through donations of their time and resources. Now, with people going back to work and assuming their pre-COVID activities, people and organisations may have less time to volunteer to the effort, or there may be less suitable volunteer opportunities available. Instead, people may want to show their solidarity in other ways, including by making financial donations. Consider establishing a relief fund, and publicizing its cause, to give an organised mechanism for people and businesses to show their solidarity. An organised mechanism should give people confidence that their donations will be governed appropriately.

The all-of society impact of COVID-19 has required many organisations to adapt their operating procedures and deliver alternative activities, including frontline emergency services such as the Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance and Search and Rescue organisations. We provide examples of first responder adaptation during COVID-19 to demonstrate how frontline services have modified their operations to help tackle the crisis.

Alternative activities undertaken by emergency services

• Supporting health and social care: In California (USA), the National Guard deployed rapid medical strike teams to assist overwhelmed health/nursing facilities[1]. Strike teams involved 8-10 people (e.g. included doctors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, behavioural health professionals). Strike teams worked across 25 nursing homes – staying on-site for 3-6 days to establish stability of care, disinfected facilities, and staffed mobile COVID-19 testing sites2.
• House-to-house testing: In Guayaquil (Ecuador)municipal taskforces (involving firefighters, medics, and city workers) went house-to-house looking for potential cases[2] . Similarly, in Cambridge (USA), Fire Department paramedics were enlisted to go door-to-door in public housing developments that predominantly housed the elderly and younger disabled tenants to offer Covid-19 tests to residents[3]
• Disinfecting public spaces: In Pune (India) , sanitary workers disinfected and fumigated public areas[4]
• Managing sanitation services: In Ganjam (India), the fire brigade supported the COVID-19 effort by heading the country’s sanitation programme[5]
• Delivering food/medication parcels to vulnerable people: In West Bengal (India), all police stations were made responsible for delivering food and medication to those who are vulnerable and sheltering to avoid food scarcity - the programme was monitored by the State’s District Magistrates and Police Superintendents[6]. In Georgia (USA), a similar scheme involved police officers delivering groceries/medicine to vulnerable people who had placed/paid for orders[7]
• Distributing $100 gift cards: In Smyrna (USA), police handed out $100 gift cards from a community grocery assistance fund to help vulnerable residents purchase essential items[8]
• Counteracting misinformation: In Göttingen (Germany), clashes with tower block residents under enforced lockdown were caused by communication problems between authorities and residents. Translators, working through first responding services, communicated important public health information to relevant residents in German and Romanian via text messaging[9]

Consider the demand for alternative activities from emergency services

To determine how, when and where emergency services can support alternative activities, consider:

• The demand for alternative support:
  • Identify current needs where additional capacity to deliver activities is required
  • Identify future areas where demand is foreseeable, and where additional capacity may need to be built e.g. through retraining
• How responders can support alternative activities[10]:
  • Identify potential capacity in responder organisations, or how this capacity can be created, protected, and prioritised, and how long this capacity may be available[11]
  • Obtain strategic-level agreement on the direction, scope and parameters of the alternative activities
  • Gather information to understand activities e.g. from partner databases, existing measures, knowledgeable people
  • Assess the impact of redeploying staff to other activities and the effects of this on their ability, and the organisation’s ability to cope[12]
• Preparing redeployed resources:
  • Identify and source training and safety measures required to redeploy staff to alternative activities (including health and wellbeing of staff and the public)[13]
  • Capability of the resources, including:
    • Transactional activities i.e. single short-term actions
    • Transformational activities i.e. complex, interconnected, longer-term actions needing strategic partnerships

Consider the benefits to the emergency services from delivering alternative activities

The involvement of emergency services in alternative activities has the potential to increase services’ visibility in communities which can help build community trust and engagement[14], reduce misinformation and non-compliance to COVID-19, and bolster local multi-agency partnerships for a more efficient and effective response and recovery[15].

On benefits, consider:

• Working with partners to capitalise on increased contact with marginalised and vulnerable communities e.g. from door-to-door visits. This may include:
  • Addressing additional social or health issues, fire safety, safeguarding, or referral to other services
  • Community engagement activities and visible street presence through renewing the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme and police Safer Neighbourhood Teams[16]
• Developing joint local/national approaches to provide alternative response to support COVID-19 activities. This may include:
  • Emergency services delivering essential items like food and medicines to vulnerable people, driving ambulances, assisting ambulance staff, attending homes of people who have fallen but are not injured[17],[18]
  • Increase multi-agency coordination with civil organisations should be central in the design and review measures for COVID-19 response and recovery[19]
• How to capitalise on increased community engagement and volunteerism to help disseminate public health information. Consider working with volunteer and civil society organisations that are close to communities and know their specific needs to:
  • Increase capacity for response and recovery considering short and long-term requirements of the need, and of volunteers
  • Translate and disseminate timely information in relevant languages and tackle misinformation[20]
  • Build relationships in the community to encourage adherence to COVD-19 behaviours, especially with people who have not had previous contact with emergency services
  • Enhance community engagement and information sharing to combat misinformation and non-compliance about COVID-19 working with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs)18
    

[1] https://www.cpr.org/2020/08/06/national-guard-helps-fill-long-term-care-staff-shortages-in-california/

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/22/ecuador-guayaquil-mayor-

[3] https://www.cambridgeday.com/2020/05/16/plans-to-test-most-vulnerable-for-covid-19-evolve-enlisting-fire-paramedics-to-visit-public-housing/

[4] http://cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_pune.pdf

[5] https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/aug/07/ganjam-to-conduct-home-survey-again-as-cases-rise-2180291.html

[6] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/covid-19-lockdown-police-stations-will-take-responsibility-to-deliver-food-at-doorsteps-says-mamata-banerjee/story-YOYnHAdwmTHAZzzcTLYYuI.html

[7] https://cobbcountycourier.com/2020/04/smyrna-police-deliver-food-and-medicine-to-seniors/

[8] https://cobbcountycourier.com/2020/04/smyrna-police-deliver-food-and-medicine-to-seniors/

[9] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53131941

[10] The Manchester Briefing on COVID-19. Fifteenth briefing: Week beginning 13th July 2020. ambs.ac.uk/covidrecovery

[11] https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NGA-Memo_Concurrent-Emergencies_FINAL.pdf

[12] https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/resourcing/transferable-skills-redeploying-during-COVID-19

[13] https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/C0666_Redeploying-your-secondary-care-medical-workforce-safely-v-2_14July.pdf

[14] https://www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/engagement-and-communication/engaging-with-communities/

[15] https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25788&LangID=E

[16] https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Policing-a-Pandemic.pdf

[17] https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/News/Page-2/covid-19-firefighters-to-deliver-food-and-medicines-drive-ambulances-and-retrieve-bodies/249304

[18] https://www.westyorksfire.gov.uk/news/fire-service-staff-volunteer-to-help-people-get-back-on-their-feet-during-coronavirus-pandemic/

[19] https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25788&LangID=E

[20] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/06/melbourne-towers-residents-translated-covid-19-information-sheet-into-10-different-languages-in-24-hours

In many countries the voluntary sector is struggling financially as a result of loss of income and increased demand for services. The sector is a critical part of society and provides important services, so funding is being made available. Competition for that funding is high and the process to secure funding is not always straightforward; with application forms and procedures to follow. To support the voluntary sector to secure funding, consider supporting the writing of funding applications. Consider how to:

• Find out from voluntary organisations what they need to be able to make successful bids for funding
• Produce regular newsletters that summarise funding opportunities so voluntary organisations know what funding is available
• Provide help to voluntary organisations to interpret the calls for funding and identify suitability
• Provide information on how to write a successful application (e.g. online resources, training courses)
• Find volunteers who have grant writing skills and embed them in voluntary organisations (e.g. volunteers from the organisation itself, university students, furloughed staff from other organisations)
• Provide samples of good proposals to show the benchmark, support project managers on how to successfully deliver funded projects (e.g. project governance, staffing, delivery, evaluation)

The International Association of Public Transport (IAPT) have provided a manifesto to recover the public transport system "Back to Better Mobility" following the effects of COVID-19. So far, IAPT have provided three components of their call to action which aims to put public transport at the heart of building resilient cities, combat climate change, encourage heathy living, and boost local economies:

• Breathe Better as "a future without public transport is a future without clean air"
• Move Better as "a future without public transport is a future without free movement"
• Work Better as "a future without public transport will only damage the economy further"

Mongolia's government took early, decisive preventative measures to fight COVID-19. Reports suggest that its 3.2m population have contained the virus to (at the time of writing) 287 confirmed cases and 0 deaths. Mongolia's weak health system and links to epicentres of COVID-19 (China with which it shares a land border, and South Korea with a large population of Mongolian migrant workers), suggests it could be hard-hit by COVID-19. Following WHO's advice on 22nd January 2020, containment action included:

• Immediate activation of the State Emergency Commission to support the Ministry of Health
• On 25th January, closed all schools and kindergartens, transferring classes to TV and internet-based lessons
• In mid-February, implemented preventative measures e.g. cancelled a national holiday, stopped travel between the capital (Ulaanbaatar) and provinces
• Closed borders with China and Russia to all land and air travel
• 21-day quarantine and testing for citizens who returned from overseas
• Enforced wearing of masks with additional handwashing and sanitisation

These actions also helped reduce flu infections and gastro-intestinal infections.

Government organisations in India have been directing substantial effort to tackling the crisis. Part of this effort has involved producing a series of case study articles on how cities have tackled COVID-19. The actions those cities have implemented contain lessons which are transferable on: managing the spread of the virus, the use of technology, communication approaches, approaches to governance, and the participation of the community. Sharing case studies is a great contribution to the local, national and international effort to tackle the virus. Consider preparing case studies similar to:

• In Pune, how it took a people-based approach to responding to hotspot areas: https://www.cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_pune.pdf
• In Karnataka, how it worked with the IT sector to develop its technological approach to responding to the effects of COVID-19: http://cdri.world/casestudy/response-to-covid19-by-Karnataka.pdf
• In Goa, how it repurposed manufacturing capacity to produce hand sanitizer, and recovering production capacity of its pharmaceutical industry: http://cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_goa.pdf
• In Odisha, how women lead the fight against COVID-19 and child-focused interventions: http://cdri.world/casestudy/response-to-covid19-by-odisha.pdf

In all, there are eight case studies on the site, all detailing different approaches to responding to COVID-19.

Other case studies to consider:

Lahaul and Spiti:

http://cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_lahaul-and-spiti.pdf

Jharkhand:

http://cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_Jharkhand.pdf

Madhya Prades:

http://cdri.world/casestudy/response_to_covid19_by_madhya_pradesh.pdf

When the intensity of the crisis reduces, there is more opportunity for targeted measures that limit virus transmission. Testing should be pro-active and strategically targeted. Consider establishing 3 categories of people and places, and create suitable testing guidelines for each one, including:

People with symptoms. Consider testing this group immediately:

• Establish a system with quick consultation, diagnosis and testing (upon medical advice)
• Use antigen tests as results are available quickly
• Conduct antigen tests via saliva samples to minimize the risk and burden on patients and medical staff

People without symptoms, who have been assessed with a high pre-test risk of infection, and/or who work in high-risk areas. Consider testing this group pro-actively:

• Consider places that require close physical contact such as hospitals, senior-care facilities, or nightlife/entertainment-related industries
• Because of the high risk of infection and high pre-test risk of infection, consider thorough and rapid testing for this group

People without symptoms, who have been assessed with a low pre-test risk of infection, and who work in low-risk areas. Build consensus regarding action for this group:

• Include people who, for peace of mind, want to be tested in order to conduct societal, economic, cultural activities etc.
• Consider that testing is not perfectly accurate and only reflects a person's condition at one point in time. Continuous testing would be required to fully monitor the condition of an individual

Wildfire seasons are increasingly common in some countries, causing periodic exposure to smoke particles that can overwhelm the immune system and exacerbate and cause respiratory problems. Additionally, research has discovered correlations between smoke caused by summer wildfires, and more severe flu seasons the following winter. Consider:

• Surge capacity in healthcare settings to manage compounding impacts of wildfires smoke on respiratory viruses such as flu and COVID-19
• Advising against use of 'community clean air shelters', which offered respite from smoke in normal years, but are now risky because of the pandemic and the need for social distancing
• During smoky periods advise people to stay at home as much as possible with windows and doors closed
• If your house has forced air, install a filter that filters harmful particles (with a MERV rating of 13 or higher). If not, select one room of your home, ideally the coolest one, and use a portable air cleaner
• Where possible/needed use properly fitting N95 respirator masks to filter smoke particles, as COVID-19 cloth/face coverings don't offer protection from smoke

Processing information on coronavirus can be stressful. Consider how detailed information can be publicly shared, displayed and disseminated in an engaging and simple way, for example, through an infographic. The audience of the infographic should be clear but may include stakeholders, staff, citizens, tourists, customers, suppliers, volunteers, etc. Consider creating an infographic that includes:

• Number of people affected, recovered, died, tested, traced
• Number of volunteers, business contributions, donations, and the scope of effects they have had on COVID-19 response and recovery
• Number of travellers, visitors, business trips into the country/city
• Distribution of supplies and services e.g. PPE, number of service beneficiaries
• Other local government duties performed during the period of COVID-19 response and success of those
• Where to get more information from
• The date of the information contained in the infographic

Much information can be included and a regular circulation of such a graphic may keep stakeholders updated in an engaging way.

The "Monaco Safe" initiative aims to certify shops, hotels, restaurants, museums and all places open to the public to ensure that they provide the best conditions for customers/visitors and follow the health protocols outlined in https://teleservice.gouv.mc/monaco-safe/. Businesses that are awarded the certification are allowed to use the official "Monaco Safe" logo in their communications and receive visibility on State networks including tourist information authorities, the Monaco Economic Board, and others. Consider if certification could:

• be given to those places that comply with health regulations to combat the spread of COVID-19
• be awarded following certification processes that examine the implementation of health protocols
• be obtained by completing an online procedure
• acknowledge the efforts of the business to provide the best condition
• be voluntary and free of charge and quick

In early April 2020, the category 5 tropical cyclone named Harold formed in the South Pacific basin. Around 6th April, Cyclone Harold hit the small cluster of islands of Vanuatu with gusts above 275km and 10-18 inches of rain water. There was widespread destruction, flooding, evacuation shelters were activated, ships were grounded on beaches, and many of other significant impacts.

To explain to interested parties what happened during the run up to, and aftermath of, Cyclone Harold, Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office produced a timeline of what happened, major decisions, and timings. This was made publicly available on their website to be an authoritative record of the events. It provides transparency to the sorts of activities that happened in the lead up to, and aftermath of, the cyclone hitting land - making the public aware of the work of emergency managers and responders.

Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office are also producing a timeline that shows the major activities and decisions taken for COVID-19: https://ndmo.gov.vu/covid-19/timeline-covid-19-tc-harold.