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Covid Matters

Conversations with experts about COVID-19

COVID-19 charity covid:aid speaks to experts about the key issues we face due to the coronavirus pandemic. We find out more about the vital work they have been doing, how their work and their lives have been affected ove
Latest Episode7/29/2021

Death, dying, and Covid-19: The importance of open conversations about trauma, grief and bereavement

In the latest episode of Covid Matters we speak to Anna Lyons and Louise Winter, the founders of Life. Death. Whatever. - an initiative that encourages open dialogue about all matters related to death and dying. We discuss their experiences of the impact Covid-19 has had on the funeral industry, grief, and end-of-life conversations –and their new book We All Know How This Ends.The funeral industry faced enormous challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. This had a significant effect on everyone who has lost a loved one since the start of the pandemic, as well as impacting heavily on those who work in the industry.The founders of Life. Death. Whatever. are Louise Winter, a funeral director and Anna Lyons, an end-of-life doula. They have seen first-hand the challenges faced due to limited contact with the grieving and those at the end of their life, as well as trauma faced by families and friends when deaths have come suddenly, with no time to prepare or come to terms with loss. Anna and Louise believe that speaking about death and dying, and sharing experiences, is vital to allow people to feel supported, and less alone in their grief.We discuss with Anna and Louise the effect Covid-19 has had on the work they do individually and that of Life. Death. Whatever. We also asked them about We All Know How This Ends, their new book dealing with everything related to death and dying. They talk about how important it was to review and rewrite sections of the book to reflect the changes imposed by the pandemic, to allow them to provide people with the ongoing support and resources that will be needed in the wake of Covid-19.You can listen to Covid Matters on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Acast, and wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.Find more about Anna and Louise’s work at the Life. Death. Whatever. website, where you can also find details on how and where to purchase We All Know How This Ends
7/29/2021

Death, dying, and Covid-19: The importance of open conversations about trauma, grief and bereavement

In the latest episode of Covid Matters we speak to Anna Lyons and Louise Winter, the founders of Life. Death. Whatever. - an initiative that encourages open dialogue about all matters related to death and dying. We discuss their experiences of the impact Covid-19 has had on the funeral industry, grief, and end-of-life conversations –and their new book We All Know How This Ends.The funeral industry faced enormous challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. This had a significant effect on everyone who has lost a loved one since the start of the pandemic, as well as impacting heavily on those who work in the industry.The founders of Life. Death. Whatever. are Louise Winter, a funeral director and Anna Lyons, an end-of-life doula. They have seen first-hand the challenges faced due to limited contact with the grieving and those at the end of their life, as well as trauma faced by families and friends when deaths have come suddenly, with no time to prepare or come to terms with loss. Anna and Louise believe that speaking about death and dying, and sharing experiences, is vital to allow people to feel supported, and less alone in their grief.We discuss with Anna and Louise the effect Covid-19 has had on the work they do individually and that of Life. Death. Whatever. We also asked them about We All Know How This Ends, their new book dealing with everything related to death and dying. They talk about how important it was to review and rewrite sections of the book to reflect the changes imposed by the pandemic, to allow them to provide people with the ongoing support and resources that will be needed in the wake of Covid-19.You can listen to Covid Matters on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Acast, and wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.Find more about Anna and Louise’s work at the Life. Death. Whatever. website, where you can also find details on how and where to purchase We All Know How This Ends
7/22/2021

The social impact of Covid-19 – how increased isolation has affected our health and wellbeing

In this episode of Covid Matters we speak to Dr Alexandra Burton, who as part of UCL’s massive COVID-19 Social Study – which has sent out over a million questionnaires – has been looking into the effect of the pandemic on loneliness and social isolation.Isolation and loneliness have affected many of us, whether directly or through family and friends. For that reason it felt important to be able to speak to Dr Alexandra Burton, who is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Behavioural Science and Health at University College London.She has been working on studies that explore the impact of social isolation on health and well-being during the covid-19 pandemic. This has formed part of UCL’s Covid-19 Social Study, a large-scale research study exploring the effects of the virus and social distancing measures on adults in the UK during the outbreak of Covid-19.It was fascinating to speak to her, and I hope you enjoy our conversation. You can find out more about the social study, sign up to the newsletter, and join the study, at: https://www.covidsocialstudy.orgIf you haven’t heard of us, covid:aid is the new UK charity dedicated to helping all those significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to help anyone who is struggling but may not have found the correct resources or support system to help.By building an empowering and caring community, we provide a safe space where people’s voices can be heard, and where you can gain access to support that is specific to your needs.We’d love to have you as part of our community, so please visit covidaidcharity.org
7/15/2021

How Covid-19 plunged millions into poverty and widened wealth inequalities – and what you can do about it

Thomas Lawson, Chief Executive of Turn2us, a UK national charity providing help to those who struggle financially, breaks down the causes of financial disparities due to the pandemic, the impact it has on affected families, and expresses his hope for a more egalitarian future.If you haven’t heard of us,covid:aid is the new UK charity dedicated to helping all those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to help anyone who is struggling but may not have found the correct resources or support system to help. By building an empowering and caring community, we provide a safe space where people’s voices can be heard, and where you can gain access to support that is specific to your needs. We’d love to have you as part of our community, so please visitcovidaidcharity.orgYou can find Turn2Us at turn2us.org.uk
7/9/2021

The journey to Scotland’s Covid Memorial: Alec Finlay on Long Covid, ME, the importance of pacing and recuperation, and the role art can play in collective recovery

Renowned Scottish artist and poet Alec Finlay has had an intimate knowledge of – and relationship with – chronic illness since he became ill with M.E. at 21, with it informing and shaping his work. In an expansive and thoughtful conversation for our podcast Covid Matters he spoke to us about how this shaped his debilitating experience of Long Covid –and how his work on Scotland’s Covid Memorial will provide a space for recuperation and to collectively reflect on how our experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic have shaped us.If you haven’t heard of us,covid:aid is the new UK charity dedicated to helping all those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to help anyone who is struggling but may not have found the correct resources or support system to help. By building an empowering and caring community, we provide a safe space where people’s voices can be heard, and where you can gain access to support that is specific to your needs. We’d love to have you as part of our community, so please visitcovidaidcharity.orgFind more information about Scotland’s Covid Memorial –including details of the collaborative workshops taking place –on the I Remember blog.
7/6/2021

The need for employers to recognise Long Covid – and for workers to receive care, compassion, and treatment

As a former consultant occupational physician, Clare Rayner has raised awareness of the need for employers to be educated about Long Covid and to take it seriously –and battled tirelessly for the rights of those living with the disease to be treated fairly, despite herself suffering debilitating and devastating long-term effects as a result of coronavirus. We spoke to her for podcast Covid Matters to find out more about occupational health as it relates to Covid-19 – and about her own experiences.Clare was an Honorary Lecturer at the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, and worked as a Trainer for the National Education Project for Health and Work. Clare talks with first-hand experience of Covid-19 and has written several papers on the condition including editorials on returning to work after Long Covid, leaflets for workers and employers published by Society of Occupational Medicine, and a recent consensus document on management of Long Covid. She addressed the WHO as a spokesperson for patient groups with post-Covid health issues (an opportunity created through LongCovidSOS's 'Message in a Bottle' campaign).Here are some links to articles/work featuring Clare:The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) –Urgent need for occupational health for people with Long COVID: https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/SOM_Long_COVID_press_release_28_June_21.pdfWe have heard your message about long covid and we will act, says WHO: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/09/03/we-have-heard-your-message-about-long-covid-and-we-will-act-says-who/Promises of Long Covid support have not materialised (a blog by Clare Rayner): https://www.pslhub.org/learn/coronavirus-covid19/273_blogs/promises-of-long-covid-support-have-not-materialised-a-blog-by-clare-rayner-r4499/If you haven’t heard of us,covid:aid is the new UK charity dedicated to helping all those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to help anyone who is struggling but may not have found the correct resources or support system to help. By building an empowering and caring community, we provide a safe space where people’s voices can be heard, and where you can gain access to support that is specific to your needs. We’d love to have you as part of our community, so please visitcovidaidcharity.org
7/2/2021

The importance of telling our own stories of life with coronavirus – a conversation with the Covid-19 Recovery Collective

The importance of sharing our own stories cannot be underestimated, and it was for that reason that it was so uplifting to speak to Ed Richardson from the Covid-19 Recovery Collective about their work. A collaboration between the technologist and his friend Jane Ireson, an NHS nurse and researcher, they set up a website which invited visitors to submit tales of their own experiences.As you can find on their website what came was a wide variety of stories which also reflected similarities and provided reassurance to people at times when there was considerable uncertainty about Covid-19 and the Long Covid symptoms that were being reported by many. Through funding from Sheffield Hospitals Charity research has been taking place this year to perform a thematic analysis of the stories, identifying common themes and helping shape insight into what recovery from Covid looks like for different people. It was inspiring to speak to Ed about the work that he, Jane, and others have been doing, and if you haven’t already I’d recommend taking a look at the stories they have shared: https://covid19-recovery.org/
6/29/2021

What’s been going on with our brains during lockdown? Neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett on how to make sense of mental health issues

For this episode of Covid Matters I was extremely fortunate to speak to Doctor Dean Burnett. He’s a neuroscientist, lecturer, author, blogger, podcaster, pundit, science communicator, comedian and numerous other things – and most recently he has written Psycho-Logical.In the book he reveals what is actually going on in our brains when we suffer mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and addiction. Having listened in audiobook format I found his insights fascinating and personally helpful. It was great to find out more about his thoughts on how the lockdown has affected us, and to get a better understanding of how knowledge of how our brains work can be helpful. We also discussed how he had been personally affected, as well as what his goals with the book were –and what he’s planning next. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.If you haven’t heard of us,covid:aid is the new UK charity dedicated to helping all those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to help anyone who is struggling but may not have found the correct resources or support system to help.By building an empowering and caring community, we provide a safe space where people’s voices can be heard, and where you can gain access to support that is specific to your needs.We’d love to have you as part of our community, so please visit covidaidcharity.orgPsycho-Logical: Why Mental Health Goes Wrong – and How to Make Sense of It is now available in paperwork at Waterstones, Amazon, and elsewhere, and also as an Audible audiobook
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