Are you experiencing the new “Expat Pandemic Fatigue”?

[ASEAN NOW News]

In recent weeks, many countries have been reporting an increase in “pandemic fatigue” – people are feeling demotivated about following recommended behaviours to protect themselves and others from the virus.

Finding effective ways to tackle this fatigue and reinvigorate public vigilance is a growing challenge as the crisis continues.

 

Pandemic fatigue evolves gradually over time and is affected by the cultural, social, structural, and legislative environment.

 

 

Expat Fatigue

 

Here in SE Asia, when the pandemic began last year, luckily most countries were reporting very low number of cases.

 

However, as expats we often have to rely on word of mouth, to get accurate information, as most Covid details are mainly posted in the local language.

 

 

Now as the number of cases has skyrocketed, governments across the region have realized the importance of keeping us expats well informed with English language information.

 

The penny has a last drop that Covid cannot tell the difference between a local or an expat, as we can all carry the virus.

 

Meanwhile being thousands of miles from home, can add to an expat’s anxiety although everyone stuck at home goes through some sort of Pandemic Fatigue.

 

Online WHO Meeting Held

 

High-level public health experts from over 30 countries and many partner organizations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) European region, recently connected remotely to search together the root causes of this phenomenon and share national experiences and plans. 

 

At the request of European Member States, WHO/Europe developed a framework of policy recommendations to guide governments in the planning and implementation of national and subnational strategies to bolster public support for COVID-19 prevention measures.

 

Governments need key strategies

 

Katrine Bach Habersaat, Team Lead (ad interim) of the Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit at WHO/Europe, introduced the framework developed by WHO/Europe to address pandemic fatigue.

 

It includes 4 key strategies:

·         Understand people: collect and use evidence for targeted, tailored, and effective policies, interventions, and communication.

·         Engage people as part of the solution.

·         Help people to reduce risk while doing the things that make them happy.

·         Acknowledge and address the hardship people experience, and the profound impact the pandemic has had on their lives.

 

WHO/Europe has suggested a quick list of concrete actions, with examples from countries of what they have done.

More work will need to be carried out, with opportunities for regular exchanges of views among WHO and Member States. 

 

Understanding pandemic fatigue

 

Professor Cornelia Betsch, Heisenberg-Professor of Health Communication at Erfurt University, Germany, spoke of the psychology behind pandemic fatigue, explaining that fear is a motivator for protective behaviour, but it wears off as people adapt to the threat.

 

Fatigue also occurs if we do the same things repeatedly for a long time, she added.

 

WHO defines pandemic fatigue as a natural and expected reaction to sustained and unresolved adversity in people’s lives.

 

It expresses itself as demotivation to engage in protective behaviours and to seek out information, as well as in feelings of complacency, alienation, and hopelessness.

 

Pandemic fatigue evolves gradually over time and is affected by the cultural, social, structural, and legislative environment.

 

Therefore, monitoring public opinion, through tools such as the one developed by WHO/Europe and now used by 27 countries and areas in the Region, is an important starting point for effective behavioural change.

 

Sharing country experiences

 

Many country representatives took the floor at the meeting to share examples of action taken in their countries to ensure public engagement in COVID-19-related measures.

 

Common themes included making sure that these initiatives were understandable and logical, the importance of supporting livelihoods and jobs, targeting measures to specific groups, and considering other barriers beyond knowledge that prevent people from following recommendations (such as lack of access to safe water, hand sanitizer, masks, spacious living conditions, and so on).

 

Several participants also highlighted how supporting mental health initiatives is essential as the pandemic continues.

 

Next steps

 

There was broad agreement among participants that further discussion on the topic of pandemic fatigue is needed through a regular forum. WHO/Europe also proposed creating a repository for country experiences.

 

At the end of the meeting, the Norwegian concept of “dugnad” was invoked – support provided by individuals to help each other or a community – a form of group resilience to be nurtured in the months ahead.

 

Using behavioural and cultural science to advance health

 

Behavioural and cultural insights for health refers to knowledge derived from the social sciences and health humanities that helps us to better understand the drivers of and barriers to achieving the highest attainable standard of health.

 

The newly approved European Programme of Work 2020–2025 has a strong focus on harnessing behavioural and cultural insights, and a new unit was recently established at WHO/Europe to improve knowledge in this field.

 

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
 

Meanwhile as cases rise, and Health Ministries scramble to bargain for new vaccines, all we can do is vent our frustration at the local governments, many who seem to be seen as mis-managing the Covid crisis and the country’s economy.

 

Many expats are over 60 years old, and therefore the state of their own economy adds to the stress.

 

All we can do is sit tight and hope that vaccines will soon be available over the counter to everyone.

 

Then the cases will start to drop along with everyone’s Pandemic Fatigue.

 

If you are suffering from pandemic fatigue, do please let us know.

 

And perhaps you may even have some tips on how to cope as well.