In the discussion on Wellness through the historical lens, I looked at the
Covid pandemic and what we learned or didn't learn from the Spanish
Flu of 1919. This week I want to look at the COVID pandemic through
the social science lens.
The natural sciences, especially medicine, have dominated the efforts
to beat COVID. The rush for the vaccine rollout, social distancing, and
mask-wearing are all policies from the natural science arena. However,
behind the virus, there are human beings. Social sciences helped me
understand the effects of the pandemic on populations and can be used
to inform policy in the event of future pandemics. COVID affected
different demographics in different ways. Working from home, for
example. Not every profession was able to facilitate home working.
Many on the front line of the pandemic had to continue going out into
the world. Psychology could inform us how daily contact with possible
COVID infection has affected their mental health. Conversely, for
those who had to stay at home, how did their mental health fair during
the lockdown?
Closing schools during the pandemic has had wide-reaching
consequences for society. In a report on COVID and education,
UNESCO has looked at various problems arising from closed schools.
The obvious one is a disruption in education; however, schools provide
more than education. They provide an essential social network for
children, and a necessary routine, especially for children with learning
difficulties. Moreover, children who rely on free or discounted meals
suffer poor nutrition and are at a higher risk of violence and
abuse(UNESCO).
The impact of closing schools during the pandemic has broader
implications than the mental health and education disruption of the
students. In addition, younger children forced to remain at home
economically impact parents, who may miss work to supply childcare.
This forced absence was a massive problem in essential services such as
transport and healthcare (UNESCO). COVID has posed the "greatest
threat to mental health since the Second World War" (Sample, 2020).
President of The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr. Adrian James, says
of COVID, "a combination of the disease, its social consequences and
the economic fallout were having a profound effect on mental health
that would continue long after the epidemic is reined in" (Sample,
2020). Looking at COVID through the 8 Dimensions of Wellness
(Garcia), it undoubtedly affects every dimension, which is
overwhelming. Looking at the pandemic from more than one lens is
invaluable because of how many different aspects of life it affected at
the time and continues to impact today.
Garcia, C (2015) What Are The Eight Dimensions of Wellness in Your
Life, Colorado Nurse, retrieved Aug 3rd, 2022 https://eds-p-
ebscohost-
com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=b2b2faa4-c185-
49c0-8300-
e1a080bbd9f8%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2Nvc
GU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=103763107&db=ccm
Sample, I (27 Dec, 2020) Covid poses 'greatest threat to mental health
since Second World War II, retrieved 3rd Aug, 2022
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/dec/27/covid-poses-
greatest-threat-to-mental-health-since-second-world-war
i
UNESCO (2021) Adverse Consequences of School Closures Retrieved
3rd Aug 2022,
https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/consequences
