COVID-19 and other public health threats have contributed to more than six million deaths globally in a short amount of time. As such, there is an urgent need to respond to these threats in a way that improves global health and wellbeing. Written by a diverse group of exemplary scientists, the thirteen chapters in this volume provide unique, comprehensive, and science-based approaches to respond to macro-structural, human process, and micro issues affecting public health threats.
In the pages of "Unveiling Pain: The Global Impact of COVID-19," readers embark on a poignant and enlightening journey through the multifaceted landscape of the pandemic that swept across the globe. This meticulously crafted narrative unfolds as a chronicle of suffering, resilience, and the collective human experience in the face of an unprecedented global crisis. Overview The book opens with a vivid overview of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of its origins, rapid spread, and the profound challenges it posed to individuals, communities, and nations worldwide. From the gripping narratives of frontline workers to the stories of those affected, the narrative paints a vivid and empathetic picture of the global struggle against an invisible adversary. Importance of Understanding Global Impact It explores the importance of comprehending the global impact of the pandemic, delving into its interconnectedness and the shared vulnerabilities that transcended borders. The narrative illuminates how the pain inflicted by the virus reverberated across continents, underscoring the need for a collective response and a united understanding of the challenges faced by humanity. Purpose of the Book: A Multifaceted Exploration At its core, "Unveiling Pain" serves a dual purpose — to shed light on the profound suffering endured by individuals and communities and to unravel the lessons embedded in the pain. The book acts as a tapestry, weaving together stories of loss, resilience, and the unwavering spirit that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. Themes Explored The book meticulously explores various themes, from the high mortality rates and personal anecdotes of loss to the long-term health effects that linger in the aftermath of the virus. It navigates through the economic fallout, educational disruptions, mental health struggles, and the strains on healthcare systems, providing a comprehensive panorama of the global impact. A Call to Action Amidst the narratives of pain, "Unveiling Pain" extends a resounding call to action. It invites readers to understand not only the challenges faced but also the opportunities for growth, resilience, and positive change. The book explores how communities and nations can unite, learn from adversity, and collectively shape a future that is adaptive, inclusive, and fortified against unforeseen challenges. Optimism for the Post-Pandemic Era As the narrative unfolds, a sense of optimism for the post-pandemic era emerges. It envisions a world that, having weathered the storm, stands on the cusp of renewal and positive transformation. The book explores the potential for global solidarity, scientific advancements, and collaborative efforts to build a future characterized by healing, resilience, and hope. "Unveiling Pain: The Global Impact of COVID-19" is not merely a historical account; it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, the importance of shared understanding, and the capacity for positive change in the face of immense challenges. As readers turn the pages, they are invited to witness the unveiling of a global narrative — one that, despite the pain, resonates with the enduring spirit of humanity.
COVID-19 has presented huge challenges to governments, businesses, civil societies, and people from all walks of life, but its impact has been highly variegated, affecting society in multiple negative ways, with uneven geographical and socioeconomic patterns. The crisis revealed existing contradictions and inequalities in society, compelling us to question what it means to return to “normal” and what insights can be gleaned from Southeast Asia for thinking about a post-pandemic world. In this regard, this edited volume collects the informed views of an ensemble of social scientists – area studies, development studies, and legal scholars; anthropologists, architects, economists, geographers, planners, sociologists, and urbanists; representing academic institutions, activist and charitable organisations, policy and research institutes, and areas of professional practice – who recognise the necessity of critical commentary and engaged scholarship. These contributions represent a wide-ranging set of views, collectively producing a compilation of reflections on the following three themes in particular: (1) Urbanisation, digital infrastructures, economies, and the environment; (2) Migrants, (im)mobilities, and borders; and (3) Collective action, communities, and mutual action. Overall, this edited volume first aims to speak from a situated position in relevant debates to challenge knowledge about the pandemic that has assigned selective and inequitable visibility to issues, people, or places, or which through its inferential or interpretive capacity has worked to set social expectations or assign validity to certain interventions with a bearing on the pandemic’s course and the future it has foretold. Second, it aims to advance or renew understandings of social challenges, risks, or inequities that were already in place, and which, without further or better action, are to be features of our “post-pandemic world” as well. This volume also contributes to the ongoing efforts to de-centre and decolonise knowledge production. It endeavours to help secure a place within these debates for a region that was among the first outside of East Asia to be forced to contend with COVID-19 in a substantial way and which has evinced a marked and instructive diversity and dynamism in its fortunes.
Re-Globalization examines the changing face of globalization, with political, economic, and social balances in flux, and tensions increasing in many parts of the globe. This book discusses and problematizes the current transition phase of globalization in response to issues such as inequalities, climate change, and health crises, offering a comprehensive collection of responses to the question “what is re- globalization?” The authors discuss the various definitions and forms of re-globalization, using a range of approaches, examples, and case studies in order to shed light on this process. The analysis of the phenomenon of re- globalization – understood as an economic, political, and social process – is both inter- and transdisciplinary. This volume offers contributions from academic disciplines within the social sciences, as well as technology, global security, global studies, health, and climate and environmental sciences. Overall, the book analyzes and illustrates how globalization shifts are interconnected and how they relate to a transition in global society, proposing a framework for a series of future scenarios. This socio- geographically diverse book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and researchers across a broad spectrum of disciplines exploring the future of globalization.
There is a gap between the ecology of health and the concepts supported by international initiatives such as EcoHealth, One Health or Planetary Health; a gap which this book aims to fill. Global change is accelerated by problems of growing population, industrialization and geopolitics, and the world's biodiversity is suffering as a result, which impacts both humans and animals. However, Biodiversity and Health offers the unique opportunity to demonstrate how ecological, environmental, medical and social sciences can contribute to the improvement of human health and wellbeing through the conservation of biodiversity and the services it brings to societies. This book gives an expansive and integrated overview of the scientific disciplines that contribute to the connection between health and biodiversity, from the evolutionary ecology of infectious and non-infectious diseases to ethics, law and politics. - Presents the first book to give a broad and integrated overview of the scientific disciplines that contribute to health - From evolutionary ecology, to laws and policies, this book explores the links between health and biodiversity - Demonstrates how ecological sciences, environmental sciences, medical sciences, and social sciences may contribute to improve human health
The Office for Budget Responsibility was established to provide independent and authoritative analysis of the UK's public finances. Part of this role includes producing the official economic and fiscal forecasts. This report sets out forecasts for the period to 2015-16. The report also assesses whether the Government is on course to meet the medium-term fiscal objectives and presents preliminary observations on the long-run sustainability of the public finances. Since the June forecast, the UK economy has recovered more strongly than initially expected. The GDP growth was greater than expected in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but that unemployment levels have risen to levels that the June forecast did not anticipate until the middle of 2012. In general the world economy has also grown more strongly. CPI inflation has remained slightly higher than expected in June, whilst public finances have performed as forecast. The interest rates on UK debt are lower than in June. The OBR forecasts that the economy will continue to recover from the recession, but at a slower pace than the recoveries of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The publication is divided into 5 chapters with two annexes.
Industry 4.0 and Global Businesses: A Multidisciplinary Investigation provides a multidisciplinary perspective on the transformative effects of Industry 4.0 by aggregating original theoretical, conceptual, and empirical research.
Educating dual language learners (DLLs) and English learners (ELs) effectively is a national challenge with consequences both for individuals and for American society. Despite their linguistic, cognitive, and social potential, many ELsâ€"who account for more than 9 percent of enrollment in grades K-12 in U.S. schoolsâ€"are struggling to meet the requirements for academic success, and their prospects for success in postsecondary education and in the workforce are jeopardized as a result. Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures examines how evidence based on research relevant to the development of DLLs/ELs from birth to age 21 can inform education and health policies and related practices that can result in better educational outcomes. This report makes recommendations for policy, practice, and research and data collection focused on addressing the challenges in caring for and educating DLLs/ELs from birth to grade 12.
Written in the middle of a pandemic, this book examines the effect of COVID-19 on regional and global security threats in the first 18 months of the crisis. Throughout history, epidemics have disrupted human civilisations, changed the structure of societies, decided the outcome of wars and prompted incredible technological innovation. Despite massive progress in science, institution-building and cooperation over the past 100 years, COVID-19 has revealed the weaknesses of a world under-prepared for a new disease – that had been widely expected and long overdue! This edited volume brings together leading security experts from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East to share their analysis of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on major security threats, including the rise of terrorists and criminal networks and global power politics. The book highlights important lessons learnt from all corners of the planet, in particular the need for cross-sectional, regional and international cooperation and solidarity when it comes to facing any transnational security threat that does not respect political boundaries.
A practical action plan for reinventing healthcare in a post-pandemic world—from a physician-entrepreneur who works with Fortune 500 companies. If the healthcare system were an emperor, Covid-19 tragically revealed that it had no clothes. Healthcare had to adapt, and quickly―sparking a dramatic acceleration of virtual care, drive-through testing, and home-based services. In the process, old rules were rewritten and, perhaps surprisingly, largely in a good way for patients. To succeed in the post-pandemic world, all of us―patients, caregivers, providers, employers, investors, technologists, and policymakers―need to understand the new healthcare landscape and change our strategies and behaviors accordingly. In Care After Covid, practicing physician and business leader Dr. Shantanu Nundy—Chief Medical Officer of Accolade, which provides technology-enabled health services to Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses―lays out a comprehensive plan to transform healthcare along three dimensions: Distributed: healthcare will happen where health happens. It will shift from where doctors are to where patients are—at home, in the community, and increasingly on their phones. Digitally enabled: healthcare and the relationships that are central to care will be strengthened by data and technology. It will shift from being siloed to connected, from being episodic to continuous, from one-size-fits-all to more personalized. Decentralized: healthcare decisions and resources will be in the hands of those closest to care. The power to determine who gets care and how they get it will shift away from governments and insurance companies to communities, employers, doctors, and patients. Filled with firsthand insights and stories from the frontlines of healthcare—as well as innovative solutions that were proven effective before and during the pandemic—Care After Covid shows all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem exactly what needs to change and, more importantly, how to do it. The time to act is now. We can’t afford not to.
