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    Society, community and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines social and community concerns. Experts are concerned about social inequalities beyond health. They note that in the long term groups may have different access to opportunities. This could be particularly true for those with protected characteristics such as women, members of the BAME community, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Experts are also concerned about how changes in Government measures may lead to negative responses from the UK public. These could range from the public becoming less motivated to follow guidance, to public resistance of contact tracing for fears of increased surveillance. Experts also note risks to social cohesion; From an increase in racist or xenophobic behaviour, to an erosion of trust in democracy and democratic institutions. However they point out that COVID-19 could also present an opportunity for positive cultural change.

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    Media, communications and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines media and communications concerns. Experts worry that Government messages are unclear. They note that there have been inconsistencies in information shared by different parts of Government. It's also unclear what the UK public is legally required to do, and how these requirements vary across the UK. Beyond that, there are concerns about the overarching Government communications strategy, the scientific evidence behind it and the number of people it has reached. Experts are also concerned about the role of mass media during the outbreak. They are concerned about inaccurate reporting and how it could damage the public's trust in mainstream media. They're also concerned about the economic impact of the outbreak on independent media outlets. A financial downturn could lead to closures, limiting access to news for a segment of the UK population. Finally experts are concerned about misinformation. They worry that the UK Government is not doing enough to call out misinformation and stop its spread.

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    International affairs and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines concerns about international affairs. Experts are concerned about how the Coronavirus outbreak might affect relations between countries, as suppression strategies drift. This could create international tensions and lead to a rise in populism. There are also concerns about how criticism of the UK response might impact the the country's global position. Experts are also concerned about a lack of international cooperation. They worry that the UK will not consult evidence from other countries. They note that there is a general need for greater data sharing between countries to coordinate the response. Other areas of concern include international economy, trade and development. There are fears of a global recession and concerns over the lack of a unilateral response from the G20 and WTO. Low- and middle-income countries are also likely to be further impacted by the outbreak, as contributions to international development funds drop or are re-directed to COVID-19. Finally, experts are concerned about international travel and migration. There is uncertainty about what the effects of the outbreak on international travel will be and experts are concerned about impacts on migrant and seasonal workers. They are also concerned about the health of refugees and a potential increase in refugee numbers in the long-term, due to geopolitical instability.

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    Virology, immunology, epidemiology and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines concerns about virology, immunology and epidemiology. Experts have concerns about the accurate and thorough recording of who is dying from COVID-19 and what demographic they belong to. They worry that there are gaps in the understanding of how the virus spreads, and how symptoms progress. Experts are also concerned about the potential for additional COVID-19 waves, and the impact of seasonality. They are worried about the long term health impacts of COVID-19 after recovery. There are also concerns about the lack of data on patient and population immunity to the virus. Finally experts worry that the virus could become resistant to antiviral therapies, and that there's a risk of creating other antibiotic resistant infections by using antibiotics improperly.

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    Research, innovation and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines concerns about research and innovation. Experts have concerns about testing and diagnostics. Specifically about the number of tests being carried out, the availability of PCR tests and the accuracy of antigen tests. There are also concerns about vaccines. Experts want to know how the Government is speeding up vaccine development and note the possibility of annual vaccinations for some coronaviruses. Experts also think there should be more research on therapies for COVID-19 patients, including larger plasma therapy trials. Experts also have a range of practical concerns on international collaboration, the validation and approval of innovations, and even manufacturing and distribution of new products. Finally there are concerns about the impact of the outbreak on research. Experts worry about the quality of research and data collection and the access to COVID-19 research, noting that some research is not open access.

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    Public health and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines concerns about public health. Experts have concerns about future preparedness for public health crises. These include future waves of COVID-19, as well as other potential public health crises. They are interested in seeing how the National Risk Register and Civil Contingencies Act might be updated to reflect lessons learned from COVID-19. There are also concerns about physical and mental health of the UK public. It's unknown how fear and loneliness are affecting people during isolation. It's also unclear how habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and eating have been affected by the outbreak Experts are also concerned about health inequalities. They note that some groups, such as people with low incomes, might be more likely to catch the virus and experience worse outcomes. Finally there are concerns about housing, and how certain types of housing might increase exposure to the virus, and be overall detrimental to occupants health.

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    Health and social care system and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. This report outlines concerns about health and social care. Experts have concerns about the NHS. These include it's ability to cope with multiple waves of COVID-19 patients and patients with other conditions, lack of equipment, the future of funding and the structure of the NHS. They are also concerned about the demand on social care services and the safety of residents and staff of care homes. Concerns also focus on health and social care staff: their physical and mental health, their access to training, and the future of the workforce. Finally there are concerns about the ability of the UK to deal with excess mortality.

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    Business, trade and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. Researchers have also shared what further data or information they would like to see the Government release to understand the decisions that underpin its approach. This report outlines concerns about business and trade. Experts have concers about supply chins and logistic, particularly in the food and healthcare industries. They are also concerned about business support and have identified arts and culture, hospitality and tourism, retail, manufacturing, and agriculture and horticulture as industries at risk. Finally they have highlighted industry behavior and entrepreneurship as areas of concern.

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    Work, employment and COVID-19: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have shared with us their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. Researchers have also shared what further data or information they would like to see the Government release to understand the decisions that underpin its approach. This report outlines concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on work and employment. Experts are concerned that unemployment will rise as businesses lay off staff or close down. Some groups are likely to be more affected by lay-offs and may struggle to find another job. Experts are also concerned about the impact of working from home on productivity and health. Finally there are concerns about the labour market. Some industries in the UK, such as agriculture, may have too few workers to function in the long-term.

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    COVID-19 outbreak: What are experts concerned about?

    Over 1,100 experts have responded to a COVID-19 survey by POST's Knowledge Exchange Unit. Through the survey, experts shared their concerns about COVID-19 and COVID-impacted areas in the immediate and longer term future. Researchers have also shared what further data or information they would like to see the Government release to understand the decisions that underpin its approach. This first report outlines the survey methodology. Detailed reports with concerns on specific areas such as trade, education, and public health will be published in the coming days.

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    Research for Parliament: preparing for a changing world

    This document builds on POST's previous publication, Topics of Interest 2018 (POSTbrief 27). The subjects are listed under under six category headings based on the drivers of change identified in POSTnote 500: demographic change and healthcare; social and cultural trends; geopolitical and governance challenges; environmental pressures and climate change; resource security and sustainability; and technological advance.

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    Topics of interest 2018

    This list sets out the topic areas identified of possible parliamentary interest under the 9 different category headings (Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry, Crime, Defence, Education and Skills, Energy, Environment, Health, ICT and Robotics and Transport and Infrastructure).

Total results (page 7 of 8)