New Challenges Mean New Directions

Just when I thought England (generally) and London (specifically) were making progress combatting the negative effects of COVID-19, Prime Minister Johnson declared a new 4-week lockdown. This second lockdown is proving controversial because the data the government is relying on is based on a number of assumptions. Many people argue that hospitalisation and death rates are not yet sufficient to warrant a second lockdown. The other concern Johnson’s critics voice is the fact that mental health and suicide rates--especially amongst teens--are on the rise, consequent to COVID-prompted isolation. Please see attached news article from the BBC.   I must profess that I do see signs of mental fatigue among both family and friends. While my boarding school remains open, we are no longer able to visit friends’ rooms or face off against other schools in sports. While the fact of the school's functionality is a wonderful thing, the actual experience and social interactions involve a kind of low-grade stress and are far from ideal. My friends in London day schools have to spend almost all of their time outside of school and classes sequestered at home. None of this is easy or fun or "normal"-feeling.     I am, however, heartened to witness that my local Harrow community feels in much better shape today than at the onset of COVID: testing and contact-tracing are much ampler and hospitals no longer lack basic PPE. This is why I will now tilt my Harrow Helps Harrow initiative towards supporting those who are feeling isolated and alone. I have thus begun to research ways in which I can unlock my Harrow community to engage with other teens and the elderly. Once I complete my research, I will be posting several links to organisations that offer opportunities for Harrow students to engage with people who would appreciate live interactions and company.  More to follow in short order!

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BBC Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54616688