On behalf of the Academy of Medical Sciences, three online public workshops were conducted in the UK by Ipsos MORI to explore the public’s concerns and priorities regarding the preparation for a second wave of COVID-19 cases over Winter 2020-21.
Problems and Purpose
The potential risks posed by a new wave of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom over Winter 2020-21 represent a challenging situation for public officials. The purpose of these public dialogues is to explore the public’s views and priorities for dealing with a new wave, their trust in science and the government, and their expectations for the winter. [1]
Background History and Context
The potential risks posed by a new wave of coronavirus infections over Winter 2020-21 have been documented in a reportby the Academy of Medical Sciences in July 2020. Acknowledging the uncertainty about the evolution of the pandemic, the report points toward a “reasonable worst-case scenario” based on the combined effects of the coronavirus, a backlog of patients needing NHS assessment and treatment, and other infectious diseases. [2] In that context, the health and care system will have to make important decisions.
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Ipsos MORI was commissioned by the Academy of Medical Sciences to conduct the three workshops. The project was run independently with partial funding by a grant from the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. [3]
Participant Recruitment and Selection
The three three-hour online workshops were each composed of twelve members. Each workshop was tailored for a specific group, and the recruitment strategy reflected the particularities of that group:
The first workshop was conducted with members of the general public. Participants were randomly selected from across England, Scotland, and Wales with quotas to reflect a balance of genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, quotas were also used to ensure the representation of parents of school-age children and that half of the participants that had either a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19. [4]
The second workshop, composed of vulnerable groups, was conducted with members recruited across England, Scotland, and Wales with a mix of ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds. Recruited participants had to be informed by the NHS that they were either part of a higher-risk group and required to “shield” themselves during the lockdown, or that they have cared for someone in that position. [5]
The final workshop recruited participants across England, Scotland, and Wales who were from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. The members were representative in terms of age, gender, and social grade, and a particular quota was used to ensure that all of the twelve participants were from non-White ethnic backgrounds. [6]
Before these three workshops, Ipsos MORI convened a pilot group and conducted in-depth video interviews. Both processes relied on the selection of a small group of citizens. For the former, five citizens were recruited to reflect the diversity of the general public in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity and at least one who had suffered from a coronavirus infection. For the latter, the organizers recruited three citizens, one with a confirmed case of COVID-19, one who had been ill but without an official diagnosis, and one who took care of someone ill with COVID-19. [7]
Methods and Tools Used
A variety of tools were used during these online public dialogues. The twelve participants were asked to react to stimuli (extracts from interviews conducted previously, expert panels, and scenarios). Moreover, considering the potentially disturbing nature of the topics tackled during the deliberation, the discussions were facilitated by a team of researchers with extensive training and experience working with the public and vulnerable populations. [8] The workshops also entailed a “wind-down” section moderated by mental health expert.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
The three workshops took place in the evenings between June 29th and July 1st. During the workshops, the discussion centered on the following themes: current interest in the pandemic, views on life under lockdown, expectations for this winter, trust and science communication, and preparing for winter. The scenario discussed was the projection of a large increase in cases of COVID-19 between November 2020 and March 2021. [9] Extracts from the interviews previously conducted with individuals who were ill with COVID-19 were also presented to the participants as testimonies. [10] At the end of the workshops, participants discussed common reactions to stress and anxiety, and identified positive actions to mitigate these feelings during a session moderated by a mental health expert. [11]
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
The goal of the workshops was to identify what the government should prioritize and communicate to the public to mitigate the extent of a new surge of cases of coronavirus infections. The key findings can be found here. A summary of these results was published in the report from The Academy of Medical Sciences as part of their work on the preparedness for a new wave of COVID-19 infections over winter 2020-21. [12]
Analysis and Lessons Learned
See Also
References
[1] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 3, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[2] The Academy of Medical Sciences, “Prepare now for a winter COVID-19 peak, warns Academy of Medical Sciences,” July 14th, 2020, https://acmedsci.ac.uk/more/news/prepare-now-for-a-winter-covid-19-peak-warns-academy-of-medical-sciences.
[3] The Academy of Medical Sciences, “Prepare now for a winter COVID-19 peak, warns Academy of Medical Sciences,” July 14th, 2020, https://acmedsci.ac.uk/more/news/prepare-now-for-a-winter-covid-19-peak-warns-academy-of-medical-sciences.
[4] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 13, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[5] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 13, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[6] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 14, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[7] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 13, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[8] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 14, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[9] Ipsos MORI, Public dialogue on COVID-19 Winter preparedness, July 14th, 2020, https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/public-dialogue-covid-19-winter-preparedness.
[10] By being exposed to these testimonies from people who have been ill with COVID-19, the perception of the disease shifts in the group discussion – particularly the group composed of members of the general public. Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 9, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[11] Ipsos MORI, COVID-19 winter preparedness: an online dialogue project for the Academy of Medical Sciences, July 2020, p. 13-14,
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-07/ams_winter_report.pdf.
[12] The Academy of Medical Sciences, Preparing for a challenging winter 2020/2021, July 14th, 2020, p. 58, https://acmedsci.ac.uk/file-download/51353957.
External Links
The Academy of Medical Sciences, Preparing for a challenging winter 2020/2021, July 14th, 2020, https://acmedsci.ac.uk/file-download/51353957
