Checklist before the Coronavirus Tsunami

MYSELF

  • Health & Wellbeing: Do I have symptoms? Do I know what to do in case of COVID19? Where do I continue to get updated information? You need clear and timely information, not over-information. There are bots to help you on that. 
  • Essentials: Do I have enough food for a couple of weeks? Dry goods that last longer, nutritional foods that will ensure I keep my body in good health. (you don’t need toilet paper for a year!) 
  • Visible Hands: How can I be useful to my community/ my city / region? (look at your abilities, not only at the solution you normally have. Your potential is not your hammer but your capability to adapt)

MY FAMILY / MY COMMUNITY / MY COMPANY

  • Is my family well informed about quarantine? Are they receiving accurate and timely information?
  • Are their individuals that are dependent on my care now or could be as the situation changes? 
  • Do I have neighbours or community members who are at higher risk of infection and/or vulnerability due to the other health problem, or because of the social and economical situation? You can also look at platforms or initiatives already ongoing… 
  • How are my workmates and their situation in regards to quarantine and family?
  • Thinking about your business in the given situation may be devastating and potentially how it will run after the pandemic. In times of so much instability, this question can block us from making clear decisions and allowing us to move forward with any concrete action. 

MY CITY / MY REGION / MY COUNTRY

  • There will be many needs that are unforeseeable, unconventional and at times very simple. Can I be of help in some of those needs? Even by #stayinghome I can be a connector, a maker, a communicator, an innovator ….. ¿? or just I can choose to wait for the storm to stop. 

PUBLIC HEALTH

consider some of these options

  • Equipe the public health system with options to hire new doctors and health personnel (students from university, non-practitioners, retires, job companies…)
  • Bottling companies are able to change their production lines to produce sanitizers, disinfectants, medical gowns, ventilators, etc…
  • “Injection companies”: are they able to start new products? visors, glasses… 
  • Textile companies: are they producing fabric? which kind? how much? What are the costs?
  • Do we have people to produce masks? Do they know how to do it? 
  • Import: Do I know people/ institutions to help me in bringing masks/ material from outside? 

SOCIETY

  • Who are those which are most vulnerable? (Children, slums, women, indigenous communities, people without access to basic services, informal workers…)
  • Who is working with them? Are all their basic needs available and will they continue to be available – water, food, shelter? Supposing someone is doing their job can be very dangerous!! Remember: people / institutions will not react as expected, this is a unique situation, it is crisis mode! 
  • What are their needs? Can I bring innovative solutions to ensure those needs are met? Can I join a social movement / organization to solve that problem? Remember: your time is your most precious treasure. 
  • When approaching the problem, do they/we have enough information? Who could provide further information? Who is working in this or similar domain? 
  • Are there local farmer or farmer markers, business owners that can provide essentials in a different matter? Seek to identify them, form a online community for fresh produce orders and delivery 

FINDING MY TRIBE IN THE TIME OF CRISIS 

  • Everyone will react differently at the time of crisis. So do not expect anyone to feel exactly as you do at the exact given time. Find people who share the same value in acting and working towards solutions in a collective and reflective matter.  

3D PRINTING MAKERS

At the very beginning they can be important for the flexibility to print, but as soon as factories and big companies start to produce, the quantity is x500

  • What are the critical equipment that is needed at the moment? What equipment is likely to run out quickly? (masks, ventilators, visors… ) 
  • Which is the proper required model that I need to print? Do I need help? (it can be silly but the experience shows that there are a lot of printers and not so many people able to print) Participate in your telegram channel! 
  • Where to buy material?WHat material is necessary and are there alternatives? (transportation will be more difficult) (PLA, PVC)

COMMUNICATION – INFORMATION

  • Do we have the best channels to inform? How can I spread the word more effectively? How can information be aggregated for the viewers in an informative way?  
  • Information in other countries
  • Scrolling obsession turns to scrolling revolt and information is hard to reach people. Be mindful of what you share, where and with who. Deliver information that is necessary and of value.  

MY VIRTUAL NETWORK 

  • Have you activated your network to spread awareness and information about the virus? Have you used it to also gather accurate information and examples of initiatives that are taking place elsewhere?
  • If you are part of a global community, likely some members are in the tsunami already, what can you learn from them, how can you share their lessons with your network?
  • Speaking during the time of COVID19 is different because it is only possible virtually where there is a lot of noise but it also leaves a lot of opportunities to use your voice!
  • Spread information through all of your social media channels (whatsapp, FB, Twitter etc) be consistent with your messaging.
  • Use your network to help you brainstorming ideas on what might seem like a helpless situation. Those outside of the exact physical space is likely to see the reality differently 

AFTERWARDS

  • Nothing will be as before. How can I actively contribute to the change? 
  • Which networks, actors, important points… I have to touch to rethink the system and make it more resilient? 

By Anna & Rosa

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.