In a shockingly short span of time, the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe and introduced an unprecedented new way of life – as countries close their borders and implement strict quarantine orders to mitigate transmission of the virus.

“COVID-19 has impacted many different aspects of society, from politics and economics to the psychological well-being of citizens, and the list will continue to grow as the spread of the coronavirus persists,” says Professor Caryn West, Dean of Research at James Cook University (JCU) in Singapore, who wrote the foreword to the book. “There is therefore an urgent need to enhance our understanding and level of preparedness against COVID-19 and pandemic in general.”

Indeed, in these nervous and unpredictable times, we long for answers to the new challenges that society grapples with each day. For example: What are the psychological impacts of a pandemic? How do we enhance the collective resilience of the community during a pandemic? How do we deal with bereavement during a pandemic? And more.

To provide a nuanced exploration of these issues, the book “How to Prepare for the Next Pandemic: Behavioural Sciences Insights for Practitioners and Policymakers” seeks to examine the impacts pandemics have on our society from a behavioural sciences perspective, and to identify solutions that practitioners and policymakers can adopt to combat the spread of COVID-19 in this new environment.

Dr Denise Dillon, Associate Dean of Research (and Research Education) at JCU in Singapore, is one of the editors of the book. What’s more, she has contributed a chapter, co-authored with one of her students Koh Ghee Kian, focusing on lessons we can learn from previous pandemics.

The book also includes a chapter from Dr Jonathan Ramsay, Academic Head of Social and Health Science at JCU in Singapore, which explores the role of religion in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the end, the book is about arming ourselves with insights and knowledge from experts in the field, so that we may be more prepared for the challenges of the present and future.

Check out the book “How to Prepare for the Next Pandemic: Behavioural Sciences Insights for Practitioners and Policymakers”

Discover further information on areas of research and research strength at James Cook University in Singapore.

Contacts

Research: Professor Caryn West [email protected]
Media: Pinky Sibal [email protected]