How can we reduce COVID-19 anxiety?

On Tuesday, March 31st, UBC alumni, friends, and the community participated in our first webinar in a COVID-19 series. UBC experts answered viewer questions and suggested ways we may be able to address our anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation was moderated by Kathryn Gretsinger, MJ'06, Senior Instructor, UBC Graduate School of Journalism; Senior Faculty Advisor to UBC President.

UBC Experts

Dr. Steven Taylor, PhD’91 – Professor and Clinical Psychologist, UBC Department of Psychiatry; Author of The Psychology of Pandemics: Preparing for the next global outbreak of infectious disease
Dr. Richard Lester – Physician and Associate Professor in Global Health, UBC Division of Infectious Diseases; Founder and Scientific Director, WelTel

Recorded March 31, 2020.

A note from Kathryn Gretsinger about media literacy:

"Always pay attention to sourcing. 'The Media' is not a source. There are trusted, high level journalistic outlets that provide fact-based journalism that is researched, reported and shared ethically and in the public interest. There are excellent independent outlets, trusted traditional outlets and public broadcasters. I would encourage people to reach for trusted sources...and even question those."

Links to helpful information referenced in webinar:

• BC Thrive app
• Canadian Crisis Help Lines
• Canadian Psychological Association Fact Sheets
• American Psychological Association Help Center
• CDC Tips on “Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease”
• WelTel – Scalable, Integrated Virtual Care & Patient Engagement
• Dr. Steven Taylor’s Blog: The psychology of COVID-19
• Dr. Steven Taylor’s Book (Digital version now available): The psychology of pandemics: Preparing for the next global outbreak of infectious disease

Other helpful information:

• Corona Spread—model for exponential growth
  “Student Simulation of Exponential Growth”, 3 minute video with UBC Professor Matthew Yedlin (Departments of Electrical Engineering and Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences) made 6 years ago as part of his course with Professor Allen Sens (Department of Political Science) entitled “Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control”.
• Anxiety
  43 minute video recorded on ZOOM by Professor Jonathan Huppert, a clinical psychologist from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem
• BC Centre for Disease Control - Food Safety