According to Dr Bruce Aylward, senior executive at the World Health Organisation (WHO), young people are not taking the pandemic seriously. He fears that many young people are ‘shrugging off’ pleas to stay home and follow guidelines. This accusation follows reports of under-30s gathering for ‘lockdown parties’ over the Easter weekend, defying social distancing rules and putting lives at risk.
Despite young people rocking up a bad rep, many have been very active in their communities, leading the fight against coronavirus. Here are a few examples:
- More than 24,000 final year student nurses and medics are now serving on the front line of patient care.
- Seventeen-year-old Josh St John James set up a volunteer group called KingstonVTF in a bid to rally more young people to help the most vulnerable, saying: “It’s only right that we help out.”
- Young Londoner Nahla Rose has been making personal protective masks for NHS staff from home – a crucial contribution when stocks are running dangerously low. Each mask takes Nahla around an hour to make and so far she has produced more than 70. Her protective shield masks have been approved and used by St Bartholomew’s hospital.
- Ashley Lawrence, 21, who is studying education for the deaf and hard of hearing, knows the importance of face visibility for those who rely on lip reading or ASL/BSL to communicate. Ashley has created a GoFundMe page and has raised over £3,387 to create reusable fabric masks that feature a clear plastic piece over the wearer’s mouth so that their lips are still visible.
- Pyschs, an 18 year old performing arts student from South London has released a track called ‘Spreadin.’ The drill artist urges young people to follow the government guidelines. The track has gone viral on all platforms.
