Pandemic Playbook Posts

The Pandemic Playbook is currently under construction. New content, format and organization will continue to be created and refined.

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Loud and Clear: Combatting Biases in Communicating Risk

Aug 17, 2020
6 min

Loud and Clear: Combatting Biases in Communicating Risk

As many parts of the world are in stages of reopening, there are varying attitudes concerning individual and societal risk. The issue of communicating risk to the population is difficult on several levels: many are growing accustomed to the new state of being, are doubtful of the risk to themselves or simply do not have the means to take the precautions. There are several psychological phenomena that are at the heart of many of the decisions being made concerning personal ris

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Behind the Curve: Understanding and Preparing for Exponential Growth

Aug 7, 2020
3 min

Behind the Curve: Understanding and Preparing for Exponential Growth

Following the growth of the pandemic is absolutely essential for those charged with the task of planning for the future of their communities. This role can include but is not exclusive to government officials, hospital administrative workers, health care providers, school administrators and individuals who want to track the daily growth of the pandemic. Difficulties in understanding timing particularly arise due to the logarithmic models behind epidemiology, especially expone

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Managing Delinquency in a Post-COVID World

Jul 3, 2020
1 min

Managing Delinquency in a Post-COVID World

Delinquency is one of the financial services sectors that COVID-19 is bound to have a direct and immediate impact on. Large scale income disruptions, compounded by a looming financial recession and growth slowdown, dictate that financial institutions around the world adopt proactive strategic measures to handle the impending increase in delinquency rates. At an individual level, the contextual trigger for delinquency can be either of a) temporary e.g. disruption of business d

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Adapting to 'New Normal' of Consumer Behavior

Jun 25, 2020
5 min

Adapting to 'New Normal' of Consumer Behavior

Like every other facet of life, consumer behavior has been impacted profoundly by COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing response to it. As lockdowns were announced, people rushed to hoard household essentials such as toilet papers, hygiene products and non-perishable food items. Everything in the economy, except for essential services such as household supplies, remained shut for months and are only slowly re-opening. Staying indoors for months resulted in people reassessing thei

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Household Financial Behaviors in times of Crisis

Jun 24, 2020
7 min

Household Financial Behaviors in times of Crisis

How do households in a crisis, marked with price volatility, employment uncertainty, and complex information alter their savings, borrowing, and payment behavior? Image via Forbes Shocks with prolonged effects on the economy and social life of people seep into a household's daily routine. One major domain that gets severely impacted is the household's finance. Negative effects of these shocks, which may take forms of economic crisis, natural disaster, or pandemics, can alter

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Ensuring Safe Return to Workplaces

Jun 5, 2020
3 min

Ensuring Safe Return to Workplaces

As the lockdown rules are eased and economies are slowly reopened, workplaces will be one of the first places which will see some sort of a return to normal. For economies to recover from the shock of the COVID-19 crisis, it is crucial that safety and wellbeing of the returning workforce is ensured. To this end, various governments and public health authorities have issues guidelines prescribing safety measures at workplace. These typically include Precautions and preventive

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Shared Artistic Experiences within a New Physically Distanced Normal

May 22, 2020
3 min

Shared Artistic Experiences within a New Physically Distanced Normal

Live entertainment provides a means of shared connection with audiences of all ages, large and small. During these challenging times, music, theater, and dance provide us with not only a means of distraction but also a shared experience that may help us cope with our new normal. Artists typically perform in groups, sometimes up to 100 members, as with a symphonic orchestra, to a room full of people, indoors or out. Throughout the pandemic we have seen artists from numerous ge

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Learning from Grocers as Lockdowns Ease

May 14, 2020
2 min

Learning from Grocers as Lockdowns Ease

Grocery stores and food markets have been open throughout the lockdowns and shelter in place orders. They have had to come up with new procedures, signs and protocols to ensure proper physical distancing in order to keep their staff and customers safe. As countries beginning easing lockdowns, a new normal will continue to evolve for how we shop. Groceries and market places have already implemented several design solutions to maintain appropriate social distancing. Some of the

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Complying with Physical Distancing

May 6, 2020
4 min

Complying with Physical Distancing

Physical Distancing has become a key requirement to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. But it has been challenging for many societies and countries to observe it to the tee, given the human tendency to underestimate the risk and chance of infection. As coping fatigue develops, especially in nations where the lockdown has been extended, it becomes very important to frame and communicate messages about physical-distancing in a way that motivates people to stay compliant to

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The Vital Role of Essential Workers During Lockdowns

May 1, 2020
3 min

The Vital Role of Essential Workers During Lockdowns

During lockdowns and shelter in place orders, not everyone is afforded the opportunity to work from home. Unfortunately the majority of essential service workers are generally receiving lower pay with less health insurance benefits even though they provide us all with the essential services that our communities require to exist. Our postal workers, farmers working in the fields, transportation workers, cashiers, sanitation departments and the myriad of other individuals are c

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