RaISe publications on COVID-19
Synopsis: The Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) has produced the following articles and research publications in response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
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Covid-19 Funding Allocations and Expenditure In Scotland and Wales - a basic overviewThis briefing paper, commissioned by the Assembly’s Finance Committee, provides an overview of Covid-19 funding provided during the pandemic by the United Kingdom Government to the Scottish Government and to the Welsh Government.
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Covid-19 Funding: Allocations & Spending in Northern IrelandThis briefing paper aims to provide oversight of Covid-19 public funding provided during the pandemic – both allocations and spending. It explains how and when Covid-19 funding was received by the Executive from the United Kingdom Government, and then allocated and spent at departmental level in Northern Ireland. Included are key findings and potential issues for consideration, to support Assembly committee scrutiny.
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Visualisation of COVID-19 in Northern IrelandThis dashboard has been prepared by the Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) to visualise data describing the spread of COVID-19 in Northern Ireland.
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Transport trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern IrelandThis blog article will examine the impact of COVID-19 on travel habits, current transport trends in NI and discuss possible recovery options. Research Matters blog article: Published on 3rd December 2021
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COVID, culture and recovery (Part 2)To support the Communities Committee’s consideration of future recommendations for the recovery of the cultural sectors in Northern Ireland, this two-part blog post provides an overview of cultural recovery initiatives from other jurisdictions.
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COVID, culture and recovery (Part 1)To support the Communities Committee’s consideration of future recommendations for the recovery of the cultural sectors in Northern Ireland, this two-part blog post provides an overview of cultural recovery initiatives from other jurisdictions.
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Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemicAs lockdown measures begin to ease, what evidence is there about the impact that COVID-19 has had on our mental health?
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Part-time pandemicRecent figures show a decline in part-time work in Northern Ireland (NI) since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes recent job losses and investigates their impact on employment among women in NI.
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How has COVID-19 emergency funding for individual artists been distributed in Northern Ireland? (Updated)This visualisation provides a snapshot of £11.1 million in emergency funding provided to over 2294 individual artists in Northern Ireland. This funding is part of a range of measures supported by COVID-19 emergency funding from the Department for Communities, the National Lottery and Screen NI to address key challenges arising from the effects of the pandemic.
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Snapshot of COVID-19 Funding: Department for CommunitiesThis data visualisation provides a series of interactive graphs compiled by the Assembly's Research and Information Service (RaISe), which offer a snapshot of government funding allocated by the Department for Communities (DfC) to address key challenges arising from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland (NI).
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Eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemicFollowing the Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which took place in the United Kingdom in March 2021, this article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on individuals with eating disorders.
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How has Arts Council NI COVID-19 emergency funding been distributed to arts organisations?In March 2020, all theatres, galleries, museums and music venues closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Almost a year later, many of Northern Ireland’s arts and culture venues have not reopened their doors to live audiences. To support the arts and culture sectors in NI, a series of COVID-19 emergency funding programmes have been announced by Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) since March 2020. The data visualisations in this blog article illustrate ACNI funding data details published in November 2020 and February 2021. These are provided to help illustrate the distribution of COVID-19 emergency arts funding in terms of location and art form.
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Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptakeAs the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, this article considers the causes and consequences of misinformation surrounding vaccines, and highlights possible ways to tackle it. |
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Analysis of Departmental Bids Relating to Monitoring Rounds and Separate Covid-19 ExerciseThis briefing paper - commissioned by the Assembly's Finance Committee (the Committee) - aims to support the Committee's oversight of departments' Monitoring Round bids and the separate Covid-19 funding exercise; both processes directed by the Minister of the Department for Finance (DoF). The paper provides a brief analysis of those bids (Monitoring Round and Covid-19 exercise) overall, and at the departmental level. A table containing aggregated departmental bid responses is appended to facilitate the Committee's consideration.
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Public Health (Coronavirus Restriction) Regulations: emergency proceduresThis briefing note has been prepared following a request from the Committee for Health. It considers the use across the UK of an 'emergency procedure' to make public health regulations which, due to the coronavirus pandemic, place restrictions on a range of activities. It also considers the ability of the relevant legislatures to scrutinise these measures.
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COVID-19: Vaccines and other potential treatmentsThis article considers a number of recent medical developments in relation to COVID-19 and the implications of the new vaccine for Northern Ireland.
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Impact of COVID-19 on arts and culture in Northern IrelandThis paper explores impacts on the arts and cultural sectors in Northern Ireland from the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper compares support measures in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, as well as longer term considerations for the sector’s recovery.
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Overview of COVID-19 funding in NI and the economic implications: an updateThis briefing paper provides an overview of the key economic implications of COVID-19 Government funding made available in Northern Ireland – at central and devolved levels. It also provides contextual information on the Northern Ireland economy prior to, and during the pandemic, before looking at future challenges faced by businesses and citizens, which the Executive and the Assembly will need to address.
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Covid-19, excess deaths and hospital waiting listsThis briefing note uses the latest available statistical information to highlight some of the collateral impacts on health arising from the current pandemic in Northern Ireland.
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Brexit and Health in Northern IrelandThis briefing paper provides an overview of Brexit and the likely impact that it will have on the health service in Northern Ireland. It also covers other impacted areas within the remit of the Health Committee.
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Constituency Casework Guide - COVID-19: Social Security and other forms of support for household financesThe COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound impact on the Northern Ireland economy. In the weeks and months ahead, constituency offices may experience an increase in constituents seeking information and advice on social security benefits, in particular Universal Credit, and other forms of support for their household finances. The purpose of this guide is to signpost constituency staff to existing sources of information on social security benefits; other forms of financial assistance that may be available; and sources of independent information and advice.
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A snapshot of COVID-19 fundingThis visualisation provides a series of interactive graphs compiled by the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe), which offer a snapshot of government funding allocated to address key challenges arising from the effects of the pandemic in Northern Ireland (NI). The series relies on available government data as of 28 September 2020; highlighting how that funding has or will be administered through a range of targeted initiatives introduced either centrally by Treasury or at devolved level by the Executive or its individual Departments. The intention is simply to present the relevant data using accessible formats; thereby aiming to support greater openness and transparency of those data, facilitating engagement with them. Ultimately, the series seeks to increase government accountability at both central and devolved levels, for their collective and individual responses to Covid and its many impacts. In future, RaISe will update the series in line with future issuance of government figures.
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Is it possible to socially distance on our beaches?With many international travel restrictions still in place, more people than ever will be opting for 'staycations' in Northern Ireland. This article provides the results of a spatial analysis looking at whether social distancing is possible on some of our most popular beaches.
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COVID-19 and school shutdowns: Examining the after-effectsIn an effort to minimise the spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2 (which causes the disease COVID-19), schools in Northern Ireland closed their doors to normal school life on 23 March 2020. Schools have faced an unprecedented situation and the transition of the entire school system to a remote learning model in such a short space of time has been remarkable but not without its challenges for everyone involved.
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'Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Social distancing and face coverings to minimise the spread of the virusThe RaISe research paper 'Exit' from COVID-19 'lockdown': Health-related issues (20 May 2020) contained sections on transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and two of the key issues – social/physical distancing from other people and the use of face coverings. This article updates these areas, looking at the guidance in place, the science behind it and the impact on the 'exit from lockdown'.
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Health and Social Care WorkforceThis paper has been produced to support the COVID-19 Ad Hoc Committee and the Health Committee with their scrutiny of the pandemic response. The paper will focus on the psychological wellbeing of health and social care staff who have been working on the frontline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It will look to evidence from previous pandemics to identify potential risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes and examine emerging local and international evidence from the current crisis. The paper will also explore how decision makers can support the mental health of their workforce as well as interventions being introduced across the UK to assist staff in managing their wellbeing. |
Fiscal ball gazing: How could the COVID-19 crisis affect NI’s public finances?Governments around the world have undertaken very significant, and hugely costly, actions attempting to prop up businesses and employment through the course of the pandemic. The UK Government is no exception, with a wide variety of schemes to support businesses and protect employees' jobs and incomes. The Executive, through the provision of rates reliefs and other measures, has supplemented these in Northern Ireland (NI). This blog article considers how COVID-19's accompanying economic contagion may infect NI's public finances. To explain how this might happen, it first addresses devolved public financial arrangements, before reviewing available evidence on what the future might hold. |
The impact of COVID-19 on Northern IrelandThis new visualisation based on figures and analysis published in the public domain by Ulster Bank, Danske Bank, NISRA, PSNI and Google Mobility Reports, looks at the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland. It looks at a range of issues such as the private economy, consumer confidence, the claimant count, crime statistics and data from Google Mobility reports to map out the changing picture for Northern Ireland. Figures will be updated on a monthly basis, excluding public holidays, as new data becomes available.
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Constituency Casework Guide - COVID-19: Housing SupportThe purpose of this constituency guide is to signpost MLAs and their constituency staff to key information and resources on housing, and to provide answers to some of the frequently asked questions on housing repairs, repossessions, evictions, student housing, gas safety etc. The final section of the paper provides links to independent advice lines and other useful resources. Research Publication: Updated on 18th June 2020
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‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Use of testing and contact tracingThis article stems from RaISe paper ‘‘Exit’ From COVID-19 ‘lockdown’: Health-related issues’ (20 May 2020) and focuses on (and updates) the use of widespread testing and contact tracing as part of the solution to exiting ‘lockdown’.
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Comparative analysis of Covid-19 statisticsThis Briefing Note examines a number of issues concerning comparisons of surveillance data on COVID-19 across different countries and regions. In terms of the pandemic, the note also identifies three models of good practice and presents some meta data from selected countries.
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Where are we on the COVID-19 curve?Most of us by now understand the need to 'flatten the curve' in order to reduce the number of overall cases of COVID-19 and to keep the peak of infections below the threshold of the capacity of the NHS. Staying at home, social distancing and lots of hand washing will undoubtedly help to achieve that and save lives. But staying at home and social distancing are such difficult things to do and we don't yet have any idea of how much longer we will have to continue to do that, because we don't know where we are on the curve. This article attempts to answer the question of where we are on the curve, and looks at some of the problems that the statisticians are wrestling with at the moment.
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