In the 1918 flu epidemic, one symptom of surviving the flu was severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and actions, often termed ‘delirium’ in the papers of the day.
Until it proves to be a futile battle, I want to start to track newspaper articles on the abuse endured by workers from the public. I’m thinking that this is part of the COVID-19 symptomology, it is causing a change in how our brains are working. Also, I’m guessing, but I think it separate from lock-down isolation and not part of social distancing. We shall see if this is added to the impact of COVID-19.
Nurses and shop staff report increase in abuse – Guardian 10/23/2021
Although hostility has risen since the pandemic began, it was a serious problem for many before Covid. When passenger numbers dropped to just 6% of usual levels in April 2020, assaults on station staff remained much higher than expected – at 26% of normal levels, according to the Rail Standards and Safety Board. By August 2020, assaults were back to normal levels, though only about 40% of passengers were travelling.
NHS staff face rising tide of abuse from patients provoked by long waits
Firms urged to protect workers from abuse in ‘wild west’ UK gig economy
In the WAPO on 10/29/21: Flight attendant suffers broken bones which also contains links to other stories of assaults.
WAPO from July, 2021: Unruly airplane passengers
From ARS TECHNICA, an article on highway deaths over the course of the pandemic. While not quite the same as “bad behavior” I wonder if the increased risk taking is part of this trend. (11/01/21)
11/02/21 – Popping the term “unruly behavior” into a search engine, top of the hits is the FAA
and this article with a kind of simplistic view of What to do if there’s bad behavior in the air from AARP.
11/18/21 – Ed Yong at the Atlantic writes about Why Health-Care Workers Are Quitting in Droves