The COVID-19 Social Study was the largest study exploring the psychological and social effects of the pandemic on the UK population. Despite the availability of extensive literature on social isolation and its consequences, enforced social isolation in the form of lockdowns for COVID-19 were unique in many features, sharing only some similarities with quarantine measures used during previous epidemics. In addition, the unprecedented nature of the virus’s fast global spread made the social and psychological effects of COVID-19 unpredictable.
Our aim was to map how mental health and wellbeing changed alongside social restrictions, case rates, and death rates on an ongoing basis. Specifically, we set out to:
- Understand the psychological and social impact of COVID-19
- Map how the psychosocial impact evolved over time as social distancing and lockdown measures were introduced and eased
- Determine which groups were at greatest risk of adverse effects
- Explore the interaction between psychosocial impact and adherence to healthy and protective behaviours
- Identify protective activities during isolation that could buffer against adverse effect
A rich set of resources, media articles and over 100 published papers can be found at
www.covidsocialstudy.org/