To the point: mental health and COVID-19 (20 March 2020)
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It's a natural, human response to fear disease. Yet we've seen this fear heightened with the outbreak of COVID-19. After all, the disease has reached into virtually all corners of life: public health, security, jobs, businesses, our culture and communities.

It's an uncertain time. People are anxious. So, how do we communicate and channel our anxiety to respond productively?

We're taking a look at mental health in Australia and how it's being impacted on by COVID-19.

We speak with Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of the Brain and Mind Centre and a leading health expert.

WHAT WE COVER – The drivers of good mental health: personal autonomy and social connection – How we can give people the information and agency to take productive actions – The conversations we should be having to enable and empower communities – Mental health in the face of an economic crisis – The importance of social cohesion: while we're physically isolated, the more we're connected socially and emotionally, it will have profound impacts on mental health

Access the transcript: https://bit.ly/2WzaPxR

For more info, head to the Sydney Ideas website: sydney.edu.au/sydney-ideas.