COVID-19 Changed Human-Nature Interactions across Green Space Types: Evidence of Change in Multiple Types of Activities from the West Bank, Palestine

Home and wild food procurement were associated with improved food security during the COVID-19 pandemic in two rural US states

Both food insecurity and home and wild food procurement (HWFP), including gardening, increased in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic; yet little evidence has demonstrated what impact HWFP had on food security. Using data from a representative sample of nearly 1000 residents in the two most rural US states (Vermont and Maine) conducted via an online survey in Spring/Summer 2021, as well as matching techniques, we compare food security outcomes among households who did and did not participate in HWFP in the first year of the pandemic. Nearly 60% of respondents engaged in HWFP in some way during the first year of the pandemic, with food insecure households more likely to do HWFP. Furthermore, HWFP early in the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with improved food security in the 9-12 months later, though these improvements were primarily associated with newly, not chronically, food insecure households. Newly and chronically food insecure households were more likely to want to continue these activities in the future, but also exhibited greater barriers to land access and costs associated with these activities. These results suggest that HWFP may provide food security improvements for certain households that utilize them, especially during crisis situations. Future research about HWFP should continue to explore multiple HWFP strategies, their barriers, and their potentially myriad relationships to food security, diet, and health outcomes, especially with longitudinal data.

Feelings of Polish and Palestinian Students after Receiving Vaccinations against COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited human freedom in many areas. Developing a COVID-19 vaccine has been a key task to contain the spread of the virus. In many countries, there is increasing concern about anti-vaccines due to complications after receiving the vaccine. The research problem concerns the opinions of Polish and Palestinian students after receiving vaccinations against COVID-19. This study involved 657 respondents (332 from Poland and 325 from Palestine) who completed the original questionnaire online. The respondents present two different cultures, embedded in different existential conditions, also in terms of health care, and especially the availability of vaccines. The obtained data indicate that almost 50% of research participants from both countries believe that vaccines are an effective antidote to the pandemic situation. Respondents in both populations believed that it was their personal choice to undergo vaccinations. The social motivation for vaccination in both groups was the desire to participate in public life, and the possibility of free travel for Poles, and the fear of infecting other people for Palestinians. The most common side effect reported after vaccination was pain at the site of the infection. Medical assistance was more often sought by respondents from Palestine. From an existential, psychosocial and health perspective, vaccines contributed to strengthening the vital forces in a large part of the population, allowed rebuilding social interactions and gave a sense of security in the daily functioning of a person.

Green Space Visits and Barriers to Visiting during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study of UK Adults

Green spaces have been found to promote physical activity, social contact, and mental wellbeing, however, there are inequalities in the use and experience of green spaces. The United Kingdom’s (UK) response to the COVID-19 pandemic imposed very substantial changes on its citizens’ lives which could plausibly affect their willingness to visit green spaces. These sudden lifestyle changes severely affected the population’s mental health, leading to a greater dependency on the positive influence of nature in reducing stress and improving mood. Whilst early cross-sectional evidence suggested an increased orientation to nature and visits to green spaces as a response to COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’, there is little longitudinal evidence about how sustained and equal these changes may have been. This study explored green space visits, barriers to visiting, and the inequalities of both of those over an entire year of the pandemic in the UK. Three waves of nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were administered by YouGov in April 2020, November 2020, and April 2021 (N = 6713). Data included reported visits to green spaces and, for those with no or infrequent visiting, perceived barriers including those plausibly related to the risk of COVID-19. Green space visits increased over the year as lockdown restrictions were relaxed; 68% of respondents reported green space visits in April 2021, compared with 49% in April 2020. However, the socio-economic inequalities in use were sustained and increased. COVID-19 related barriers fell over time, but there were indications of increased interest in green spaces among younger people. Further action is required to ensure that the positive impacts of green spaces are experienced equally, and that good quality green space is accessible to all.

Towards Resilient Residential Buildings and Neighborhoods in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic—The Scenario of Podgorica, Montenegro

The COVID-19 crisis and new pandemic-oriented everyday life have emphasized the urge to reorganize the way we live and reside, additionally highlighting the already existing socio-spatial problematic that Montenegrin society has been experiencing for thirty years. Since residential space is considered to be vital for physical, mental and social wellbeing, this sudden and global paradigm shift presents an opportunity to redefine the current housing concepts towards greater long-term resilience in the context of present, pandemic and future challenges. The results of the survey of housing users in Podgorica confirmed the need to address this issue. The article discusses a possible model of resilient adaptation of residential buildings and neighborhoods in Podgorica, Montenegro. The model addresses the flexibility of the apartment units, existence of indoor and outdoor common areas for social activities within the building and immediate contact with nature, and it is applicable in the wider territorial context as well. Formulated with the aim of long-term improvement of the concept of housing, the model presents a significant framework for the planning and design of future buildings. The resilient residential model is tested by its application to specific buildings of residential area Blok 5 in Podgorica. This leads to the conclusion that the earlier concepts of housing present in theory and practice in the second half of the twentieth century in Montenegro and the region were more adequate in the context of resilience. As we believe that such improved resilient housing would consequently increase the resilience of the community regarding the challenges it faces currently due to COVID-19, we consider this a long-term contribution of this research.