Article: The coronavirus in the Arctic: Spotlight on mental health
As the current pandemic evolves, the focus on the health effects of the coronavirus widens. While nations around the globe implement strict measures to flatten the curve of infections, concerns are rising that the virus and the measures taken to combat it, will cause long-term mental health issues.
In the Arctic, where concerns about mental health and suicide have been long standing challenges, there is a particular need to reflect on the consequences. Fostering mental well-being must be an important component of a holistic approach to address the longer term effects of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group project Local2Global is one of these efforts.
Local2Global: Circumpolar collaboration for suicide prevention is a project under the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) and an initiative under the Icelandic Chairmanship (2019-2021) that is set to continue through the Russian Chairmanship (2021-2023). The project is co-led by the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. It builds on circumpolar prevention activities completed under the SDWG for over a decade, including most recently “Project CREATeS – Circumpolar Resilience, Engagement, and Action through Story” under the Finnish Chairmanship (2017-2019) of the Council.