Reducing social isolation and loneliness – the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had a big effect on people’s social lives, as many were disconnected from family, friends, and the wider society. In this webinar we present new Nordic knowledge on the impact of the pandemic on social isolation and loneliness. We also discuss what was done to alleviate loneliness across the Nordic Region.

At the webinar we present two new publications. The aim is to shed light on the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly to examine the experiences of social isolation and loneliness. We also present some examples of promising efforts from the Nordic countries designed to improve the wellbeing of people experiencing loneliness.

Key questions of the webinar include:

• What was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness and social isolation among adults living in the Nordic countries?
• Were certain groups particularly susceptible to loneliness and social isolation during the social distancing regulations and lockdowns? Which groups?
• How can negative feelings of isolation be prevented?
• Are there any lessons to be learned from the pandemic, so that the Nordic societies can be better prepared when the next crisis hit?

From Finland, Sweden and Norway, we present how digital tools served as a bridge builders to those involuntarily isolated. From Denmark, we introduce a telephone helpline set up by the Landsforeningen Autisme/National Autism Association during the pandemic and finally, we will talk about the Icelandic town of Akureyri, where snow was cleared meticulously to make it easier for residents to get around outdoors and break their isolation.

We warmly invite public authorities, experts, organisations, researchers, and policymakers to join us at the webinar.

The language is English and Scandinavian languages, with live captions in English.