The Lewisham Donation Hub, located in Lewisham, London, southern England, is a project created voluntarily by local residents after COVID-19. By donating daily necessities and food, they are helping people in need, such as immigrants and refugees, who are not within the reach of the government, at no cost. ⓒEPN Shin Seon-young A family from El Salvador has been inquiring about used laptops for the past few weeks. This is because her eleven-year-old daughter, Dal-Ha, has been punished for failing to do her homework at school, and she has to pay extra after school every time. Father Rafael (34) and mother Dania (35) are asylum seekers who fled to London, England to escape the crimes of El Salvador gangs. “I thought the children could dream of a better future in England.” Mr. Rafael showed the picture, saying that he had two more children. Although they have been staying for five months in temporary accommodation provided to asylum seekers, the UK does not have many options as the family of five is dreaming of the future. If you live in the UK right now, you may have to choose between heating and food. This is because of the price increase after the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, the UK Bureau of Statistics (ONS) reported that the UK consumer price index rose 10.1% year-on-year. This is the highest record in 40 years. In the aftermath of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as major food items such as milk, flour and butter, gas and electricity prices soared noticeably. As of October, the maximum annual energy burden per household reached 3549 pounds (about 5.63 million won). The Times reported on 16 August that 16% of adults in the UK regularly skip meals to save money. Raphael is probably in that 16%. I met him on September 28th at the ‘Lewisham Donation Hub’ located in Lewisham, London. The Louis Sham area, where various immigrants live, is a place where charities and food banks are active enough to be called a ‘refuge’ for strangers. Louis Sham Herb is one of them. This project was started voluntarily by local residents in June 2020 to respond to food shortages and poverty after Corona 19. It was quite popular among Afghan and Ukrainian refugees because of the free access to daily necessities. The Raphael family bought a 15-inch Dell laptop, sneakers for their three children, and extra clothes here. An average of 100 people a day over the past two years have come to this place to solve hunger. In some cases, there was no electricity, so a candle was taken. Lawrence Smith (36), CEO of Louis Sham Hub, jokingly said, when reporters were surprised. “Welcome to England!” On September 28, an El Salvador refugee family visited the Louis Sham donation hub. Daughter Dalha and Raphael and Dania (from left). ⓒEPN Shinseon-young visited London, England from September 24 to October 1 as one of the news outlets of the ‘World Corona Response, Going to the Field’ project. The UK is a country with deep scars from the pandemic. The failure to control the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 resulted in many casualties. The cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths per 1 million people was 3084.49, after the United States (as of October 10, South Korea had 553.89). In the UK, the public health system, such as the National Health Service (NHS) and the Scientific Advisory Group (SAGE), suffered great damage even though it had a response system in place in case of a public health crisis. ‘What must be done to avoid repeating this tragedy.’ Reports of devastating reflections were poured out in various fields of society. The issue of inequality was one chapter. On 12 October 2021, the House Health and Social Welfare Committee and the Science and Technology Committee will release a 147-page report titled ‘Coronavirus: Lessons Learned So far’. They gathered opinions from epidemiologists, NHS medical staff, carer groups, and families caring for children with disabilities to evaluate what the UK government was missing in its response to the coronavirus on six themes. Among them, the highlight of disaster inequality stands out. According to the report, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) deaths from COVID-19 were significantly higher than that of Caucasians. In addition, the poorer the region, the higher the death rate from COVID-19. During the same period, the mortality rate of those with learning disabilities and autism was also relatively high. The reason was that access to medical care was severely limited. While the world has simultaneously experienced that disasters are unequal, not everyone has measured the damage. In the UK, we investigated the difference in the death rate of COVID-19 according to socio-economic factors such as region, race, gender, and disability. What was the reason? The proportion of minority people working in ‘frontline’ industries with a high risk of contracting COVID-19, such as retail and delivery businesses, was high. It is essential labor that had to continue face-to-face work even when strict lockdown measures were in place. The fact that 70% of NHS health care deaths were of African, Asian or ethnic origin, asked who the supporters of British society were. The UK Department of Public Health has launched an investigation. The rationale was given by the fact that personal protective equipment (PPE) was not sufficiently provided to them. “In any future crisis, it is essential that NHS staff of black, Asian and ethnic origin be included in government decision-making structures.” This is the recommendation left by the British Parliament in the report. There is no need to prove poverty. Michael Marmot, a professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London (UCL), a scholar in the field of health inequality, also took a hard look at the issue. In Marmot’s view, it was significant that he had a particularly high death rate from COVID-19 in ‘high-income countries’ such as the UK and the US. “A political culture that does not prioritize health, deepening socioeconomic inequality, and cut budgets for public health services have led to high excess mortality rates from COVID-19. We were not prepared to respond to this public health crisis.” Marmot’s research team investigated the impact of COVID-19 across a variety of fields, including educational gaps, unemployment, mental health, and child abuse. According to the ‘Build Back Fairer’ report released in December 2020, the poorer the country, the greater the damage from the pandemic. However, it was not easy to come up with the word infectious disease in London in the fall of 2022. Thousands of people freely gathered to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, while no one wore a mask in the cramped subway. I went to the COVID-19 testing center marked on the map, but it was closed. The effects of the pandemic were quietly engraved deep within the community. Louis Sham Herb was one such place. The owner, Mr. Smith, was originally a bicycle delivery driver delivering fast food. In the early days of the spread of COVID-19, I participated in a charity project to distribute smoothies to schools and nursing homes, but the scale grew unexpectedly. This is because the low-income class, who lost their jobs or suffered from hardships due to the lockdown measures, has surged. “Every day, we encounter countless people who cannot heat their food or even turn on the lights. After the pandemic, the welfare system in the UK was fundamentally broken.” Over the past two years, Mr. Smith has witnessed how the epidemic has put the lives of the most vulnerable at risk. The Louis Sham Refugee & Immigrant Network provides food to vulnerable groups in the community and provides advice on housing and health issues. ⓒEPN Shin Seon-young One of the main roles that Louis Sham Hub has played over the past two years has been ‘being open’. The COVID-19 lockdown has helped reduce the spread of the virus, but most social services have been suspended. In February 2021, the Louis Sham Hub was also on the brink of closure. The UK government implemented three lockdown measures from March 2020 to March 2021. During this period, activities were restricted except for essential areas such as the NHS, public transportation, and childcare teachers. At that time, a woman with her child fled domestic violence and knocked on Louis Sham Hub’s door. She was looking for a baby car. She came to buy necessities from Liverpool, Wales and even Scotland, which are sometimes hours away from London. He used the term ‘scandalous’ several times throughout the interview. “The UK’s COVID-19 regulations have unfairly discriminated against those with the least ability to procure basic necessities. The protection system did not work for them.” More than 4,000 citizens signed a petition protesting the decision to close the Louis Sham Hub, and the city council eventually accepted the petition. At Louis Sham Hub, you don’t have to prove poverty to get help. There was no limit on the number of items. All there was a large notice that said, ‘Take only what you need’ and ‘Violence is unacceptable’. Justina (48), who organized the donated pillows and blankets, was busy with her hands and feet. “Registered people get help from the government, but unregistered people get help here. Louis Sham Hub is like our government.” He is a refugee claimant from Nigeria. He first came here to buy daily necessities, and then started volunteering. He distributed laptops to children instead of school, and delivered medicine and food to families in crisis instead of the ward office. “If it wasn’t here, I wouldn’t have been able to hold out for the last two years.” It was the story of Justina, and it was also the story of the community. Lawrence Smith, CEO of Louis Sham Donation Hub, answers questions from reporters. ⓒEPN Shin Seon-young Mr. Smith, who was once a delivery driver, worked 100 hours a week for the past two years. The same goes for other volunteers. Louis Sham Hub does not receive any subsidies from the government. The hub is supported by donations from most individuals. Mr. Smith said that the crisis response method that people have endured with good intentions is now under ‘pressure’. “Because we cannot solve all the problems of society.” Politicians’ response is that ‘wealthy tax cuts’ policy experts have called on the government to invest money in public health after COVID-19 and improve health inequality. The British government introduced a ‘job retention plan’ to prevent mass layoffs, but it was deemed difficult to repair the widening gap. If the employer does not fire the worker, it pays up to 80% of the worker’s salary. Since early 2021, UCL clinical research professor Christina Fagel has warned the government that there is a real risk that COVID-19 will become a ‘disease of poverty’. He is active in the ‘Independent SAGE’. It is a group of scientists who have gathered to inform citizens about the spread of COVID-19 in an easy-to-understand manner. “Since 2020, there have been various reports tracking the unequal impacts of COVID-19. The government was aware of this reality. But there was hardly any effort to solve the problem.” Even this winter is a crisis. Because the NHS has been struggling with saturation for over a year. Professor Fagel was very concerned that he would face the ‘third winter’ in this state. Inflation and energy crises are unprecedented challenges. Protesters demand a solution to the skyrocketing cost of living near Russell Square, London, on October 1. ⓒEPN Shin Seon-young The politician’s response was the ‘rich tax cut’ policy. On September 23rd, British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced a proposal to cut the top 1% tax rate (45%) for economic growth. It was a response that was clearly contrary to the demands that were appealed in the field of responding to the pandemic. After Truss announced tax cuts, the British pound depreciated and financial markets around the world fell into chaos. As approval ratings plummeted, Prime Minister Truss abolished the proposal to cut the top tax rate on October 3rd. However, the proposal to cut welfare spending remained a matter of debate. Mr. Smith criticized the idea that it could not come out if he saw the reality of Louis Sham. “For some reason, the British government has come to the conclusion that if you make the rich richer, it will help the poor. Many will find themselves in a state of poverty that is difficult to overcome.” Even on September 28, when the reporters visited, there were lines of people with suitcases and backpacks in front of the Louis Sham Hub. After the El Salvador family left, this time a large Iranian family came to visit. The footsteps did not stop. “It is easy to blame those seeking refuge. But a civilized country should not be indifferent to this misery. Is Britain really a civilized country?” This is a question that Mr. Smith had while going through the pandemic. Interviews were frequently interrupted by volunteers in fluorescent vests calling for Mr. Smith. He was busy preparing for an early winter. The coming winter is expected to be colder than usual.
[세계의 코로나 대응, 현장을 가다]
1. Japan – Japan’s effort and reflection to save its neighbors www.EPN.co.kr/48618 – Settling community care through team medical care www.EPN.co.kr/48619 2. Sweden – Sweden What’s different about the coronavirus strategy? www.EPN.co.kr/48670 – Why did Sweden open schools www.EPN.co.kr/48671 – “You must not forget that you are living” www.EPN.co.kr/48672 – Work ·How to reconcile childrearing and family life www.EPN.co.kr/48673 3.UK – How the UK is coping with disaster inequality www.EPN.co.kr/48728 – “Pandemic exposes and amplifies inequality ” www.EPN.co.kr/48729 – 500m along the River Thames, a wall filled with red hearts www.EPN.co.kr/48777 – A ‘gap’ filled by the independent scientific advisory group www.EPN.co.kr/48779 – ” Media should invest in professional knowledge” www.EPN.co.kr/48771 This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, which was raised through government advertising fees.
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