Cities must adapt for the ‘COVID decade’, says new report

Society could continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19 for a decade or more, according to a new report from the British Academy, which highlights that cities have an important role to play in preventing the acceleration and expansion of inequalities.

The research was requested by Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor, to better understand the long-term societal effects and impacts of COVID-19. It calls for “an urgent public policy overhaul” to repair the “profound social damage wrought by the pandemic” in areas such as health and wellbeing, the economy, poverty, mental health, education and public trust.

The study brings together more than 200 academic social...