Page 43 - Green Builder May-June 2020 Issue

those preparations. A New York Times op here I want to examine three smaller scales more crowed settlements without adequate
ed by members of the University of Penn- and the built environment. water supplies and sanitation—in both
sylvania faculty explains the suppression urban and rural settings—but these have
strategy well. CITIES AND REGIONS been a focus of public health concern for
Additionally, the economic fallout from In the context of COVID-19, some have ques- a long time. While cities will not be elimi-
suppression may endanger the health of the tioned the future of urban life. This is a bit nated, a long period of suppression may well
vulnerable: older adults, children, those with premature. Metropolitan areas are quite change patterns of urban life.
preexisting conditions, anyone with a low varied in density and character; they range
income, and those otherwise marginalized from leafy suburbs to apartment buildings NEIGHBORHOODS
in society. People may lose their housing, in the core city. It is also important to dis- With more people working at home, and
find it harder to access routine health care tinguish between high population densities more deliveries, the neighborhood can pro-
and prescription medications, and eat less (counted as people per acre, for example) vide support, challenge, and delight: support
well. Stress is caused by economic hurt as and crowding (often operationalized as for healthy activities; challenges to stimu-
well as uncertainly over the pandemic itself. people per room). Singapore has so far late oneself both physically and mentally;
These are not good times for human health. avoided the worst of the crisis with wide- and delight in a time of stress. For all except
What does this mean for urban places? spread testing, isolation, and clear commu- the strictest suppression approaches, peo-

Home coping. COVID-19 is forcing most
people to stay indoors, where the air
focusing on keeping everything sanitary
and virus-free.

CREDIT: KZENON/ISTOCK

There are very obvious disruptions at the nication. Italy, where suppression is in full ple can get out and about for exercise and
global scale—with grounded flights, required force, shows the social solidarity possible in errands, while still keeping social distance.
isolation for travelers, and closed borders. higher density areas—like people singing With gyms closed, meetings going online,
More will need to be done internationally to from their balconies. COVID-19 is emptying and grocery stores limiting numbers of visi-
try to stop diseases crossing from animals out public transportation in many places, tors, the outdoors is all the more important.
to humans—a task that is compounded by but transportation is already in a transition Of course, this assumes people retain their
climate change altering habitats and people period due to automation. The key health housing as economic conditions worsen—
moving into previously unsettled areas. But crisis from COVID-19 is likely to appear in also a key planning and design concern.

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