COVID-19 has been a tough time for journalists, with laws restricting free speech being rolled out around the world. On Monday, the Council of Europe released a report into the importance of journalism during the pandemic and the extra hurdles that governments and police have put in its way. Much worse, yesterday it was reported that the Egyptian reporter Mohamed Monir, jailed under an emergency law, had died after contracting COVID-19 in prison.
But if it’s been a hard time for journalists, then it’s been the worst of times for healthcare workers. Figures compiled by Amnesty International show that Russia, England, Pakistan and the Philippines have been particularly hard hit. With 540 health and social workers killed by COVID-19, England and Wales are second only to Russia for global fatalities among those caring for patients.
Likewise, the pandemic has caused "an education emergency". 9.7 million children may never return to school. Millions of girls in poorer countries or conflict-hit regions are likely to be forced into child labour or early marriage due to the school closures and economic collapse that have come with the pandemic, according to Save the Children.
