A discussion on Brexit, Foreign Affairs, and Covid-19

The Shia Ithna’ashari Community of Middlesex (SICM) in collaboration with The Salaam Centre, invited Mohamed Amersi to join a live virtual discussion covering a range of topics from Brexit to Covid-19 on the 30th October 2020.

In the discussion, Mohamed shared his reflections on the status of the emerging Brexit discussions and his views on what the future may look like as a result of the final agreements.

The discussion centred on the Covid-19 trade-off between lives vs. livelihoods, a series of ongoing decisions for scientists and governments to resolve as the virus continues to spread. The debate between prioritising citizens’ lives through implementing strict lockdowns to control the spread of the virus vs. the health of the economy, access to earning a living and mental health through social interactions and the ability to exercise, is faced by governments around the world.

Covid-19 has taught us that this is a multi-layered complex problem, it is not just a health challenge, it is economic, and societal. With scientists championing conservative guidelines to save lives, politicians must also balance the impact on citizens’ livelihoods and the economy.