Covid and Me is a series of 12 filmed monologues , 5 focus on Vaccine research and 7 focus on Covid 19 research .

Covid and Me – was funded by the National Institute of health research (NIHR) and co produced by TOD in partnership with Leeds University, led by Prof Sue Pavitt

Medical research is playing a key role in bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control. The UK is delivering pioneering research studies into COVID-19, including to develop treatments and vaccines. We need as many people as possible, from every part of the UK’s population to consider taking part in these studies and help the NHS find the solution.

Covid-19 has highlighted once again the health inequalities prevalent in our communities. It is critical that the vaccination programs make greater effort to reach all parts of the UK, including those ‘underserved communities’ (those that seldom engage). This is because emerging trends suggest many underserved communities, including Black Asian and Ethnic Minorities (BAME) communities, older people, those with co-morbidities and those from socioeconomically deprived communities, are at greater risk from COVID-19. These communities will potentially benefit from being prioritised for protective vaccination trials and because we want to ensure the results of any research are generalisable to a broad population.

Evidence shows however that many groups are consistently left behind when it comes to research, both because of cultural and social barriers and because of inequities in the health system.

To illustrate how people from different communities have been affected by the pandemic and to underline the importance of COVID-19 and vaccine research, we have created 12 short monologues to give the often unheard – a voice.

TOD commissioned 12 playwrights who were themselves members of the communities, Covid and Me was being created to reach. Several of them had worked with us before abs several were completely new our work. (could list the writers here Jonathan Hall, Judith Johnson, Sarah Daniels, Farah Najib, Leanne Allen, Oladipo Agboluaje, Sudha Bhuchar)

Every major TOD project starts with a generator workshop. The workshop brings together researchers, health educators, members of the public, playwrights and other artists.. The workshop becomes a dynamic forum in which stories can be told, misinformation challenged and conversations and debates began.

The participants for the workshops included members of Black Asian and Ethnic Minorities (BAME) communities, older people, those with co-morbidities and those from socioeconomically deprived communities, are at greater risk from COVID-19.

This experience informs the monologues that the playwright writes and ensures that the voices of the seldom heard are heard.

The participants for the workshops included members of many underserved communities, including Black Asian and Ethnic Minorities (BAME) communities, older people, those with co-morbidities and those from socioeconomically deprived communities, are at greater risk from COVID-19.

Who attended the workshops and continued to contribute to the creative process to varying degrees

Covid in a word, and yes, it is in most cases cheaper. We actually filmed the first series just as we were coming out of lockdown and the second series just as we were going into the second lock down.

A monologue is a speech given by a single character in a story. In drama, it is the vocalisation of a character’s thoughts ; in literature, the verbalisation. It is traditionally a device used in theatre—a speech to be given on stage—but nowadays, its use extends to film and television.

The Covid and Me monologues are powerful as you feel in a one to one conversation with the actor, as if you are sat across a table and hearing them speak.
Dr William van’t Hoffis the Chief Executive Officer at the NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre