Within the THRIVE (“Taking stock to foster health and trust for an inclusive post-Covid society”) project, its fourth work package uses interviews and focus groups to listen to the accounts and self-narration of children and young people currently aged from 15 to 20. This work package thus gains in-depth understanding of children’s experiences of and reactions to the pandemic, as well as of their view on its consequences up to the present. Covering a range of thematic areas, our qualitative research explores children and young people’s relationships with education, socialisation in and across different spheres (school, family, leisure activities, etc.), leisure and hobby activities in lockdown, identity formation, and attitude to different sanitary measures. This rich understanding is critical in de-homogenizing and de-demonizing the portion of the population often described as anti-vax or anti-establishment, thereby avoiding possible escalations and polarizations if a new health crisis were to break out.

The motivational support for following the coronama measures during this 'people's marathon' gradually dwindled over the past few weeks, from 81% at the start of the lockdown to 51% at the end of April. From the motivation barometer at UGent, there is cautiously good news to report: voluntary motivation has been increasing slightly since May 1. 58% of the population fully supports the measures after the first day of phase 1 of the exit strategy. The more motivating communication in recent days, together with the announcement of a number of easing measures, probably explain this favorable effect. Tomorrow, the National Security Council will meet again. In the past, communication from the National Security Council has proven to be a motivational pivotal moment each time. We formulate concrete advice for the government to inform and encourage the population in a motivating way to keep up this "people's marathon. At the same time, we encourage the population itself to also reflect critically on its own motivation and to deeply embed behavioral changes into a new lifestyle. Not only is covid-19 a contagious virus, so is the case for popular motivation.

The National Security Council proposed a series of easing measures last Friday night. These give the people perspective, although their implementation is conditional and hard choices had to be made. By necessity, our social contacts will be at a low ebb for some time to come. More than ever it comes down to perseverance during this "people's marathon," where it is crucial that the government motivates, inspires, and connects the population. Without sufficient and quality motivation, the population begins to flout the measures. Without a connecting narrative, the population's well-being is in danger of deteriorating. But the motivation barometer, which since March 19 at UGent has been mapping citizens' motivation and well-being on a daily basis, shows that fatigue is setting in. In a first part, we give an overview of these results, while in a second part we take a closer look at the (de)motivating communication style of the government.

Marathon runners prepare thoroughly for a race—not just physically, but mentally as well. They have psychological strategies to push through tough moments and a tactical plan to manage their race, based on knowledge of the course and their competitors. The entire population has now been running a collective marathon for over five weeks. However, they were unprepared for this exceptional event: no physical training, no mental support for the race, no tactical plan for how to endure until the finish line.

The COVID-19 measures are starting to take a psychological toll. COVID fatigue is setting in, with some people longing for their old, normal lives. Although the government and scientists urge us to keep going, persevering requires more and more energy. Some people are losing their self-control and are becoming more careless with the measures. The question then arises: how can we replenish our energy reserves? Based on the ongoing COVID study "How are you doing at home?", it appears that investing in your own psychological needs for autonomy, connectedness, and competence boosts our resilience and helps protect us against COVID fatigue.

Last weekend, a debate arose about the precise interpretation of certain measures, such as who is allowed to rest on a park bench. Since various politicians and scientists offered their opinions, this led to some confusion among the public. It is crucial that, when refining and eventually phasing out the measures, it is clearly explained what is expected of the public and why certain efforts remain necessary. According to the results of the corona study by Ghent University, this is essential to keep the population motivated to faithfully adhere to the measures until the end of the lockdown.

To achieve great results, top athletes must train daily and take good care of themselves. Motivation plays a key role in this process. Without a strong dose of healthy motivation, they wouldn't be able to keep up with their demanding training routines. During these coronavirus times, the population’s motivation to adhere to the prescribed measures is also being tested. A study we conducted at Ghent University shows that, overall, our sustainable motivation is currently in a good place, although there are differences between individuals. This is good news because motivation is a strong predictor of how well we follow the measures and, consequently, how much we can limit the spread of the virus. If the daily motivation measurements indicate that our motivation is starting to wane, the government can intervene with targeted, motivational communication to steer things back on track.