Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) - COVID Blocker

Since the lockdown began, CALM has seen a record-breaking demand for their helpline, answering 21,577 calls and webchats, and directly preventing 93 suicides. Whilst there are of course many factors that can contribute to feelings of anxiety and confusion during these uncertain times, the exacerbating effect of endless updates and non-stop reporting of the pandemic on our mental health is undeniable. The CALM COVID Blocker is a Google Chrome extension that identifies and blocks Covid-19 related content on any site visited in order to reduce exposure to reporting, giving you a moment of calm. By encouraging people to take control of their media consumption and seek the latest pandemic information at specific and restricted times of day, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, the blocker will hopefully provide individuals with some much-needed headspace, and be a useful addition to their arsenal of mechanisms to let some good in.