Same Storm, Different Boats: Covid, Community and How We Come Together

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In Same Storm, Different Boats, former Public Health Director Jason Strelitz shares a candid, moving, and insightful account of the Covid-19 pandemic through the lens of Newham, East London—one of Britain’s most diverse communities.

From the first whispers of a mysterious virus in Wuhan to the harrowing days of overcrowded hospitals and the hopeful rollout of life-saving vaccines, the book recounts how Jason, as Director of Public Health, alongside countless public servants and community champions, navigated an unprecedented public health crisis.

But this isn’t just a story of policy decisions and PPE shortages; it’s a story of real people, the power of community, and the resilience of those who faced the storm together. Through compelling anecdotes and personal reflections, Same Storm, Different Boats exposes the harsh inequalities Covid-19 magnified, and the vital importance of social solidarity.

As we move into a future still shaped by the pandemic’s lessons, the book challenges us to build fairer, healthier communities. It’s a powerful call to action and a testament to the unsung heroes of the pandemic—the local leaders, neighbours, and community champions who showed us what it truly means to come together when the world is falling apart.

Same Storm, Different Boats is for readers interested in the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as those in public policy and local government roles in social change.

About the author

Jason Strelitz was Director of Public Health in Newham during the Covid pandemic, and has worked in senior roles across London local government over the past 12 years. Before this, he worked in academia, national charities, and with central government, focused on tackling poverty and inequalities. He is also Founder/Trustee of a charity working in northern Malawi with his partner, and lives with her and his two children in North London.   

Testimonials

The Covid pandemic called on a director of Public Health to be, at once, a numbers analyst and a truster of intuition; a strategic planner and a flexible responder to changed circumstances; to have a laser-like focus on the local while being aware of the global; to recognise social inequalities as a structural reality while responding to individuals’ lived experience; to be the leader of a team and a community organiser; an effective public communicator and a good listener. Most of all a sympathetic soul and something of a philosopher. Jason Strelitz is all of these and a gifted writer which makes this inside account of the pandemic essential reading. Professor Sir Michael Marmot CH, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity

Drawing on his experience of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jason Strelitz provides an excellent account of how national public policy can only work well if it is carefully adapted to the diversity of local circumstances. As Director of Public Health in Newham, East London, he writes about how his public health team dealt with the unfolding impact of the Covid-19 pandemic with an innovative and ‘can do’ approach. He writes with a passion for local communities and for evidence-based policy. His references to the long-term impact of school closures on children deserve particular attention. Especially for children living in poverty – as more than half of Newham's children do. His book is full of examples of how nationally determined policy needs to give local actors the space to adapt policy to the realities of health risks and vulnerabilities at the local level. Barry Quirk, Adviser to local Government and the public sector, former London Chief Executive.

In Newham, we faced a perfect storm, where a new infection collided with social inequalities to devastating effect. Same Storm is a compelling account of that impact, of community focused leadership, and the power of people coming together. Dr Farzana Hussain, Newham GP