Items

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  2020-04-14

  Harvard Museums of Science and Culture Caption Challenge

  Post on the Twitter page of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture that asks users to comment "what does this painting say to you?" Asks social media users to engage with their recent exhibit "Face to Face: Portraits of Museum Animals" by Jana Matusz. The specific post deals with a painting of a lion cub, inspired by the lion cub that can be viewed in the Africa Gallery of the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Posts like this highlight how museums continue to interact with their audience, and build awareness around their current exhibitions. https://web.archive.org/web/20200417092351/https:/twitter.com/HarvardMuseum/status/1250050814930026503
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  2020-04-22

  HMSC Connects! Earth Day

  Webpage created by the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture to educate and inform the public about vital environmental issues on Earth Day. This resource emphasizes the difference between 2020's socially distanced Earth Day, and how the holiday has normally been seen as a time for people to celebrate their natural environment and continue protecting it. The webpage includes resources for activities as well as lesson plans produced by the Harvard Museums, Harvard University, and other organizations in the Greater Boston area. Resources like this highlight how museums and other cultural institutions sought to continue using public holidays as opportunities to educate, even as they were no longer able to host physical events in their own spaces. https://hmsc.harvard.edu/earth-day
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  2020-06-09

  Harvard Museum of Natural History #MuseumAtHome

  Coloring page for the exterior of the Harvard Museum of Natural History published on their Twitter page as part of the social media campaign #MuseumAtHome. This is also tied to their #ColorOurCollections social media campaign. Both campaigns are part of Boston museums' efforts to engage in socially distanced outreach as a result of the CoVid-19 pandemic.
• 2020-06-12

  Edward M. Kennedy Institute Webinar - Dual Pandemics: Global Youth Perspectives on Fighting HIV & COVID-19

  Webinar hosted by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate focused on the CoVid-19 pandemic and the continued struggle against HIV/AIDS. Program focuses on youth perspectives, highlighting voices of HIV-positive youth advocates in the United States and Uganda. Participants discuss how the current pandemic has affected them, and how they relate to it both as young people who are also living with HIV.
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  2020-06-01

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 35

  Following the announcement of Massachusetts's reopening, this order, signed by Governor Baker on June 1, 2020, clarified the details as to how the state would progress. While some states attempted to rush their reopening in a bid for a quick economic revival, Governor Baker and his team of advisors opted for a much slower and methodical approach, especially given Massachusetts's high number of COVID-19 cases and the correspondingly high death toll. Northeastern University Northeastern University
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  2020-05-18

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 33

  As states came under pressure to reopen their economies despite the pandemic's continued presence, the Governor's Office unveiled this phased reopening plan that sought to slowly revive the economy while imposing safety measures to guard the public's health. Northeastern University
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  May 18, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 34

  As Massachusetts began its slow reopening process, the Governor allowed for beaches to reopen to a certain spectrum of "passive recreational activities." However, state authorities retained the power to limit the size of crowds and ensure social distancing.
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  May 15, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 32

  Governor Charlie Baker's extension of the state lock down to May 19, 2020. As Massachusetts prepared to follow other states by gradually reopening its economy, the governor issued this order as part of "a measured relaxation of currently existing restrictions."
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  May 1, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 31

  This order required that all residents of the state above the age of 2 years must wear a face mask/covering, either inside or outside, when social distancing is not possible. As scientists raced to understand COVID-19's transmission, the medical community's stance on face masks gradually shifted. In the early days of the pandemic, physicians and public health officials advised against the use of masks, citing their relative ineffectiveness, only to do an about-face a couple of months later by stressing their importance in cutting down on the airborne contagions that allow the virus to jump from person-to-person.
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  April 28, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 30

  Effective on April 28, 2020, this measure extended the state's lock down by maintaining the closure of certain non-essential workplaces, as well as the prohibition on gathering of 10 people or more.
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  April 28, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 29

  A revision of a previous COVID order allowing the Governor's Council to engage in remote participation.
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  April 16, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order - 4/16/2020

  This executive order authorized the creation of emergency residential and emergency placement programs for children during the course of the COVID-19 emergency.
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  April 9, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 24

  Order effective on April 9, 2020, that permitted graduate and senior level nursing students to begin practicing; a direct reflection of the dire need for qualified medical personnel to be on hand for the surge of COVID cases that could potentially overwhelm the state's hospital system.
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  April 9, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 25

  In an effort to expand citizens' access to medical services, Governor Baker signed this order so as to require all major health insurers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to cover any and all medical services related to COVID-19.
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  March 26, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 17

  This order suspends deadlines related to state permits and extends existing permits' validity. Northeastern JOTPY
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  March 26, 2020

  Massachusetts COVID-19 Order No. 18

  One of Governor Charlie Baker's early executive orders extending licenses, permits, and registrations not already covered by previous orders. This highlights the importance of ensuring that all essential services and operations were able to function with little to no interruption during the pandemic.
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  March 20, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Reducing In-Person Transactions at the DMV

  Signed on March 20,2020, this executive order sought to reinforce the state's social distancing measures by reducing the level of contact between people at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
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  2020-06-15

  Edward M. Kennedy Institute Youth Action Guide on Climate

  Online guide exploring how young people can be involved in climate activism during the CoVid-19 pandemic. Explores activists that are crucial to the global movement for climate justice, and highlights 4 organizations engaged in this work. Guide emphasizes actions people can take to connect with these groups even during quarantine.
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  2020-04-01

  West End Museum Gofundme

  Gofundme webpage created by the West End Museum to help sustain itself during the CoVid-19 pandemic. Webpage asks for donations that will assist the institution with the transition to creating more virtual content, as well as the maintenance of their collection. Reflects the challenges under-funded and community museums face as they have been forced to close their doors and rely more heavily on online platforms.
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  2020-06-11

  BPL To Go

  Service offered by the Boston Public Library in response to continued closure related to the CoVid-19 pandemic. Service allows for library members to pick up books, movies, and CDs from library locations. FAQs and press releases related to the program highlight the compliance with social distancing, as well as quarantine protocols for materials that are loaned out. This service highlights how libraries are coping with the coronavirus, both in terms of being unable to welcome visitors but also how the coronavirus affects their lending of physical items.
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  2020-04-05

  Harvard Museums of Science and Culture Explorers Club

  An Instagram page created by the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture in 2020. This page's first post was from April 5th, during the pandemic. The page posts photos, offers activities during social distancing, and different ways to engage with science and other cultures in one's neighborhood or immediate surroundings. The page also promotes virtual events that are put on by the Harvard museums. This page highlights new approaches to engagement that museums have had to develop as they have been forced online, and how they're relating their collections and expertise to the current pandemic.
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  March 20, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Permitting the Deferral of Certain Real Estate Inspections

  This executive order signed by Governor Baker on March 20, 2020, permitted the deferral of real estate inspections during home sales or transfers, thereby placing the responsibility of equipping the dwelling with proper alarms/detection systems on the buyer and not the seller.
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  03/23/2020

  Massachusetts Executive COVID-19 Order No. 13

  This order limited gatherings of 10 or more and closed non-essential services, while mandating the continued operations of all essential operations. Signed by Governor Baker on March 23, 2020, the order sought to "minimize all unnecessary activities outside of the home during the state of emergency."
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  March 18, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Closing Child Care Programs and Authorizing the Creation of Emergency Measures

  Signed by Governor Baker on March 18, 2020, this executive order sought to mitigate the virus's spread by closing all child care facilities in the state; a necessary step according to health officials, since COVID-19 easily spread from asymptomatic children to adults.
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  March 12, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Regarding the Suspension of certain Open Meeting Law Provisions

  This executive order, signed by Governor Baker on March 12th, 2020, relieves a "public body" from conducting its business in an openly accessible meeting place in favor of "adequate, alternative means," particularly remote options. Yet another mitigation effort, this order also reveals how Massachusetts, and society in general, had to adapt to strict social distancing measures in order to carry on day-to-day operations.
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  3/15/2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Expanding Telehealth Services and Protecting Health Care Providers

  Because strict social distancing measures were necessary to combat the virus's spread, telehealth/medicine became essential delivery systems for medical services during the pandemic. On March 15th, 2020, Governor Baker signed this order requiring all in-network healthcare providers to render medical services via telehealth, therefore highlighting how technology acted as a mitigation tool to slow COVID-19. Moreover, this order underscores how the virus has altered how people interacted with the health care system.
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  March 17, 2020

  Massachusetts Executive Order Expanding Access to Physician Services

  Because of the stealthy nature of COVID-19's transmission, and the lethal threat it posed to high-population centers like Boston, state and local health officials braced for a public health emergency that could potentially overwhelm the health care system. Signed by Governor Baker on March 17th, 2020, this executive order expanded the number of physicians permitted to practice in Massachusetts by allowing retired physicians to return upon request, extending physicians' soon-to-expire licenses, and granting emergency licenses to out-of-state physicians with good standing.
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  2020-03-17

  Massachusetts Executive Order Regarding the Registration of Health Care Professionals

  With an urgent need for health care professionals to be on hand to combat the coronavirus, Governor Charlie Baker signed this executive order extending/validating the license registration of all essential medical professionals whose license was about to expire for a period of no less than 90 days after the termination of the state's health emergency. This reflects the impending stress that the virus would place upon Massachusetts's health system, thus necessitating the need for all medical personnel to be available.
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  2020-03-13

  Massachusetts Executive Order Prohibiting All Gatherings of More than 250 People

  Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker's executive order banning large public gatherings in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak. With densely-populated areas such as Greater Boston, such measures were absolutely essential to halting the virus's spread across the city.
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  2020-03-17

  Exodus Bagels, March 17

  Exodus Bagels is a black-owned business in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, MA. This Facebook post is an announcement on March 17 that Exodus Bagels would close indefinitely due to the pandemic.
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  2020-06-10

  #MOSatHome

  Boston's Museum of Science has developed a wide range of virtual activities for virtual visitors: daily live streams, virtual exhibits, family STEM activities, podcasts, and other museum resources. This page gathers these online activities and puts them in one place.
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  2020-05-11

  Museum@Home

  In celebration of Museum Week 2020, Revolutionary Spaces built an interactive activity/lesson plan to teach people about the collections, exhibits, and gallery talks at their two historic sites. The activities also invite kids and families to create their own museum at home. The activities were also posted on Revolutionary Spaces' website.
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  2020-04-28

  Poetry in the Time of Corona with Charles Coe

  Revolutionary Spaces board member and poet/writer/performer Charles Coe reads two original poems: "Love in the Time of Corona" and "Something in the Wind." Part of Revolutionary Spaces' virtual event series during COVID19.
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  2020-05-26

  How to Care for Your Home Library

  Nicole McAllister, Special Collections Librarian at Revolutionary Spaces, shares tips and best practices for caring for home libraries. Published on Revolutionary Spaces' website during COVID19.
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  2020-06-10

  Historian at Home Video Series

  The USS Constitution Museum presents a weekly video series with Public Historian Carl Herzog. Carl uses the Museum’s collections, archives, and online content to explore the lesser known corners of “Old Ironsides’” history for a virtual audience.
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  2020-05-06

  Coronavirus Pandemic's Effect on Kids

  This is the first episode of the Boston Children's Museum's podcast Big & Little. "Boston Children's Museum CEO and President, Carole Charnow, talks with Dr. Michael Yogman, a practicing pediatrician in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about the many challenges the Coronavirus presents for parents, families, and children."
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  2020-05-29

  Dr. Nancy Rappaport discusses strategies for parenting during the pandemic

  This is the second episode of the Boston Children's Museum's podcast, Big & Little, podcast for adults about kids and families. In this episode, BCM CEO "Carole [Chernow] chats with psychologist Dr. Nancy Rappaport about the challenges the pandemic presents for parents and children. Dr. Rappaport, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard University Medical School, sheds light on some of the positive effects families can take away from this historic time."
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  2020-06-10

  The Museum Will Suspend all Planned Programming and Re-Opening Until Risk to Public Has Declined

  Boston Children's Museum's announcement about closing due to COVID-19.
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  2020-03-23

  USS Constitution Museum Goes Virtual

  USS Constitution Museum announcement that the Museum has "launched a robust outreach initiative where it is turning the Museum 'inside-out' and creating digital opportunities for visitor engagement." Part of the Museum's work to address social distancing during COVID19.
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  2020-06-10

  The virtual USS Constitution Museum is open

  The USS Constitution Museum website has pivoted to encourage online engagement with the museum. The new home page offers online games, live tours, and various "at home" activities for museum visitors to explore during social distancing due to COVID19.
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  2020-05-19

  Letter from the Boston College President

  After the closures of colleges across the country, Boston College remained open in a diminished capacity to provide housing and refuge for students unable to return home to shelter in place. In this email, President of the School Father Leahy outlines the steps taken to ensure safety. He also speaks towards the future Fall 2020 semester and how Boston College can best ensure a safe climate atmosphere.
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  2020-06-01

  Covid-19 Cases in Massachussetts as of June 1st

  This is a screenshot of the number of Covid-19 cases in Massachussetts as of June 1st. Massachusetts announced that they were going to be including probable cases in their reports, so there was a major spike in the number of cases on the 1st of June.
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  2020-05

  Virtual Graduation at Simmons University

  This is a photograph of the instructions for participating in the virtual graduation ceremoney at Simmons University in Boston.
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  2020-04

  Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Recipe

  I found this recipe on a Facebook group for people sharing quarantine recipes. This recipe really showcases how many people were having to learn how to make things due to food shortages and an inability to go to the grocery store. This recipe is for a salad dressing which, under normal circumstances, folks might not be anticipating having to make themselves.
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  2020-04

  Survival Bread Recipes

  I found this recipe on a Facebook group for people sharing their quarantine recipes. I thought this recipe was important to share because not only did so many people become really interested in baking bread during quarantine, but these recipes call for the sort of bare-bones ingredients that many might have attended to during some of the flour shortages.
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  2020-03

  Sign Outside Mass. Ave Stop Explains How to Stop the Spread of Germs

  This sign outside of the Mass. Ave T-Stop in Boston advertises some of the ways to stop the spread of germs. The placement of this sign right outside a train station illustrates how especially important following these guidelines was while using public transportation during Covid-19.
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  2020-03

  Sign in Boston CVS Window Explains that Testing is Not Available There

  This photograph of a sign in the window of a Boston CVS explains that Covid-19 testing is not available at that location. This sign showcases how, especially in the beginning, people were very panicked and also confused about how to get tested and where.
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  2020-03

  Boston Symphony Hall Closes

  This is a photograph of a sign posted in the window of the Boston Symphony Hall. This sign illustrates how sudden many of the closures were due to Covid-19, leading to suddenly canceled events.
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  2020-03

  Playground Closure in Boston

  This is a photograph of a sign placed outside of a playground in Boston explaining that due to Covid-19, the playground is closed "until further notice." This sign illustrates how urban environments dealt with closures.
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  2020-06-08

  Sign Outside Boston Public Library Asks Parents to Read to their Children

  This is a photograph of a sign in the window of the Boston Public Library. The sign asks parents to read to their children because the library will be closed due to Covid-19. This sign illustrates both how vital the BPL is to may children in Boston as well as how many parents were required to take over the role of providing reading material following closures of schools and libraries.