Quebec Premier François Legault said, "Halloween happens outside. We know that the outdoors is less risky than indoors." Trick or treating will be allowed this year in Quebec despite multiple "red zones" within the province. Physical distancing will still need to be followed, and no halloween parties will be allowed.

This is a picture of my sister on her first day on the COVID unit as St. Joseph's Hospital. She was transferred from the Neuro-ICU because the size of COVID admissions. The managers put a strong focus on the importance of gearing up, they were told specifically that "nothing is an emergency" but after the first few days she learned that wasn't the case. It typically takes about 4 to 5 minutes to get completely geared up to go into a patients room. The problem is when a patients O2 levels drop hard and fast. Then the nurses are faced with the choice to go in without proper protection or take the time to get geared up. Nurses face life and death situations normally, a pandemic just amplifies it to a level that no one was prepared for.

I wanted to submit this article because I relate to it so much and how the pandemic has made so many students like me struggle to succeed from home where there is so many distractions and you just can't focus most of the time.

This photograph shows how different the time is compared to before the pandemic. I used to go to a gym called Orange Theory a few times a week to do HIIT workouts, however during quarantine they were closed and I had to find a way to still stay fit while not being able to actually go to the gym. I ordered some dumbbells and resistance bands on Amazon and would set up a space outside to do my workouts after running outside. It was different for me because I like having a coach present to give me workouts to do and to push me harder so it took some adjusting. Overall, this picture represents quarantine because it shows how we much adapt in order to keep going with our daily routines.

This is a photo inside the gymnastics gym I used to work at. It was taken shortly before everything started to shut down. I didn't know how long the pandemic would last, I didn't think it would change my life as much as it did. I've worked with these kids and their families for years; we consider ourselves a big family. The strain the pandemic put on our friendship was immense and I fear it may have broken some. The gym re-opened (although at the time all forms of gyms were still forced to stay closed) and this made a dilemma that I didn't think I'd have to face. My situation was confusing and has caused me a lot of anxiety as families were asking if or when I was coming back. I couldn't give them an answer because my family needed me. My older family members were effected the most by all this. They are all high risk and couldn't do the things they wanted to like go to the store or the movies. I had a choice; leave my family out to dry and go back to coaching or take care of my grandparents and others. I of course chose my family. But I still miss the families and the kids I coach. I deal with that everyday when I see their progress of Instagram. Some of the family's doubt the severity of the pandemic, which makes me even more stressed because they could very well be speaking ill of me for the way I've been handling all this. I fight this inner doubt everyday because I really care for the kids I coach and I want to be apart of their progress, but at the same time with so many family members in the medical field and people that now depend on me I can't justify leaving them by themselves or potentially spreading it to them.

Baba ka Dhaba, a 30-year-old food stall in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi went viral on Instagram showing the sheer power of social media. The link below shows us an 80-year-old man named Kanta Prasad explaining how they barely manage to meet their basic needs during this pandemic. While showing the food he even broke down and cried in front of the food blogger Gaurav Wasan. Delicious and mouth-watering curries such as dal (lentils), Paneer Matar (cottage cheese and peas) and Aloo soya (potato soya curry) can be seen in the video which are only priced from Rs.30-50 (less than a dollar). This touching video reached 9 million views on Instagram in less than a day and even got support from Bollywood celebrities. Zomato, an Indian food delivery app even registered this stall on their app showing their support making #Babakadhaba one of the topmost trends on Indian Twitter right now.

My essay shows just how similar the Spanish flu outbreak is with the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes the fact that we should've been so much more prepared today, with all of our modern technology and science, than we were in 1918. The newspaper article I look at also shows the shocking differences between the two, like the zero urgency for quarantining and the different kinds of masks and methods that were used to try and treat these illnesses.

Working in a golf shop at a golf course obviously has its peak times, the busy times being in the summer and the downtime being in the winter, especially in Utah. Winters in Utah can get especially brutal, so as golfers, when February and March come around, we all get pretty excited as the new golf season approaches. However, none of us knew what was to come in February as we started preparing for the upcoming 2020 golf season. As the virus began to spread through the nation, and various states started reporting cases of COVID-19, we knew it was only a matter of time until it reached Utah, and specifically Cache Valley. As the virus reached Utah, many schools and businesses were shutting down, thereby forcing people indoors. Due to the fact that golf is played outdoors, our mayor suggested we stay open, but with heavy precautions and changes to the overall operation in order to ensure the safety of players. These precautions included raised golf cups to keep people from touching the same golf hole (picture attached), tee time slots being placed in larger time increments in order to keep everyone spaced out, players riding in carts individually, and online reservations being suggested so as to remove people from going inside to the only point of contact in the golf experience. As a result of these precautions, we were able to remain open for business to allow players a chance to escape from their homes, and because of this, the golf course saw record numbers. Tee times were spaced out, which meant that instead of a group of golfers teeing off every 7 minutes, we made it every 10 minutes. Despite this change, we saw groups of golfers literally tee off every 10 minutes, from 6:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. on most days! As the national shutdown continued, it only gave people more of a reason to select outdoor activities in order to escape the house, and it only increased the desire for most to try golf. The phones in the shop were off the hook nonstop as people called inquiring about potential open slots for them to tee off. Most calls were unsuccessful, as we found ourselves booked out days, and sometimes a week or more, in advance! This year was a strange year in many ways, filled with sadness, anxiety, and lots of stress. As an employee in the golf industry, unlike most businesses in the COVID-19 pandemic, I actually saw a dramatic rise in time spent at work, and I consider myself very fortunate for that, as many struggled regarding employment. The golf industry exploded this summer, and with the special precautions that were taken in order to ensure the safety of the players as much as possible, many people took advantage of the possible outdoor activity, and used golf as an escape from the stresses of their lives. Many...including myself.

This picture was taken recently during a coffee tasting with my coworkers. I did not take the photo. I am an ASU student submitting this as part of an assignment for HST485. This photo captures a light moment during what has been a stressful time (both for customers and retail workers like myself). It demonstrates resilience and humor in the face of challenges. The photo was taken in Gaylord, Michigan on October 2, 2020.

I pride myself on being a friendly southerner, mainly while out shopping or eating at restaurants. I know retail and food service employees have very difficult jobs, so I always try to be friendly, understanding and tip well. One of the ways I’ve always tried to appear friendly is by smiling. But now with the COVID-19 pandemic, masks are required pretty much everywhere. Essential workers are overworked, and now my face, covered with a mask from the nose down is hiding my smile. They cannot tell how friendly I appear; now I just have to try and say loudly(so they can understand me from behind the mask), that I don’t mind how long I had to wait, I understand they are busy, and it’s okay. I usually try to ease their concern with a nice smile. I never realized how much not being able to smile at people would impact me. I’ve never felt more pressure to “smile with my eyes” or “smize” as Tyra Banks would famously tell the models on the America’s Next Top Model television show. Life’s hard for smilers, no one can see our beautiful expressions with masks on.

Although Minot State University is taking every precaution to combat COVID-19, there has been a spike in positive cases in Minot, specifically at the University. MSU has created unique ways to encourage the students to wear masks in any public area and incorporate some humor into classes during this stressful time; including offering free masks boasting the MSU mascot, the Beaver, with a witty saying: “Wear the DAM mask!”

I live in nice town in the Eastbay about twenty miles from San Francisco. Its population is around 70,000 and its downtown is home to dozens of restaurants and high-end retail stores. On the afternoon of March 16th of this year Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all non-essential businesses shutdown and locked down. The next morning I took a walk downtown only to find that the normally busy streets were deserted. It felt like I was one of the last people on earth. The normal sounds were all but gone and it sort of felt like an episode from the Walking Dead. For the next couple weeks and eventually months I walked downtown every day and sat on a bench reading a book. The business that I used to work at was deemed non-essential, so I was initially furloughed. Over time people gradually began venturing out and some of the familiar sounds returned such as people talking and the noise of traffic. Two months into the pandemic almost all of the businesses in my town were still closed. On my daily walk one afternoon I noticed something odd. As I looked up from my book, I noticed a large convoy made up of dozens of vehicles racing into the retail shopping district. Once there the drivers parked their cars and people began pouring out. Within a few minutes there were a couple hundred people breaking into and looting the closed retail stores. The towns relatively small police force was caught by surprise and within a half an hour almost every high-end retail store in town was cleaned out. There was no protest involved it was simply a coordinated raid. The next day on my walk downtown I noticed that every business in town had been boarded up and all the people were gone again. A little later in the pandemic the California wildfires began. I continued my walks with the constant smell of smoke in the air. On many days the sun was completely blocked out by smoke. The massive fires created a weird atmospheric condition. The smoke hovered at about 5,000-10,000 feet and it was as dark as night on some days but there was relatively little smoke at ground level. Now about seven months after the lockdowns began things are returning to normal and I still walk downtown every day.

I chose a PDF file detailing Tempe Elementary School District’s (TD3) plan for the 2020-2021 school year. This details when and why the school district is pushing back in person start dates and what they are doing to help the students/staff during the pandemic. It’s important to me because this is the school district I work for so it has an affect on what I do.

COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our lives, one that I would have never thought was using a mask in public. I began my Air Force career as a surgical technician in 1992. Wearing a mask was part of the job. The mask was worn to protect the patients, we did not want to breathe germs onto the surgical site. It had secondary a secondary purpose as well, to protect us from the patients' bodily fluids. Though talking was allowed in the surgical suite it was limited and the distance between the team was usually less than a few feet. We also learned to use hand gestures to communicate with each other, for instance if a surgeon was suturing and wanted us to cut the suture she or she would use the index and middle fingers to mimic scissors cutting. In 2008 found myself in Iraq, this time I had to shield my face not because I was in an operating room but because the sand storms. The mask allowed me to venture outside the facilities for limited periods of time during the storms. As medical professionals, depending on where you work, the use of masks is not something new. What is new is that now the patients are wearing masks. At first glance this might not seem like much of an issue, occasionally patients would have to wear masks as well. As most of us have noticed, communication has been hampered with the use of masks. It is harder to here, muffled voices, it is harder to differentiate between similar words/sounds, and we cannot use the use or other senses to assist us such as sight. In addition patients whom might have difficulty breathing have a harder times breathing by wearing masks. It is imperative the communication between the patient and a clinician is flawless. If hearing is impaired or words are mistaken the consequences can be deadly. COVID-19 Has caused us to slow things down even further, we must double check and sometimes triple check to make sure we collected the correct information. We need to listen to what they are saying without the aid of their faces. Deaths caused by medical errors are a major concern for all, now add a barrier that is foreign to most patients and those errors can become even more common. Now I find myself in Biloxi, MS and in some strange way everyone became an OR Tech, we are all wearing masks. On a serious note, may we all learn and grow from this experience and not let it go to waste.

I was on Spring Break during my senior year of high school when my school closed because of covid. They said it would be closed for one week, then two, then a month, then until next fall. No one knew what was going to happen. How will classes work? How will finals work? Will we have graduation? Can we go to college? What's gonna happen? The virus itself is scary and intimidating, but arguably more so is the uncertainty it brought to everyone's life around the world. No one could answer all of our questions. No one knew what would happen, and still, no one knows what the future holds. This uncertainty caused fear in almost everyone. Not knowing what will happen or how things will turn out, is a very uneasy feeling. This also caused fear. Now, this was a dangerous thing; fear weakens the immune system. As soon as I understood this, I realized I could not live this way. I needed to change my perspective or I would fall into the dark hole of fear of the unknown. So I decided to accept what was, let go of what was not, and be what is. I decided to focus purely on the present. This did not come quickly or easily. Honestly, I am still having to choose daily to focus on what I can control in my life at this moment. Every day is different. Some days I smile into the sun without a care of what the world will throw at me. Other days, I sit in bed wondering what could possibly go right. But despite it all, I remain in the present, the only place to truly be. This is why instead of thinking of everything covid has caused me to miss or how long it will last, I am focusing on the opportunities I have now, the new connections I can make, and the ways I can live in spite of this pandemic. That is why my one word for Covid-19 is present. Although covid may be horrible, it offers us the gift to learn how to live in the presence of uncertainty.

After being home for so many months my granddaughter was excited about going back to school to see her friends and teachers. I was happy for her but also as her grandmother I was concerned/anxious about her being exposed to COVID0-19. While I was happy for her it made me sad because I feel like this is going to be the new norm for children who choose to attend in-person schooling versus online schooling. (This was an option we had in our school system.) But this picture also goes to show that even though we are facing a health crisis, we are still adapting and overcoming, and trying to make life as normal as possible for our children.

Before the onset of the corona virus and the lockdowns and quarantines that followed, I had a pretty routine schedule. I would wake up around 7:15am and I would not get home again until about 7pm. Normally I would make something easy for dinner that I could have at least another night in a row. Usually it would just be a meat and a vegetable with fruit for dessert. I would cook the vegetables and the meat in the same pan to save myself the clean up time later as I would normally go to bed around 11pm and not want to waste any more time cleaning than I had to. I also would not stray too far from recipes that I was comfortable with. I would be very upset if I made something terrible after a ling day at work. However now with quarantine, I work from home and my schedule has become quite different. I am able to sleep in a little longer as I do not have to commute anymore. As soon as I am finished work I am already home and can start making dinner as soon as I want. This extra time gives me more flexibility to try new recipes and take chances on foods I may not have tried otherwise. On my lunch break I am able to go food shopping so I am not limited by what ingredients I have on hand. For this meal that I made and posted pictures of, it would be a rare treat to get this on a worknight before COVID-19. This meal took longer, used more ingredients, involved more pots and pans, and took longer to clean up than any pre-quarantine meal that I would make. Yet the payoff was absolutely delicious. To have pan seared scallops in a creamy garlic sauce over wheat spaghetti on a random Wednesday night is one of the few bright sides of quarantine. I am looking forward to the day when all restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal but I will surely miss all the extra time I have to try new recipes, to have my kitchen filled with new and unique scents and for my taste buds to experience diverse ranges of cuisines that my normal schedule precluded.

After months of talks about a second economic stimulus bill, one might finally make it to the senate floor. Democrats and Republicans have been fighting for months about the specific goal of this second stimulus. More economically conservative Republicans want a smaller, more targeted relief focused on helping small businesses. Both Democrats and President Trump have said that they want more relief, however Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats worry that a second stimulus bill could give President Trump an edge in the upcoming election. A second bill is unlikely to come until either after election day or after the Presidential Inauguration in January 2021 if Joe Biden is victorious.

Due to new information regarding the discovery that small household gatherings were increasing the COVID-19 infection rate, Thanksgiving gatherings may have to be downsized this year for the sake of safety. I am very sad to hear this, because Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. Being away in college so long has made me homesick and I miss my extended family members.

@betsy_klein on Twitter reiterates new information from the CDC director Dr. Redfield that small household gatherings are causing another increase in COVID-19 infection rates. I was surprised and saddened to see this, because I thought small gatherings were okay/somewhat safe. I am also disappointed because this means we have to be vigilant about social distancing again.

Vice President Candidate Kamala Harris's campaign is postponed by Presidential candidate Joe Biden after two people in campaign circuit contact COVID-19

California Senator and Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee, Kamala Harris suspends her campaign travel following two positive cases in her campaign staff. This is a precautionary measure by the campaign. Neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris were exposed to either staffer.

Cases in Europe and in the United States are starting to rise again. Paris and London have set nightly curfews to reduce the amount of interaction between its citizens to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

After the final day of the Supreme Court hearings on the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, Senators Feinstein and Graham share a maskless hug. This drew heavy criticism for violating social norms in the midst of the pandemic.

My six year old (shown here) and my ten year old began distance learning March 16, 2020. This photographs captures my kindergartner's first day of distance learning. She found it new and exciting but that feeling did not last long. This photograph is entitled "The Beginning of the Decline" as it was the last photograph I snapped of her before she would be diagnosed with anxiety. Arizona State University, HST485

It came as a surprise to both my fiance and I that we were infected with the COVID-19 Virus, also known as the “Corona Virus.” The shock did not originate in finding the virus itself, but the timing of the discovery itself. We were going to get married in three days. Before the news of Corona arrived, we decided to get ourselves married on her parents farm in the outdoors and have a grand celebration with all family and friends invited, about 200 people give or take a few. Her parents wanted to renovate the farm and turn it into a wedding venue for future events so building tables, benches, and acquiring all manner of silverware were necessary for the final product. When Corona extended its influence in the United States along with the first round of restrictions and small stores closing, we decided to decrease the size of the wedding by about 75, family and only very close friends only. We were glad we set the date to early fall as a spring or summer date would have been definitely cancelled; we believed Corona would have faded by then. After eight months of construction, carpentry, painting, and landscaping (a lot of landscaping), the slightly dilapidated farm turned into a small paradise surrounded by beautiful, wooded ridges on both sides. My fiance and I became well-rounded in all forms of renovation and wedding prep as we were first-timers in both arenas. It was perfect and everything we could have wanted. Corona was still continuing across the nation and a good portion of the invited decided to not come to the wedding, their replacement being lovely cards and well-wishes. This wedding was to be a big reprieve in the midst of the chaos. When the doctor brought back our results, I actually laughed out loud in the hospital room where my fiance and I were rapid-tested. For all the work, toil, and increasing disappointments we faced for the greater portion of the year, we would receive nothing, 2020 finally dealt us its trademark terrible hand. What happened next was quite a surprise. Rather than the expected emotional infection of defeatism and grief, our families breathed a sigh of relief. All the stress of the last few months finally disappeared. What was there to be stressed out about any more? The worst-case-scenario actually happened at the worst timing I have ever experienced… Yet, we were still here. Fortunately, only my fiance and I were infected; the rest of our families all tested negative. Even more fortune came our way as rather than cancelling the whole wedding, we were able to postpone to a later date a whole month later, October 2nd, 2020. We took the time to rest and relax, along with planning precautions we would have never seen if Corona never affected us directly. Today is October 14, 2020. My fiance now wife, Sophie, and I have been happily married for about a week and a half. We just placed the finishing touches on our new apartment and stocked our pantry and fridge with our first grocery run together. Our honeymoon to northern Minnesota was a resounding success. The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful and the colors more vibrant! I am just starting my senior year in college, hoping to complete a degree in History by next Spring and pursue my Masters soon afterwards. Sophie is currently working for her parents as her recent completion of a Piano Performance degree has yet to fulfill its purpose (The musical arts are currently smothered due to Corona), hopefully by spring a solution will present itself! I am so glad the discovery of this Archive came when it did. The story is so fresh in my mind and the Archive’s values in rapid-response collection and full inclusivity match perfectly with our current state. I hope this story is inspiring and empathetic to those who read as every story I have thus read on this Archive has made me feel stronger and more confident amidst a terrible storm. Thank you for reading! Ian Stewart

During the summer in the midst of the pandemic, my county in Arizona put a mask order into effect for all adults and children six and older. Having a job in the childcare industry, I had no idea how this order was going to settle with parents who now had to send their children with masks. Going into the beginning of the week, my coworkers and I were unsure about the response we would get from both the children and their parents. Would parents be upset with us about making children wear masks? Would the children be upset about having to wear a mask? Would we have to refuse childcare for those who would not wear one? We were very concerned about what the reactions would be, but to our surprise most families took the mask order very well. On the first day, almost every single parent sent their child with a mask. Knowing this would be a huge adjustment for the kids, although we were very surprised at how well they all did, my coworker and I tried to make wearing a mask as fun and friendly as possible. Every morning we would have music playing, our fun and colorful masks on, and we even had theme days like in the picture above. Wearing a mask didn’t have to be such a weird thing and our goal was to make their experience as fun and normal as possible. We commented on their masks just as we would with their colorful shoes, cool hats, or sparkly lunch boxes. In a time where there was so much uncertainty, we still continued to bring out the fun no matter what, and I think in that way we made all the difference.

In January 2015, my mom got very sick and was in the hospital for 2 weeks, 3 days of which were in the ICU with a breathing tube. She was diagnosed with severe COPD and has required at-home oxygen ever since. Her disease has now progressed to end-stage. Last year, she received a non-invasive ventilator to use at night. A lot of people with COVID-19 have breathing problems even after recovering from the disease. Some of these people might have permanent lung damage and require at-home oxygen therapy and possibly non-invasive ventilators. The first recording is the sound of an oxygen machine. The second is the sound of the ventilator. At the end of the ventilator recording is the alarm that sounds when it does not detect any breathing. These sounds demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 has on its victims and the legacy it will leave behind long after the disease itself has gone away.

In this Oral history, I interviewed my brother Lucas about his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a freshman at the University of Cincinnati, and the interview focuses on that part of his identity. It begins with us talking about campus life in general. We also discussed his perceptions of COVID-19 both at the beginning of the pandemic and now. His perceptions have not changed much, although he believes that it’s important to listen to scientists as new information is released. We then talked about government response to COVID-19, as well as the response at the University of Cincinnati. Finally, he discussed things he felt he has missed out on because of the pandemic, and what he thinks school will look like going forward.

When the outbreak first began back in February and at the beginning of March, I was a waitress at the Walnut Creek Marriott experiencing cutbacks in my service to others as well as in the number of guests received at my hotel. However, the Federal Government sent a team of specialists from the CDC to Walnut Creek, CA in order to help treat patients stuck in quarantine on the Grand Princess Cruise Liner. At the time, people were not being allowed off the ship due to the viral concerns, and the team treated most if not all their patients at Travis Air Force Base. These doctors worked relentlessly long hours and would leave at the very start of the day and return so very wiped out. I continued to serve this group until I was laid off from the company in mid April

This explains how much of an impact this pandemic has had on my life for the last 6 months.

Every year for the last 20 years, our community has planned, practiced, and performed a tribute to Broadway in a production called "Best of Broadway". We have a cast of over 100 local community members that sing and dance to 20 or so different Broadway songs. Our rehearsals are in an old Veterans Memorial building that comes to life during January to March with our songs, lights, and energy. The chants in the hall echos against the old walls, the stomping of feet on the stage threatens those downstairs, and the beat of the music pumps your heart. When one is in the hall, they are guaranteed to hear laughter in the back corner, a director shouting at the sound guy, and a piercing squeal in the speakers. The sounds in the hall define the busy enthusiasm of the cast and crew. However, this year, our production was shut down the day before our opening night due to Covid-19. The heartbreak of working for months on a show that was cancelled was devastating. After our annual production, we always have a day to clean and put our props and costumes away and clean the hall. But, this year, we just...left. The hall remains filled with our Broadway stuff. And when someone walks into the building, the silence of a show that was never performed is deafening.

I work at a bar in north-east Wisconsin. The stereotypes regarding the people of Wisconsin and their love for drinking and the bars are pretty accurate. There isn't much to do in the small town I live in besides that. When Covid began, people were most concerned with the bars being open. We were closed for a while as many devoted patrons, and the Tavern League of Wisconsin tried to fight the orders. We've been open now for several months and still most people that come into the bar do not take the virus or safety measures seriously. There's been times where customers tell me I don't have to wear my mask, or I don't need to wipe down their table, or use hand sanitizer as much. I am constantly around people at my job and risk a lot of contact with the public. I take the safety measures seriously and constantly use hand sanitizer. Since Covid, we have bottles of hand sanitizer everywhere, and now, because of the demand of sanitizer, we have strange brands made out of different products than I am used too. Every time I put on hand sanitizer it comes out all slimy all of my hands. It's incredibly uncomfortable and it feels like you almost need to wash your hands after to get rid of the gross feeling. But eventually it rubs in, and I go on with my job, only to follow up the uncomfortable sensation of slimy hand sanitizer with the complaints of customers who think the virus is fake and there shouldn't be any regulations in place that may hinder the bar experience.

Covid-19 has been affecting schooling around the world. It has shifted mainly online, with most kids attending via virtual schooling. Mix this with poverty and inability to access online school it has been affecting childrens mental health.

When COVID-19 became classified as a pandemic the United States started to shut down. As a result, grocery stores experienced long lines and shortages. Toilet paper, bathroom essentials, and cleaning supplies quickly sold out and became a difficult commodity to purchase. These shortages went on for months. The importance of this is to demonstrate how unprepared humanity is for an event like COVID-19. Seeing these pictures and experiencing the long lines and shortages for myself made me realize how dependant I am on the grocery store. This experience gave me a sense of awareness. I became aware of how easy it was for me to go to the local grocery store and get what I needed before COVID-19; additionally, I became aware of how quickly that can change.

At the beginning of 2020, I started to experience a dull, nagging pain in my lower right abdomen. Didn't think too much about it at first, but it kept showing up and then it didn't go away. I made an appointment to get it checked out and was told, "Well, I don't know what it is, so we'll get an ultrasound". Got an ultrasound and nothing was found. Next, I went to the OBGYN and received a full pelvic exam. Was told, "Well, everything looks good, just walk more and drink fluids". This took about a month to see two separate doctors and receive the ultrasounds. The pain persisted and the symptoms got worse. It wasn't just a dull ache, but now cramping, exhaustion, trouble with bowel movements, and the pain moved north to my upper right side, under my ribs and into my back. I was worried and scared. I was referred to a Gastroenterologist and had to wait two months. Two months with terrible symptoms. When I finally got in to see my GI, she seemed positive and wanted to get things moving along. I got blood tests done and when they came back, it showed that I had high TG levels for gluten. In other words, signs for Celiac Disease. To diagnose it, an upper endoscopy with biopsy of my intestines was needed. Another month of waiting. A week before my scheduled endoscopy, the hospital called and cancelled my appointment because of Covid-19. I was furious. They were not accepting patients and most all procedures were stopped. Don't get me wrong, I take Covid seriously and I do my best to social distance, I wear my mask everywhere, and I'm crazy about sanitizing, but I was so angry that my extremely important procedure was cancelled. At this point, the symptoms were agonizing and I was forced to wait. After a couple weeks I emailed my doctor and explained to her that things were getting worse and I didn't know what to do at this point or how to take care of my body. I got a call within a week and was told that my case was reviewed and that an endoscopy would be scheduled for me. Huzzah! About two weeks after that I finally got my diagnosis, and yep, I have Celiac Disease. Trying to figure out what was wrong with my body during Covid was a nightmare. I only shared the basics of what happened, but there was a lot of pain, tears, and fear. If it was something more serious that needed more immediate help I would have been screwed. I am still dealing with my disease and I still have my bad days. I unfortunately am still unable to go see my doctor as it is all online which makes it feel so impersonal. For all those having to schedule appointments and see doctors, good luck!

It shows a fresh perspective of someone working in retail during a pandemic.

I wrote this document to describe the constant noise that surrounds me on a daily basis.

I wrote this essay to help make sense of my feelings and experiences during the pandemic.

These two photos were taken on the strip at the beginning of lockdown in Las Vegas. Both photos show the government in action as they were taken during lockdown when the strip basically shut down. These photos show empty streets and billboards telling everyone to stay home and stay safe. The billboards provided a sort of unity within the city since it encouraged everyone to “be kind from a distance” and were small reminders that we were all in this together.

Story posted on IG by scary mom account taking about the grief some mamas are getting for sending their kids back to school amidst the pandemic. The comments also highlight other moms on the same boat. This point is pointing out that we should support one another and spread more love and less judgment. The fact is that this pandemic has hit people differently and some parents (mostly moms) feel they have no choice but to send their kids back or have a mental breakdown. Some are having to send their kids back to loos their jobs. Regardless of the situation I agree that we should judge less and love more.

I'm not one to watch sports, but I do love futbol, or calcio as my favorite Italians call it. During the pandemic, as professional sports have been cancelled, and then gradually brought back in, my husband and I added ESPN+ to our streaming in order to watch SERIE A finish the 2020 season (albeit late) and then recently start again. Doing so has brought a sort of life to our home lockdown. We both love hearing the sounds of the games in the background and cheering on our favorite teams. New this year as a result of the pandemic are the club's choices as to how (or if) they add in dubbed sound, and getting used to that has been interesting. Some might filter in synthetic crowd noises (which hasn't been as bad as I would have thought). Where there has not been any sound, the feel of the game is definitely not the same, however now it is interesting to follow the players and coaches' communication firsthand. My link shares an article in which a few of the team members from my favorite team, Parmia Calcio, were recently diagnosed with COVID and what occurred following.

Early on in the pandemic, I began to notice big companies, particularly car companies getting creative with their sales strategies. Understandably, businesses large and small were seeking creative ways to get people to continue to purchase goods despite the looming economic downturn. Volkswagen's ad to purchase a new car at a sale of 0% APR for 5 years via Volkswagen Credit particularly grabbed my attention because I hadn't seen a car deal, perhaps ever, with an offer that good. It struck me that, here was a company with a very long history and therefore infrastructure, willing to advertise to massive audiences a sale that was essentially messaging that they needed help. Interestingly, it also began at nearly the beginning of the pandemic, and it is still running. From a personal standpoint, it may have also grabbed my attention because we happened to have a Volkswagen that we purchased five years ago, that we were able to pay off during this time and buy a new model using this offer.

On July 18th 2020 in the late afternoon, I started experiencing some concerning not Covid-related symptoms and I made the decision to go to the Emergency Room. I’ve had chronic health issues all my life, so this wasn’t an unfamiliar experience. However, I’d been isolating since March and I was terrified of having to potentially go into a situation that was unknown in the middle of the pandemic. The things I remember most about the visit are how utterly desolate the places in the hospital felt, and how silent it was. I’m used to packed waiting rooms and constant noise. This visit was very different. After a brief screening in a large, mostly empty lobby with large barriers and protective measures in place, they assessed that I was not a potential COVID patient and sent me to a waiting room that I was alone in for most of my visit. There was no real chatter, mostly just silence, broken by the TV. The silence continued even back into the ER, where it seemed that the staff was spread thin. The most notable sounds were occasional low conversations and the sounds of medical equipment being moved around and the beeps and pulses. Even when evaluating me, while warm, the conversations sounded more terse and to the point. Everything moved more quickly. In some ways, it felt like being in an abandoned building. Everything was dark, silent, and empty in the areas where I was.

As a graduating senior, this email was sent to me by the Provost Office to notify me that this semester's graduation will be virtual. Ever since my freshman year of college, the idea of walking across the stage at my graduation always inspired me to try my best in all of my courses. My hard work and dedication was geared towards this big moment. While it is admirable that St. Mary's is still looking at ways to celebrate their student's accomplishments in the safest way possible, it is still difficult to process that I'll be walking across my living room instead of a graduation stage.

This news talks about the effects getting the new coronavirus for the second time and it shows how we still need to be careful and don’t think that getting it once you will be fine. We still need to follow CDC guidelines. 北米で初めて新型コロナウイルスに2度感染した患者が確認されました。2回目の感染の症状は1回目より深刻だったということです。 　医学雑誌「ランセット」によりますと、アメリカのネバダ州に住む25歳の男性が今年4月と6月の2回にわたって新型コロナウイルスに感染し、発症しました。2回目の感染の方が症状が深刻だったということです。ウイルスの遺伝子を調べた結果、2度の感染はそれぞれ別の由来を持つ新型コロナウイルスによるものだったことが分かりました。ランセット誌は「一度感染しても十分な免疫獲得を保証することにならない可能性がある」と指摘しています。 For the first time in North America, a patient infected with the new coronavirus for the second time was confirmed. The symptoms of the second infection were more serious than the first. According to the medical journal "The Lancet", a 25-year-old man living in Nevada, USA, was infected with the new coronavirus twice in April and June this year. The second infection was more severe. As a result of examining the genes of the virus, it was found that the two infections that were caused by the new coronavirus had two different origins. "Once infected, it may not guarantee sufficient immunity," Lancet magazine points out.

This article highlights the changes that have been made inside US correctional facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic. While visitation, religious services, rehab and educational programs, phone usage, and even showers have been cut down or completely eliminated, prison labor continues. Incarcerated people are also not able to refuse to work. Doing so can result in loosing privileges time added onto a sentence, or loss of parole or release. In this particular article when the prison was confronted with the worry over the virus being spread through work they defended their position saying they only continued work in places that produced items necessary to fight the pandemic such as soap, hand sanitizer, and masks. While much of the spread of Covid-19 in correctional facilities has been linked to the transfer of inmates this article highlights another avenue for spread, the movement of materials to make things such as masks. The women in one prison were making masks using fabric produced by the men's prison next door. The driver that delivered the fabric from the men's prison was not wearing a mask or taking other precautions.

This is a news about another form of vaccine. Honestly, I am skeptical about this vaccine because recently, there were news regarding the suspension of clinical trials of the vaccines due to the side effects. This news video does not talk about any side effects and negative parts about the vaccine. I do not have any hopes for this vaccine either because clinical trials are conducted too fast, despite the potential of side effects. 新型コロナウイルスのワクチン開発を巡り、アメリカの製薬会社「バクサート」は口から飲む経口ワクチンの治験を開始しました。 　バクサートは13日、開発中の新型コロナウイルスの経口ワクチンについて、初期の治験を開始したと発表しました。対象は18歳から54歳の最大48人で、それぞれ2回投与して効果を確認するとしています。バクサートによりますと、新型コロナの経口ワクチンとしてはアメリカで初の臨床試験となります。注射するタイプのワクチンは通常、低温で保存する必要がありますが、経口ワクチンは常温でも安定して保存でき、運搬が容易だということです。バクサートの初期の治験結果は今後、数週間で明らかになる見通しです。 Regarding the development of a vaccine for the new coronavirus, the American pharmaceutical company "Vaxart" has begun its clinical trials of an oral vaccine that can be taken in from mouth. Vaxart announced on the 13th that they have started the initial clinical trial of an oral vaccine for the new coronavirus that is under development. The subjects are up to 48 people aged from 18 to 54 years old, and it is said that the effect will be confirmed by administering twice for each subject. According to Vaxart, it will be the first clinical trial in the United States for an oral vaccine for the new coronavirus. Injectable vaccines usually need to be stored at low temperatures, but oral vaccines are stable at room temperature and easy to transport. The results of early Vaxart trials are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

When Covid-19 put much of the U.S. on lockdown one of the things that kept everyone entertained and sane was binge watching streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. One of the breakout hits was a show called Tiger King. This news story explains how the "Tiger King's" stay at a local jail while waiting to transfer into the federal prison system, like many others across the country, has resulted in the spread of COVID-19 through out correctional facilities. While is seems obvious how much time, man power, and money it would take to transfer incarcerated people between facilities safely it is outrageous that US Marshalls were giving people fever reducers like Tylenol so that they would pass a temperature check and their transfer would continue.

Since March 2020, the Hungry March Band, for which I have played tenor sax for about 20 years, has been on pause. We have not met, rehearsed, or done a gig this whole time. The only thing we have done is to create a few Covid-19 videos, in which everyone gets to have a different panel, since we can't all be together-then the editors mash everything together. This one is to the music of one of our oldest songs, Jupinese-JuJu. What I particularly love about the video is that we included shots of long time fans, emeritus members, and their families. I put in a couple of screen shots of me and my spouse (he's the pillow man) and a link to the video on Youtube.