Items

• 
  2022-06-18

  Coronavirus: which works better to handle a pandemic – democracy or autocracy?

  This is a news story from the South China Morning Post by Priyanka Shankar. This article is discussing the difference in responses based on forms of government. When it came to handling the pandemic, people from Asian countries where restrictions were much tougher rated a higher rate of satisfaction in government response compared to Latin America and Europe. This was taken from the Democracy Perception Index. According to researcher Fredrick DeVeaux, a leader in conducting this survey, the tight restrictions common in Asian countries are generally accepted because it gets associated with low death rates. The survey does make mention that in countries such as Iran and China, they hid data about the virus from their citizens, affecting their overall response to changes in lockdowns. However, Singapore is also authoritarian, and the prime minister has made an effort to create transparency in what is occurring, so items get hoarded less. Overall, the article claims that the mass mobilization of people and goods under authoritarian regimes fares better than democracies do at creating an effective COVID response.
• 
  2022-06-15

  China’s shoppers are still on strike and youth unemployment is rising

  This is a news story from CNN by Laura He. This article is on the economic impact of China's zero COVID policy. Retail sales fell 6.7% in May according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. It is slightly lower than the 11. 1% drop in sales from April. Customer spending has fallen in about every category except for food, drink, and petroleum. Youth unemployment is rising in China, as places that would hire young workers were forced to shutdown with lockdowns. The youth unemployment rate rose 18.4% between the 16-24 range in China.
• 
  2022-05-28

  Shanghai edges towards COVID reopening as Beijing plans to ease curbs

  This is a news story from Reuters. After intense lockdowns, Shanghai is looking to reopen again. Shanghai officials urged continued vigilance, even though the vast majority of its 25 million residents live in areas that are in the lowest-risk "prevention" category. "Wear masks in public, no gathering and keep social distance," Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, told a daily news conference. Similar measures are being taken in Beijing, where things are reopening there too, but with restriction. Starting on Sunday, shopping malls, libraries, museums, theatres and gyms will be allowed to reopen, with limits on numbers of people, in the eight of Beijing's 16 districts that have seen no community cases for seven consecutive days.
• 
  2022-04-22

  The Shanghai Lockdown. Seen from Another Angle

  This is a screenshot of an article from globalresearch.ca about looking at the most recent Shanghai Lockdown. Yet, the article does not talk about the Shanghai lockdown until maybe halfway through the article. It goes on a tirade about how the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak went after the "Chinese race" and how it became an early trial for China before COVID. Then the author states that China has "mastered the disease" and managed to reopen its economy by the end of 2020, which leads to the conclusion that China's economic growth hardly suffered during the newest outbreak. The author asserts that China will surpass the U.S. economy in 3-4 years and then launches into a world history lesson about Cold War politics. The author tends to wander in the article, going from pandemic skepticism on vaccines sterilizing women, being lied to the government, or having HIV ingredients. Then somehow, Ukraine has virus labs...I don't know. Somehow, Russia is involved in this article, but I'm not sure why. I don't know how this is supposed to persuade its audience because the author goes all over the place with his points. I suppose skeptics will like the fact that the vaccine is being questioned here? Personally, I don't even understand why skeptics would want to read this because I think they would lose even more brain cells from just trying to read it. I think this article is just a gigantic mess and it makes my brain hurt. I find myself just not understanding a single thing that is being written in this article. I don't understand why anyone would even understand or like this article. It literally makes absolutely no sense and there are even typos in it. The look of this website and article makes me want to run my virus protection at least three times because I feel like they're going to infect my computer with a Trojan horse.
• 
  2022-05-06

  'Zero-COVID' lockdowns cancel AP exams for students in China

  This is a news story from ABC News by Carolyn Thompson. Due to China's COVID policy, the Advanced Placement (AP) tests have been canceled due to restrictions. Students are unable to visit for in-person tests that are used for AP tests. The College Board offered an online version of these tests, but that was only intended to be temporary. Some tests are being offered digitally, such as the ACT. The SAT remains impacted due to restrictions. Parents have accused The College Board of being indifferent to affected students that need these tests.
• 2022

  Experience of COVID-19 in China and USA

  As an international student, I have witnessed the spread of covid-19 in both China and the United States. While the virus harms humans in the same way, each country does it differently to humans facing the pandemic. I was in high school in Boston when the covid first broke out (in December?). At that time, there were only two cases in Boston, so everyone didn't care much about the virus far across the ocean. As a Chinese, I know that coronavirus has caused countless pain in Wuhan, China. Therefore, I wrote a petition to the school to advocate wearing masks at school to avoid infection. However, the absurdity of things is far beyond my imagination. My high school principal sent an email to all international students (most of us are Asians) telling us that masks do not help people stay away from the virus. He also required us not to wear masks in school because it would cause panic among other local students. This implicit discrimination against Asians is a hurt. In March, I decided to return to China from the US to visit my family. It was a tough decision, not only in the sense of risking my life but in the process. I overcame the flight's cutting off and was cancelled by seven flights to get on the plane home. But when I finally returned to China and was quarantined for 14 days, I discovered the maliciousness toward international students on the Internet. Everyone was repeating the sentence, "you can't serve the motherland, but you can be the first to poison your country flying from thousands of miles away". This exclusion of outsiders is another harm. These hurt far more than covid did to me.
• 
  2022-04-10

  Virus Questions Raised in China

  This is a newspaper article detailing the repercussions of China's "Zero-COVID" policy and the impact it has on families. The story reports a rise in deaths at a Shanghai hospital for the elderly and a further rise in COVID cases in Shanghai. Extensive regulations at the hospital have forced a decrease in hospital staff to manage the many elderly patients suffering with COVID. The article details that a significant number of patients are asymptomatic, yet are placed in strict quarantine to minimize the spread. There are reports of several patients dying due to a lack of proper care from medical professionals who are forced to be absent from the patient as they are locked in strict quarantine. The article further suggests that perhaps China's "Zero-COVID" policy approach is creating far more significant damage to individuals and their families than good. I think this article is interesting because it details an alternative approach to U.S. policy which has maintained a very relaxed and hands-off attitude for a majority of the pandemic. While many states took arguably excessively extreme measures, many states were lax on quarantine, mask enforcement, lockdown protocols, etc. Furthermore, China's policy seems a bit excessive, so perhaps the right answer lies somewhere in the middle. This Article was published April 10th, 2022 in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
• 
  2022-04-03

  COVID: China struggles to contain large outbreak

  This is a news story by DW News. It is a story about how the outbreak of COVID has not been very well controlled in China, with China reporting 13,146 new cases, the most since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Despite these numbers, the Chinese government has claimed that there have been no new deaths despite the high number of infections. Shanghai is the worst affected region in China, in which as city of 25 million has been under lockdown. Vice President Sun Chunlan, who is on the Communist Party's Politburo claims that swift actions taken will help stop the spread of the virus. In Beijing, there have been lockdowns, mass testing, and travel restrictions placed on the populace. Residents of Shanghai are worried about the lockdowns exceeding four days, as it will limit their ability to obtain fresh food. Parents also fear being separated from their children for too long under strict quarantine. The article mentions Xi being in tough spot with this too, as these lockdowns will have an ill effect on an already fragile economic situation.
• 2019-03-07

  My Covid Experience

  It all happened at the end of my freshman year. a teenager failing classes until what I thought was my savior sent me home for the longest summer I've experienced. It was after summer I realized the horrific effects of the disease. I would have rather stayed in school than lose loved ones to a virus that swept the world by surprise. This is important to me because I have sympathy for people who lost loved ones due to a virus that shouldn't have spread like it did.
• 
  2020-06-18

  Why COVID-19 will end up harming the environment

  This article warns that COVID will only offer a brief respite from environmental problems like air pollution. Post-COVID, we may see even worse pollution and accelerated climate change.
• 
  2021-05-11

  HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 113

  Biden, Trump, same on Iran
• 
  2021-04-13

  hermit HERALD, ISSUE 109

  Huge problems for Biden
• 
  2020-09-09

  Taoist Priest Honours China's Coronavirus Dead With Memorial Tablets

  In China, there are only a small number of state-approved religions. Taoism, or Daoism, is one of the approved religions. As COVID-19 began in China, many were quickly infected and died as it was a new virus about which little was known. This article discusses how a Taoist priest in China honors those who died of COVID-19. Taoism, as a religion, has a unique history as originally the religion began as a philosophy. Thus, there are very unique ways of thinking in the heavily philosophical religion. Memorializing the dead is extremely important in Taoism, because as the article relays, true death within the system of Taoism only occurs when one is completely forgotten. In order to make sure people are remembered, the priests create memorial tablets for the dead.
• 
  2020-05

  Pandemic Street Art: Amanda Newman mural of Ai Fen

  Artist Amanda Newman created a mural of senior Doctor Ai Fen if the Wuhan Central Hospital. The image is on a pillar of a railway overpass in Urquhart Street, Northcote. Newman chose the doctor as her subject because she was silenced, reprimanded, and accused of spreading rumors during the beginning stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019.
• 
  2020-06-23

  Covid-19 and Tibetan Medicine: An Awakening Tradition in a New Era of Global Health Crisis

  This article visits historic and traditional eastern medicine. During the time of the pandemic, more people have been interested in traditional Tibetan medicine and the Chinese government has been investing more heavily into this form of medicine. The article also speaks of Tibetan Buddhist monks the role that meditation is playing in the research for neuroscience.
• 
  2021-02-04

  Photographer Develops Photos From 2020 East Asia Trip

  I'm finally developing rolls of black and white 35mm film taken in January 2020. During this time, I solo backpacked through Japan, Hong Kong, and China -- this was just before COVID-19 was known to be spreading through East Asia. Here is shot of me looking up from my hostel's (@wontonmeen_) patio. Thanks to @drkrm_mpls + @brooklynn.kascel for teaching me the magic of developing film.
• 
  2021-02-24

  School in the Era of the Pandemic

  Going around the school, there are signs and posters scattered around the entire vicinity, requiring masks and social distancing. Prior to any of these events, people were constantly together, with no masks, crowded rooms, etc. Now it is crazy to even fathom that I've been to a concert with thousands of people bumping into each other. Although this seems like a generic topic to discuss, I'm sure in the future it will seem so inconceivable.
• 
  2021-02-18

  Vaccine-gate in Peru

  Peru's president, wife, and other well-connected politicians were getting the COVID-19 vaccine back in October, provided by the Chinese company Sinopharm. The vaccines were distributed before the vaccine was publically available, and some high-level officials have resigned.
• 2021-02-18

  A Multi-Million Dollar Fake Vaccine Scam

  Hundreds, an estimated 600, of fake vaccines were shipped to Hong Kong and internationally by a group led by "Kong". These vaccines consisted of nothing but saline solution or mineral water. They were being sold to medical facilities and other places at inflated prices. Officials in China have made at least 70 arrests in relation to this case with more suspected. It's reported that the group made an estimated profit of 18 million yuan or nearly 3 million U.S. dollars in this scam.
• 
  2021-01-09

  Twitter hides post about COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theory on Iran supreme leader's account

  Another COVID related regional tension. Interesting to watch geopolitical conflicts play out regionally in relation to COVID. As China, Iran, and Russia strengthen their alliance and control over central Asia.
• 2021-01-11

  The Cause of Covid-19

  In January, my parents heard the news about a disease that originated in Wuhan China. The assumption was that the virus Covid-19 was caused by bats. In the food markets in Wuhan, I think since the meat was not healthy and clean, the person who ate it got contaminated. The virus was first discovered when a patient arrived at the hospital with an unknown virus. The doctor that tried to treat the patient is already dead. Many viruses have been caused by sick animals. People could get sick by eating the wrong part of poisonous animals such as pufferfish, so the idea of getting sick because of bats seem reasonable.
• 
  2020-12-13

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 85

  Fake news from 50 former U.S. intel officers;
• 2020-02-28

  Covid on the Media

  It was a typical day for me. I had finished my homework and went to check my phone. I went scrolling through Tiktok but noticed something was off. There was a new virus in China all over Tiktok, so I felt the need to look it up. I did some research and realized how quickly it was spreading and to how to stay safe.
• 
  2020-11-25

  コロナワクチン市場供給へ　中国で初めて申請(2020年11月25日) - First application in China to supply the corona vaccine market (November 25, 2020)コロナワクチン市場供給へ　中国で初めて申請(2020年11月25日) - First application in China to supply the corona vaccine market (November 25, 2020)

  中国で初めてワクチンの市場への供給許可が申請されました。 　中国メディアによりますと、国有の製薬大手「シノファーム」は7月からすでに緊急的な投与を開始している開発中の新型コロナウイルスのワクチンについて、市場への供給許可を当局に申請しました。シノファームは現在、南米のペルーなどで最終となる第3段階の臨床試験をしていて、当局はこの結果を踏まえて許可を出すとしています。シノファームは「100万人近くにワクチンを緊急投与したが、深刻な副作用の報告は1件もなく、ほんの少数に軽度の症状がみられた」と説明しています。 For the first time in China, an application of license to supply vaccines to the market has been put in. According to the Chinese media, the state-owned pharmaceutical giant "Sinofarm" has applied to the authorities for permission to supply the new coronavirus vaccine under development, which has already started emergency administration since July. Shinofarm is currently conducting the final third-stage clinical trials in Peru and other parts of South America, and the authorities will issue a permit based on this result. "We urgently administered the vaccine to nearly one million people, but there were no reports of serious side effects, and only a few had mild symptoms," explains Shinofarm. Video translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-11-10

  中国が輸入低温食品すべてに新型コロナの検査と消毒(2020年11月10日) - Inspection and disinfection of new coronavirus on all low temperature foods imported by China (November 10, 2020)

  中国は輸入された冷凍などの低温食品、すべてに検査と消毒を行う方針です。 　中国東北部の天津の冷凍輸入食品を扱う企業で商品の積み下ろし作業をしていた男性が新型コロナウイルスに感染していたことが7日に確認されました。これを受けて中国政府は今後、低温の輸入食品すべてに対してウイルスの検査と消毒を徹底するとしています。中国はこれまで感染リスクが高い国や地域から輸入される低温食品を対象としていましたが、今後はすべての低温の輸入食品がより厳しく管理されます。 In China, all imported frozen foods/low temperature foods are now going to be inspected and disinfected. It was confirmed on the 7th, a man who was loading and unloading products at a company that handles frozen imported foods in Tianjin in northeastern China was infected with the new coronavirus. In response to this, the Chinese government will thoroughly inspect and disinfect all cold imported foods for viruses. China has been applying this this policy for low temperature foods imported from and regions at high risk of infection, but now all low temperature imported foods will be more tightly controlled. Video is translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-11-10

  中国ワクチンの治験中断…ブラジルで 新型コロナ（2020年11月10日）- Suspension of Chinese vaccine trial ... New coronavirus in Brazil (November 10, 2020)

  新型コロナウイルスのワクチン開発をめぐって、ブラジルの衛生当局は９日、「深刻な事態」があったとして中国の製薬会社「シノバック・バイオテック」の治験を中断したと発表しました。 ワクチンは、サンパウロのブタンタン研究所がシノバックと提携し開発していたもので、治験者の１人が死亡したと衛生当局に報告があったということです。 研究所の所長は、死亡と治験との関係はないとしています。 ブラジルでは、少なくとも9,000人が最終段階の治験に参加していました。 Regarding the development of a vaccine for the new coronavirus, Brazilian health officials announced on the 9th that they have suspended clinical trials of Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech because of a "serious situation". The vaccine was developed by the Butantan Institute in São Paulo in partnership with Sinovac, and one of the participant was reported dead by health officials. The director of the institute says there is no link between death and clinical trials. In Brazil, at least 9,000 people participated in final-stage clinical trials. Video is translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-11-09

  Pamphlet blaming the CCP for COVID-19

  This is a pamphlet I got in my mailbox from the Global Service Centre for Ending the Chinese Communist Party, inside which describes many of the 'evils' of the CCP including malicious negligence in the spread of COVID-19. It was quite unusual for me to receive this in my mailbox, I'm assuming since it was not a posted letter it was simply dropped off to many houses in my neighbourhood. The writing in it is quite sensationalistic, and was clearly extremely critical of the Chinese Communist Party. A lot of information and misinformation has been spread regarding the origins and handling of COVID-19, and much of it relies on fear and distrust to propagate.
• 
  2020-03-23

  Casual Racism Towards Ethnic Asian Diaspora

  This is a short video where I asked my friend Nikko Guan to share her experiences with casual racism toward ethnic Asians at the beginning of the pandemic here in Melbourne, Australia. There was a lot of panic and misinformation surrounding the coronavirus, and a lot of people attributed the origin of the virus (Wuhan China) with the cause of the virus and harboured distrust toward anyone who looked remotely foreign or Asian. Some of my friends and acquaintances who were Asian but not even Chinese also reported similar experiences. It's especially pertinent as this also affected Asian diaspora who were born in Australia and may have never even been overseas, but are judged purely on their appearance. My friend in the interview had not been to China, or anywhere internationally, for many years. It's important that a global disaster that is the result of natural catastrophe isn't judged on malice for political or racial prejudices.
• 
  1918-11-05

  Spanish Flu Artifact

  The story relates to the pandemic on the different responses of how the U.S. president addressed the Spanish Flu compared to the president of Singapore.
• 
  2020-10-14

  China Distributing Vaccine

  One day this will be the U.S. This was extremely fast to produce a vaccine. Less then 1 year. Incredible how medicine has transformed. Can we trust China? We have been fed constant doses of fear. China and Russia are the enemy per U.S propoganda. I don't plan on being one of the first to take the vaccine. How many people will rush to take it?
• 2020-02-08

  Virus and sports

  the artical talks about how you could get the virus playing sports
• 
  2020-05-26

  The Accidental Quarantine Family

  This is the story of a family from China who were renting an AirBnB basement in a home. COVID hit, travel was prohibited, so they had to stay put. They were stranded together and became a temporary family. They all pitched in together and made it through, helping with chores, meals, and babies. The stranded couple came to Salt Lake City to complete their surrogate pregnancy since it wasn't allowed in China. Their advice? "Never quarrel with each other. Cooperate with each other. If we have some difficulties, just get it together."
• 
  03/30/2020

  Deborah Lydon Oral History, 2020/03/30

  Title: Interview with Deborah Lydon by Lauren Meister Creator: Deborah Lydon and Lauren Meister Date: 03/30/2020 Description: This interview from Deborah Lydon highlights the response to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) pandemic within the context of the Midwest. Her insight as a healthcare lawyer with a background in biology gives a different perspective to her evaluation of the situation compared to someone in a different field of study. This interview was conducted during the second week of required social distancing as required by Mike Dewine, the Governor of Ohio.
• 
  2020-06-12

  'The Last Gift You Sent To Me': Coronavirus Whistleblower's Widow Gives Birth

  Excerpt from article: When Dr. Li Wenliang died of COVID-19 several weeks after the Chinese whistleblower tried to warn the world about the coronavirus, his family was expecting to grow in the coming months. Now his widow, Fu Xuejie, has welcomed their second child, a boy, to the world without him.
• 
  2020-06-21

  Skepticism on China's reporting of cases and overall handling of Covid-19 becomes popular talking point

  Here we have a twitter user touting the popular talking point on skepticism regarding China's reporting of cases and handling of the virus. I found a lot of similar sentiments on twitter and felt it important to share this aspect of the online virus discourse to the archive to properly present the many ideas people have. In fact, I have heard similar sentiments not just online but in my own life from people I know personally. China has seen a drastic reduction in new cases, and as such many theories are thought of to explain this, especially due to the fact that the US and other western countries have not had similar success. It also highlights the new tension between global superpowers that the virus has brought up.
• 
  2020-06-21

  Thousands of workers at Tyson meat plants around the US test positive for Covid-19 as China suspends some Tyson imports

  This tweet from the New York Times to one of its articles tells how poultry imports had been suspended by China. It explores how the US has handled the virus in comparison to China has begun to have significant effects on the meat industry. Thousands of meat plant workers have gotten sick, and many have died, and considering the importance of the meat industry this could lead to significant issues in the meat supply chain or overall US meat production. This tweet not only highlights this issue, but also puts the negative spotlight on a household name brand that nearly everyone is familiar with. I chose this tweet for the archive because it exemplifies the various global domino effects that the virus has caused. This tweet originated from a search of twitter using Tags 6.1.9.1 and using the hashtag #virus the week of June 21, 2020.
• 
  2020-05-31

  A Tale of Three Responses

  There seems to be three separate stories occurring in the world right now. America is currently trying to reopen across the various states, while also confronting its' systemic racial issues. This has generally created chaos across the board both locally and nationally. Europe, and large parts of the world, are trying to handle their own coronavirus issues and wondering what is happening in America. China is trying to alter the narrative on its handling of the coronavirus and probably grateful that the U.S. has provided a distraction.
• 
  2020-05-28

  Warmth from mother country

  I felt really warm towards this decision of the Chinese Embassy. In the package, there are facial masks and some medicines related to the Covid-19. As an international student who is thousands of miles from home, getting the care of mother country during this difficult time is such a blessing.
• 2020-02-10

  how china faces cover-19

  The COVID-19 outbreak in China during Chinese New Year. Everyone forces to stay at home during this period. They only can get out home when they need to buy some food to eat. And people out of home need to wear a face mask. During the COVID-19 spread, people would get a phone call to tell them to wear a face mask immediately if they been in outside without a face mask.
• 
  2020-03-03

  Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (Trial Version 7)

  The author did not provide description.