Items

• 
  2022-06-20

  Mask in Germany

  I found this mask on the ground outside of a subway in Germany. At the time, masks were still mandatory on transportation, which was surprising since most of the world didn’t make masks mandatory. They even had someone walking around to either give people masks or to remind them of the mask mandate.
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  2022-04-20

  How COVID transformed trans-Pacific container shipping

  This is a news story from American Shipper by Greg Miller. Due to COVID, our trade has changed. Data from Alphaliner shows how much the trade relationship between Asia and the United States has morphed. Carrier competition is up, with more players and less share from the three global alliances. In a breakdown of the data, Cosco was the trans-Pacific leader in mid-2020 as the United States was coming out of the first lockdowns. Maersk was at fourth place, carrying 30% less capacity than Cosco. In mid-2020, 2M, Ocean Alliance, and THE Alliance controlled 89% of trans-Pacific capacity. In 2021, that lowered to 82%. These alliances in 2022 now are at 67.7% of shares.
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  2022-04-20

  Canada Will Keep Mask Mandate for Planes

  This is a news story from Skift by Anna Mehler Paperny. This says that Canada will keep the mask mandate for planes. The Canadian government said it has no plans to lift the mask mandate after a US federal judge in Florida struck down the mask mandate for planes. Canada's spokesperson for the Transportation Minister wrote in an email that “We are taking a layered approach to keeping travelers safe, and masks remain an incredibly useful tool in our arsenal against Covid-19."' The safety measures that travelers to and from Canada are beyond just masks though. The federal government also requires citizens to track close contacts for fourteen days. Masking and other such safety measures have been shown to have more popularity in Canada, with surveys in agreement with the mask mandates as they are right now.
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  2021-06-18

  Air and land travel suspended to Arequipa, Peru

  My mother-in-law has been here since last February (2020). She came for a visit from Peru and got stuck by the pandemic. She's traveling home July 1st, but Arequipa, Peru just initiated another lockdown. There's no land or air travel into Arequipa starting June 21 and lasting at least 15 days. Essentially, she'll get to Lima, Peru, and have to wait until she can travel. We considered postponing her return, but the changes in airfare are prohibitively expensive. Also, I'm pretty sure she's more than ready to get home after such an extended stay. The reason for the lockdown is the high mortality rate in Arequipa.
• 
  2021-02-27

  L.A. County teachers, grocery workers, restaurant staff and other essential workers can sign up for COVID-19 vaccines

  Los Angeles Country prioritized teachers, grocery workers, restaurant staff, and other essential workers in their vaccine rollout, making them eligible the beginning of March. Given the high level of exposure these positions involve, this is necessary to protect essential workers and limit the spread of Covid-19. Also prioritized are transportation workers, homeless individuals and those in prisons, as they are often in close contact with groups of people. Not all states are following this prioritization of essential workers despite the CDC recommendations, focusing instead on factors such as age to guide their rollout. By protecting teachers, service industry workers, and others in contact with large numbers of people every day, we can slow the spread of Covid-19.
• 
  2021-02-11

  New Mexico Tourism Department: Tips for Healthy & Safe Travel In New Mexico

  Tips for Healthy & Safe Travel In New Mexico During this time, the New Mexico business community is implementing additional COVID-Safe Practices at their establishments to help ensure the health and safety of their customers. Below are some of the additional safety measures you can expect and plan ahead for when visiting New Mexico’s businesses, restaurants, and attractions. For more information on the status of COVID-19 in New Mexico, please visit the New Mexico Department of Health. red alert NOTICE FOR ALL TRAVELERS: Effective February 11, New Mexico will no longer require self-quarantine for visitors arriving into the state from "high-risk" states. Visitors from anywhere outside of the state will instead by strongly advised to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days and to seek out a COVID-19 test upon their arrival in or return to New Mexico. NOTICE FOR ALL TRAVELERS: Face coverings are required for all visitors and residents in New Mexico. The only exceptions are when drinking, eating, or under medical instruction. Any individual found in violation may face a $100 fine. Guidelines for Travel in New Mexico If you are traveling to New Mexico, please follow all safety guidelines and restrictions. Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines so be sure to check local instructions before traveling. Please be mindful of the following general guidelines for travel to and within the state of New Mexico: Effective December 2, guidelines and restrictions in New Mexico have moved to a county-by-county basis. Please consult the county map from the New Mexico Department of Health to learn more about specific county restrictions Effective February 11, New Mexico will no longer require self-quarantine for visitors arriving into the state from "high-risk" states. However, visitors from anywhere outside of the state are strongly advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and seek out a COVID-19 test upon their arrival in New Mexico Everyone is required to wear a face covering in public in the state of New Mexico. The only exceptions to wearing a face covering are eating, drinking, or medical requirements. Drive-in events may operate in accordance with COVID-Safe Practices. Effective February 24, 2021, Casinos, Entertainment Venues, and Recreational Facilities may operate in accordance with COVID-Safe Practices within the county-by-county framework. COVID-Safe New Practices at Hotels, Resorts & Lodging Please note that guidelines and restrictions in New Mexico have moved to a county-by-county basis. Please consult the county map from the New Mexico Department of Health to learn more about lodging operations for specific counties. Please note these changes to hotel and lodging operations: Lodging establishments will adhere to the enhanced cleaning procedures outlined by the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Stay Safe Enhanced Industry-Wide Hotel Cleaning Standards. Comfort items and appliances such as coffee machines, irons, hair dryers, extra blankets, etc. may be provided upon request. Housekeeping shall only provide cleaning service during a guest’s stay upon request by the guest. Multiple guests per room are to be limited to “same households” only (individuals who live within the same place of residence). If food service is provided onsite, room service is encouraged as a first option for guests who would like food service with food carts being left at guest’s door to minimize contact. Self-serve food bars and refreshments such as water, coffee, ice, etc. will be closed or removed. Hotel staff can provide these services upon request. Valet service will be suspended. Safe Dining Please note that guidelines and restrictions in New Mexico have moved to a county-by-county basis. Please consult the county map from the New Mexico Department of Health to learn more about restaurant operating procedures for specific counties. Here are some of the COVID-Safe Practices and enhanced health and safety practices recommended by the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC that you can expect to be in place to keep customers safe while dining at New Mexico’s restaurants: In an effort to support contact tracing, restaurants will be required to retain a daily log of all customers and employees who enter their establishment. All customers are required to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms through a questionnaire upon entry of the premises. Reservations, dining parties and private events may not exceed the mass gathering definition. Reusable items such as menus and condiment containers left on tables will be cleaned and sanitized after each use. Items that cannot be cleaned and sanitized after each use will be replaced with single-use items. Animals and pets, excluding service animals, will not be permitted inside the establishment, onto patios, into stores, or other such areas. Responsible Outdoor Recreation Effective February 24, 2021, New Mexico State Parks will be open for day use hours to all visitors. Effective February 27, camping will reopen to all visitors by reservation only. While many parks are reopening, services, activities, and hours of operations may be limited so please consult the current Conditions and Alerts page for each park. Please be aware of the following safety and health guidelines currently in place: Group sizes vary by county, so check the status of the county before traveling to a New Mexico State Park Wearing a mask or cloth face covering is mandatory in public settings Maintain a 6-foot distance between people Visitors are strongly encouraged to carry their own sanitizing supplies and PPE Comfort Stations and restrooms are closed to reduce close contact Vault toilets at some State Parks will be available Check with the National Park Service website for more information on openings, amenity availability, and best practices. Safe Retail Shopping Please note that guidelines and restrictions in New Mexico have moved to a county-by-county basis. Please consult the county map from the New Mexico Department of Health to learn more about retail operations for specific counties. Here are some of the safety guidelines required from New Mexico’s retailers to keep customers safe: High-touch items such as doors, fitting rooms, and credit card terminals will be cleaned and disinfected once every two hours (or more frequently). Safety protocols that allow for contactless curbside pickup and home delivery whenever possible will be established. Signs, stanchions, and/or floor decals will be utilized wherever possible to support 6-foot social distancing, including one-way aisle traffic, and separate entry/exit. COVID-Safe Practices for Museums and Cultural Sites Museums with static displays may operate at limited occupancy in accordance with COVID-Safe Practices. Beginning February 4, state museums and historic sites may reopen under a modified framework. To learn more about the modified operations for state museums and historic sites, visit the Department of Cultural Affairs website. Please contact individual museums and cultural institutions before planning your visit for additional information regarding openings, hours of operations, and available services. Here are some of the safety guidelines required to keep patrons safe: Interactive exhibits and attractions will be discontinued. Use of rental equipment, such as headsets, portable speakers, and strollers will be discontinued unless required for ADA accessibility. Use of coat check areas, lockers, backpack and purse storage, and related storage for public use will be discontinued. Safe Travel Recommendations Outside of the modified 14-day self-quarantine requirement on certain travel to New Mexico (see above), there are currently no domestic travel restrictions to the state of New Mexico. However, visitors to New Mexico should continue to follow the protective measures outlined by the CDC: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands Put a distance of at least six feet between you and other people Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care Stay up to date on the latest travel advisories from the CDC, WHO, and the U.S. Department of State
• 
  2020-12-01

  Transportation Troubles

  The decision to stay safe or risk quarantine has always been available to people, however with the small-scale reopening of schools among Boston's Colleges of the Fenway bordering the green line it is made more apparent. With the increase of people returning to some semblance of normal by using public transit, there has been discussion of an increase in prices for using such services due to the lack of financial stability. With this, there has been no massive shift yet, but there are noticeable increases being made that the public is wary of. Interestingly enough, this is restarting another conversation in the practicality of marketing public transportation. This in part references the lesson I was made aware of in my Boston History class, which talked of the backlash the greenline originally faced as it made its way into the unknown and potentially dangerous waters of underground transit. There was also discourse over charging for using such means of travel as it seemingly only affected the lower class that it served in majority as the middle to upper classes could travel independently.
• 
  2020-09-24

  Doctor Appointment, COVID- 19, and the MTA

  During this Pandemic I have noticed how hard it is to travel in the city. In the beginning my doctor appointments were online and were more uncomfortable than being there in person. Going there in person is even more tricky since they can not let anyone go in to their offices .what is even worse is the traveling to the doctors appointments. I haven't really used the train in such a long time but since my doctors was in Manhattan I had to go on the train. Being in a compact space with people in a not really well ventilated area in a pandemic is not the safest things to do. I feel like COVID has caused me to have new anxiety because I have tried my best to stay away from people. Even before I got on the train my stomach was turning as if I was walking into new territory. I am Brooklyn born and have basically traveled by train everyday and now the idea of going into one was making me feel uneasy. I have also noticed that there were not a lot of people that were scared on the train while I tried to breathe through two masks people were not even wearing them properly . I have noticed that the MTA has put in the new penalty for people that do not wear a mask they will be fined $50, but to be honest it there was a few people in most of the subway stations that I was on with no masks and yet no fines were being placed. Not only was I scared of COVID but there has been a rise of violence in Stations and that scared me even more. Coronavirus has really changed the way that I view traveling when it comes to trains and buses and yet in New York City public transportation is the only way mode of transportation there is to get from one place to another effectively .
• 
  2020-03-14

  Thousands wait in line for hours at O’Hare international airport

  Travelers trying to get home amid COVID-19 outbreak