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2021-03
How to Survive a Plague with a Disability
As I’m writing this, it is March 2021 and it’s been a year since I’ve updated this blog. Although I don’t only write about travel here, it’s been depressing to look back on my past trips and have to wonder when I could be in the world again. But I’ve been far from silent during this time. You can read many of my reflections on the pandemic and other topics over at The Mighty, where I have been an editor for the past five years. One year ago, when the pandemic was just beginning in the United States, one of my good friends posted a social media message about supporting each other during what most people thought would be a strange, scary, but ultimately short period of our lives. Part of it went something like this: My mask protects you. Your mask protects me. It’s a nice sentiment. Wearing a few layers of cloth over your face may not help you much, but it helps to prevent other people from getting sick. It’s a kind, visible act we can all do to show we care during a difficult time, to protect others who are at risk even if we may think we would not become seriously ill. It seems so simple, right? How could people not do this? But we all know what happened. “My mask protects you. Your mask protects me,” only works if the other person values your life enough to consider it worth protecting. I’ve been horrified by the number of government officials and online commenters who have viewed the deaths of elderly and disabled people as “acceptable losses” in exchange for keeping non-essential gathering spaces open. My life, and the lives of people with high-risk conditions, are more important than your trip to Disneyland. Don’t you think we want to go to Disneyland too? I’ve also noticed that able-bodied people often assume disabled people will be provided for in emergencies, and in general. They believe there are a lot of government programs and charities to help us, and that such programs are run well and meet our needs. This widespread — but utterly false — belief in a functioning safety net for “the vulnerable” gives people an excuse to behave selfishly while convincing themselves they’re not doing anything wrong. “Of course, there will be a plan to protect nursing home residents, and immune-suppressed people can stay home, so we can throw parties and go without masks if we don’t like them.” In reality, the needs of people with disabilities are often disregarded, misunderstood, ignored, and even actively opposed. We have to fight for access to everything, and sometimes end up on multi-year waiting lists for housing assistance, in-home care, and other essential programs and services. We must battle with government and private insurance to get the mobility equipment we need. We are GPS tracked like criminals if we need personal care assistants, with “fraud prevention” used as an excuse. We often depend on programs with ridiculously complicated requirements, and one missed deadline, one paperwork error, one month where we made “too much money” can cost us everything. -
2021-04-19
Navajo Department of Health Public Health Emergency Orders through 19 April 2021
These eight documents are the eight Public Health Emergency Orders issued by the Navajo Department of Health issued through 19 April 2021. -
2021-04-18
Child care services in Illinois are getting prioritized
Northern Illinois University and an Early Childhood Transformation Team developed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will work together to make getting vaccinations more obtainable. The primary goal for this movement is to make the process simpler. Most of the article refers to those in the child care industry, though. Pritzker intends to make it more accessible. Child care services have been struggling throughout the pandemic, and Pritzker has been trying to turn things around. Federal aid of $1.6 billion was allocated "to expand access to high-quality early childhood education and childcare for children and families across the state." Every demographic is to be included — children of color, children with disabilities, among others. -
2021-04-18
What made California’s vaccine rollout so difficult?
The Golden state only recently received news that “50% of all eligible Californians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine." It’s progress and it’s most certainly hope. What gives people even more hope is how they expanded vaccination eligibility to 16 and over as of April 15. Schools are already reopening, but this is good news for those who are still hesitant to return — and for good reason. What made California’s vaccine rollout so difficult? One of the most obvious answers is the size of the state. Its population was recorded to be over 39 million in 2020. Even with an increase in vaccines, with roughly 2.4 million doses in the first week of April alone, it was not enough to accommodate even the 50-64 age group — a population of roughly 7.2 million. Santa Clara County Executive Officer, Jeff Smith, was also quoted to have cited the state's governor for perpetuating the pandemic — that his pandemic approach was “disorganized and petulant.” Although affordable healthcare services is a nationwide pandemic in and of itself, California also deals with fragmented healthcare responsibilities. Distribution is “split up among 58 county governments.” Issues in communication, planning and transportation of vaccines are all major factors impacted by the overwhelming lack of unified leadership. https://twitter.com/CAgovernor/status/1383132361148100609 https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/04/01/as-california-expands-covid-19-vaccine-eligibility-to-all-californians-50-governor-newsom-receives-vaccine-in-los-angeles/ -
2021-04-06
U.S. Vaccination Eligibility Expanding on April 19, 2021
With a goal of 200 million vaccine shots by the 100th day in office, President Biden announced that the deadline (May 1) for eligibility will move up to April 19. Actions to vaccinate the country are speeding up. This motion will open up eligibility to “90% of adults”. States such as New Jersey, South Dakota and Nebraska plan to expand that eligibility to 16 and older even sooner to the deadline. Naturally, part of the process is to market the vaccine to the general public, especially to the ones hesitant to get the vaccine. That funding is coming from the COVID-19 economic relief package ($1.9 trillion). -
2021-03-07
Standouts/ scrap proposed changes to the Climate Bill
Park Ave /Chandler St Worcester 3/6/21: another in our series of standouts urging the State House to scrap #CharlieBakerMA 's proposed changes to the Climate Bill approved by the House and Senate. #buildbackbetter #climatecrisis #stopthemoneypipeline #keepitintheground #justrecovery #justtransitition #MassGovernor #CharlieBakerMA -
2021-04-04
News Article: How a local response to COVID-19 helped slow deaths on the White Mountain Apache nation
By Amanda Morris of the Arizona Republic: When someone on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation receives a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, health care workers from the Whiteriver Indian Hospital jump into action. They personally visit the individual's home to test other household members, perform health evaluations on everyone there and trace any other potential contacts at risk for COVID-19 exposure. Health care workers in the community say that could be one reason why, even though the rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases among White Mountain Apache tribal members is nearly triple the state's rate, the death rate is much lower and continues to fall. Over 90% of COVID-19 cases in the White Mountain community are investigated within 24 hours of testing, according to Ryan Close, the director of the Department of Preventative Medicine at the Whiteriver hospital, which is the only hospital on the 1.67 million-acre reservation. "I feel like what we did made a huge difference," Close said. "We evaluated and admitted people aggressively and early. The tribe deserves an incredible amount of credit for mobilizing staff ... to make this response possible, because at some point it would have been very difficult to maintain without their considerable help." The quick response may have also helped the tribe turn the tide against rapid community spread of the virus, which scientists say could have been fueled by a single variant found only in the White Mountain tribal communities. The variant carried a mutation in the spike protein, which scientist theorize could have made it spread more rapidly than other strains of the virus. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among White Mountain Apache tribal members accounts for 24% to 28% of their population, according to Close, but the cumulative death rate among known cases is only 1.2%. By comparison, the statewide rate of infection was 11.5% with a 2% death rate among known cases. And over the winter, Close said the rate for the tribe dropped even lower, to about 0.5%. In a community with a high number of individuals with underlying health conditions, the low death rate and work of the tribe has been "remarkable," said David Engelthaler, director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute's infectious disease division in Flagstaff. The death rate also stands out as unusually low when compared with death rates in other Indigenous communities. Indigenous populations have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic. CDC data shows that Indigenous people are 3.5 more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 and almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than white people. Close credits a proactive strategy to combat COVID-19 that involved rapid contact tracing, in-person health evaluations and frequent outreach to high-risk COVID-19-positive individuals as well as early treatment with monoclonal antibodies and other antiviral therapies. Volunteers and health workers from the White Mountain Apache community were on the Whiteriver hospital's contact tracing team and high-risk COVID-19 outreach team, which Close said helped the team connect better with the people and work faster. One essential part of the team are the tribe's community health representatives, or CHRs, who are members of the community that serve as a cultural bridge between patients and medical establishments. JT Nashio, director of the Community Health Representatives for the tribe, said the "visceral connection" that CHRs have to the community helps them bring cultural awareness to the way questions are asked for contact tracing, which makes the process more effective and allows officials to better distribute information. "On top of that, quite simply, they know how to get around. It’s a big reservation and not all homes are easy to find," Nashio said. "But when you’ve lived here your whole life, you know where to find people. That became invaluable during the tracing and testing push during case surges." Virus mutation may have made it more transmissible When COVID-19 hit the White Mountain Apache nation, it spread rapidly. The community's first documented case was on April 1, 2020, from someone who had likely recently visited the Phoenix area, unknowingly caught COVID-19 and returned, according to Engelthaler. Within the first few weeks, Close said the community experienced a handful of deaths. "We soon had incidence rates that were skyrocketing. Case counts were going up very, very quickly," Close said. It's unclear why the disease spread so rapidly in the community, but the initial strain of COVID-19 that hit the community carried a mutation that Engelthaler believes could have made it more transmissible. "They were seeing the virus just rip through and have an 80 to 90 to 100 percent attack rate," he said. TGen partnered with the tribe and the U.S. Indian Health Services early on to provide tests to diagnose a case of COVID-19 and provide genetic analysis of the virus from each case. It showed one strain of the virus circulating in the tribal community that wasn't present anywhere else in the state. "This virus moved much faster than anything else we were seeing in Arizona at the time," Engelthaler said. "So we actually believe that we had one of these variant strains in Arizona that was causing very large numbers of cases, but it was secluded and maintained really only in that tribal population." The mutation, called the H245Y mutation, occurred in the spike of the virus, which Englethaler said is a "very sensitive" part of the virus where mutations can have a significant impact. Because of the low death rate, Engelthaler said TGen researchers would like to investigate the mutated strain of coronavirus seen among tribal members to see if it is also associated with a lower fatality rate. He acknowledged that other strains of the virus have since entered the community and that the actions of health care workers in the community and at the Whiteriver hospital is also responsible for the lower death rates. 'The earlier you treat an illness, the better' Close's biggest concern was that an outbreak would cause a "tsunami" of sick COVID-19 patients that would run the risk of overwhelming the Whiteriver hospital, which does not have an intensive care unit. Any patients that require intensive care need to be transported to other hospitals in the state. "We're a small hospital, we cannot take a wave of all very acute patients because there aren't enough ventilators in the hospital," Close said. "There aren't enough helicopters in the state to transport people out from our facility to a higher level of care." Within the first few weeks, Close said the community experienced a handful of deaths, and patients who had the poorest outcomes were the ones who self-presented at the hospital — often meaning they waited until they felt sick enough to go to the hospital. "People don't always bring themselves in early enough," Close said. "The earlier you treat an illness, the better." In response to this phenomenon, the hospital started a high-risk outreach program the third week of April. Health care workers regularly visited the homes of anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 and was at high risk for a poor outcome. Close recalls multiple days when he evaluated patients and found their oxygen levels dangerously low, even though they felt fine. It's a condition associated with COVID-19 known as "silent hypoxia," or "happy hypoxia." "They had no sense that they were even ill. They went on to get pretty sick in the hospital, but they survived and you can't help but think to yourself, 'Yeah, that's a life saved,'" Close said. "That person, if they had stayed home another day or another two days would not have done as well. They would have ended up on a ventilator or something." The Arizona Republic previously reported that the effects of the high-risk outreach program and contact tracing led to a fatality rate among tribal members of 1.6% last June, which was less than the state's rate of 2.5% and country's at 2.7% at the time. But the effect of the outreach program became even more pronounced over the winter, as the tribe and health workers gained access to monoclonal antibody treatments, according to Close. He said the high-risk outreach team started referring patients for antibody treatment in December as part of their protocol after the therapy received emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Hospital staff at the Whiteriver hospital then administered the antibody treatment. "We give that to people who are asymptomatic or mildly ill to prevent hospitalization," Close said. "The evidence currently suggests that reduces the risk that they're going to get sicker and get hospitalized and reduces the risk that they're going to die." Though there's no data proving the antibody treatments made a difference, Close said that after health care workers started using them, the community's COVID-19 death rate fell to 0.5%. Hospital workers also gave antiviral therapies, such as remdesivir, to patients early and often. "We probably overtreated some people," he said. "But the good news is it definitely led to significant reductions in mortality." Lessons for the future Close believes the different programs were so successful because health care workers were often able to test, trace, diagnose and treat individuals all in the same day — a feat he said was only possible because of how closely integrated hospital workers and community health workers were. "There were no barriers in communication between the public health arm of our response and the clinical care arm of our response," Close said. "It's really a case for an integrated health care system." As the tribe emerges from the pandemic and tribal members get vaccinated against the virus, Close said the hospital may start exploring other health conditions where it can use the high-risk outreach team, which is already trained and experienced in clinical evaluations. "The goal is to take what we've learned from COVID and now apply it to things that are not COVID-related," Close said. Another valuable lesson Close hopes to carry forward is how much of a difference visiting residents in their homes can make and how important building trusting relationships with the community is. Nashio said going door to door to trace and monitor COVID-19 cases was a natural step for CHRs, who had already gone door to door in the past for other community health campaigns. "We know firsthand how difficult it can be to not only connect with patients over the phone but communicate effectively over the phone," Nashio said. "When the community sees their CHRs coming to their door, it helps decrease the stigma of the disease." In addition to performing checkup evaluations and providing information, Nashio said CHRs can also provide food, medical supplies, cleaning supplies or services like grocery shopping and running basic errands. Not every tribal member has reliable internet or phone service, nor access to transportation, so Close said going door to door can be a good way to reach, and help, everyone. "Meeting patients where they are is invaluable," Close said. Amanda Morris covers all things bioscience, which includes health care, technology, new research and the environment. Send her tips, story ideas, or dog memes at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @amandamomorris for the latest bioscience updates. Independent coverage of bioscience in Arizona is supported by a grant from the Flinn Foundation. -
2021-03-30
White supremacy has been etched into the foundation of our government
Video shows past and present Social Justice movements to fight white supremacy, including current movements taken place during the pandemic. From the Video: White supremacy has been etched into the foundation of our government since the beginning. We don't rely on governments to do the work of mass movements. We don’t rely on the same tactics as white supremacists. This week, we will NOT give them what they want, which is a reaction out in the streets. Today and everyday, WE keep us safe. WE will end white supremacy. Check in on each other. Join us: blacklivesmatter.com -
2021-03-29
New York Vaccine Eligibility Widens
This updates the general public of New York that vaccinations are available for those aged 30 or older. In addition, the eligibility for 16 or older will come on April 6. However, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo emphasized that they wanted to make sure that they had enough supply before setting a fixed timeline for availabilities. -
2021-03-18
Indonesia's Foreign Travel Restrictions [March 2021]
This article shines some light on the travel restrictions in Indonesia at the moment. It reports that Indonesian citizens are urged to come back into the country if they are travelling abroad. This is to limit the distance, and to assure that citizens can come back before travel becomes more difficult. However, they listed eight foreign countries (Iran, Italy, Vatican City, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Great Britain) in which they would ban arrivals from. If any person had travel records that showed that they were in the listed countries in the past 14 days, they would be banned from entering the country. This article was personally translated. -
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 -
2021-03-25
Is This the End?
Personally, I feel that we are not near the end of the pandemic. However, it really seems like things are beginning to open back up. Some states have already lifted mask mandates and others have set dates for current mask mandates to expire. Businesses here in Arizona have opened back up to full capacity. I just think it's weird for a state to lift the mandate, but still say that "Masks are highly encouraged." They also still require masks to be work in government offices and COVID testing and immunization sites. If it's highly encouraged, and need to be worn in government buildings, why not out in other public spaces? It's all just because of the economy and business. That truly trumps human welfare and common sense and decency in the United States. It really is business interests and capitalism above all and it's disgusting. -
2021-03-24
Mask Mandate
My personal feelings expressed through a meme about how the U.S. Government must have felt about a national mask mandate. -
2021-01-26
The 2021 Social Justice Outlook
NEW YEAR. NEW SOCIAL JUSTICE OUTLOOK. 2020 will be remembered for the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide civil unrest spurred by killings of unarmed Black men and women by police officers. With a new president in office, what will social justice look like in 2021? Get your questions ready and join the conversation tonight at 7:30 p.m. on NBC 6 Voices with Jawan Strader on the NBC 6 Facebook and YouTube pages. -
2021-03-16
Bill's Against Trans Children
Verified Reposted from @chasestrangio PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY. 1. Watch this video of a father begging his government not to silence his trans daughter’s spirit. 2. Share this video and raise all the alarms to #ProtectTransKids. 3. Help contact South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and tell her to veto HB1217 a bill that bars trans kids from sports and forces all kids to turn over private medical information to the state. Gov. Noem could sign the bill at any moment. Call! 605-773-3212. E-mail: governornoem@state.sd.us. 4. Help share info about Alabama bill SB10/HB1 which makes it a FELONY to provide gender affirming care to trans people under 19. The House is voting TODAY. Call Alabama Reps and tell them to Vote NO on SB10. I am not exaggerating when I say trans kids’ lives are on the line. Act now!! -
2021-01-31
Volunteering Breaks Hearts
I volunteered at one of the County’s vaccination clinics last week. The health department ramped up their vaccination schedule, and we saw nearly 50% more traffic than the week prior, which was already 30% above its projections. Many of the folks over 65 (group 1C) here in Tucson are going up to Phoenix to be vaccinated as local health officials are still working their way through the 75+ crowd (Group 1B1). It has been both heartbreaking and frustrating that about a third of the vehicle occupants beg and plead for some special exemption for a family member who’s with them. Despite not yet being entitled to be vaccinated themselves, they hope someone lets them cut in line. Everyone has a special need and a special, unique circumstance that should enable them to jump ahead of their neighbors, and the selfishness of it agitates one of my few prejudices, especially when they don't take the initial 'no' for an answer. The public is so terrified, and many seem to fear they won’t manage to avoid illness in the coming weeks despite having done so for ten months now. It hurts my heart to see their suffering, to hear their fear and anxiety, to have to turn them away, and to know they’re asking for special treatment that might deny the delivery of vaccines to the most vulnerable populations. The hardest part has been, though, the number of elderly folks entitled to be vaccinated who can't navigate the online portal to get an appointment. The current vaccines are stored so cold that we can't deviate from the allotted appointments, but every day brings in elderly people who can't function in a digital world. The county can't spare personnel to offer immediate and realistic registration help to them, and many have complained of waiting on the phone for hours, only to have the county phone line hang up on them. The situation makes me want to find their grandchildren and ask why they don't give a damn about helping their grandparents. I also found out last night our organization's portion of the operation is winding down, and I do not expect to again be able to help facilitate vaccinations in my community. With time and eventual immunization, I hope to find other ways to serve my neighbors. -
2021-01-25
"The Pandemic Is Finally Softening. Will That Last?" - The Atlantic
This Atlantic Monthly article, written by Robinson Meyer, details the race to vaccinate millions of Americans in the face of loosening mitigation efforts, new COVID-19 strains, and supply bottlenecks. According to Meyer, with the advent of several COVID-19 vaccines, some states and municipal governments across the country have loosened their quarantine restrictions in the belief that vaccination and lower death rates make lockdowns unnecessary. This is not true, and this loosening of restrictions may precipitate further surges in COVID-19 cases, especially as new strains from the UK and South Africa become endemic. Fewer vaccine doses will be delivered by Pfizer, due to an agreement signed by the Trump administration. -
2020-06-29
Canada Day 2020 — Let’s get active together!
Government of Canada encourages the public to get active this Canada day. With the help of Canadian athletes to take up the fitness challenge and use the hashtag #ActiveTogether to share their experience. -
2020-12-12
Newfoundland Small Business Assistance
This release from the government of Newfoundland and Labrador is an example of the kind of business support programs governments introduced in the pandemic. -
2020-12-03
Lets talk March 13th
I was in my second semester of college when COVID-19 hit, all my classes got moved to online, due to the effects of Covid I ended up having to move out of my home, I switched jobs three times, and as I'm ending my third semester we are still fully remote. There is so much history in just 2020 alone, our children will probably do homework projects about it, or our grandkids will want to interview us for a history report. I want to have something to remember a time i wrote it all down to hopefully help them understand what we actually went through. -
2020-11-30
Protest Amid the Pandemic
Protests are happening in Punjab, India amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Punjab government 3.330 farmers had committed suicide, from 2000-2019. Due to the high debt, 536 farmers took their lives in just 2019 alone. Will privatization of the farmer market increase or decrease the debt? The new farm bill which was passed on September 27 is stressing a lot of people, they are confused and are protesting. Earlier, the government bought directly from the farmers. The new bill makes the farmer market a free market making entry for private companies. Privatization is good for the development of the country, but what about the small farmers? They are worried, stressed and not aware about what’s going on. They need a Minimum Selling Price (MSP), which is already given to them by the government so why the protests? -
11/19/2020
David McKenney Oral History, 2020/11/19
David John McKenney lived in rural Michigan for most of his life. In this interview, David reflects upon the challenges that COVID-19 wrought on the rural school districts for which he works. He describes how he and his coworkers wrote code that helped transition students to remote learning and saved other districts countless hours of labor. David also touches upon his experience in Ukraine and the flu quarantine that occurred there seasonally. He contrasts this with the current American quarantine and highlights his concerns about freedoms of speech in reference to lockdowns. His concerns about freedoms of speech also extends to the future of Christianity and the church. He expresses his anger about the 2020 election season. In addition, David discusses his frustration with rioting in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. David remarks on the shift in real estate from urban areas to suburban areas and the rise in construction. Finally, David comments on his participation in pandemic trends (such as baking bread) and increased time spent with family. -
2020-11-12
Quebec's $1.5 billion Plan to Restart Economy
Quebec has been one of the hardest hit provinces during the pandemic. This plan hopes to revitalize the economy by investing in workers, "buy local" initiatives, and research. This will also come with a deficit for next couple of years. -
2020-11-04
A Little Tired
This meme is everything that COVID/riots/election America is right now. Nobody’s talking about it, but suicides are way up. Divorce is way up. Casual alcoholism is widespread. People are doing so many drugs it’s insane. People are visibly deteriorating, not taking care of themselves and it’s showing. Men I know who used to be clean-cut and disciplined aren’t getting haircuts, aren’t shaving, and barely exercise anymore. Depression is the real “new normal.” Everyone is affected. Oppressive government regulations, blatant abuse and murder of American citizens by the police, arbitrary emergency orders, and openly fraudulent election processes have broken the spirits of almost everyone. No one even thinks change is possible anymore. People want this nation to collapse and are now openly saying it. All hope has been lost in the hearts of the average American. It’s funny because it’s TOO relatable for EVERYONE. -
2020-11-02
Masks now required in all City of Victoria buildings
Masks are now required in all buildings owned by the City of Victoria. Compared to the United States, Canada has not required masks in many municipalities. -
2020-10-28
Western Australia's Hard Border
Western Australia's "Hard Border" has prevented many people who live in the state from returning home. Australians wishing to enter the state must apply for travel approval called the “Good to Go process” with the police. Very few are permitted to enter, and those that do must also self-quarantine for 14 days. -
2020-10-24
Vaccines and the Prisoners Dilemma
This article explains how rich countries are creating inequality access to Covid-19 vaccines. For example, a report by Oxfam warns that "the rich nations represent only 13% of the global population have already acquired 51% of planned doses of the most promising candidate vaccines." -
2020-09-15T16:35
COVID-19’s Impact on Collier County Museum Projects
This is an article written by the Naples Daily News discussing the budget issues that Collier County’s museum system is facing due to COVID-19. Since the museum system is primarily funded through the tourism tax, the funding has plummeted about $300,000 due to the pandemic. Steve Carnell, the director of the public services department, said that the museums have taken the hardest hit - the operating budget had to be reduced by a whole quarter ($464,000). Because of this, a lot of the planned growth of the museum has been put on hold until funding can be secured. The article includes even more information on how operations in the five museums have transformed due to COVID-19. -
2020-10-19
Gucci belt
Have you ever seen a person roll up in an expensive car to later find out they rotate between friends couches at night? Or a girl with a channel purse riding the bus? I thought of both when I came across this meme on Instagram. Since the Second World War, the US has posed as the leader of the world. We’ve boasted economical sucess, technological advances and number one in the sciences. Then COVID hit and our true colors came out. I wouldn’t go as far as this meme and claim that the US is a third world country because we’re clearly not. But we’re also not number one like we pretend to be. We were on top of the world is everyday back in 1945, but that spot is not ours anymore. The current administration has proven inapt in ever sense of the word. And now the world sees us as the posers we’ve become. I’m hoping for better days after these elections. -
10/04/2020
Cheyenne Alexander Oral History, 2020/10/04
Transcript Only. In this interview, I am asking my girlfriend questions about her life and how it has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some topics that we go over is some background information about her, how her employment has been affected, how her family is handling these extreme situations, her community’s response, any health risks or experiences with sickness, how she believes the government has handled the outbreak, and what she sees for her future. We are both just average middle-class college students, and she has some interesting insights on the past six months. -
2020-10-02
Justin Trudeau and other Canadian politicians send get-well messages to POTUS
Justin Trudeau and other prominent Canadian politicians, such as Conservative leader Erin O'Toole. have sent get-well messages to Donald and Melania Trump due to their recent positive COVID-19 test. -
2020-10-02
Travel bubble between New Zealand Australia soon to open
Because both New Zealand and Australia have both handled the pandemic well, with no current outbreaks, they are opening up the Trans-Tasman Travel area up again. They are hoping this can help boost the economies of both countries hard-hit tourism industries. -
04/01/2020
Daniel Cogley Oral History, 2020/04/01
Daniel Cogley discusses his experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Daniel is a salesman for a sanitization company that provides products and services to primarily restaurants and bars. Daniel was furloughed during the crisis and discusses his experiences with money, food, the response of government officials to the pandemic and his hopes that people will take the disease more seriously. -
2020-07-08
"We understand some of you are upset, but please direct your feedback towards us"
A tweet from Ottawa Public Health addressing those who have been taking out their anger regarding the city's recent move to mandate masks in public spaces towards business employees attempting to enforce the rule. -
2020-07-06
Letter of Instruction to Business Owners and Operators Concerning Mask Order
The attached is a letter from Ottawa Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the City of Ottawa, Dr. Vera Etches, outlining how the newly implemented public health order which requires the wearing of masks by all individuals in indoor public spaces and what there responsibilities are in relation to that order. -
2020-07-06
Mask or Face Covering Required
poster accompanying a tweet by Ottawa Public Health formally announcing that the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, has declared masks or other face coverings mandatory in public indoor spaces. The city of Ottawa is expected to vote on a bylaw to the same effect on July 15. The accompanying tweet reads: "As you’ve likely heard, Ottawa Public Health is mandating the use of masks in many indoor public spaces, effective at 12:01am July 7, 2020. Please read the letter of instruction from @VeraEtches to business owners and operators : http://ow.ly/sAM830qWBrj" The -
2020-05-31
Priorities
Chelsea talks about the values and priorities of our government. -
2020
Political Cartoon, Man Protesting Stay-at-Home Orders Before/After
This cartoon shows a man fighting against government mandated stay-at-home orders. It then shows him in the hospital with a nurse caring for him. -
2020-06-18
States Quietly Criminalizing Oil Protests During Covid
It is infuriating to see so many instances of government taking advantage of Covid-19 in order to enact laws that will backtrack any progress made against fossil fuel industry. But honestly, they have done this before and it wont be the last time. -
2020-06-26
Government vital communication to deaf/Deaf/HoH community lacking
One of the frustrations amung the deaf/Deaf/HoH communities is the governments communication during a crisis. Several times there is no sign interpreter available on screen while politicians are speaking. Sometimes there is no live CC available. A few times, fake interpreters are speaking gibberish during a live governmental press conference, putting the lives of many in the Deaf community at risk. There are millions of deaf/Deaf/HoH in the U.S. and I feel like the pandemic had swept our needs aside. -
2020-06-18
Mask On or Mask Off?
This tweet from the Omaha World Herald highlights a very real concern that is on everyone's mind in the middle of the pandemic: the economy. In Nebraska, there appears to be a fear that if mask mandates are made a state order, the stimulus money for coronavirus relief could be withheld. It is a part of the larger struggle between state leaders and the federal government over health and safety guidelines. This item was added usingTAGS v6.9.1, searching under keyword #Nebraska. Within that search I have chosen to add this item because it speaks on the ongoing debate over the safety and necessity of masks. -
2020-06-16
How the Airbnb ban led to lower rental prices in Canada's major cities
Many of Canada's largest cities have been experiencing what have been dubbed housing crises in the past few years; rental and purchasing prices have shot through the roof while availability shrinks, pushing out many poor or even middle class residents. This article explores how the drop in demand and government restrictions for AirBnBs (short term online rentals), as a result of the pandemic has impacted the market. To ensure they are still receiving income from their properties many who were renting their units for short term stays are instead turning to leasing them out traditionally, causing an influx in housing availability and driving the prices down with the increased supply. While this is not the best for those looking to turn a profit off their real estate it is an unexpected benefit of the pandemic for many average citizens. -
2020-05-31
Death people everyday
It has been three months since the COV-19 appears and death per day and infect people are still increasing as usual more than 20K every day.