Items
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mask
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2022-04-01
NYC judge nixes mask mandates for toddlers, Eric Adams plans to appeal
This is a story by Bernadette Hogan, Cayla Bamberger, Nolan Hicks and Natalie O'Neill for the New York Post. This story is about masking for young kids and the struggle within the local government on what is best to do. A Staten Island judge ruled against masks for toddlers in New York City. Parents in support of this claim that this is a good thing because masks could make it harder for kids to socialize and read emotions. Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, plans to appeal this to reinstate masks, where he believes that if you don't know the vaccination status of everyone in a room that you should wear a mask. -
2022-04-01
Living Through the Pandemic
One thing that really stands out to me when I look back on the past two years since the pandemic began is how much fear there was at the onset. I remember it being about mid-March of 2020 and schools had moved to online learning, all nonessential businesses were closed, and it was almost impossible to find even basic groceries. The overwhelming majority of people were wearing some sort of face covering at this point and just the act of going outside felt dangerous. I should point out that since I work in the aerospace and defense manufacturing sector I was classified as an essential worker without the possibility of working remotely. Given that all of my friends had jobs that had moved to remote work and could isolate in their homes I felt that it was too risky to be around them given that I was out every day. I think that it is interesting that this was the state of affairs when there were maybe 1000 confirmed cases in the state of Arizona at this point. When contrasted with the reality that there have now been a total of over 2 million confirmed cases with approximately 25,000 currently active cases and for the most part everyone is going on with life as normal, I am left wondering if the fear at the beginning was irrational or if the current sense of complacency is the result of a society worn down to the point of indifference? -
2022-03-30
President Biden Pressures Congress for Emergency COVID funds
This is a news story written by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Emily Cochrane and Noah Weiland for the New York Times. The article writes of how President Biden believes this is not a partisan issue, but a matter of health. President Biden is said to have received his second COVID booster prior to making this announcement. Another aspect this story brings up is how BA. 2, a new COVID variant, has made itself known, raising concerns for once it gets to the United States. President Biden has made it known that as these new variants pop up, we will be in our "Next Normal", where masks and other such requirements will be used when needed. In other words, there is no real "end" to the pandemic. -
2022-03-24
High Functioning Autism during a Pandemic
For those that are somewhat familiar with autism, one might believe the pandemic was perfect for someone like me. People were encouraged not to speak to each other in person, everyone had to keep a distance, and masks were everywhere to conceal the face. These things, for me, were what I dreaded. I had a pretty good routine going before the pandemic. I had just graduated college with my bachelor degree and was getting used to being married. I was also caring for my grandma as one of my first jobs. I got to get up every morning, earn money, and make sure my husband was well cared for. My husband and I would go places for date nights and we would sometimes do spontaneous things like midnight grocery shopping for ice cream. Things were just carefree. Then a few months into our marriage, things changed a lot (more for me than for my husband). I enjoyed going to church in person for both my spiritual needs and for the social aspects it gave me. Once March 2020 happened, I couldn't go to church in person. Church was online and it became harder for me to get into it and actually concentrate. I then just stopped going altogether for a while because I wanted to have that human connection I was missing. Eventually, I was able to go to church again, but I had to wear a mask. I dealt with it even though I didn't like it. It was sad to see so many people's faces covered by cloth. It made it feel like I couldn't connect to people as well. My social skills aren't terrible if everyone wears a mask, but I'm more likely to miss certain cues or tell when someone is joking. I focus on the mouth a lot when people talk, so not getting to see mouths was bothersome. Other elements of my life changed, and autism made it worse for me in some ways. Due to my older habits of wanting to go places more often, the stay-at-home orders that occurred at the very beginning made me feel like a prisoner and that I couldn't choose things for myself as often. This increased my anxiety a lot, to a point of a mental breakdown. My husband was luckily very understanding of my issues, so I was eventually able to recover once I gave myself more work to occupy my time with. Of all the COVID rules I had to follow, social distancing was one of the easiest things for me, but only in a few ways. I was fine with talking in person from a distance, as I already do that naturally, but I was not okay with having to talk to people more often through online video like Zoom. Zoom feels so unnatural because seeing people through video is not the same as seeing them in person. I didn't have to do it very often, but I was greatly unhappy at the annual family Christmas celebration in 2020 was all on Zoom. It didn't feel as festive as I would have wished. Autism in general has made COVID much harder to deal with, and sometimes I think that if I didn't have it that I could have adjusted better to the abrupt changes COVID brought into my life. I did learn some things though. I learned that I need a set routine to get things done, and that if I have a problem, I shouldn't feel afraid to be more honest about it. With my husband having had to work from home due to COVID, both of us have had to work on better communication skills. I don't think everything I've learned from this experience has been bad, but it's also not something I want to go through again. -
2022-03-01
Military Mask Guidance Update
The attached is a memorandum for record from the Under Secretary of Defense. This memo was published 1 March 2022 and was a big deal for us in the military and really everyone who works on military installations or in other Department of Defense facilities. Prior to this memo, we were all required to wear face coverings at all times when in doors, regardless of local state or county guidance. This memo was a great policy move as it changed the requirement from an overarching blanket policy to instead replicate local community guidance. I can tell you, we were very relieved to not be required to wear a face covering at all times. unlike many other sectors across the US, many military members did not have the opportunity to work from home during the pandemic. This is just due to the nature of our jobs, therefore we were masked up for a long time, even in places such as Texas and Florida where masks were no longer required according to local state and county guidance. -
2022-03-15
Passionate and (mostly) respectful recent debate in the waning pandemic
While the all-encompassing strength of the COVID-19 Pandemic is waning, it still persists and lingers. This is a critical time where countries can either dreamily and abruptly attempt to return to idealized pre-pandemic existence or continue to return to their visions of normalcy through steps found in scientific methodology. Debates that focused on safety, health, and personal freedoms (especially about masks and vaccines) were constantly in the news the last two years, with some deteriorating into disheartening and embarrassing public displays. Surely, these debates will continue indefinitely, and all perspectives will be important to history. While browsing this archive, many of the stories are of those who subscribe to the reality of the pandemic, who trust and listen to science, and who have highlighted the way their lives have changed during the pandemic. I am from Arizona, born and raised. I often find myself to be the lone liberal or democrat, particularly at work, in a state formerly known as a red state, now perhaps purple. While Arizona is well represented in this archive regarding life during a pandemic, it has many people living in it who dispute the pandemic's origin, virulence, and the government's attempt to control personal freedoms, as much as I personally disagree. The attached YouTube video shows a meeting of the Kyrene School District Governing Board from January 25th, 2022. The relevant background is that before the 2021 Winter Holiday break this district emailed parents that masks would no longer be mandatory after the new year. By the end of the break, Omicron infections had increased, and the district regressed back to mandatory masks after the holidays. Please watch, specifically from minutes 20:35 through 38:28. To me, a person who reads a diverse group of news sites daily, this clip has brought me hope. Of all the ugly comments I have read on far right or left news sites, debate like the one in this video is instead mostly constructive, passionate, and respectful. I may not agree with everything discussed in this sample, but I respect people's right to debate their beliefs. I believe studying other perspectives is useful for future generations. Historians one hundred years from now may wonder why certain people thought masks were useless in schools. Hopefully, between this J.O.T.P.Y. archive and the articles that exist on the internet, a thoughtful sample of diverse perspectives can be researched. Additionally, I hope this video adds to material in this archive that demonstrates the anti-mask perspective to historians who could research and educate future generations on state and federal authority during health crises to hopefully prevent conflicts as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. This video is owned and uploaded by the Kyrene School District to YouTube. -
2021-11
Strangers united in pettiness
Medical mask mandates on public transport had been in effect for a while now when this happened: There are always the inevitable idiots who refuse to wear their masks (or just wear them below their nose, which in addition to being stupid also looks stupid) and usually people will just roll their eyes but say nothing - that one morning went differently. The train was neither particularly crowded nor empty, for each 4-seater there'd be 2-3 seats occupied. We rolled into a station, people got on, among them a young woman who sat down on the first available seat. Directly behind her, some middle-aged guy, in possession of a mask but having it bunched up beneath his chin like a face-diaper. Upon seeing the woman sit down, he suddenly started ranting at her because apparently he'd wanted to sit in that seat (note that there were plenty of seats left), insulting her with a barrage of sexist and racist terms I don't care to repeat. She ignored him. Another passenger, however, didn't, and told the mask-less idiot to stop making an ass of himself and put on his mask before speaking and 'spreading his aerosols' indoors, which drew the idiot's ire on him. After realising that neither the woman nor the other passengers would offer their seat to him in response to his insults, the idiot moved on to the next 4-seater - only to find that the people there used their bags and jackets to occupy the empty seats there to prevent him from sitting down there, responding to his cussing by telling him to just put on his fucking mask again. He moved on, everyone on the next row of seats blocked him as well, again and again. One woman, lacking a bag, went as far as full-on man-spreading in the middle of two seats to occupy them both. In the end, the idiot had to move to a whole other train car to find a seat. The rest of us was left with smug smiles and a sense of petty satisfaction for the rest of the ride! -
2020-04-14
Reflections of a Grocery Worker
This photograph is a selfie photo from my time working at my local grocery store in Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA. I don't have many photos from this period that reflect the pandemic and my memories of it, but this photo represents the early days as the USA first began to adopt masking after the CDC realized that non-symptomatic spread was happening. Experiencing the pandemic through the lens of a grocery store was very interesting. It was a unique perspective for understanding different people's anxieties and doubts around the pandemic. It was also a strenuous place to be during the pandemic, having to constantly adapt to supply chain issues, worker shortages, and the mental strain of working in a likely unsafe environment. About a month into the pandemic I was asked to move from my home department of prepared foods, and help the grocery-stocking staff catch up with the unpredictable shipments coming in. Shortly after that, I was moved over to the front of the store to help keep count of the people in the store and encourage customers to use masks/hand sanitizer. I remember being met with a wide variety of gratitude, skepticism, resistance, and more--even including a lecture on covid as a conspiracy! At times, this role brought me anxiety as I saw news stories of door-people and security guards being killed or harmed for asking visiting customers to wear a mask. In a weird way, when I left my job to attend grad school at UMass Boston, I felt a bit of suvivor's guilt. Whenever I come home to Rhode Island, I hear that the folks at my old store continue to struggle even over a year deeper into the pandemic. -
2022-02-08
Pink disposable mask trash
A pink disposable mask on ASU’s campus near Coor. -
2021
a look back
This assignment has been hard to complete because I don't feel like I have many stories to tell. While I did spend the Summer working a sleep-away camp, I have spent most of the last two years inside avoiding activities that could lead to exposure. After re-writing stories way too many times, I decided to write about the present. Two years into the pandemic, I am facing the same uncertainty. In 2020, I knew nothing about what was going to happen. Now, it almost seems worse. We continue to return to how things were before covid-19, but I am not sure it is possible. In 2020, I figured we would spend six months to a year, and then it would be like ebola. Yet, here I am in 2022, worrying about new variants, when I can get my next booster shot, and whether I will be working this Summer. While I wish we could return to the way life was before, I think about the fact that this pandemic probably won't end anytime soon. We will constantly be getting booster shots and quarantine for the unforeseeable future. There are so many things that I want to do before I graduate college, like studying abroad, going to concerts, visiting my friends' colleges but, these aren't safe or practical decisions to be made. While I have to acknowledge that my anxiety about covid may be speaking more than the science and facts, it's hard to ignore that our actions have more consequences than we could have ever imagined. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we live our lives forever. We could either start to make some changes or let it get worse. As a camp counselor, my campers often asked me why we had to wear masks if we had to test negative to come. I often said because we have to or because the state mandates it, but in reality, we wore masks for the safety of all campers and staff. We wore masks as a precaution rather than create a potentially dangerous environment. We did it because we cared. Even though I feel like I have a lack of stories and I am still uncertain about everything Covid, I still take the necessary precautions because I care. -
2022-02-06
Nozomi park mask trash
Mask trash by the parking lot at Nozomi Park. -
2022-02-06
Nozomi park mask trash
Mask trash by the parking lot at Nozomi Park. -
2020-08
Serving/Bartending in the Pandemic
In the summer of 2020 I was able to go back to work. I have been a server and bartender for a few years now, and knew there were going to be some changes going back to work. For one, masks were required, and half or less capacity was the new normal. Every other booth or barstools were closed to promote social distancing. There would be many problems with customers not wanted to wear masks and social distance, making it difficult for the employees to deal with. Some restaurants only allowed take-out, due to not wanting customers to be hanging out in the restaurant too long. The restaurant scene in Feb 2022 so far has mostly gone back to normal besides mask wearing. -
05/03/2021
Kyle Sauley Oral History, 2021/05/03
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2020-03-30
Having to wear masks
The news article I put is an article about having to wear masks through the pandemic. This was a big change for America with many people wearing masks to help slow the spread and keep ourselves and those around us safe from covid. Many states had laws on when to wear masks, this was a historic moment for America when they announced we had to wear masks because the covid illness is very serious. -
2020-04-20
Mask Bag
This image captures a bag of masks that a doctor (my mom) carried with her during the pandemic. -
2020-04-09
One of my first disposable masks
I wore this mask many times (it has of course also been washed many times) and the way it is in such good condition reflects on how during this hard year of 2020, many things have been thrown at us and the world has also changed in many ways, but nevertheless, we all got through it. -
12/01/2020
Wade Pitrucha Oral History, 2020/12/01
Wade Pitrucha, Marine Corps veteran and butcher, was raised in Texas and lived in California for several years, and currently works as a butcher and lives in Barron, Wisconsin. In this interview, Wade discusses the political and economic developments he has observed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wade gives an inside look at the COVID-19 meat shortage, and explains some of the causes, as well as the impacts on farmers and families. Wade also shares some of his personal experiences and frustrations with the local handling of the pandemic, and how he feels the federal government and the Trump administration has contributed to the massive spread of COVID-19 in the United States. In an entertaining and sometimes darkly humorous interview, Wade’s military experience and personal beliefs provide a unique and well-balanced view of the COVID-19 pandemic and modern American society. -
03/30/2020
Jeanie and Edward Lehew Oral History, 2020/03/30
This is interview from Edward and Jeannie Lehew focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic experience in the United States. The Lehews, both born in the 1930s, provide an enriching interview connecting the current pandemic to past historical and personal events ranging from the Great Depression to the loss of an infant grandchild. The Lehews detail many personal life experiences and offer their opinions on the current political and healthcare issues in the United States by explaining how the current presidential administration is at fault for the lack of medical supplies in America. -
2021
Halloween 2021
She made this costume herself to go trick-or-treating in the City with classmates. Apparently, they don't think high school is too old for that nowadays. Last year, we didn't let her go out and we didn't hand out candy either. With a sick grandmother in the home who uses oxygen, it was just not a risk we could afford. She came back and said that the trick-or-treating was pretty skimpy. We didn't get many kids at home either... but that might have been because Halloween fell on a Sunday this year. -
05/02/2021
Yang Rose Oral History, 2021/04/11
Rose Yang is a dental assistant and licensed realtor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Rose is interviewed by Kristopher Strebe in regard to her work, personal life, and role as a healthcare provider during the pandemic. Rose goes into depth about her jobs’ protocols against the pandemic and defends why she believes that pandemic will never be truly over for health officials working in healthcare. -
2021-11-01
COVID-safe posters in school - Jewish Melbourne
"Be a Mench, Wear a Mask." Sounds like a Jewish superhero slogan! This poster, using the Yiddish word 'mench' or 'mentsh,' "a person of integrity and honor," published in the Australian Jewish News has been cut out and stuck onto the door of the Jewish Studies (ייִדישע שטודיעס) office, alongside a sign expressing the limit of people inside the room. There has been unclear government mandates on mask wearing inside schools, mainly when it comes to standing at the head of a classroom, but this poster has reminded all walking past the JS office of the mask's importance throughout the pandemic. -
2021-10-28
Being Covid-Safe on the Tram (HIST30060)
(HIST30060) This is a digitised version of a poster that I saw every day on public transport on my way to work. It's bright, unambiguous, and yellow and it reads: ‘You must wear a face mask while travelling’. This text is accompanied by a simple outline of a mask in black. Being without a car during the pandemic and being an essential worker meant that I had to make frequent trips on public transport. Before the pandemic I used to enjoy my tram rides, take the time to unwind and mindlessly listen to podcasts. However, now when I am on the tram, I feel vigilant. If someone sits down right next to me on an empty tram I move seats. This poster highlights the importance of following public health advice on public transport. -
2021-10-01
Can't Leave the House Without... (HIST30060)
(HIST30060) This photo depicts the contents of my hall table draw which is located near the entrance of my house. Inside the draw are the essential things I can grab before rushing out the door. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the draw was just for my keys, but now (as we can see in the photo) it also houses my family's spare masks and hand sanitiser. I thought this photo was important to share as it captures what I now cannot leave my house without. The mask no longer feels strange or new, instead, it feels like a second skin that I feel bare without. -
2021-10-18
Don't Forget Your Mask!
The mask has had a huge impact on our sense of touch and smell. For one, breathing with a mask on was an adjustment. Tuna sandwiches became something to avoid at all costs because of the smell you could be stuck with all day by wearing a mask. There is also something to say about the feeling of a mask around your ears and over your nose. The constant practice of grabbing a mask and putting it around one's ears has become a ritual of protection or habit as we are now bound to this object like that of a cell phone which is now always on our person. The sense of touch also adapted to various kinds of masks that were promoted and the variety of masks that would be marketed for commercial value. The mask, one of the few things that forces us to run back inside the house because we forgot it. The mask, a true measuring stick for how quick we can adapt and change society for better and for worse. -
2021-08-17
I have to do WHAT to my syllabus???
This is a screenshot of my theology class syllabus including the newly included "face mask policy." I think this is important to include because even though all professors need to include the same information about mask policies, there are some who have just included what needed to be and other who have mentioned it in other areas of their syllabus. It's also interesting to see that this could be the first major change made to some of the professor's syllabi in some time. I submitted this item because it's a part of people's reaction to this pandemic and it heavily influenced changes in our "first-day of class routine." Coming back to school in-person after a whole year online, it was interesting to see how professors were now sharing more personal details about why they are being more careful, checking that students are wearing masks correctly, and some professors being more strict or lenient with the food/drink policy. -
2021-10-15
A muffled voice
My six-year-old son often forgets he’s wearing a mask. We’ll leave his school, the grocery store, anywhere really, and he’ll spend the entire car ride home with his mask still on. He’s even tried to eat with it on a few times! I can always hear when he’s forgotten to take it off because it muffles his voice. He talks constantly, I like to say that he actually voices his internal monologue, so I can tell exactly when he takes his mask off even if I can’t see him. When I hear that he’s still wearing his mask, I often think about the instability of being a child (and raising a child) during a global pandemic. His life and his routines have changed so frequently in the past year and a half, but he has been incredibly adaptive and understanding the entire time. Hearing his muffled little voice always makes me appreciate this awesome kid of mine while also making me really consider these chaotic times we’re living in. -
0017-01-17
A new idea of delicates
Finding humor during the pandemic has been hard, but we still find our way. Washing delicates turned into washing masks during the pandemic. -
2021-10-05
Wide Range of Acceptable Socializing during Covid-19
This meme shows the four members of the "family" in the movie "We're the Millers" reacting to houseguests during Covid-19. The "Dad" says, "My houseguests won't come unless we wear masks!" The "Mom" says, "My houseguests won't come unless we text them our vax cards!" The "daughter" says, "Our houseguests won't come unless we've had a negative covid test in the last 48 hours!" And the son says, "You guys are having houseguests?" The meme represents the wide range of "rules" that people are setting for themselves during Covid-19. Where I live in Utah, there are no official rules right now except that mask mandates are banned in public schools. In public, most people are not wearing masks and very few students are wearing them in schools. This meme, although it describes having houseguests, represents the varying degrees that people are socializing in all venues: at home, restaurants, movie theaters, amusement parks, family reunions, etc. Some people are still very cautious while others are "back to normal." -
2021-10-05
Masks in Puerto Rico with Five High Schoolers
This summer (2021) my husband and I were lucky enough to take our two high schoolers along with three of their friends to Puerto Rico. It was a way to escape the boredom of Utah as well as its high Covid rate. Of course we wore masks in the airport and the airplanes and continued to wear them in all public places in Puerto Rico, even outside. The teenagers were resistant to wearing masks because Utah had stopped wearing them in March 2021. I explained to them that not only was the Puerto Rican government asking us to wear masks, but the local culture was expecting them too. I realize that this picture shows them not wearing masks but they wore them indoors and when we were near people outdoors – but almost never for pictures! -
2021-09-17
The Census in Lockdown
The Australian Census looked little different this year. Census employees in states and cities in lockdown had to conduct contactless follow up visits and were issued with ABS branded masks for the purpose. -
2021-09-22
Mask trash near the bike rack
A disposable mask was discarded/lost by the bike rack near the COOR building on campus. -
2021-09-23
Disposable mask on campus
A disposable mask on the ground early in the morning before 9AM classes begin. -
2021-09-03
Mask trash at Forest Ave
Mask trash near the pick up-drop off at Forest Ave on ASU's campus. -
2021-09-18
Mask trash outside Tops Liquors
A white, disposable mask on the ground outside Tops Liquor. -
2021
9 WAYS TO PREVENT FACE MASK SKIN PROBLEMS
Masks play a vital role in reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Masks can also be hard on your skin, causing problems that range from acne and peeling skin to rashes and itchiness. To help prevent skin problems from developing under your mask, board-certified dermatologists recommend these nine tips. 1. Cleanse and moisturize your face daily. Gentle skin care can prevent skin problems. When washing your face, use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser and follow these steps, Face washing 101. Dry skin is a common face mask skin problem. Applying moisturizer adds a protective layer that can reduce dryness. You want to apply moisturizer immediately after washing your face. To get the most benefit from a moisturizer, board-certified dermatologist Carrie L. Kovarik, MD, FAAD, recommends using a moisturizer with one of the following ingredients: -Ceramides -Hyaluronic acid -Dimethicone (which can also create a barrier that helps reduce irritated skin) You can prevent breakouts from your moisturizer by using a moisturizer formulated for your skin type. When selecting moisturizer, follow this guide: Oily skin (or when weather is hot, humid): Gel moisturizer Normal or combination skin: Lotion Dry to very dry skin: Cream If you have acne or tend to break out, you can still use a gel moisturizer. Apply moisturizer before and after wearing a mask. Moisturizer can prevent problems, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. (Tip courtesy of board-certified dermatologist Carrie L. Kovarik, MD, FAAD) 2. Protect your lips by applying petroleum jelly. Dry skin and chapped lips are common face mask skin problems. You can prevent chapped lips by applying petroleum jelly to your lips: -After washing your face -Before you put on your mask -Before bed To prevent breakouts, take care to apply the petroleum jelly only to your lips. 3. Skip the makeup when wearing a mask. Beneath a mask, makeup is more likely to clog your pores and lead to breakouts. If makeup is necessary, use only products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won't clog pores.” 4. Avoid trying new skin care products that can irritate your skin. Wearing a mask for even a short time can make your skin more sensitive. To reduce skin problems, avoid trying harsh products, such as a chemical peel, exfoliant, or retinoid, for the first time, says board-certified dermatologist Daniela Kroshinsky, MD, MPH, FAAD. 5. Use less of certain skin care products if your face becomes irritated. When you cover your face with a mask, some skin care products that you’ve used in the past may irritate your skin. If this happens, Dr. Kroshinsky recommends cutting back on products that can irritate your skin, such as: -Leave-on salicylic acid -Retinoid you apply to your face -Aftershave 6. Wear the right mask. To reduce skin problems, look for masks that offer the following: -A snug, but comfortable fit -At least two layers of fabric -Soft, natural, and breathable fabric, such as cotton, on the inside layer that rests against your skin Wearing a mask that offers a snug, but comfortable fit helps to protect you and others from the coronavirus. You want a snug fit across your nose, on the sides, and under your chin. A snug, comfortable fit also reduces skin problems. If the mask feels too tight or slides around on your face, it can irritate your skin. You’re also more likely to adjust a poorly fitting mask. When you touch your mask, you can transfer germs to your mask and your face. The fabric is also important. Avoid synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, polyester, and rayon on the layer that rests against your skin. These are more likely to irritate your skin and cause breakouts. For more tips on selecting a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov/coronavirus. 7. Take a 15-minute mask break every 4 hours. Health care workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic have found that this helps save their skin. Of course, only remove your mask when it’s safe to do so and after washing your hands. Safe places to remove your mask include: -Outdoors, when you can stay at least six feet away from people -Inside your car when you’re alone -At home 8. Wash your cloth masks. Many health care organizations now recommend that you wash a cloth mask after each use. Washing it also removes oils and skin cells that collect inside the mask, which could lead to a skin problem. You can wash a cloth mask in a washing machine or by hand. Both ways remove germs and other particles. Just be sure to: -Follow the washing instructions on each mask. -Wash the masks in hot water unless the instructions say otherwise. -Use a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic laundry detergent. After washing your mask, check its shape. If a mask no longer fits snugly (and comfortably), it is less protective. 9. Continue the treatment plan that your dermatologist created for you. If you have a skin condition, such as acne or rosacea, it’s especially important to follow your treatment plan. This can help keep the condition under control. -
2021-09-13
Mask Trash at Kiwanis Recreation Center
I took my daughter to play tennis at 5:00 PM. When we left at 6:00, this disposable mask had made its way to the ground, right by the entrance to the tennis courts. This photograph is part of the mask trash series. -
2021-09-07
Mask trash
Mask trash has become so common over a year into the pandemic. This one was found on a bench in SanTan Village mall in Gilbert, Arizona. -
2020-09-24
The Mask
I wrote this poem during my senior year shortly after Providence College began its campus lockdown in September of 2020 in response to a major spike in COVID-19 cases. Unable to leave my apartment on campus for days at a time except to go for a walk by myself around campus, I felt the weight of the emotional impacts of the pandemic. I wrote the poem from a place of hurt and concern that my fellow students could not abide by guidelines to keep the campus community and the surrounding community safe. Masks were simultaneously hiding our fears while also being a constant reminder of them. I published this poem in the Portfolio section of The Cowl, Providence College's student-run newspaper. It appeared in the October 1, 2020 issue. -
2021-08-21
Mask trash
I went to Sedona to celebrate my birthday with some friends. We decided to do the bell rock hike and as we were hiking and enjoying nature it felt like life before Covid. It was an odd feeling of normalcy. That feeling quickly fled as we got lost on our way back to the parking lot. We ended up walking on the highway back to the parking lot instead of walking through a random trail. As we walked I came across this mask, there’s no way of knowing if it came from a car or a hiker but I was quickly reminded that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Seeing left behind masks always makes me wonder how much mask trash has impacted our environment. -
2021-08-22
The choice is yours
More and more I am seeing signs like this all over businesses in Arizona. Although the state of Arizona no longer has a mask mandate, businesses are going the extra mile to make it clear that mask wearing is now a personal choice. I liked this sign because it asks customers to be respectful of the choice to wear a mask or not now that it is no longer a requirement. -
2021-08-21
Mask trash outside the CDL
Wednesday, August 18 was the eve of the first day of classes at Arizona State University. It was also the first week that the Child Development Lab (CDL) was open for daycare on campus. I picked my son up around 5:00 PM and took this picture of mask trash, likely unintentionally dropped by one of the parents outside the center. This image is part of the mask trash series. -
2021-08-14
Star Wars Meme
picture showing a meme posted by Mark Hamill. It pokes fun at how ridiculous anti-maskers sound about having the right to not wear a mask. He calls on people not to be "maskholes" -
2021-08-10
Street Art
A friend of mine posted this photograph on social media -
2020-05-15
PPE as litter
One of the most frustrating parts of the pandemic is the return to single use items. While we're talking about building back better, people are also using more packaging via online orders and disposable items to avoid sharing. Single use masks are particularly problematic and can be frequently seen on the ground as litter. The strings get caught around birds' legs and cause problems for wildife. -
2020
Neighbourhood walks
Some pictures of my local neighbourhood walks within my 5km radius of Albert Park, Prahran and South Yarra. Some cute and creative things that people did to brighten other peoples' walks. All taken during the long lockdown in Melbourne between August and December 2020. -
2021-08-16
Masks at the Child Development Lab on Campus
Today, after 2 weeks without daycare, ASU reopened its daycare on campus. I dropped my son off at the CDL daycare this morning, and all the kids are now required to wear a mask. This was not a big deal, because I won't let my son go grocery shopping with me unless he wears a mask, he sees his older sister wearing a mask, so the process is normalized. Last night CVS was selling kids masks with a 2-for-1 sale. Since masks always going missing at home, I bought a new one for each of them. This morning I gave one to my son Juli, and it disappeared. He claimed it was in his backpack, but I looked over the bag and didn't see it. So I gave him the second mask, the only clean one left and when I put him in the car I noticed he didn't have the mask. He said it was in his backpack, which I checked quickly and didn't see. I was frustrated and grabbed a mask out of the dirty laundry. On arriving at the CDL, he didn't want to wear the third mask because it was "stinky." I'm sure it was. I told his caregiver what happened and she said they could give him a disposable mask. I took the stinky mask and shoved it in my purse. 10 minutes later the caregiver texted to say she found both cloth masks in his bag, and everything was fine. My poor 3-year-old was right, and I was too frantic to see the truth. I feel like a hot mess mom today. -
2021-07-16
A Tale of Two Regions
Since we aren’t getting on a plane any time soon, we road tripped it up to Tahoe. Taking advantage of having our car, we decided to drive out to places we would normally never visit, such as Sutter’s Mill and Donner Pass. As my husband called it, it was the Huell Howser California Gold tour. Something that was immediately noticeable was the rarity of people wearing masks around Tahoe and through the desert. Though mask mandates were lifted in CA June 15 for the vaccinated, I’d say about 50% of people still wear them (including my family) where we live. However, out in the more rural deserts and mountain areas, there was not a mask to be seen. I thought it was extremely interesting at Sutter’s Mill, which is a state park a couple of hours from Sacramento. The Park Rangers all wore masks indoors, and signs indicated unvaccinated must wear masks indoors. However, the tour of Sutter’s is all outdoors, with the exception of going into some of the historic buildings. I was a little nervous because I worried about my unvaccinated children going on a tour with possibly unvaccinated strangers who wouldn’t have to wear masks. However, when the tour began, I noticed all the families (all strangers to us) on the tour were wearing masks. Our docent asked each family where they were from and we were all from Los Angeles or Orange County. We all remained masked the whole tour. Our docent even commented “you know you can take off your masks outside?” He said it really nicely, but everyone remained masked. This regional difference was extremely interesting to me. I suppose Southern Californians may have a different way of thinking because our case counts were so incredibly high during the winter that they built field hospitals and ambulances were unable to pick up patients. Maybe that has made us more cautious. It was a literal war zone with the enemy being an invisible virus. Or maybe it’s just that every family on our tour took the same kind of vacation we did for the same reason - wanting a vacation but wanting to be outdoors, avoiding planes, and being able to safely distance. Donner State Park also had COVID protocol still in effect, with their interactive displays turned off. -
2021-07-18
Shifting Back
My family was certainly filled with hope and a bit of relief when our county’s numbers began to steady at 30 cases a day with a positivity rate below 0.5 by June. However, we didn’t let down our guard. My husband’s best friend since childhood is an MD with the county and in May told us the Delta variant is here. We asked what that means and he said “well, outdoors you should be okay, but wear a mask indoors and don’t let anyone breathe on you.” He said this knowing we’re vaccinated and that our two kids, one being his goddaughter, are not old enough to get the vaccine. Numerous times since summer started I ruefully told my husband and mom “enjoy it while we can” because I think we all knew a spike would come once California lifted its COVID restrictions on June 15. It’s taken only a few weeks for LA to return to 1000 cases per day, and where we live in OC, daily cases have jumped from 30 a day to 150 a day in two weeks. Yesterday, the case count was 250 for one day. The variant is here. LA is taking swift action. Effective today, LA’s mask mandate is back in place for unvaccinated and vaccinated alike. It was immediately noticeable when we picked up dinner at King’s Hawaiian. The outdoor tent is up for to go orders pick up and mask mandate signs are posted. Honestly, if people just accepted the practice of wearing masks, I really do think it could help us return to pre June 15 levels. The report I read this week indicated that 100% (which sounds crazy, but it was cited) of the COVID hospitalizations in LA county are unvaccinated. It’s so strange to me that it is the unvaccinated who are so against wearing masks. I’m honestly wearing my mask to protect them, statistics seem to indicate if I get Delta, it should be mild. I just wish my kids could get the vaccine. Oh well, here’s to hoping the mask mandate comes back in the OC, too. -
2021-08-03
Quarantine Hair
Christmas 2019 we gifted my kids (and mom) a Disney cruise for August 2020. Our plan was for my daughter and I to chop our hair right before the cruise. The cruise never happened, and neither did our haircuts. Fast forward to a year later. My hair dresser now works from out of her home, having lost her shop. Knowing that she is vaccinated and only sees one household at a time, I decided to finally get our hair cut. My baby’s first haircut only took (almost) 11 years! It was refreshing to say good bye to our quarantine hair, if only we could say goodbye to COVID, too.