Items

• 
  2020-08-18

  HIST30060: Negative Test Result

  This is a screenshot of a negative PCR test result from August 2020. At this time, test results would typically take 24 hours to process, with the government requiring that the patient isolate until they received the result of their test. I, like most residents in Melbourne, suffered a profound emotional impact from the bombardment of public messaging about the pandemic. The advertising campaigns by the state government as well as opinions expressed on social media suggested that a failure to follow health protocols would result in tremendous negative effects. For example, failing to get tested could be the reason that someone's grandmother died from exposure to the pandemic. With such high stakes attached to my everyday behaviour and compliance to health orders, whenever I felt even slightly unwell, it would trigger a barrage of intense anxiety. The health order to self-isolate for a week after a positive test result, as well as the Andrews governments' policy of reopening contingent on the number of positive test results in the community, further increased anxiety around any form of cold symptoms. To the day, this image evokes feelings of fear and relief. Something so mundane as a text message represented either a ticket to freedom or a binding health order. In this case, the text message represented a reassurance that my sickness was the regular, boring sort, and that I was not an accidental killer of grandmothers. It represents the use of everyday technology, both sophisticated and mundane, in the pandemic response.
• 
  2022-07-06

  Canada extends COVID border restrictions to Sept. 30

  This is a news story from Freight Waves by Noi Mahoney. Canada's vaccine mandate for border-crossing truck drivers will remain in place until September 30. Americans crossing the Canadian border must be fully vaccinated and are subject to random testing. About 30,000 trucks cross the Canadian border each day.
• 
  2022-06-16

  The Diminishing Hope of COVID-19 Herd Immunity

  This is an Instagram post from infectious_disease_modeler (Dr. Jacob B. Aguilar).He wrote an article about how herd immunity doesn't work with COVID as well as it could due to new variants that keep on happening. He says that if vaccines had a 100% effectiveness rates across all situations, this would not really be an issue. Since the vaccines are not entirely effective, the solution, Dr. Aguilar proposes that the way to help mitigate the issue is mass regular testing to slow the spread of new variants.
• 
  2022-02

  American Samoa COVID-19 Testing Schedule

  The American Samoa Department of Health released this flyer in both English and Samoan languages for the public so they would know what time and day COVID testing sites are open, where they are located, and the number to call for each site if they need further information. Not only was this released online but placed in every store of the island.
• 
  2022-01-18

  Protect the Vulnerable

  This is an Instagram post by courtneyahndesign. This is an Instagram post critiquing people's lack of care for others during the pandemic. She thinks it is ridiculous that people are already going places maskless and being careless with how much they expose themselves. At the end, she recommends for people to go and get tested.
• 
  2022-02-01

  Indeterminate

  Stress is associated with the past two years. This incident was one of my most stressful contact with Covid-19 testing. You'd win the bet if you guessed there is a happy ending.
• 
  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.
• 
  2021-07-20

  Isolation Bedroom

  This is a photo of the Ormond College bedroom I spent my isolation period in after getting tested for COVID-19. Due to the majority of students at the college staying in a shared building, with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, a self contained residence such as this was seen as necessary to limit contact with other residents. Any student who showed flu-like symptoms, had interacted with a close contact, or had visited an exposure site, were therefore required to stay in a room similar to this one. Food was delivered to your door for the duration of your stay, and you were able to return to the college upon providing proof of a negative COVID result. The need for such isolation spaces was a result of living in a COVID society, and provided a solution to a unique challenge presented to the college. HIST30060.
• 
  2021-07-06

  Covid Testing the Potatoes

  Humor with temperature testing during Covid-19 pandemic.
• 
  2021-09-24

  COVID-19 Testing At Home

  Pictured are 3 at-home COVID-19 tests. These tests were given, free of charge, to school personnel at a middle school outside Houston, Texas. Each staff member received 3 tests with the hope that sick personnel would test themselves at home before coming to work with symptoms. The test is a nasal swab test which requires a smartphone app to retrieve results. It was noted by this school district that a medical professional confirmatory test would be required after a positive at-home result.
• 
  2020-05-01

  Antibody Testing at the University of Arizona

  The University of Arizona offered antibody testing in April and May 2020 to a limited number of community members. The goal was to get a better idea of how many people had already been infected with COVID without realizing it. I signed up for the test which was located at the new Arizona football practice field. This was my first time venturing out of the house since everything shut down and it was a surreal experience, being on campus but not seeing anyone walking around. The university is usually full of people with lots of energy. It was also uncomfortable being around people in the testing site because I had avoided being around anyone other than my immediate family since March.
• 
  2021-05-05

  Pets Are Safe From Covid, But Are Zoo and Street Animals? Here's What Experts Have to Say

  After eight Asiatic lions tested positive for coronavirus at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad, making it the first case of animals contracting COVID-19 in India, questions have been raised again about the spread of the virus among animals.
• 
  2021-07-14

  Los Angeles Covid Cases Up 500% Over Past Month; Test Positivity Rises Nearly 700% As Delta Variant Takes Hold

  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 1,103 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday. It’s the fifth consecutive day cases have been over 1,000. For perspective, one month ago, the 5-day average of cases was 201. Today the 5-day average is 1,095; this is an increase of more than 500% in just one month. That increase has come even as testing has dropped precipitously, which means the actual rise of infections is likely much greater as there are fewer chances to identify cases.
• 
  2021-02-12

  ‘Open for all’: Local Sikh temples to host COVID-19 testing vans

  The Sikh community has been working vigorously to help the communities they are in as much as possible. In San Joaquin County, Sikh temples have temporarily transformed their worship areas into massive COVID-19 testing sites. As the article notes, Sikhism “is based on giving back to the community and believing in community service.” Even though vaccination is continuing to roll out, the Sikh community is working to help drive down the positivity rate by getting as many people tested as they can.
• 
  2021-04-16

  Indigenous populations and COVID assistance

  This article is about the government's assistance to help Native Americans and Alaska natives combat COVID-19. The Biden administration announced that they will put $4 billion of assistance. The money will be used for things like testing, treatment, and vaccines for these indigenous populations. This is critically important as the CDC announced that Native American and Alaskan Native populations are up to 3.5x more likely to contract COVID-19 than white people. One of the things that the article also notes is that confidence in getting the vaccine will also be an important factor in diminishing that 3.5x number. Efforts to educate specific populations on the vaccine will help the money, but there is a lot of work still to be done.
• 
  2021-01-30

  Round Valley Indian Tribes, COVID testing and welfare checks

  This is a webpage hosted by the Round Valley Indian Tribes to present COVID-19 testing information (downloadable flyer), procedures to follow to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and a form to request assistance related to COVID-19 impacts.
• 2020-12-09

  Covid Testing Zones

  as April as covid was trending upwards becoming more of a concern I decided to get tested along with my father. Knowing the virus is such wide spread and many people would be getting testing they would have a fast functioning and safe testing center, this is not always the case. Typically you would find yourself in a Long line with many others waiting about 30-1hr to first get seen than tested. most people would not abide by the social distancing rules, get to close to each other in line.
• 
  2020-12-07

  Dr. Henry extends gathering restrictions over the holidays

  Tweet: "British Columbia has banned family gatherings of any kind over Christmas right to January 8! Wow, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year indeed. Will be the worst suicide numbers ever. Why aren’t we allowed to get Covid tests to show we don’t have Covid to visit family?"
• 
  2020-12-08

  Drive-Thru Testing in P.E.I.

  Despite showing symptoms or not, residents between the ages of 20 to 29 were asked to get tested in Charlottetown, P.E.I.. Responding to the provinces demands many showed up to drive-thru testing clinics causing long lines and wait times. During this time, P.E.I tested 2,000 people. All results were negative.
• 
  2020-12-13

  How it Feels to Get Tested for COVID-19

  Local Halloween decoration humorously depicts how it feels to be tested with a nasal swab. This test is uncomfortable as the swab is inserted through your nasal cavity and brushed against the back of your throat. The irritating sensation causes your eyes to water but it should not feel painful.
• 
  2020-05-26

  Accessible Testing

  In response to Premier Doug Ford's disappointment about the number of tests being done in Ontario, the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service is mobilizing to offer drive-thru clinics for anybody in the county who wants to be tested for COVID-19 in order to keep up with the provinces' testing demands. Dr. Theresa Tam and chief public health officer of Canada says, "This is a wonderful example of the health-care system coming together to ensure that no one is left behind and it highlights the important role paramedics play in linking communities to health-care settings".
• 
  2020-07-15

  Yukon Testing Guidelines

  The guidelines from the Yukon Government on who should be tested and how healthcare professionals should perform those tests.
• 
  2020-06-02

  "What to do After the Protest"

  This Instagram post explains the proper safety steps to take after protesting.
• 2020-12-05

  Reflections on working at a US Military Hotel/Quarantine Facility and Getting Tested for COVID

  In this story I would like to share some of my experiences working at a Hotel that was converted into a quarantine facility for the US Military. I am a civilian employee of a US Army Lodging facility on a US Army base overseas. As a part of my job, I assist soldiers in finding temporary lodging during their permanent change of station (PCS) moves, as well as finding lodging during temporary deployments in our area. In many ways, our facility works as a hotel with an emphasis on long term stays for guests. By early February we had begun to take measures of tracking where people were traveling from and if they had any contact with people who had be sick or were sick themselves. In March, as the pandemic was heating up in Europe, many local hotels were forced to close, yet to support the military mission, we remained open and even converted a portion of our facility into a quarantine facility for US Military personnel. Establishing the new standard operating procedure for handling quarantine was difficult since we needed to coordinate it with local German Laws, Garrison policy and the policies being set by the local combatant commands. This often led to confusion and frequent changes in daily routine and standard operating procedure. When coming to work, things would change almost daily. While the Garrison went to partial manning as those who could work at home did, I was working double shifts to help in the conversion of our facility and the writing of the new SOP’s to deal with our changing circumstances. Large plexiglass windows were added to the Front Desk and all our office spaces. Per garrison orders mask wearing became mandatory throughout the facility except for guests inside guest rooms. Wearing masks for hours on end, and frequent sanitation runs to wipe down the stairways and elevators and lobby became the norm. Given the importance of maintain health and readiness, the Military took the situation vary seriously in terms of sanitation and protection measures. When One of my colleagues had tested positive for COVID, the others she had direct contact with were placed in Quarantine and sent to be tested as well. They were required to have two negative tests 5 days apart before they could leave quarantine. When I became sick with flu-like symptoms, I was sent to be tested for COVID. The Garrison established a drive through testing area. The test consisted of a nasal swab, which could be done either as the less invasive swab just inside the nose, or the more invasive same day test which required the swab to be taken deeper in the nose for 10 seconds. After filling out a questionnaire, they determined that I needed the more invasive test. After reaching the end of the line, I leaned out of the window of my car they tested me. It was a rather painful experience. Within 8 hours of the test, I was able to access my test results online. Luckily, I tested negative. As it turns out I had only a regular seasonal flu. If I had tested positive, I would have been contacted by a training team on the same day of my test, and the colleagues that I worked with would have had to enter quarantine as well. Since I tested negative, I only had to remain at home away from work until 48 hours after my last symptoms. Attached is a copy of the COVID testing information sheet provided to me after my test.
• 
  2020-12-07

  New Normal.

  Everyday life seems to change with every month of the development of COVID, and a good chunk of the population needs to continue learning and educating during this time. Universities and colleges as well as high schools and other education facilities are being greatly impacted by the spread of COVID. At Wentworth, and other campuses, mobile testing hubs expect students to participate in weekly to twice weekly testing to contain any outbreaks as well as to ensure everyone is acting safely while on campus. College friends understand the reality of not seeing each other outside of class or beyond a face shield or zoom screen; it is the ‘new normal’. For some who do not believe in the virus’s effects, parties and extracurricular activities still go on to the dismay of others. For many students, especially those on campus, it is important to be cautious, to see loved ones during the holidays but also to keep those more at risk safe.
• 
  2020-12-13

  無料コロナ検査に行列→有料クリニックが人気に　NY(2020年12月3日) - Procession for free corona inspection → Paid clinic becomes popular NY (December 3, 2020)

  新型コロナウイルスの感染が再び拡大しているアメリカ・ニューヨーク州では、検査の行列を避けたい人たちの間で有料のクリニックへの注目が高まっています。 　検査を受けに来た女性：「多くの具合が悪い人と一緒に行列に並ぶリスクを避けたい。（簡易テストの費用が）250ドルはすごく高いけど、皆、早く結果が知りたいし、賢いビジネスだと思う」 　新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大が続くなか、ニューヨーク市内では無料の検査を受けるまで数時間、外で待つ場合もあり、行列を避けたい人たちの間で有料のクリニックへの注目が高まっています。ニューヨーク州では2日、前日に確認された新規感染者が8973人に上り、4月24日以来、最多となりました。クリスマスや年末に向けて感染者のさらなる増加が懸念され、クオモ知事は多くの市民に検査を受けるよう改めて呼び掛けています。ニューヨーク州では検査が無料のため、その数は一日で最大約22万件に上っていて、病院には大勢の人が詰め掛けています。 In New York, USA, where the infection with the new coronavirus is spreading again, there is increasing attention to paid clinics among those who want to avoid the inspection line. Woman coming to the test: "I want to avoid the risk of waiting in line with many sick people. (The cost of a quick test) is very high, but everyone wants to know the results quickly and is smart. I think it's a good business.” As the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread, in New York City, it may take several hours to wait outside for a free test, so people who want to avoid lines are paying more attention to paid clinics. In New York State, the number of newly infected people confirmed the day before was 8973 on the 2nd, the highest number since April 24th. Concerned about a further increase in infected people towards Christmas and the end of the year, Governor Cuomo is calling on many citizens to be tested again. With free tests in New York, the number can reach up to about 220,000 a day, and hospitals are packed with people. Video Translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-04-30

  Not every COVID-19 testing site is legit

  When COVID-19 started to be recognized as a serious problem, the Federal Trade Commission warned of fake COVID-19 testing sites and ways to identify them. Now that the holiday season has started, articles are once again warning of fake testing sites and linking to the FTC's original warning.
• 2020-12-01

  I've Taken the COVID-19 Test Twice in as Many Months

  I have always gotten sick during the fall semester; it's just how my immune system has always been with my allergies and all of the normal sicknesses that go around this time of year. This year the fall semester and my normal sicknesses during it have been a source of stress for me on top of my classes. I am currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University and we have to fill out a daily health screening app that puts case investigators in contact with us if we report any symptom that might be related to COVID-19. This semester I have been in contact with case investigators twice. The first time was sometime around October 26 when I got my first COVID-19 test. I had a cough, a sore throat, and was experiencing fatigue but no fever. Just to be sure, I scheduled a test at a local CVS. The test at CVS you have to administer yourself and was unpleasant to say the least. My results came back negative on October 29, I told my case investigator, and returned to class. I missed my zoom class that Monday as well as my on-campus class that Tuesday. The following month, I developed a fever that reached 103.8 at its highest but I had no other symptoms except a cough after my fever passed. I tested on November 17 at another local CVS. It was the same self-administered test. I attended my class the Monday before, my temperature during which was between 102.8 and 103. I missed my class that Tuesday and got my results on November 20. It was once again negative, and I was able to return to my on-campus classes once my cough stopped. Like many other students, this pandemic has interrupted my normal school life and has added stress to an already stressful semester. In addition to this, not being able to attend class while I was waiting on my test results like has impacted my grades though I would not have attended those classes anyway if I were allowed to while waiting on my results.
• 
  2020-11-28

  Airlines set sights on digital passports for COVID-19 vaccine

  The tourism and travel industries are working to revive their failing industry and have proposed a digital health passport. These passports would be used to verify a traveler's vaccine and COVID-19 test status when traveling, especially internationally.
• 
  2020-11-18

  As COVID-19 soars in many communities, schools attempt to find ways through the crisis

  As schools reopened around the world, countries saw surges in new COVID-19 cases. In response, some countries have re-closed schools while others have remained upon and employed strict guidelines.
• 
  2020-11-17

  FDA Approves First At-Home Coronavirus Test

  The FDA has approved an at-home, self-test for COVID-19.
• 
  2020-11-17

  Campus Offers Free COVID-19 Testing

  In preparation for the holiday break, St. Mary's University is now offering its community free COVID-19 testing on campus. The test is a self-performed saliva test and it yields results within 36 to 48 hours. Located in front of the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center, it is in a central campus location and easily accessible.
• 
  2020-09-07

  An Unexpected University Routine in 2020

  When I imagined my daily college experience growing up, it always included going to class, going to the dinning hall, and meeting up with friends. Never would I have thought that this routine would include setting aside 15 minutes of my day to go inside a socially distanced tent while wearing a mask, to submit a nasal sample to a testing lab. I knew coming to college during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic would be different than what I expected and I had accepted that frequent COVID-19 testing would be a large part of my experience. As a student at Northeastern University, it is policy to get tested at the university's testing site every three days. This process includes making an appointment, completing a daily wellness check, getting tested, and scanning your student ID to confirm compliance with the testing policy. Testing has become part of my daily routine as a student and is oddly something that feels very normal, when the whole concept of it is quite the opposite. I expect testing, along with socially distanced classes, online classes, and this altered reality to continue to be a part of my routine as a Northeastern student for a quite a while. However, I have accepted this and am glad to do so in order to participate in the college experience have awaited my whole life.
• 
  2020-11-10

  Covid-19 Test Timeline in Victoria BC

  Timeline for Covid-19 testing from Island Health in Victoria, BC. Supposedly it's a very quick turnaround, taking under 24 hours.
• 
  10/17/2022

  Sachiko Mortia-Mulaney Oral History, 2020/10/17

  This is an Oral History interview with University of Cincinnati student Sachiko Morita-Mullaney. Sachiko discusses her experience as a student at the University of Cincinnati. She brings up her identity as a Japanese-American woman and how that has affected her personally during the pandemic due to anti-Asian racism. She also talks about her small online business, and the different ways her and her family’s employment have been affected by Covid-19. Sachiko, a Political Science major at the University of Cincinnati, is very informed about the government’s response to Covid-19. She shares her opinions about healthcare in the United States and how racism and classism have affected the United States’ response to the coronavirus. Finally, we talked about the future and the quality of the US response to the coronavirus.
• 
  2020-07-23

  COVID-19 Contact Tracing Notice - Healthcare Worker

  This was an email sent to my brother, who is a third year Doctor of Optometry student at the University of Melbourne. One of his classmates had tested positive for Covid-19, and he had been in the same lab room doing practicals together during this time. His whole class was asked to self-isolate for a two-week period, and his exams for the semester were pushed back as well. Although he does no directly deal with Covid-19 related patients, as a healthcare worker, he must come in close contact with people on a greater basis than almost any other profession. He isolated for the required period and was tested twice, thankfully with a negative result both times. Each test required 1-2 days turnaround. This object shows the steps organisations are taking to ensure proper contact tracing and in taking care both their patients and students. It also shows how healthcare workers, who come in close physical contact with others, are inherently at high risk and need to be extra careful not to catch or spread diseases. HIST30060.
• 
  2020-11-02

  Bahamas Scraps COVID-19 Rapid Test for Travelers

  The Bahamas is desperate for tourism to supplement its economy. The rules previously in place pretty much stifled any tourism dollars that could enter the island. The new law is incredibly beneficial for that purpose and should allow tourism to regain traction. This is good for me. Maybe I might try to go visit my family.
• 
  2020-09-11

  How cautious is too cautious?

  In my household at least, temperature checks have become part of our regular routine, especially since two of us have been 'permitted workers' throughout the year and therefore still come into regular contact with the public. At this point Victoria was in it's second wave of the pandemic, we'd just been through winter and were into hay fever season: all of this made it very hard to tell when to get a test. In this case I had taken my temperature a couple of hours before work and had to decide if this borderline temperature was enough make me call in sick on such short notice. The government had announced a payment system for people who feared missing work to get tested due to the financial impact, but for me the problem has been managing managers expectations and creating difficulties for my workplace. I did get a test from a pop-up site at a local pool and I got a text message with the negative results in less than 24 hours.
• 
  2020-06-20

  Infographic for Black Americans During Covid

  An infographic informing Blacks on how to get tested and who to call for more information. This drawing is important because informs how Black Americans are in more danger with covid.
• 
  2020-10-30

  コロナ検査1日6万5000件へ　インフル同時流行に備え(2020年10月30日) - Corona testing up to 65,000 cases a day in preparation for simultaneous spread with influenza (October 30, 2020)

  I personally think this is important to increase the amount of cases they can test per day. However, from what I hear from my parents who live in Tokyo, getting tested is really hard because you have to have symptoms to get tested. With no symptoms, a lot test centers turn you down even though there are so many cases who are asymptomatic. 東京都は一日あたりの検査能力を6万5000件まで拡充します。 　東京都の現在の新型コロナウイルスの検査能力は一日あたり約2万5000件ですが、インフルエンザとの同時流行で発熱患者が増えた場合、最大で約6万5000件必要になる可能性があります。こうした状況を受けて都は、新型コロナの検査能力を12月上旬までに一日あたり最大6万5000件へ拡充する方針を明らかにしました。今月25日までに都内で確認されている今シーズンのインフルエンザの患者は4人ですが、これからの流行期に備える狙いです。 The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will expand its daily testing capacity to 65,000 tests. The current testing capacity of the new coronavirus in Tokyo is about 25,000 per day, but if the number of fever patients increases due to the simultaneous spread with influenza, a maximum of about 65,000 may be required. In response to this situation, the city has announced that it will expand the testing capacity of the new coronavirus to a maximum of 65,000 per day by early December. By the 25th of this month, four influenza patients have been confirmed in Tokyo this season, but we are aiming to prepare for the coming flu season.
• 
  2020-09-29

  Incarcerated people are humans, with human rights

  This series of Tweets illustrates the number of Covid cases inside of prisons that go largely unnoticed by the general public. It also points to a larger problem of seeing "inmates", those who should be referred to in people first language as incarcerated persons, as fully human.
• 
  2020-09-27

  My Experience Taking A COVID Test

  I had been feeling progressively more sick for 2 weeks when my boyfriend got positive results from an antibody test he did through work. Apparently his results meant that he may have had the virus and was asymptomatic but he no longer had the virus, though he seemed unclear on the details. In any case, he came into contact with the virus at some point. Since I have asthma and I started coughing pretty bad very early Sunday (9/27) morning on top of other COVID symptoms, I worried that I had also come into contact with it through him and figured I should get tested if I fit the criteria to do so. California has you take a symptom test before you can make an appointment for drive-thru testing, and I checked off more symptoms than I realized I had. It was very fast and easy to make an appointment, and I got one for literally a few minutes later at a nearby hospital. We followed the signs taking us to a few covered tables and stations in the back where they handed me instructions through a small opening in the window with one of those long grabby things usually used to pick up trash. They then had us pull forward and show my appointment number and ID card to a women through the window. She then gave me a sticky note with my name and number on it to stick on the windshield and instructed me to pull forward. At the next station they gave me a test kit. With the window closed, I took my mask off and stuck the swab into each nostril and for a 10 second turn as instructed, about an inch in, but not so far in that it was painful. I then put the swab into the provided tube, broke the end off of the swab and capped the tube. I dropped the bag containing my test into a bucket and they said I'd get my results in 1-3 days and that I must self-isolate until I got my results. Easy, I haven't left my apartment save for 2-3 outside walks and 1 doctor's appointment since March. There are too many people walking around without masks, and with my asthma I'm not taking any risks, a big reason why I was surprised to even be taking the test in the first place. When I woke up this morning (9/28) I already had a text message saying my results were in. Negative! I'm very glad for that. Honestly it was so fast and easy I was sort of surprised considering the mess testing was at the beginning of the pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-21

  Nearly half the population at Michigan prison tests positive for COVID-19

  This Tweet and it's responses show how the public feels about the Covid-19 outbreak within one of Michigan's prisons. The article referenced also explains how this particular facility had spent months with no cases and then had a sudden outbreak, illustrating how dependent prisons and the communities they are a part of are when it comes to the spread of Covid=19.
• 
  2020-08-21

  Yuma Inmates Allege Prison Officials Ordered Them To Refuse COVID-19 Testing To Keep Numbers Down

  This Tweet and linked article explain a haunting story. Inmates at the Yuma prison in Arizona were threatened with a "beat down" unless they refused to take a Covid-19 test in an effort by the administration to keep the case count down. The replies to this Tweet show the public's response to this allegation.
• 
  2020-08-06

  Even Asymptomatic People Carry the Coronavirus in High Amounts

  This article discusses the findings of a report recently published in the Journal of American Medical Association explaining that asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19 carry as much virus in their nose and mouth as those with symptoms for about the same length of time. While previously the knowledge on asymptomatic spread was more anecdotal this study offers more direct evidence.
• 
  2020-08-04

  Worst coronavirus outbreak in U.S.: A timeline of how San Quentin earned that infamous distinction

  This article includes a video interactive timeline that shows how they believe covid was introduced to San Quentin Prison in California as well as coverage of the pandemic in several other California state prisons.
• 
  2020-07-23

  Mother Lode coronavirus cases, hospitalizations continue to increase

  This article reports on increasing cases in the Mother Lode and a the first death from the virus in Calaveras County. There had been 104 cases in Tuolumne County at the time this article was published and cases are continuing to rise. The county is now very close to being put on California's monitoring list for areas of the state with high COVID-19 cases. Doctor's interviewed urge people to get tested to help keep other members of the community safe.
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  2020-04-06

  04/06/2020 The Equinox Report

  An inmate at San Quentin prison in San Francisco, California, has been sending letters out to someone who is posting them on this blog. Today he explains a news story he saw on Democracy Now. The story says 16 states have begun releasing prisoners but New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has resisted even with hundreds of inmates and facility employees testing positive.
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  2020-07-20

  How to Survive Your Homecoming

  The world practically shut down for 3 months, and we are just now beginning to learn how to travel within the harsh parameters set by Covid-19.
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  2020-07-12

  Professional Athletes and Schools

  When the schools originally shut down back in March, professional sports league were quick to follow congruently. Distance learning doesn't necessarily carry over to sports. As Summer reaches its height, everyone is itching to return to school and get sports back on as quickly as possible. What this looks like is playing out differently in various job spheres. This item was added TAGS v6.1.9.1. I originally searched under the hashtag #schools. Within that search, I have chosen to add the following tweet because it highlights the priority levels in the United States for different types of workers.