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2020-03-15

"Handwash Everyone"

I worked at a McDonald’s in March when the United States went into lockdown. Before the lockdown, the drive-thru line was long, the lobby was full of customers, and employee’s rushed around everywhere. The restaurant was always loud with fryers beeping, headsets beeping, customers ordering and complaining, and employee’s trying to have conversations with each other while taking orders all at the same time. People were constantly sneezing, coughing, or sounding like their voices were hoarse, and no one thought anything of it. Everyone went on about their business. After the pandemic, the restaurant was quieter. No more customers were in the lobby, fewer people came through the drive-thru, and fewer employees were at work, less food was being made, so the fryers beeped less often, as did the headsets that warned us when customers wanted to order. One new sound we could all rely on was the alarm that went off every hour, followed by a manager yelling out that everyone needed to wash their hands. The sound of a raspy voice from a customer, a sneeze, or a cough echoed from the speaker above side one in the kitchen, though the entire restaurant and employees would all look at each other in disgust, sure that this customer must have the Corona Virus. The employee in the first booth taking the payment would instantly remove their gloves and rush to scrub their hands before retrieving a new pair of gloves. The person in the second booth who handed the food out the window would be stretching their arm out the window as far as they could in an effort to stay as far away from the person as possible before repeating the same ritual as the last employee in disinfecting themselves. Sounds that usually just fell into the background noise and people assumed were allergies or just a simple cold suddenly elicited a significant amount of fear in my friends and co-workers. While things have mostly gone back to normal, the handwash alarm and manager yelling for a handwash is an hourly reminder that Covid-19 is still around.

2020-03-05

Germs and Touch: Contact OCD during the pandemic

The pandemic, rather the first 5 months, was debilitating for my mental health. I suffer from a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) called "Contamination OCD". This could also be known as germaphobia. When the pandemic began, I began to be cautious. I would slide my sleeves over my hands to open doors at the college I was attending. I stopped touching things directly. For years I already practiced this in the bathroom, such as not touching stall locks before using the toilet or always washing my hands before and after I went. Due to medical issues, my doctors advised me to truly quarantine for 30 days or more. This sent my anxiety into a severe shock. I truly, genuinely did not leave my home for 30 days. There may have been a few trash outings but I did not go to the stores or see friends; nothing. It is hard to describe how my touch was affected, especially if the reader does not understand contamination OCD. An example that truly became a problem for me is Amazon packages. For everyone else, Amazon was still running and this allowed everyone to still have fun; to still live. For me, any package I took in, I used gloves. I would not touch the box. In my mind, the carrier could have had COVID, which would be outside the box. Inside, the handler could have coughed on the item as well. Even the manufacturer could have contaminated it. I cut trash bags in half and laid my items on them as I carefully dissected each one. Anything that came into my home, groceries too, was wiped down with bleach or Clorox wipes (if I had them). Amazon packages were quarantined for 10-14 days in a cupboard so the alleged virus would die and then I could use it. I remember how dry my hands were from washing 20 times a day, at least. The way the bleach would hurt my hands if I forgot gloves. Clorox wipes were familiar and on ration as I cut each one in half to make them last. The gloves I had were the last box in my city after searching for a whole day. I had tickets booked to Seoul, South Korea the first week of March 2020...which was obviously cancelled. For me, everything was dirty until I got to it. Even then, I barely trusted it. My couches, handles, walls, phone, laptop, window, groceries, bags, clothing, and more all went through cleaning as they came into my home. I would never sit on any furniture in "dirty" clothes from the outside. I had to shower and throw them in the wash. My mind was obviously anxious and ill. While I have severely recovered and pushed those limits, I still find myself holding onto those habits, knowing the risk is still out there. My hands still dry out from washing and I use hand sanitizer too much. I haven't had COVID yet, so I am holding out.

2021-03-22

#JOTPYPhoto from Tracey Kole

UV disinfection of escalator handrails at the PHX airport

2021-03-05

In Native America, the National COVID-19 emergency has hit us hard

This article describes the incredible losses the Native gaming industry has sustained due to the pandemic.

2020-11-10

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

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

10/01/2020

New Sanitization Protocols

This fogger is a new sanitization device introduced to our daily cleaning regime at the Athletic Center. It plays an integral part in ensuring that the recreation spaces are sanitized for patrons and for athletes to use the spaces. The fogger is used by custodial staff at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm and the facilities must be closed for an hour each time. The fogger is also used at a closing time ensuring that the facility is sanitized for incoming athletes for their 6:00 am sessions.

2020-03-28

Cleaning The Climbing Frame

This image shows workers in Mexico cleaning playgrounds to stop the spread of Covid-19.

2020-05-25

How Chinese government fight with Covid-19

when the first discovery of the new coronavirus, immediately published, and open and transparent data, to promote the new coronavirus hazards and protection measures. Since the new coronavirus is spread by droplets produced when people speak again , we should minimize human contact . First of all, we must close the country to reduce external communication. Secondly, serious areas should be closed cities, the implementation of home orders throughout the country. The importance of universal wear masks and disinfection of clothes out of the home. Even in less serious places, strict lying in and out of the population should be strictly restricted, and the public began to be tested in large quantities for nucleic acids. Close all public places, prohibit public gatherings, and open only supermarkets. A substantial increase in the production of medical equipment. For severe areas, build hospitals for outbreaks. In the highway, railway station, airport, etc. , all have to set up detection points to carry out temperature measurements on people. Limit the number of people entering and leaving the community , and check the temperature of all people in and out of the area . Elevators in the district are disinfected three times a day, and the property needs to be doored to the owner twice a day to measure the temperature. Promote an app that we call a health code here and require all citizens to use it. Its main function is to be able to grasp the human movement trajectory, such as entering shopping malls and supermarkets by bus subway to protect the train will require to sweep this health code. The health app is set to three models the first of three is that green indicates that it was not exposed to neo-coronavirus contamination before the data update date, while yellow indicates that it may have been exposed to neo-coronary virus contamination within 14 days, needs to contact the local health service center, try not to go out to be isolated at home, red indicates that within 14 days with new coronary patients have been in close contact with the CDC ice and medical isolation. The outbreak ended and the economy began to recover, but residents were asked to wear masks because the outbreak could return at any time. Help countries that have helped China fight the outbreak, send experienced medical teams and donate medical supplies. For other countries in need, trafficking in medical supplies.

2020-05-23

Municipalidad de Carabayllo de la alegría al virus

El video muestra cómo el virus COVID-19 llega a una calle de Carabayllo y continúa su recorrido por las calles en las que los vecinos están preparados para botarlo ya que han realizado la desinfección de las calles, también muestra como algunas vecinas sacan la basura a la calle haciéndose más propensas a contagiarse, este espot publicitario fue realizado por la municipalidad de Carabayllo.

2020-05-20

Túneles de desinfección

#Tacna | Contraloría constata el retiro de túneles de desinfección instalados por la Dirección Regional de Agricultura, en cinco mercados de Tacna. Entidad fiscalizadora advirtió peligro a la salud de las personas por su uso. #EmergenciaSanitaria #COVID19

A painting of people in full body white suits, carrying sanitizing sprayers.

03/31/2020

War with an Invisible Enemy

This photo that this painting is inspired by was taken in February in Bozhou, China of workers disinfecting an outdoor area when the Chinese lockdown was at its peak. The image was very moving when I first saw it. The setting, with only trees visible behind them in the photograph, makes it seem as if they are disinfecting nature. Although both people and viruses are natural organisms, nothing in this painting seems natural. No skin, no faces, just machinery, hazmat suits, and smoke. I’m also fascinated by the idea that there is such caution and seriousness in the combat of something invisible. The original photo can be seen here: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-disinfecting-surfaces-really-prevent-spread-coronavirus

2020-04-16

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