Items

• 
  2020-02-23

  Return to Travel After Covid

  Enduring COVID restrictions impacting travel.
• 
  2022-07-11

  Handrails at Phoenix International Airport

  This is a picture of the UV light in action at the Phoenix International Airport. The UV light is said to help with sanitizing the handrails at the airport. Seeing as many people go through the airport every day, I can understand why things like this would want to be sanitized.
• 
  2022-07-11

  Sign at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

  This was a picture taken by my mom while traveling out of town. Here, it is a sign telling people that the railings have been sanitized with UV light. My own prediction is that this will be one of the things that sticks since the pandemic. In my own life, I have noticed that sneeze guards are still being used in places like grocery stores. These precautions will possibly help improve public health at large, as higher sanitation levels could help lessen the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses.
• 
  11/27/2020

  Cristiano Favazza Oral History, 2020/11/27

  C19OH
• 
  11/23/2020

  Danielle O'Connell Oral History, 2020/11/23

  C19OH
• 
  04/01/2020

  DC Oral History, 2020/04/01

  C19OH
• 
  07/14/2020

  Amanda McMullen Oral History, 2020/07/14

  C19OH
• 
  2021-12-10T11:53

  Thomas Ligh and Sierra Butler, Oral History, 2021/12/10

  In this interview we discussed what we learned in our History of Global Pandemics class and how that has affected our perspective of pandemics, including COVID-19.
• 
  2021-12-10

  Lauren Leonard and Ryan BreucknerOral History, 2021/12/10

  A discussion with a peer about what we have learned about the COVID-19 pandemic through learning about other pandemics.
• 
  2021-12-08

  End of Semester Covid-19 Interview Oral History 2021/12/08

  This interview is about our thoughts and understandings of the Covid-19 pandemic after having taken a semester-long course about the history of pandemics spanning from the black plague until the Spanish flu. We've discussed how we think the world could have handled this pandemic differently, the similarities and differences between this pandemic and previous pandemics, and how this pandemic affected our personal lives.
• 
  2021-12-07T13

  Covid-19 Archive Project Second Interview

  After learning about four major pandemics, we discussed how our views of the COVID-19 pandemic have changed over the course of the semester, and how our perceptions of pandemics as a whole have changed.
• 
  2020-07-10

  HIST30060 Texts from a supermarket service manager regarding COVID cleaning

  These are screenshots of text messages sent from a supermarket manager to a group chat of service team members of a major Australian supermarket in Altona North, Melbourne. They detail the new cleaning regime that became part of the responsibilities of working in a supermarket during the pandemic. These include instructions about wiping down surfaces with sanitiser and keeping 1.5m distance from coworkers. These texts came a few days after Victoria's third lockdown was announced. I worked at the supermarket at the time and it was an extremely chaotic period, made more hectic by ever-changing restrictions and developments in COVID-safe practices. We would get texts like these quite frequently during this third lockdown because it was so important that supermarket essential workers kept abreast of COVID developments and worked to make supermarkets as safe as possible.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Pandemic Smells and Silence

  When the pandemic became widespread enough for schools to start shutting down, it seems that’s when life really changed. I remember - it was March 2020 - and my school district had just gone on spring break. It was still uncertain whether teachers and students would be returning to their classroom after break’s end. We were asked to come into our classrooms to gather any teaching supplies we might be able to use to teach virtually in the event that we would be told to remain at home. When I arrived at school, it was so quiet. There were a few cars parked in the parking lot, but no people to be seen. The usual student chatter, catching fragments of conversation as they walked by, the bustle of cars parking was gone. As I entered my building, a wave of chemically cleaned and sanitized air blasted my nostrils. The smells of bleach and whatever other industrial cleaners schools use wafted through the halls. They had recently been cleaned - I had never seen them so pristine. A few custodian cleaning carts were scattered nearby, but still no one to be seen. Every footfall seemed louder against the backdrop of silence. The deserted hallway and the chemical smell assaulting my olfactory system had turned my second home into something sterile and unwelcoming. Entering my classroom, I noticed it, too, had been sanitized with heavy chemicals and a jug of hand sanitizer had unceremoniously been plopped on my desk. I surveyed my classroom, nostrils burning from the bleach again, grabbed what I needed and went home. It would be the last time I would see my classroom for a long time. The memory of that shining, white hallway and the burning air of “purification” has stayed with me.
• 
  2021-09-21

  Ludo and Ben Oral History 09/21/2021

  We completed this interview for our History of Global Pandemics class, which we take at Northeastern University.
• 
  2021-09-20

  The Big E Health and Safety Measures Web Page

  This page on the Big E's website lists the health and safety measures put in place at the Big E, known formally as the Eastern States Exposition, which is a New England fair held annually in West Springfield, MA. The fair was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, so it has a series of health and safety measures in place in attempt to make attendance safe in 2021.
• 
  2020

  Humorous memes about coronavirus

  During quarantine I collected many humorous memes about staying at home and the problems that brought. All sorts of subjects were covered: cooking, getting along with your spouse/roommates, homeschooling the kids, learning to bake bread, being stuck at home, sanitizing, facemasks, people hoarding toilet paper, boredom, effects of isolation, etc. Here are a few of those memes.
• 
  2021-04-20

  Hands-on art classes adapt to COVID-19 restrictions

  Art professors at Saint Joseph's University talk about changes they've made to their courses due to COVID-19.
• 
  2021-04-05

  The Holderness Family's Corona Culture Parodies

  The following music videos cover different aspects of the 2020 COVID-19 experience through a family's hilarious parodies of popular songs. In "Wash or Dang Hands" (March 2020), "End of the Roll" (April 8 2020), and "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" (May 4 2020) the Holderness family uses humor to lift the spirits of people affected by increased sanitization, toilet paper shortages, and a longing for the pandemic to end. The videos take the everyday pandemic experiences of millions of people to produce funny lyrics that resonate with listeners because of their light-heartiness, and truthfulness. While all fun and games, these songs also help people to begin to crystalize their thoughts about Corona Culture and develop a better understanding of their experiences and the experiences of the world they live in. "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" in particular serves as both a much shared expression of hope and a sort of prophecy for the future. It expresses the fatigue the world is experiencing due to the demands of COVID-19 and also expresses wishful hope (and doubt) that 2021 will see the end of the pandemic. These songs merit more study because of their immense cultural value during the Corona era.
• 2020-05-15

  Living with a First Responder

  My father is a police officer, and despite all the lockdown procedures in place in my hometown (Tucson, Arizona), that meant little regarding my dad's responsibilities at work. However, with the added stress of the pandemic, and the uncertain procedures that rapidly rose around it, I often watched as my dad would stop by the house during work to switch out clothes and take extra sanitization procedures because he had gone out on a call and been in contact with an individual who would only disclose that they had the coronavirus after he dealt with the report. These situations, especially early on in the pandemic, meant a lot of unknown variables for my family as we did our best to stay safe in a situation where we weren't always sure what to do.
• 
  2020-09-01

  Essential Workers

  When I think about this past year, what first comes to mind is my food service job. Then, I think of my coworker Alex. For almost a year we worked together and she ended up being a great friend. At the end of the summer, she quit to find a better-paying job. In this picture, we were goofing off at the end of our shift, cleaning the bathroom and listening to music. It was our last day together and we wanted to end on a good note. Food service has definitely been a challenge during this pandemic, but I’m grateful I got to work with a friend through most of it. I definitely miss her :)
• 2021-01-19

  Rules and Procedures of Covid-19

  Ever since the strike of Covid-19 we have had to make changes to our everyday lives. Some of these include wearing masks around people, sanitizing yourself and surfaces often, staying 6 feet apart from others, ect. Kids and teens also had to stay home and do school online (which I enjoyed). These procedures might be quite annoying or uncomfortable, but it makes it a lot easier to them when you know you're saving lives. Personally I think that the things that have changed or the things that we have to do are annoying, but i'd rather do that than have people die.
• 2021-01-11

  How I Think Covid-19 Started

  I think Covid-19 because of how the modern day world keeps itself clean and how it deals with its sanitation and politics. Over time, it was bound for something to happen like this. It almost like we can't keep up with ourselves. Our world was broken and it allowed something devastating to enter it such as Covid-19. With travel such as airplanes and motor vehicles traveling everyday, it allowed Covid-19 to spread all over our world so quickly and that's how I think Covid-19 started.
• 
  2020-12-03

  Massachusetts Contact Tracing Log

  At the restaurant that I work at, the host plays a larger role than just taking people to their tables. There is a designated “sanitation specialist” that clears the tables and wipes down the tables with peroxide and another liquid so that we can seat guests in an orderly manner. There is also the job of the main host to take down people’s phone numbers in case a coworker reports having COVID symptoms so that those in the restaurant can get tested for the virus. This connects to the civic purpose of history as this was one of the new contributions to the people in order to keep them, hopefully, safe from the pandemic and a need to reform how we think about our information in public spheres. I think that this item is something that “ helps illustrate something particularly significant about the year 2020”. This is through the tracking log as we’ve often seen people protest the government having our information as seen with the microchip scare with the vaccine, but this has become something of a norm at work. Every so often, there is that person that will give me a fake number or protest their information being leaked because “they will call us”, our only defense is that we get rid of the paper after a month before getting our manager. The blurb at the top does a better job at explaining than I do.
• 
  2020-03-03

  How To Get Your Workplace Ready For Covid-19

  The World Health Organization released a document on March 3rd, 2020 and it gives advice on how a company should deal with the coronavirus. Within the document it highlights four main topics, simple ways to prevent the spread of covid-19, how to manage covid-19 when organizing meetings and events, things to consider when you employees travel and finally getting the workplace ready for covid-19 in case it arrives in your community. The WHO recommends that companies make sure that the workplace is clean and hygienic by wiping down surfaces that are frequently touched and used. Also promote that everyone is washing their hands. WHO recommends also to have a plan of attack of what to do if someone becomes ill with covid-19 in the workplace.
• 
  2020-10-16

  Selling Coffee during the Plague Year

  A journal of a Starbucks employee working during the pandemic. Describes the ways in which the company provided in ways adequate and not. Six weeks of paid stay-at-home that spiraled into depression, and the mounting stress from working with the public, and the pressure to open space for customers to stay in store.
• 
  10/03/2020

  Lucy Li Oral History, 2020/10/03

  Lucy Li speaks on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the cleaning ritual she has developed, her new recognition of the need for social interaction, remote work and school, and how the economy’s dip will affect her generation. She finds work-life-school balance, feeling stuck in her apartment, and connection with others challenging. She finds that nihilistic memes, social media management strategy, and park walks with friends keep her grounded. Li finds hope in community resilience.
• 
  2020-08-31

  Mask bin

  Note the overflowing mask bowl next to the car keys and hand sanitizer. This illustrates the new protocol for leaving the house, which now means grabbing a mask as well as your phone and car keys. To me, this speaks volumes about the way the pandemic has affected daily life and our routines and what we consider “normal” to be
• 
  2020-04-03

  Cruise Industry Crewmembers Heroes during Covid Pandemic

  The cruise industry is a tight-knit group, where it seems like everyone knows everyone else. The Covid-19 pandemic blindsided the industry, which was unprepared for how quickly Covid-19 would spread across the globe and amongst ships. Covid-19 stressed all health and sanitation protocols the industry at large had in place. This lead to some dire circumstances and a humanitarian crisis with Covid-19 outbreaks aboard cruise ships adrift at sea where they were denied port entry in numerous countries around the world. The following article is an appeal for help written early on in the crisis by Suzanne Westover, wife of Holland America Line’s Staff Captain Craig Ravesloot. Herself a former crew member, Suzanne uses her platform to remind the world that the onboard crew was working round the clock to protect the health and wellbeing of passengers. Her friends and colleagues at sea needed help, the situation was dire, what would we do if in the same position?
• 
  2020-08-10

  Working During the Pandemic

  When the whole pandemic was starting, I was currently unemployed but my store manager at Starbucks kept us posted daily on whether we will be able to serve customers again. It was always an on and off conversation because our store manager had to get the approval of many people above her on whether it will be safe to work in the area of Springfield since cases for Covd-19 was increasing by the minute. As the store opened back in May, I was able to work again but with many health restrictions between I and the customers. In the picture provided, we were not able to use our computers and machines to process payments, which dramatically dropped sales because our only means of store sales were through mobile ordering. My team were still to be determined on whether we will stay open since sales were so low and also only limited amount of parters were willing to work, due to the concern of their health. Yes I worked more hours but the anxiety of whether I will get catch the disease and also the stress of whether our store will close again really affected how I saw hope for my financial strugggles. Fast foward to current day, Virginia names stores like Starbucks an essential for everyday, which allowed our store to open to customers but with six feet restrictions, mandatory masks, and as well as checking partner temperatures daily. The tasks due everyday is a heavly load of sanitation, which in the beginning was hard to handle because we also had to serve the customers at high volumes. Covid-19 has affected not only my passion to work at the store but as well as the partners since at any moment of time we can close and become unemployed again.
• 2020-04

  The Unfortunate Events

  Personally, COVID-19 hasn't changed my life too much. I work at Starbucks and did online college before all of this hit. Work stayed open, we do have to wear masks, we have plexi-shields up and take extra precautions with sanitization.
• 
  2020-04-17

  Life In Isolation: The Coronavirus... Moses Meingati 2

  A virtual exhibition by the Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science
• 
  2020-06-11

  Mimi's Cafe & Bakery COVID Cleaning/Sanitation Guides

  I work at Mimi's Cafe & Bakery on the weekends as a server. These pictures are the cleaning and sanitation guides for the Front of House (FOH) staff. It's posted next to the main drink station servers use to get drinks for guests. It's an easy reference place and guide for all of the new COVID19 regulations! Mimi's in Columbus, Ohio did close down due to COVID19 in late March and re-opened in early June. My first day back was June 11th, which is the day I took these photographs.
• 
  2020-05-22

  "Thlopthlocco Tribal Town Indian Community Development Block Grant"

  "The Thlopthlocco Tribal Town will accept comments from the public: Friday, May 22, 2020 —Wednesday May 27, 2020 to consider an Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) CARES Act application to the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)."
• 
  2020-05-21

  "Wyandotte Nation to reopen casinos June 1"

  "The Wyandotte Nation will reopen its 7th Street Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, and River Bend Casino & Hotel in Wyandotte, Okla., June 1 with safety measures and guidelines put in place to ensure the safety of its employees, guests and communities. The Lucky Turtle Casino in Wyandotte will remain closed with a time and date of reopening still to be determined."
• 
  2020-06-05

  A Daily Routine: Masks Go in the Washing Machine Before Entering the House

  The photograph depicts what the washing machine always looks like at my house in Oklahoma, multiple cloth masks inside. It has become our daily routine of placing our masks in the washing machine as soon as we get home from public places. Before we only used masks to go to the post office and grocery stores, the only two public places we went with other people there. Now that the June 1st Phase 3 of reopening Oklahoma has begun, we have noticed more and more people everywhere we go. As people are becoming more active and very few wears masks, we've begun having to take multiple masks with us everywhere to remain vigilant and have backups. Our daily routine now includes placing our masks in the washing machine as soon as we enter from the garage, before going further into the rest of the house. If we go somewhere that includes carrying lots of things that touch our clothes, then we will also throw our daily clothes in the washing machine immediately. On one occasion we came face-to-face with a person without a mask that was actively coughing without covering their mouth in the produce section. We skipped purchasing any produce that day and went straight home. On days like that, we would immediately wash whatever clothes we were wearing, to prevent spreading anything in to the house. Photographs like this are a constant reminder of how our daily routines were completely changed because of COVID-19.
• 
  2020-05-17

  Safe drinking water must be part of coronavirus response package

  Access to water must be included as part of the next major federal legislative package. We cannot expect to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic without water for handwashing and basic sanitation. I am even more interested in how this is going to be administered to the Navajo Reservation that continues to struggle with COVID deaths as a result of limited access to water. In some place, zero access to clean and safe water for hygiene and sanitation.
• 
  05/28/2020

  Kelly McDaniel Oral History, 2020/05/28

  Interview with Kelly McDaniel of Blanchard, Oklahoma by Clinton P. Roberts on 05/27/2020. Kelly speaks about her experience of visiting a rural doctor's office during COVID-19. Kelly comments on the changes of procedures and the anxiety of possibly having COVID-19. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580.
• 
  2020-06-24

  Problems with government policy concerning schools

  [Curatorial Note]: Description and thoughts on new policies for sanitation and safety within early education classrooms.
• 
  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
• 
  2020-05-19

  Plans for the Fall Semester

  Boston College, like many other universities across the world, was forced to close prematurely due to safety concerns over the potential spread of coronavirus. In various student groups across social media, the question has been whether or not classes would commence in person come the Fall, or if there would be an effort to continue on with distance learning digitally. President of the school Father Leahy announced that students would be returning to campus come the Fall, will further updates to follow as they become available.
• 
  2020-04-08

  Appendix A Social Distancing Protocol

  The required Appendix A:Social Distancing Protocol for all food industries. This list is for my own Jamba Juice store and it is posted in the lobby for all customers to view. List contains all of the requirements and procedures to provide a safe environment instated by the California Department of Health.
• 
  2020-05-04

  Reopening a restaurant with masks and gloves in Sarasota, Florida.

  To reopen the Outback Steakhouse of Sarasota, FL we are required to wear masks and gloves. Only fifteen out of sixty tables are open for customers. We set up an extensive cleaning regime every thirty minutes to ensure the safety of staff and customers. *"Date" as submitted: May 4, 2020 after the governor's lift of the stay-at-home order
• 
  2020-05-09

  New Realities

  When visiting my mother this weekend, we decided to take a trip to the gas station to get some drinks. My mom is immunocompromised and takes Covid-19 very seriously. She said if I planned on going into the convenience store I had to wear a mask. She keeps masks like this in the glove box as well as hand sanitizer in her car. She puts on the mask and sanitizer before she enters the store, and puts sanitizer on again when she returns home, before she goes inside.
• 
  2020-04-28

  A brief memoir written by a trapped Chineses student at ASU

  It is the third week after transition of classes started in ASU. My life started to become monotone after the spring break which was 3.17. Dining hall did not allow dine-in anymore. The chairs inside the nearest dining hall—Hassayampa, were all put away and sanitized towels were placed in bowls on tables. The dining hall staffs began to provide us with disposable plastic boxes to fill the meals and they even wore glosses to prevent spreading epidemic. The transitioning of classes announced by ASU was said to maintain for two weeks, but it was extended through the semester at the end of the first week after spring break. My first roommate decided to go back home right after the new policy, and my second and third roommate moved out during the second week, which left me alone in the dorm. My daily routine is: wake up--breakfast--online classes--dining hall--dorm--online classes--dining hall-- dorm--homework or video games. It was not as monotone as weekdays during the weekends, since I could spend more time on leisure instead of studying. In the light of the epidemic, I was discouraged by myself as well as my parents and the local government to do any social contacts. But thanks to the virtual technologies, I use zoom to make video contacts with my friends and Wechat to contact with my parents. They worry about my safety in U.S. because they are mostly back in China where the epidemic is approximately purged; in the contrast, the cases in U.S. are increasing. They fear the public order here are disrupted and urge me to hoard food in case that the dining hall might close or something worse happen. Most importantly, they all ask me to wear mask if I am outdoor. In U.S., I barely see people wearing masks outdoor, which is greatly opposite in China. Here is a fun fact that can explain why CDC does not recommend people wearing masks: Half of the production of masks among the world are in China, which explains why CDC does not recommend wearing masks while purchasing masks from other countries to meet the need of medical staffs. CDC may explain that no empirical results prove wearing masks can prevent the spreading of virus, but if it really can’t, then the epidemic in China will not get better than it used to be with the help of masks. Few people wearing masks in U.S. is my greatest concern, because it cannot efficiently slow down the spreading rate of Covid-19. Based on the status quo of epidemic in U.S., cases will keep growing and need time of months to see the turning point. And even now, the travel level for China is still “4”, which means Chinese are not allowed to enter U.S. Because I bought the flight ticket to China at the end of this semester, I am afraid that I will be declined to reenter U.S. even during August. I truly wish the epidemic around the world will stop in the coming months and the vaccine for Covid-19 can be successfully produced. Stay healthy, wash hands frequently, keep social distances and wear masks if you can.
• 
  2020-03-17

  F*** the Corona, Gotty Boi Chris, New Orleans, LA

  New Orleans bounce artist Gotty Boi Chris released the song "F*** the Corona" in March 2020. Lyrics describe shortages in stores resulting from panic buying due to the stay-at-home order.
• 
  2020-03-16

  Corona Clap by Dee-1, New Orleans, LA

  New Orleans rapper Dee-1 released the song "Corona Clap," a remix of the New Orleans classic "Nolia Clap" by UTP (rappers Juvenile, Wacko and Skip) in March 2020. Lyrics include references to handwashing, cheap flights, NBA cancellations, school and church closures, and toilet paper shortages. The song includes a sound bite from New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell.
• 
  2020-04-17

  Coronavirus in Djibouti, Africa

  Over the past several weeks, medical personnel from multiple units across the combined joint operations area (CJOA) have come together to provide a better coordinated effort to protect the health and welfare of the 4,500 service members, Department of Defense employees and contractors in East Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-07

  Sede in Domo Tua

  It's a drawing of a horse with words (Sede in domo tua, lava manus) which I take to be "stay home, wash your hands" in Latin. There's a simple caduceus, the words "COVID 19," and a few other symbols.
• 
  2020-03-29

  Diary Entry

  The ”lay off” Day 7 Whatsthisday, the 307th of Archpril The clocks changed tonight. I only know because I happened to be awake when they switched. An odd experience. One minute it’s 01:59 and the next 03:00. Yesterday was Earth Hour I’d missed that too, but Magdalena remembered and we spent a sleepy hour reading by candle and lamplight before heading to bed at 21:15. It’s a sort of tradition now. I missed both of these events because the available bandwidth to process news is simply overwhelmed with Covid-19. For a microscopic virus, it’s footprint in the macro world has become gargantuan, undeniable. Even for those for whom denial had become a way of life. I went to bed too early and now I can't sleep, so I’m browsing The Guardian and eating Clementines. We used to call them Mandarin oranges when I was a kid, but in Sweden, they call them Clementines for some reason. The US news is just apocalyptic. That’s a word I use far too much, but it really is the only one that fits now. Multiple, simultaneously accelerating sites of infection, the death rate approaching a thousand a day and the federal response remains jerky, incoherent, contradictory. At every news conference, Trump is like a bear in a trap, enraged, striking out blindly, snout spraying foam and blood with every snarl. He seems to sense a looming future that involves piano-wire and a sturdy lampost on some broad american boulevard. The lunacy is incomparable, without precedent in my lifetime. We are watching the Suez-cide of an empire in real time. In Sweden, things remain comparatively calm, but the undercurrent of concern is electric. We all feel it. We all know the exponential curve is on the way for us too. Our own local "Empire", the EU, is under tremendous strain as well, but here at least the causes remain pedestrian and institutional: the predictable outcome of a deliberately weak central authority rather then some bloated Nero. When this is over, we need to take a closer look at that. The house is cold – I’ve turned off the electric heating as spring pushes the temperatures higher, but it’s 0 degrees out there – so I creep down to start a fire. This is a delicate business at 03:30 in the morning or 02:30, whatever. The point is, it’s the middle of the night, and starting a fire tends to be a noisy obtrusive business, what with the roaring blaze, cast iron stove and so forth. I manage to get it just right, a minimum of metallic pings and ticks, the air flow turned down low to throttle brighter flames but not the coals. Satisfactory. I get back to writing. We’ve been in voluntary lockdown for about 2 weeks now. The first week was just a conventional work from home and then the layoff came. That was week 2. Today/Tonight/This morning, we are heading into week 3. That doesn’t mean we don’t do anything and I’d planned a series of activities with a minimum of social interaction for Saturday. Two things actually, a trip to hand stuff in to the 2nd hand place (Vinden which literally translates as Attic) and the open air recycling center. The fruits of a week with too much time on my hands. To that we've added a trip to ICA Maxi for a final round of supplies buying. The handoff at Vinden was perfect. There were some other people dropping stuff off, but we waited in the car for them to finish and then dumped our stuff. Eight bags of assorted clothes, utensils and older electronic odds and ends. Social interactions? Zero. Then we headed to Maxi. It’s dawning on me that this isn’t ideal. I’ve had misgivings about heading into an enormous shopping center in the middle of a global pandemic. Shopping should really be done only during off peak times and Saturday morning is about as on peak as you can get. This is feeling more and more like an avoidable error. I clutch my hand sanitizer and pull on my gloves. However, when we finally pull into the parking garage I’m encouraged. There are very few cars. We don’t need that much stuff, so instead of a trolley we get one of those rolling baskets and head in. There are plenty of people about, but Maxi (as the name suggests) is very large. It has acres of floor space and I can immediately see that people are distributed for maximal social distancing. There is a weird synchronicity to their movements, as if everyone is generating a repelling magnetic field, they slide past each other with meters of clearance. Even when people are speaking to each other or staff, they seem to be standing on either side of a 2 meter gorge. We pinball our way to the cat food (these goddam cats will be the death of us), traversing a wide arc through pet toys and obscure cleaning products, it’s a very lightly trafficked part of the store and we meet no one. Then down into fruit and vegetables to pick up oranges, clementines, apples and bananas. I read somewhere you can freeze fresh fruit and I want to try it. Magdalena has more practical goals in mind and selects the ingredients for a salad. In the fruit and veg section we actually bump into our handyman, Lars. Not literally of course. He has a heart condition and we don't want to kill him, so we stand either side of the gorge and shout pleasantries. Then onto dairy for milk (reason number two, after cat food, we are here at all) and two big plugs of cheese. Then I decide I want to get a loaf of freshly baked bread, but it’s a dilemma. No packaging. If I touch the bread with my gloves, anything on the gloves will transfer and then I’ll shove that material into my stupid fat face when we get home. I opt to remove the gloves, sanitize, pop the bread into the bags provided, then put the gloves back on. A month ago this aberrant, peculiar behavior would have attracted stares. Today, not the merest ripple of interest. The world has moved on. We head to the check outs. They are well manned and we immediately find one with a single shopper finishing up. I realize then we should have self-scanned all this crap. Now the checkout person is going to touch all our stuff, breath on it and so forth. While they contaminate everything I’m blipping my card. The blipping is great because you just hover the card over the reader. Nothing actually touches anything. You still have to punch in the code on the keypad (I shudder at this even though I’m wearing gloves) but the whole business is so much superior to the epidemiological nightmare of handing physical cash back and forth. Uuurgh. Cash. Filthy lucre. What a mad unsanitary idea cash is. Or more correctly in Sweden, was. Another big plus in Sweden’s fight against the spread of the virus. Cash is no longer king. It’s not even a local warlord and all its Statues were pulled down years ago. We head out to the car, sanitize, and home. Social interactions? Two.
• 
  2020-04-20

  Big Easy Corona Clean Advertisement, New Orleans, LA

  A lawn sign outside of City Park advertises Big Easy Corona Clean. The sign reads "THESE PREMISES HAVE BEEN CLEANED BY BIG EASY CORONA CLEAN." During the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, new businesses have started up to address sanitation concerns.