Items

• 
  July 12, 2020

  Arch of Washington Square park during BLM demonstration

  Screenshot of washington Square park arch before a BLM demonstration from the CSI Public History Coronavirus Chronicle Facebook page
• 
  2021-03-12

  No Mask, No Garden

  The Desert Botanical Garden is a fixture of Phoenix area tourism. A botanical garden of arid lands, it's unique and draws thousands of visitors every year. Their social media emphasized the importance of masking during the pandemic, with the catchy phrase "Let's not get prickly about safety."
• 
  2020-04-04

  HIST30060: Daniel Andrews' Facebook Post

  This is a screenshot of a Facebook post made by Daniel Andrews’ public page on 4th April 2020. This post exemplifies the Victorian Premier’s ability to co-opt social media trends in promoting his own political agenda. Popular in early 2020, the meme followed the template of “Good morning to everyone except,” followed by exclusion of a relatively a niche social group. This screenshot illustrates the subtle use of social media as propaganda by the Andrews government. Andrews’ social media pages are seldom thought of as such, as the skill of his social media team has allowed him to maintain a popular and likeable social media persona. In an age of ubiquitous social media use, the Andrews government has used social media very effectively to protect its legitimacy and justify its methods. For example, the screenshot highlights the use of guilt by the Andrews government to legitimise health restrictions. The government consistently stressed that the pandemic restrictions were for the benefit of the public and necessitated complete compliance. Those who rejected health advice were endangering the entire community and “putting everyone at risk.” This post therein encapsulates sophisticated government propaganda and the co-opting of social media for political purposes. I selected this post as someone influenced by the sophisticated campaign of government messaging. It lead me to resent rule-breakers and see the prolonged restrictions as a legitimate use of government authority to protect the public. As someone who entered the pandemic as a supporter of the Labor Party and Daniel Andrews personally, I no longer think the severity and length of the lockdowns were necessary. Yet, his social media presence certainly made him likeable, funny, and relatable at the time.
• 
  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.
• 
  2022-05-19

  What is true human nature?

  This meme is related to what I observed at the early stage of the pandemic-- everyone rushed into grocery stores, hoarding toilet paper. This phenomenon really shows how human action is likely to be controlled by the fear and uncertainty about the future and can question about the true human nature.
• 
  2022-05-16

  Batshit Behaviors during the Pandemic

  In class, we analyzed the meme related to COVID-19 and hope this will contribute to something.
• 2020-03-06

  Senior to Sophomore

  It was the Friday before Spring Break. Senior year, everyone is joyful with big plans to get out of the harsh Arizona sun. Rumors of a flu-like virus spreading in China were heard but never hit mainstream media which meant, not our problem. I was helping out at our school's Volleyball tournament that day, listening to the new Lil Uzi album that was hyped for so many years, life simply could not get any better. I had secured a good scholarship for college and was nearing the end of my last semester of highschool without a doubt in my mind, but it all changed so quickly. No one knew that would be the last time I saw my graduating class, that I would never have a traditional graduation, that our final plans for the last day of school were all worthless. I still remember the day as if it never ended, the day when everything in my life went upside down and the world was sent into a mass state of panic and depression. Seeing friends was near impossible as everyone was scared of what may happen outside. So many people that I graduated with and interacted with every single day, gone, never to be seen or heard from again. Though Arizona did at first avoid most lockdowns and mask mandates, luckily many people still took the necessary precautions. The first lockdown was possibly the most eventful and enjoyable as everyone was in the same idle and confused state with nothing to do and no aim as for where to go. The rise of a new app called TikTok took the world by storm and provided entertainment for everyone. It was a new place for everyone to connect and share ideas and surely enough, society was instantly hooked. It was the beginning of the new online semester of schooling alongside the second wave of lockdown here that truly began the depressive wave on all students. Many students, as well as I, still to this today are struggling to stay focused in online schooling and this meant very poorly educated and depressed students for over a year. No amount of aid from teachers or staff could cure this lack of socialization and the sole ability to make friends and connections that is required in schools. All of a sudden, fast forward from the middle of my senior year of high school to Sophomore year at university, life has done a full 360 and social interaction is a foreign language. Masks are required so no one knows who is who and friend groups are only for those that pertained throughout the pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-16

  Cancell...

  A comic strip about Covid-19
• 
  2022-04-18

  If you have any symptoms

  This is a Twitter update by nilikm. This person is a doctor warning people about the symptoms associated with COVID. The doctor advises people to assume they have COVID-19 anyway if they experience the following symptoms, even if they have had it before. The final piece of advice is to isolate longer than five days, as this doctor does not believe that is enough time.
• 
  2022-04-17

  Still Masking!

  This is a Twitter update by myrabatchelder. This woman is saying how grateful she was for people that avoided large gatherings this year for Easter, yet is being made to share space with unmasked neighbors going to big events.
• 
  2022-04-13

  The 11% Lunatic Fringe

  This is a Twitter update by WaytowichNeil. This user is ranting on what he calls the "selfish 11% lunatic fringe." To him, this fringe group is what is causing more problems with fighting COVID. In contrast, he says that 89% did everything they were asked. His frustration is coming from the belief that it is only the fringe deciding public health policy these days.
• 
  2022-04-15

  Caring for my husband

  This is a Twitter update from Shelby_Thom. She says that her husband became a long-haul COVID patient. He got vestibular neuritis, which causes severe dizziness. He is unable to work or drive. He was a healthy 34-year-old too prior to this, but now hits his head a few days after recovery.
• 
  2022-04-11

  It's Not Over Yet

  This is a Twitter update from DrLindaMD. This is about a doctor rebutting claims that COVID is over now. She says that she has had five patients in the last week who thought they just had a cold, but it turned out that they had COVID. None of those patients chose to isolate because "it was just a cold."
• 
  2022-04-18

  Striking Down Mask Mandates

  This is a Twitter update by artisfire1. This is about a judge striking down mandates on planes. Tony, otherwise known as atrisfire1, blames it on the selfishness of the right wing in the United States. The comic underneath that is posted helps demonstrate this person's feeling on the matter. The "I'm with them" sign held by an anthropomorphic coronavirus, is there with the anti-mandate crowd, making it apparent that the author of this tweet sees the anti-mandate crowd as the ones who spread the virus the most.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Traumatic Event After Traumatic Event

  Screenshot I found from @lovedoveclarke on Twitter. A little dark humor surrounding the many traumatic events we keep experiencing
• 
  2022-04-11

  Medicare Y COVID-19

  This is an Instagram post by crespoinsurance. This is a post written in Spanish giving advice to elderly on vaccines. It advises people fifty and older, and those that are immunocompromised to get vaccinated. It also says that Medicare covers COVID vaccines.
• 
  2022-03-19

  Thought on Pfizer's Fourth Booster

  This is an Instagram post by willingtowalkaway. The poster is using a tweet to make their point. In the tweet, someone by the username of SaraVic333 says that she does not want another shot. In the hashtags in the Instagram post, the user is in agreement, saying that they do not want it either. Another thing that is tagged is "natural immunity", which some believe is enough to counteract COVID without needing a vaccine. Other tags include things like "I will not comply" and "poison." Posts like these are important because they help show what skeptics think of the vaccines from their own perspective rather than one assumed by others.
• 
  2022-03-13

  Pfizer CEO says fourth COVID-19 shot 'necessary' due to waning immunity

  This is an Instagram post by the New York Post. This is of a news story in circulation currently regarding vaccines. Below, there are commenters expressing doubts in the effectiveness in the vaccines. Of note, one commenter says that they have already been vaccinated and boosted, but do not want anymore shots. Another is asking for it to stop already. To me, this shows some of the overall fatigue some are having with the vaccines themselves.
• 
  2022-04-10

  Day of the Child vaccine drive in Peru

  En el Día de la Niña y el Niño, acude con tu pequeña y/o pequeño a los centros de vacunación por su vacuna contra la #COVID19. ¡Protege a tu familia de este virus! 💪🏼 #MeVacunoPerú 🇵🇪 A post by the Ministry of Health in Peru promoting the vaccination of children for the Day of the Child, it encourages people to go get vaccinated over the weekend.
• 
  2022-04-10

  Campaign to get your second dose in Peru

  This is an Instagram post by the Ministry of Health in Peru informing people to wait 21 days and then go get the second COVID-19 vaccine dose in the vaccination center closest to their home.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Trust the Science

  This is an Instagram post by memefrog9000. This is another meme where it depicts a soy wojak (the wojak on the left) and the Chad wojak (the wojak on the right with the blond hair). This meme is making fun of people like the soy wojak that "trust the science", only later to get the virus despite getting vaccinated. The Chad wojak then suggests the soy wojak use some "horse paste" to help. "Horse paste" refers to Ivermectin, which is used to treat horses. There has been controversy if Ivermectin does treat COVID, or other things in humans for that matter, but the FDA currently recommends against it.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Brainwashed Sheep

  This is an Instagram post from _travelsnapz_. This post shows a picture of a massive group of sheep being led to the slaughter, which is Pfizer. It is accusing people that get the vaccine that they are sheep and doing so because they cannot think for themselves.
• 
  2022-04-05

  I Had Mild Symptoms Because I'm Fully Vaccinated

  This is an Instagram post by tsmr76. This post shows a meme making fun of people that have gotten fully vaccinated, only to later get COVID. It is meant to question the idea that the vaccines are effective. In one of the tags of this post, they mention "mass formation psychosis", which was a term coined by Dr. Robert Malone in an interview with Joe Rogan. The idea behind this term is that it refers to a mob mentality behind the vaccines, where people will essentially believe what they hear, repeat it, and get others to join in; which creates an environment where everyone seemingly agrees with each other. This creates a mob mentality towards those that think differently.
• 
  2022-04-07

  The First Dose

  This is an Instagram post by haelmron. This shows a picture of a little kid that had just received their first Pfizer dose. It looks like a special place was set up for kids to get their picture taken after getting vaccinated.
• 
  2022-03-16

  COVID Surge in American Samoa

  American Samoa, a small U.S territory located in the South Pacific, was the last place to experience the surging numbers of covid cases. When the coronavirus was declared a pandemic at the beginning of 2020, American Samoa was the only place on earth not to have any cases of COVID. To combat the disease, the government of American Samoa barred incoming flights for a whole year from the United States and their neighboring island of Western Samoa. Although the island did not have any COVID cases, the government promoted and maintained the restrictions throughout the island. However, after opening the borders for inbound flights after a year, American Samoa did not report its first Covid case until September 2021. Since then, travel restrictions and quarantine for travelers were enforced, but eventually, a big surge of cases began to be seen in mid-February of this year. The opening of borders to inbound flights brought the disease into the island. Coronavirus cases jumped from only a hundred to 555. It is still considered relatively low worldwide, but it is high for a small island. Fortunately, no fatalities are reported, with more than 80 percent of the population vaccinated. The attached image is data reported weekly by the American Samoa Department of Health to the public to show how many cases are positive in each village and totaled in American Samoa. The people were worried that the disease might cause some fatalities, the government was quick to impose a lockdown restriction called "CODE RED," which barred social gatherings, schools, traveling, and work on February 22. Although the public panicked with the news of coronavirus cases on the island, the government worked to assure the safety of the people by making sure people were aware of the number of cases and the situation with live news updates and weekly data by the Department of Health. I was also worried when I first heard of the surging number of COVID cases at home. Although I moved to the states for school, I made sure I am kept up to date with what is happening back at home. With the fatalities I saw here in the states with Covid, I was also worried for my parents. But it was comforting to see the live updates by the government on social media which kept me closer to home.
• 
  2020-03-31

  Ending the School Year in COVID-19

  I described how ending the school year during COVID-19 was. I am a high school teacher, and we went on Spring Break and never came back. I include an e-mail I sent to my students.
• 
  2020-02-01

  Ioana Juravlea's Experience

  I remember when I had just finished school on an early February day and I went to Whole Foods before going to work to buy some lunch. I was watching Tik TOks on how bad the disease was spreading in China and how they were building makeshift hospitals to handle it. As I waited to checkout I thought to myself and was hit with a rush of fear. I called my then boyfriend and asked him if we were being ignorant by trying to ignore what was happening. Shortly after that I watched another video with a deeper explanation and the person states, " These are the good times, everything is about to change for the worst." Although I was scared, I could not ever imagine how bad it would actually get.
• 
  2022-02-06

  Tik Tok usage

  This website shows how much Tik Toks Ratings went up during the pandemic while people were confined to their homes. Tik Tok started many trends over the last couple years and became a national platform around the world to post things like art, music, memes, craft, beauty, inspiration, cooking, education, and entertainment. This was known around the world as a creative outlet for millions of people during a sad period in time.
• 
  05/19/2020

  Trent Jansen Oral History, 2020/05/19

  An oral history interview with Trent Jansen. Trent discusses how family and friends have been impacted by the COVID pandemic. He also talks about how his day-to-day work life has evolved during the pandemic. Trent additionally discusses his views that it is time to reopen businesses and get people back to work. He theorizes that mental health issues caused by shutdowns will result in worse long-term issues than the virus itself.
• 
  12/11/2020

  Annalyse Stratton Oral History, 2020/12/11

  Annalyse Stratton was born in Marsh field, Wisconsin and grew up in Colby, Wisconsin. She works at Grace Lutheran Communities as a child care teacher. In this interview Annalyse shares how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected her, her family and her friends as well as her thoughts on the pandemic itself. She shares what it has been like to work during these difficult times and also shares what she thinks that we can do moving forward. Finally she touches on the politics of the situation and how we can learn from it.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Museums, Curators, and Artists Find Innovative Solutions for Showing Art in a Pandemic

  This Artsy article written in the beginning of the pandemic discusses the innovative ways that museums and art professionals used technology to maintain relevance and viewership during lockdown.
• 
  2020-03-13

  The Fight for a Show

  When the global pandemic hit, we were just a day away from putting on a theater production that we had worked on for a year and over 10 weeks of rehearsal. As a board, we thought of every possible way to keep a show, so that it wasn't shut down. I went and measured the venue, the local Veterans Hall to see how many seats we could have in the hall, if they were six-feet apart. We looked at requiring mask or limiting to just family. We met with local public health officials with different options on how to keep our show. But, the final decision was that it was in our best interest to cancel the show. The concern was that with family coming in from other areas, that Best of Broadway could be responsible for bringing Covid-19 to Susanville, and we were not willing to take that risk. When we cancelled, we figured we just needed to reschedule the show a couple of weeks. That, in and of itself was challenging. But the idea of a possible lawsuit or worse causing harm to others was a real possibility. As the Board President, I had to announce via Facebook and Instagram that the show was cancelled. It was terrible. A very sad day for our Broadway family. This post was from one of the husbands of our performers. His words of encouragement was reassuring. Most people responded in a sympathetic and understanding way.
• 2020

  The Essential Worker

  Essential workers were publically praised but still got the short end of the stick.
• 
  2020

  Social Media Interactions

  I thought this interaction represented a common argument nowadays between people who are not as sympathetic to how the world has changed, and someone else who is trying to counter those negative ideas.
• 
  2020-04-29

  These are the 43 best COVID-19 memes for the week of March 27

  We published our favorite 63 COVID-19 memes not too long ago and the response was overwhelming. Turns out during these serious, scary and uncertain times, one thing is for sure: We could all use a good laugh. And one more thing that’s for sure: the memes just keep on coming. We bring you this week’s best COVID-19 sayings and memes.
• 
  2021-10-03

  A Century Later

  A look at a global pandemic from a 21st century American point of view, nearly a decade after the last pandemic of the world.
• 2020-08-27

  Covid Schooling

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, many lives were lost and changed forever. I was one of the lucky ones where myself and no one I knew was affected. One thing problem that surfaced to me during the pandemic is the online schooling. My fall semester of 2020 at Duquesne University was all online and it was a struggle being in my house just outside of Pittsburgh. Professors and faculty did their best to learn the technology and to teach the students through online interactions. I truly give them all the credit in the world for that, but it is extremely tough to learn. There is no clear-cut communication between students and their professors. Usually, you are able to form some sort of relationship with the professor, but there was not an easy way to do it. It was also hard to form a relationship with your classmates. You only knew the people that you knew before the pandemic. With no relationships in the class, it felt a lot harder. There was no one really to help you or just discuss the class with. People rely on people and in the online world, it is hard to have that connection. Our world cannot stay online. People need to be in offices and in schools working with one another. The online world is a way to hide from doing work where we need to be face to face. People need people. Our world depends on each other and the online world is a great thing, but it cannot be implemented for schooling. It was very hard for me to learn online because I was distracted by all the things at my house. What would you rather do, listen to an hour lecture or watch a tv show? It was hard to stay focused on schooling because it did not feel like school. I blame myself for not being able to pay attention during the classes, but if I struggled with it, I know many other kids did too. While taking 5 courses online, I have to be honest in saying I do not know if I really learned anything. I am thankful that I was not online too long.
• 
  2021-08

  Journal of the Plague Year (My Experience)

  My story tells how seriously some people took the pandemic. Some people were very scared and took extreme measures to stay safe while others took the pandemic seriously, but didn't really take extreme measures to stay safe.
• 
  2020-03-28

  Staying Connected: Battling Isolation During a Global Pandemic

  This music note is the logo for Tik-Tok, the reigning social media outlet that allows account holders to both create and view content in the form of 15-120 second videos. As of 2020, there are an estimated 65.9 million monthly active Tik-Tok users in the United States alone (Statista). Although the app was created in 2016, it skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic and saw a 75% increase in weekly average users from January to September of 2020 (Forbes). I, among millions of others, joined those figures when I created my Tik-Tok account in late March of 2020. When school closed indefinitely earlier that month and my job followed a few weeks after, my meticulously structured daily routine was thrown into a state of disarray. As mounting uncertainty grew over whether it was safe to leave our homes at all, the four walls of my bedroom transformed into a prison. I was perpetually shackled to my bed, spending every day in a continuous cycle of sleep that lacked a beginning or an end. That was until I discovered Tik-Tok. Suddenly, I had a reason to wake up in the morning, anticipating the stream of new videos that would appear on my carefully crafted “for you page”. I spent hours glued to my phone screen, fascinated by the small glimpses into the lives of people who were just as bored as I was. I appreciate Tik-Tok for the fleeting but much needed moments of laughter and distraction it supplied me with throughout the pandemic, but the app holds value to me because it showed me that I was not alone. In the early weeks of quarantine, I spent countless nights in pure distress over what I believed was “wasted time”, and it felt as if I was on the fast track to loosing years of my life. However, Tik-Tok showed me that these feelings did not belong to me alone. Countless other people felt the same way I did, and this knowledge put into perspective the importance of staying connected. My cycle of isolation left me alone with my feelings in a vacuum, but once I opened myself up to the outside world through Tik-Tok, I found solace in the online community of people who shared the same sentiments I did but chose joy and laughter instead of sorrow and despair. Tik-Tok provided me with the support I needed by allowing me to witness the happiness of others, eventually prompting me to create my own.
• 
  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"
• 
  2021-08-16

  Truth

  a nurse friend of mine posted this on her Instagram story. It's hard to understand the logic of the anti-mask, anti-vax community.
• 
  2021-08-10

  Facebook conversations

  I came across this conversation on Facebook yesterday. I thought it was a good portrayal of what's going on in society today. As everyone is trying to get back to "normal" businesses are starting to require their employees to get vaccinated. Although most people who are fighting this option hardly ever admit that there are actually three options - get vaccinated, get tested regularly, or find a new job. I found it interesting that the original poster revised his original post to add that he was not looking to debate the vaccine even though it's clear what happened.
• 
  2021-08-11

  If it isn't one thing its another

  I have never realized how different my friends on social media are. Growing up in Los Angeles I have many friends who are all politically and socially like-minded. My husband joined the military and then my social media was flooded with the opposite from my "liberal" friends. The differences of opinions never bothered me and hardly ever showed themselves until Trump became president. It's funny how Trump ignited a flame in so many people. Today with politics fueling everything I still see that clear distinction between my friend groups. The saddest part about the pandemic is seeing how science has been "canceled" and political views have somehow replaced common sense. Because so many Democrats are urging people to get vaccinated it seems like Republicans must refuse. I see posts like the one pictured all the time. There's always a reason to refuse common sense. First, it was because COVID wasn't real, then it was because their right to contract covid was being infringed on. I heard some say robots were being implanted, that the government was running experiments on willing democrats. When the death rate continued to rise, they said the numbers were made up. Today it seems like most covid deniers are claiming that if COVID was real essential workers would not be required to be protected against it. I will never understand their reasoning.
• 
  2021-08-03

  Control Group

  It's sadly interesting how many people are clinging onto this thought of their rights being infringed on. I have a lot of acquaintances on social media that have excuses like liberty and rights. Some people still believe there is a government conspiracy, that we have been implanted with a mind-controlling chip, or that were being willfully expereimented on. I have come to a point where, as frustrating as it is, I don't care if people won't get vaccinated. It's a sad thought but I hope they done die of the virus. Like with many things in life I think humor does a really good job cooling heated situations down. I laughed louder than I thought I would when I came across this meme on my feed.
• 
  2021-08-05

  SECDEF is expected to formally announce a mandatory vaccine policy for active-duty troops on Friday, according to Fox News.

  I was active duty military for nine years and am now a reservist. My time in the military is almost done but I keep in contact with a lot of people who are still on active duty. I also keep myself up to date on military matters out of curiosity I guess. I am a corpsman in the Navy so I was really interested to see how the military would handle this pandemic. I was unsatisfied with the late response in a lot of matters (like masks and limiting gatherings) but this news is something that I am proud of. Working in the medical field out in the civilian world I have seen the impact of the COVID virus more than I would have to be on active duty. I have seen firsthand how relatively young and healthy people can become ill and die. I wanted to add some screenshots of the comment section to this post as well just to show that the military members are divided on the issue of vaccines just like civilians are. The difference is that active-duty members don't have a choice. If Uncle Sam says everyone needs to be vaccinated then that's what's gonna happen. Like someone on the comment section said "they injected us with anthrax, so I'm sure well fine with this vax shot"
• 
  2021-07-28

  Restaurant bans vaccinated customers

  As the Delta variant continues to surge across the country and the world, I am amazed at how many people remain ignorant of the threat. We are quickly approaching our year and a half mark since the first quarantine and at this point, it is very hard for me to believe that there can be people out there that have not been affected in one way or another by this virus. I simply cannot believe that there are people out there that haven't lost a loved one because of this virus. I came across this photo on my Instagram, it was shared by one of my acquaintances. The sign makes fun of vaccination cards, asking patrons to show proof of UNvaccination, it states that they have "zero tolerance for treasonous, anti-American stupidity". I'm not sure how a life-saving vaccine could be treasonous or anti-American. With people still dying, and now children being admitted in record numbers, I wish we could once and for all take politics out of this medical emergency.
• 
  2020-05

  Mask With Take-Out

  How has Covid-19 changed your daily life? The virus has made me stay in the house and keep myself occupied. Cooking, eating, cleaning, walking, sewing. I have a running list and tackle a few things each day. Clean out the garage, vacuum the furniture, detail the bathroom, sew some masks. I'm still working, thankfully, but that is slow also. Cleaning out files and other things. The picture I am sending is dessert from Green Papaya. Free mask with meal. How is your neighborhood and/or social circle responding to the crisis? Lots of people are out walking. Superhero parade for the kids while staying six feet apart. Watching in horror as some people crowd up in their driveways. How has Covid-19 impacted your perspective of St. Augustine? Makes me sad to see such an empty downtown but at least people are walking around making the most of it. I love that the restaurants are stepping up and offering discounts, even on margaritas! Certainly gives you a new perspective. Even though the city was getting crowded with all the new construction, still miss the people. How has Covid-19 impacted your use of social media? Lots of time spent on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Must know what's going on in my town, my state, my country, and my world. What practices have you implemented to mitigate the impact of social distancing on your mental health? I keep regular appointments with my therapist. March was in person but April was telehealth. Weird at first but then OK. Very thankful I get to "see" her. Also making sure my dad and others around me know they are not alone. We are all in this together. Keep busy, make a to-do list - making sure friends and family know to keep busy and it won't be so bad.
• 
  2021-06-01

  Peru

  As the US relaxes its COVID restrictions and business goes back to "normal" we quickly forgot that we were dealing with a global pandemic. Around the world countries are still suffering, people are still dying, COVID is not gone. CNN- "Peru has more than doubled its official death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic following a government review of the figures, leaving the country with the highest coronavirus-related death rate per capita in the world."
• 
  2020

  Humorous Memes about Masks

  Here are some humorous memes about wearing facemasks. Wearing masks was something new and weird for us, so many people decided to find the humor in the situation
• 
  2021-03

  How to Survive a Plague with a Disability

  As I’m writing this, it is March 2021 and it’s been a year since I’ve updated this blog. Although I don’t only write about travel here, it’s been depressing to look back on my past trips and have to wonder when I could be in the world again. But I’ve been far from silent during this time. You can read many of my reflections on the pandemic and other topics over at The Mighty, where I have been an editor for the past five years. One year ago, when the pandemic was just beginning in the United States, one of my good friends posted a social media message about supporting each other during what most people thought would be a strange, scary, but ultimately short period of our lives. Part of it went something like this: My mask protects you. Your mask protects me. It’s a nice sentiment. Wearing a few layers of cloth over your face may not help you much, but it helps to prevent other people from getting sick. It’s a kind, visible act we can all do to show we care during a difficult time, to protect others who are at risk even if we may think we would not become seriously ill. It seems so simple, right? How could people not do this? But we all know what happened. “My mask protects you. Your mask protects me,” only works if the other person values your life enough to consider it worth protecting. I’ve been horrified by the number of government officials and online commenters who have viewed the deaths of elderly and disabled people as “acceptable losses” in exchange for keeping non-essential gathering spaces open. My life, and the lives of people with high-risk conditions, are more important than your trip to Disneyland. Don’t you think we want to go to Disneyland too? I’ve also noticed that able-bodied people often assume disabled people will be provided for in emergencies, and in general. They believe there are a lot of government programs and charities to help us, and that such programs are run well and meet our needs. This widespread — but utterly false — belief in a functioning safety net for “the vulnerable” gives people an excuse to behave selfishly while convincing themselves they’re not doing anything wrong. “Of course, there will be a plan to protect nursing home residents, and immune-suppressed people can stay home, so we can throw parties and go without masks if we don’t like them.” In reality, the needs of people with disabilities are often disregarded, misunderstood, ignored, and even actively opposed. We have to fight for access to everything, and sometimes end up on multi-year waiting lists for housing assistance, in-home care, and other essential programs and services. We must battle with government and private insurance to get the mobility equipment we need. We are GPS tracked like criminals if we need personal care assistants, with “fraud prevention” used as an excuse. We often depend on programs with ridiculously complicated requirements, and one missed deadline, one paperwork error, one month where we made “too much money” can cost us everything.