Items

• 2020-04-11

  A story under the pandemic

  The sudden outbreak of the epidemic in 2019 caused me to experience many more firsts in my life: my first online class, the first time I needed to wear a mask when I went out, the first time I had to take my temperature to be sterilized when I went to the doctor, and the first time I graduated high school in quarantine. In just a few short months, the outbreak spread across multiple countries turning into a global resistance, with new cases and even deaths increasing every day. Schools were closed and students were told to stay home. When I saw these real and ever-growing numbers, it was not easy to feel good. But after all, I was just watching the data on my cell phone refreshing, in fact, I have not really felt the seriousness of this virus. Until I saw a video: a girl's father because infected with the virus, due to the development of too fast, the father in just a few days time passed away, the girl looked at her father's funeral car drove away, which really found that the father is really gone, never come back, the girl through the mask towards the police on duty at the roadside disappointed and helpless shouted out a sentence: I have no father! That was the first time I felt the horror of this virus. In addition to my automatic daily tracking of the latest progress of the case, social media was flooded with all sorts of bad news about the outbreak, including how it was spreading, the misery and agonizing struggles of the infected and their families, and so on. I was so worried about myself or my family members and friends being infected that I was constantly urging the elderly members of my family not to go out, so as not to be infected. At the same time, the frantic buying of masks, goggles, sterilizing alcohol, and so on, by many people was increasing the fear of the disease. As a result of the epidemic, I know that many people are suffering from mental health problems such as insomnia or anxiety. I am one of them.
• 
  12/08/2021

  Lissa Ziehr Oral History, 2021/12/08

• 
  2023-03-21

  Escaping from Fear at the Shoreline

  Submission for #LockdownStatenIsland exploring Fear and the complexity of emotions during COVID Lockdown while at the beach - a place I visited often for a little peace and tranquility during that scary time.
• 
  2021-12-28

  Pharmacy Technician Shortages

  This NBC article goes into detail about the shortage of pharmacy technicians as a result of COVID-19. Drug shortages, staffing shortages, increased demand, and additional responsibilities with little to no training or compensation led to burnout.
• 2020-03-14

  A Theme Park on Day 1 of the Pandemic

  Disneyland popcorn comes in a variety of colors and flavors- and with the opening of Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, my new favorite popcorn stand was ushered into being. This stand carried popcorn that had fruity pebble flavoring on its salty kernels, a little sticky, but delicious nonetheless. It was spring break at ASU, and currently, I was enjoying this sweet-salty concoction with not a care in the world, in Disneyland with my family. I was standing under the sad shade of a newly planted tree when my father turned to me, mouth agape, and proceeded to hand me his phone despite the sticky residue I was attempting to warn him about. His cell phone screen, with its glaring blue light and notifications rapidly appearing across the top, shouted a message at me I would much rather ignore: “The CDC has declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic.” Given that my father works in medical software, he quickly snatched the vibrating, ringing phone back and began an onslaught of calls that sounded identical, almost always culminating in “I don’t know what this means.” All around us, the previously carefree park patrons were beginning to reach into their pockets to investigate the commotion, and finding the same or similar results. Gasps and shouts were heard all around us, and the sound of feet moving quickly increased. Coughs were now akin to fire alarms and sent crowds scattering on the wind. Large throngs of people began to move towards the park exit, but I was keen on finishing my treat. After all, why rush out with hundreds of people when you can stroll out with dozens? We only remained in the park for about an hour after that, my parents endlessly debating the pros and cons of driving to Arizona right that minute. Would they close the borders between states? Would they get a refund for the cost of the hotel? What would we do with my little sisters’ birthday cake, sitting in a mini fridge and awaiting a dull butter knife later that evening? Families all around us were having the same sorts of conversations, a concert of panic arising in the Happiest Place on Earth. As my parents squabbled and people scattered, I was struck by the monumental meaning of this moment. Disneyland was going to close- and it previously closed for events like 9/11 and the assassination of President Kennedy. Something was very, very wrong...and I figured I should stop eating my popcorn that had seen unknown hands and unknown places.
• 
  2022-06-23

  Most pharmacies in the US can't give your infant or toddler a COVID shot. Here's why

  This is a news story from USA Today by Adrianna Rodriguez. Most US pharmacies don't allow their technicians to administer the vaccine to children under five. The age in which the vaccines can be ministered to younger kids varies, with most putting a minimum of five or above. A lot of the reason administering vaccines has been restricted, according to the article, is because not enough pharmacists are trained to give shots to children that young. The overall target is smaller, and the needle even shorter, in addition to needing to calm and anxious child. This makes people hesitant to give young kids the COVID vaccine. It is recommended that if you cannot find a pharmacy that will give the shot to very young kids that you ask your pediatrician for a one-on-one appointment for the vaccine.
• 
  2020-09-29

  Stay off the phone

  A comic strip about Covid-19
• 
  2022-03-15

  Passionate and (mostly) respectful recent debate in the waning pandemic

  While the all-encompassing strength of the COVID-19 Pandemic is waning, it still persists and lingers. This is a critical time where countries can either dreamily and abruptly attempt to return to idealized pre-pandemic existence or continue to return to their visions of normalcy through steps found in scientific methodology. Debates that focused on safety, health, and personal freedoms (especially about masks and vaccines) were constantly in the news the last two years, with some deteriorating into disheartening and embarrassing public displays. Surely, these debates will continue indefinitely, and all perspectives will be important to history. While browsing this archive, many of the stories are of those who subscribe to the reality of the pandemic, who trust and listen to science, and who have highlighted the way their lives have changed during the pandemic. I am from Arizona, born and raised. I often find myself to be the lone liberal or democrat, particularly at work, in a state formerly known as a red state, now perhaps purple. While Arizona is well represented in this archive regarding life during a pandemic, it has many people living in it who dispute the pandemic's origin, virulence, and the government's attempt to control personal freedoms, as much as I personally disagree. The attached YouTube video shows a meeting of the Kyrene School District Governing Board from January 25th, 2022. The relevant background is that before the 2021 Winter Holiday break this district emailed parents that masks would no longer be mandatory after the new year. By the end of the break, Omicron infections had increased, and the district regressed back to mandatory masks after the holidays. Please watch, specifically from minutes 20:35 through 38:28. To me, a person who reads a diverse group of news sites daily, this clip has brought me hope. Of all the ugly comments I have read on far right or left news sites, debate like the one in this video is instead mostly constructive, passionate, and respectful. I may not agree with everything discussed in this sample, but I respect people's right to debate their beliefs. I believe studying other perspectives is useful for future generations. Historians one hundred years from now may wonder why certain people thought masks were useless in schools. Hopefully, between this J.O.T.P.Y. archive and the articles that exist on the internet, a thoughtful sample of diverse perspectives can be researched. Additionally, I hope this video adds to material in this archive that demonstrates the anti-mask perspective to historians who could research and educate future generations on state and federal authority during health crises to hopefully prevent conflicts as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. This video is owned and uploaded by the Kyrene School District to YouTube.
• 
  03/27/2020

  Oh, no. Not Politics.

  A comic strip about Covid-19
• 
  04/29/2021

  Kristina Jordan Oral History, 2021/04/08

  This interview was recorded as part of The Covid 19 Oral History Project, a project of the IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute associated with The Journal of a Plague Year: A Covid 19 Archive. Tina is an essential worker, working as a paramedic for an ambulance service in Southern Wisconsin. She is also a full-time faculty at the technical college where she trains EMS students. Her husband is also an essential worker as a volunteer firefighter. In this interview she discusses changes to clinical hours for her students, transitioning to using human simulators. Issues with PPE shortages. Transitioning to online learning and how teaching was different. How her local Governor response affected her and her community. Changes to her day-to-day life with family and friends. Fear for her parents getting covid, staying isolated and missing family during a years’ worth of missed holidays and getting vaccinated. The effects on her community and the political aspect that crept into the COVID pandemic. Frustration with COVID deniers, mask refusal and social media blasting false information. Seeing the realities of COVID as an EMS driver and transporting COVID patients. Her feelings for those who lost loved ones during covid and their grieving process. Political, both state and federal, response to COVID. News outlets and how she chose to receive news. Comparing COVID to other world events like 9/11 and Desert Storm. Living in a rural area. Her hopes for the future and the lessons she hopes we have learned.
• 
  10/28/2020

  Annie Riestenberg Oral History, 2020/10/28

  C19OH
• 
  05/26/2020

  Michael Mike Michalski Oral History, 2020/05/26

  In this oral history interview, Alexander Michalski interviews Mike Michalski in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Mike discusses his job and how it was affected by covid, the impact the virus has had on his friends and family, and home life. He touches on media and how the news is covering the virus. He also discusses local and federal government responses to the virus as well as his hopes for the future.
• 
  2021-06-05

  Someone else on the internet told me different!

  This is what I imagine people doing when they turn off NPR’s latest COVID vaccines update before heading to the feed store to buy Ivermectin for COVID treatment.
• 
  2020-05-09

  2020 Daily News report

  Everyday when we woke up, it felt like the news was reporting on nothing but Covid-19 cases. This is how we all felt every morning
• 
  2021-09-23

  Lily Daugherty and Suhani Rathi Oral History, 2021/09/23

  Two University students discuss their personal experiences during the pandemic, as well as the effects on their family and social lives. Frustrations with the Arizona government’s response to the pandemic are expressed. The specific experience of Asian Americans during a time of increased discrimination is also briefly discussed.
• 
  2021-09-22

  Breitbart says the Left is Trying to Kill Conservatives En Masse with Reverse Psychology

  I just can’t. I shit you not….. right wing nutters are now claiming that the organized left is doing everything they can to make sure the right does not get vaccinated… things such as vaccine Mandates…….. VACCINE MANDATES. He says the Biden Admin has instituted mandates in order to ensure that the right DOES NOT GET THEM. I’m so sick of the victim mentality exhibited by the far right. It’s so dangerous and the misinformation and disinformation being circulated on social media and right wing “news” is genuinely terrifying to me. I have family members who have refused to get vaccinated and I have begged them, BEGGED them to get vaccinated. So much that they refuse to talk to me about it. It’s lunacy to me that my efforts could be construed as “reverse psychology” to ensure their deaths.
• 
  2020-05-30

  The Dashathon

  When the pandemic quarantine was initially imposed, I found myself with lots of free time on my hands. After weeks of low motivation and extreme boredom, I decided to sign up as a food delivery driver for Doordash, a job that was in high demand at the time. By this point in quarantine, all restaurants were closed for indoor dining, but many were still offering carryout and delivery services, largely through food delivery apps such as Doordash. Some of my friends and I started driving Doordash as frequently as 5-6 nights a week. We strategically prioritized the 4 to 8 PM time-slot in order to cover the majority of the dinner shift. Although it was quite mindless work, it was one of the few things that I had to look forward to as a daily break from the monotonous isolation of quarantine. Orders were frequent and because of the high demand for delivery drivers and very light traffic, tips were generous and reflective of the community’s appreciation for service provided by “frontline workers” like ourselves. After about a month of driving, my friends and I decided to put together a fundraiser called “Dashathon” to support some of our favorite local restaurants and small businesses that were struggling during the pandemic. Because many smaller restaurants did not have the financial resources to operate at a loss during periods of the pandemic, many were forced to shut their doors. Our idea was to reach out to all of our family and friends and designate one night where all of our income and tips from Doordash would be donated to these struggling restaurants and other local charities in need. With lots of outreach, we secured underwriting from 10 different sponsors as well as a dollar-for-dollar match pledge from Doordash itself. Our Dashathon was even highlighted in a television news segment broadcast on the local Denver NBC-affiliate newscast (linked above). We were successful in recruiting over 40 drivers to participate in our event. Through a competition-style format that rewarded the highest earners with gift cards from our sponsors, we were able to raise $15,000 dollars in just four hours. The proceeds were distributed in their entirety to designated local restaurants and charities.
• 
  2021-01-25

  An atmospheric river could dump 10 feet of snow in California’s Sierra Nevada

  This article from the Washington Post discusses the possibility of snowstorms in the Sierra Nevadas at the end of January 2021. The article specifically mentions that the Sierra Nevada could see up to ten feet of snow. The article also forecasts the possibility of 80-mile-per-hour winds in California's eastern mountains. These storms turned out to be real and damaged Camp Wolfeboro's infrastructure.
• 
  2020-03-24

  How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus

  A blog post from Banner Health Blog about talking to children about Coronavirus and the pandemic.
• 
  2021-07-29

  Basilico’s Pasta e Vino in Huntington Beach

  After submitting a restaurant's sign promoting their anti-vax stance I was curious as to whether or not they were still in business. It turns out this restaurant has made quite a buzz in California. They unapologetically promote misinformation and publically prefer their customers to be unvaccinated but happily took thousands in PPP funds. They have spent money on controversial billboards and are not at risk of losing their liquor license. I'm so interested to see where else this story goes. The last sentence of this article sums up the ignorance of the restaurant owner - “Our stand is for all Americans,” wrote Roman. “They can thank us later.”
• 
  2021-07-29

  Delta Surge

  "CNN Arkansas Children's Hospital reports a record number of children are hospitalized with Covid-19 as the illness continues to prey upon the state's unvaccinated population. Dr. Rick Barr said parents have been shocked because the messaging has been that kids don't really get sick with Covid-19 - but now child hospitalizations have become more common."
• 
  2021-07-22

  Hospital staff charging $21,000 for an ICU Hospital Bed

  Hospital beds and medical supplies face enormous pressure with the ongoing pandemic. This article indicates that hospital staff were charging over $21,000 for an ICU hospital bed, a scheme that was broken up by the Peruvian police. If one hospital has been caught, how rampant could this practice be? Also, how can the average Peruvian afford such astronomical prices? The fees and the fact that people paid them show the disparity in healthcare access between Peruvians of means and those without.
• 
  2021-07-11

  hermit HERALD, ISSUE 120

  Disagreement with Biden over Afghanistan
• 
  07/09/2021

  Joseph Giangreco-Marotta Oral History, 2021/07/09

  Wife interviews husband about COVID-19 experience.
• 
  2021-07-02

  HERMIT HERALD,ISSUE 119

  Intro Dr. Shelby Steele
• 
  2021-05-29

  COVID-19 and Mental Health

  I took this picture on May 29, 2020, at 10:35 am. Why I choose this picture? This picture reflected my feeling in 2020. After months without going outside, I was heading to Staten Island to visit my aunt. I remember that I had anxiety even to open the door of my apartment. Whenever I went outside, it was close to my apartment, and my skin started to itch for no reason. My family used to watch the news the whole day. I was tired of listening to the report. Besides, during COVID-19, I was having an awful time. A few months ago, one of my friends died, and It was depressing for me. Before she died, I let my ego break the relationship between us. I refused to call her or text her because I was tired of looking after her. I remember my father told me to call her because I did not know what was happening with her. I ignored him. Riding to Staten Island that morning made me remember the hard time that I was going through. The day that I went to Staten Island, it was cloudy and dark. I thought that the ferry would sink into the water. When I got to Staten Island, it started to rain, and I did not bring an umbrella. I was mad, but it was my fault for not checking the weather. I compare that dark and desperate day with the mourning of my friend and the pandemic. For months, I felt guilty and thought that I did not deserve anything good in my life. The worst of all of this is that I did not have anybody to talk to. I was in quarantine for months, and it affected my mental health. I had no desire to continue college and my business. I used to cry a lot, and all I wanted was to talk to someone about how the pandemic and the death of my friend affected me. I had desired to go to the Dominican Republic, but I could not go. I think that this source can help historians because they can get to know about different perspectives of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. They would notice the anxiety that not only I went through, but everybody around the world had been through. My neighborhood was affected significantly. Some of my neighbors got COVID and died from it. I know that many people saw themselves as the picture. They thought that everything around them was going to end. They thought that they would be stuck in the pandemic forever.
• 
  2020

  Facemasks: Artistic and Everyday

  Wearing facemasks was very new to us and it was always strange to see people walking around with them. People offered tips, sewing patterns, and even artistic portraits with masks as a theme. As many of us felt isolated, people offered to walk by our windows and wave.
• 
  2021-02-03

  Interview with Wawa, Super Bowl 55 Signer

  Interview with Warren "Wawa" Snipe about his gig with Super Bowl 55 this Sunday. We also discuss his new album, “Wamilton,” and his genre of Dip Hop.
• 
  2021-01-16

  Texas family without sense of smell escapes house fire

  WACO, Texas -- A Texas family suffering the effects of COVID-19 is safe after their home caught fire, and they weren't able to smell the smoke. Fortunately, a fourth family member, a 17-year-old girl, was able to alert her three relatives and get them to safety. The one-story home caught fire in Waco Friday morning with four people inside. Three people at the home where Bianca Rivera lives lost their sense of smell due to the virus and were oblivious to the danger that was consuming the structure. The teen told KWTX-TV she smelled something burning around 2 a.m. "I started smelling burnt plastic, and that's when I got more alert and ran outside of my room," Rivera told the station. "I couldn't even pass the hallway because it was filled with so much smoke." "I would just do whatever anyone else would do for their own family," Rivera told KWTX. "I just wanted to get everyone else safe and alive that's all I wanted that's all I wanted was to keep everyone alive. I don't really count myself a hero." The family members escaped with their lives, but weren't able to save much else. The Red Cross and other relatives are helping the family as they recover from COVID-19 and a destroyed home.
• 
  2021-01-11

  News Article: Where Arizona stands 1 year into the coronavirus pandemic

  This online news article from Catherine Holland of 3TV/CBS5 in Phoenix, Arizona, relays her assessment of key highlights in Arizona's pandemic history from the first anniversary of SARS-CoV-2's confirmed presence in Arizona on January 11, 2020.
• 
  2021-02-24

  Federal Reserve Glitches

  Because covid19 has had an extremely detrimental impact on many people's financial wellbeing, a momentary hiccup of the Federal Reserve has a lot more potential to do damage than in the pre-covid19 world.
• 
  2021-01-26

  Covid-19 Statistics

  The numbers of Covid-19 really have no affect on me or most of my family. The lies of these numbers is tremendous, people reporting deaths without considering any other influences that have been previously harming or at least not helping the patient. I would pay for an accurate death poll of people who had died from just Covid-19 and only Covid. Then would we know the real 'numbers.' I am blessed however to say that I am aware of no close family member or friend that has had Covid, and that is something I will continue to thank God for. I still can't believe the fear pressed upon by the media and how stupidly successful it has been. People acting as if the Black Plague is running about and how the worst is always yet to come. For the better part of us, Covid has truthfully helped me get a step ahead of life. To get extra training in, doing things others weren't willing to do, it's given me a step ahead of a good amount of my peers. This virus will make of you what you make of it. Some people just choose to respond differently than others.
• 
  2021-01-25

  Covid statistics and how they effect me

  During the past few months, I have learned a lot about viruses, especially covid from the news, my parents, and science class. When someone gets covid they usually recover in about 1-2 weeks which from my friends and family who had it seems right because that's how long it took them to recover. Right now the death rate according to a site is less than 1% in America and 1 per 800 people who had it have died. I personally don't know anyone who died from it but I pray for all the people who have lost friends or family because even though it's less than 1% it can still affect people very negatively. There have been roughly 24 million cases so far and I hope it gets better.
• 
  2021-01-17

  Spending Time in Nature Will Get You Through the Pandemic

  My story and photographs talk about the beauty and power of nature and how spending time in nature can help us get through the pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-16

  Year of the Bibliophile

  Throughout the pandemic, I have committed myself to read something every day, for a minimum of 30 minutes. Whether I am reading opt eds from the Jacobin (my favorite news source), researching academic and scholarly articles, or just immersing myself in a really great work of fiction, I have enjoyed the challenge immensely! I am also here to make the case that reading can be done virtually anywhere. Now, take a moment to consider how you can take full advantage of your busy life to get some reading done. A fifteen-minute break at work, an audiobook during rush hour, perhaps some light reading before bed? Active and mindful reading has not only improved my reading comprehension, but on a more simplistic level; it is a great conversation starter for people who love reading. Finding connection through literature during these trying times has been such a saving grace for me, and I am confident it can do the same for you. -Solidarity
• 2021-01-12

  What I think about who or what is the cause of this virus.

  I believe that this started through the dirty meat markets in China. Somebody bought bat soup from the meat market that had all kinds of bacteria and viruses in it. This could have happened because of how crowded, contaminated and unsanitary they are at the meat markets. I am not completely sure if this is the reason but this is what I heard from the news.
• 2021-01-12

  What I think started Covid-19

  I dont really know the exact reasoning because I myself dont really watch the news and even if i did there is to much fake news that i see on tiktok and what other people tell me. I have heard rumors that vary from someone at a bat that they put the virus into and i have also heard rumors like it was made by people kinda like a sabotage so i cant really know what the real one is. If you look it up its says that the bat one is rights but no one will really know whats real and whats fake.
• 2021-01-11

  the beginning of the corona virus

  I thought this was going to be like the common cold everyone would get over it in like 2 weeks. but after a few days it started to get a lot more serious in a way that everyone had to start wearing masks.i think the cause of how its spread so much is that some people don't want to wear a mask. my knowledge has changed because now I know a lot more than it can just kill people. some of my experiances with this is that when the people came across the news that they were saying that the first case of covid has came into the u.s., was that it was kinda confusing because I didn't know what it was.
• 2021-01-11

  Covid Origin.

  When I first heard of Covid I didn't really think much because I was in school. It was March 13th 2020, and it was a normal Friday. I was in school and there was an announcement. COVID 19 is now in the U.S. i had no clue what it was. I just thought it was a normal flu that was carried from somewhere else. There wasn't much to explain when we heard this. The teachers wouldn't explain so I had to figure where it came from. But thats the thing. I didn't It was no where on the internet on that Friday. But, when I got home, the T.Vs starting blowing up with all the news about the new COVID 19 strand.
• 2021-01-07

  Christmas in Lockdown

  Christmas in lockdown felt somewhat surreal. Because there was danger outside, in the streets, and a new president, it was very chaotic. The holiday did seemed rushed as well. Everyone felt the same-it was too fast, and felt off. I hope this year we can end off the holidays with a more positive note and spend more time appreciating it.
• 
  2020-12-14

  Media Impact on Outcomes of Criminal Court Cases

  This is important because it shows that media has an effect on outcomes in a lot of criminal court cases. We need to be aware of how media affected some of the most famous cases in the United States.
• 
  2020-09-10

  North West Territories Unique Tracing Method

  A news article from the CBC detailing the use of a wastewater surveillance system for early warning of outbreaks in the North West Territories
• 2020-12-11

  Before Quarantine In COVID-19

  February 2020 was the last month before everything would change. Then, I went to comfortably to school, played with my friends, went to public places, and much more. I remember thinking about how much I used to dislike going to school and classes but now, I would give anything to go back there. Toward the end of that month, news was spreading about a new virus going around and I never thought much about it. In March, the virus began rapidly spreading and businesses and schools began to close. This included mine. It was exciting to begin a new experience at first but I hope I can go back and make more memories at school.
• 2020-12-10

  The Beginning of the Corona Virus

  In the month of February, I was just going to school as usual and I was doing my schoolwork. I was in 7th grade before Covid-19 occurred and I was just a student at a private school. A couple of my friends were talking about this new virus and they seemed worried about it. I did not hear about this virus on the news yet, so I just thought it was already under enough control. I believed that the scientists would find a cure without delay and that there was no reason to worry. Also, I did not think that it was possible for it to spread so quickly. Soon, this virus was spreading faster than ever, and I was becoming more worried. I was afraid that it will spread in America, and I was right. I watched the news after school, and I saw that countries were shutting down and schools were closing. Then, my parents received a message about my school closing. I did not know how I felt about this and I was still in shock. After, I remembered that an indication of this virus spreading occurred to me before. It was when my friends started to discuss about this new virus way before it became a global pandemic. I should have known that life could only get worse from here. Then, the quarantine started.
• 2020-02

  Life Before the Pandemic

  Before the pandemic, I had a typical life. I had to wake up at around 6-6:30am to be able to get to school, which was 40 or so minutes away from our house. I drove in our new Tesla with my dad who worked at Joni and Friends. I also had begun carpooling with my friend Carly. We would sit in the back seats together as we talked about a fandom that we're both in and met through. Sometimes I would draw on ibisPaintX with my iPad mini with a stylus and a glove I crocheted that goes around my wrist and only extends over my pinkie finger so that when I rest my hand on the screen it doesn't interfere with the program. Sometimes I would crochet little dolls. After school, I would either have volleyball practice, go to Carly's house, or go to my father's work and do homework, play games, or read fanfictions while he finished his work day. If I had volleyball, I would sit at the pickup place while I waited for my dad and he would come pick me up and take me home. At home, I would eat, shower, read a bit possibly, and go to bed. The fist clue I got about my life changing was the news of the quarantined ship from China. At the time, it was just another 'oh look at them, that must suck, oh well' news report but it soon escalated into 'everyone is quarantined now'
• 
  2020-11-25

  コロナ死者数 世界で140万人（2020年11月25日）- Corona deaths 1.4 million worldwide (November 25, 2020)

  This is a Japanese news of reporting on how many cases we have currently. アメリカのジョンズ・ホプキンズ大学の集計によりますと、新型コロナの死者が24日、世界全体で140万人を超えました。 去年は結核による死者数が140万人で、感染症の中では最多でしたがそれを上回るのは確実で最大の脅威となっています。 新型コロナの感染は10月以降、世界各地で急激に再拡大していて感染者数は6,000万人に迫る勢いで増えています。 According to data from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the death toll of the new corona exceeded 1.4 million worldwide on the 24th. Last year, the death toll from tuberculosis was 1.4 million, the highest among infectious diseases, but it is certain and the greatest threat to surpass it. Since October, the infection of the new corona has rapidly re-expanded around the world, and the number of infected people is increasing at a rate approaching 60 million. Video Translated by Youngbin Noh
• 2020-11-25

  Working and Living in a Pandemic

  I think one of biggest impacts of COVID for me has been wondering if, or when, someone close to me will contract the virus. A fear that at times can be intense or foreboding, and at other times, that fades into feeling ‘normal.’ It was several months into the pandemic before I knew of anyone who knew someone that was ill. More recently a couple of family members had very serious cases of the illness, and a couple more that tested positive but had no symptoms. Being vigilant, following safety procedures such as masks and hand sanitizer have finally become normal as well. Early days I found myself nearly obsessed with reading the news, watching the daily press conferences, and looking up the statistics. These activities have reduced to a daily glance or two to look at numbers or read the latest about the vaccination. I worry about my family. I wonder sometimes if I feel even slightly ill or off if ‘this is it’— have I finally contracted it? And then worry about giving it to others. Another way that I have felt the impact has been in the work environment. I work remotely in the technical sector, and have for several years, so at the beginning of the pandemic there were no adjustments in my routine. However, it didn’t take long to see the impacts of the virus on my clients. Impacts that were not prepared for even with disaster recovery, risk management or continuity planning. The financial impacts businesses affected their ability to ensure employees could work from home. That their employees would have the correct equipment, connectivity, could adapt to the necessary behavioral changes that can disrupt productivity, etc. How now can we receive, prepare and ship equipment, when no one can be in an office to receive anything? The changes have especially impacted efforts to bring on new employees. One thing that I found striking was the requirements in security and access to data when moving from a secure network environment, to set up for the same security at home. A majority of my teams live in countries outside of the United States where some don’t have internet in their homes, let alone being set up to manage Personal Private Information (PPI). My clients in financial sectors have stringent background checks that can take several weeks to clear in the “old world” under normal conditions. With agencies closed and workforce reduced, it is taking two to three times longer to get simple things accomplished. The last major impact I have felt during the shift to my sector becoming a “working from home one,” was experiencing people on the other end of ZOOM, as we all had to overcome our fears about interruptions. Children crying, wanting attention because they don’t understand why mom and dad are home but can’t pay attention to them. Dogs barking, doorbells ringing, calls dropping. It took several months to work out many of the kinks, and for everyone to adjust to these interruptions, but being OK with them. Overall, I would say that I am not directly impacted too much for the moment. Most of the adjustments that have been made and are now normal feeling. Things are finally feeling like they are back to business as usual, I suppose. On a personal level, my fears rise and wain, and each day is different. I am leery of vaccinations, and wonder if the “wonder cure” we’ve been promised will be miraculous, or if more difficulties will follow? The verdict is not out on that yet, so we will have to wait and see what our next ”new normal” will really look like.
• 
  2020-11-20

  “新型コロナ”分科会会長「札幌『ステージ3』か」(2020年11月20日) - Chairman of the "New Corona" Subcommittee "Sapporo" Stage 3 "?" (November 20, 2020)

  政府の新型コロナウイルス対策分科会の尾身会長は、感染が拡大している札幌について、個人の見解として、「『ステージ3』に入っているのではないか」との認識を示しました。GoToトラベルキャンペーンの見直しを提言したことについては、「感染の早期鎮静化につながり結果的には、経済的なダメージも少なくなる」と説明しました。また、「感染の可能性を自覚しながら検査を受けない事例も増えている」と指摘し、改めて、症状が出れば早期に受診するよう呼び掛けました。 Mr. Omi, chairman of the government's new coronavirus control subcommittee, expressed his personal opinion about Sapporo of Hokkaido, where the infection is spreading, that he may be in "stage 3". He explained that he recommended a review of the GoTo Travel Campaign, which will lead to early sedation of the infection and, as a result, less financial damage." He also pointed out that "the number of cases where people are aware of the symptoms of infection but do not get tested is increasing," and once again called for an early checkup if symptoms occur. Video translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-04-20

  The Committee to Protect Journalists Advises Protection Strategies for Protest Events

  This redacted photo from the Associated Press covers anti-lockdown protests in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on April 20, 2020. I redacted the original to protect the identities of the protestors. The crowd demanded the reopening of their state’s economy. Their demonstrations came on the heels of new social distancing measures to help diminish the spread of Covid-19. The article that accompanies this photo should be essential reading for both journalists’ safety and the public’s safety. The tips on protecting oneself in a violent crowd are widely applicable.
• 2020-10-28

  The Virus Strikes Back

  Internet Historian made a followup video compiling together stories and news articles about incidents that occurred during and/or because of the pandemic.