Items

• 
  2020-08-01

  #CoverYourFangs with Rattler Man

  St. Mary's University are the Rattlers, represented by Rattler Man. St. Mary's used this image of Rattler Man masked up to encourage students and our campus community to #CoverYourFangs. This is the iconic image that I'll remember from this campaign.
• 
  2020-11-22

  Wedding Delay

  A notification that a wedding at which my entire family had been planning to gather will be delayed an entire year due to Coronavirus concerns.
• 
  2020-11-22

  Family of Masks

  These are masks my mother and I have acquired by various means to wear during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-14

  Square dancing with social distance

  Public square dancing is a exercise that is enjoyed by many Chinese seniors. This was taken in a morning in April, after the lockdown these seniors continue to practice their dance with social distancing.
• 2020-10-16

  A slightly light hearted take on how professors are making Zoom classes better for students.

  I chose this article because it touches on some issues I faced myself on a much smaller scale. Zoom class meetings can be, for whatever reason, intimidating. They create a different type of social anxiety than when in a class setting, where things can be more relaxed, or tension eased quickly. The communication barriers of having to mute microphones to hear one another, technical issues, and just not wanting to be the focus when you see your screen light up, and also still wanting to contribute can get stressful quickly. It also can be uncomfortable, staring at all of your classmates all at once, and also trying to focus on your professor. I also enjoyed how the professor in this article discussed his methods of improving his online lectures, and trying to ease those social tensions, and create a sense of normalcy for his students despite the vast array of challenges faced.
• 2020-11

  Journal Entry: Thoughts on the first semester of grad school.

  This is less of an entry and more of a summary of how my year has gone? I'm trying to write without too much filter, to really capture the raw emotions of the pandemic. It's been a weird, and rough semester. A positive is that due to the pandemic, I was able to get into a school I had been interested in for quite a while. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get in, but I had a much better chance of doing so, than I did before when online classes weren't offered for my major. I did get in, at the last minute and picked my classes the day before the semester started! I needed a laptop, which were certainly in short supply, but luckily there were some available. When my laptop was stolen, and a webcam was a more immediate option for an older computer, that was more difficult to obtain. I hadn't even considered that they were in short supply but almost every cheap to middle priced webcam were sold out. I definitely didn't think this is what my first semester of graduate school would be like when I started. One class ended in a project showcase that felt far differently than it would have had we been able to present in person. Juggling the semester and also working at night was certainly not something I expected to be doing. During the nights we (my coworkers and I) would be frantically trying to stock canned goods, paper goods, and other items in high demand, just to watch it all be bought within 30 minutes of the store opening for the day. This is also on top of trying to run the store normally. It was very surreal to go in and see shelf after shelf empty and ransacked, as if a hurricane was on the way. All in all, I'm not thankful for the pandemic, but being able to find positives, and to be grateful for the opportunities afforded me is healthier than focusing on the negatives.
• 
  2020-11-16

  Interview with a Student Athlete: Getting an education during quarantine.

  This interview shares the perspective of not only a college student learning during the pandemic, but also a student athlete. Preston Potter strives to maintain his job, his grades, and also stay in athletic shape, while also trying to keep a sense of team brotherhood while staying safe. We explored how he tried to juggle all of this, stay sane, and lead a normal life. Preston gives a positive outlook on the struggles and challenges he faces, focused solely on achieving a dream career of being a professional baseball player. It is a unique look into how different students are handling the many balls they have in the air between work, school and practice.
• 2020-11-20

  Covid-19

  During this pandemic people have lived their lived completely different because we have to stay home and limit ourselves to going out and one of the biggest things is wear a mask. I don’t have much stories to tell because I usually stay inside a lot especially during weekdays and don’t do anything. One things I did a lot during quarantine was workout a lot more.
• 
  2020-06-13

  Dad wears a mask on son's 2nd birthday

  The photo is a sign of the times. My son had his second birthday, so we (his mother and father) took him to the Honolulu Zoo. The photo shows his father wearing a mask while we were there; anyone over 5 years old had to wear a mask to enter. The state of Hawaii had very few cases of COVID-19 in June, when this photo was taken. The zoo had just reopened with new social distancing rules in place. They're actually standing in line in the photo, but there's no visible crowd because there's 6 feet between people. There were very few tourists in Hawaii at that time, so the other visitors at the zoo were kama'aiana (locals). I loaned my husband one of my work-issued masks for this outing. Disposable masks were in short supply, so my employer gave us fabric masks.
• 
  2020-10-20

  University Campus Dining During Covid-19

  With many indoor restrictions and social distancing rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19 cases, this year students have been choosing to dine more frequently outdoors rather than indoors. This photograph highlights how freshman year dining looked for me at Northeastern University during Covid-19. Although students are not allowed to be in large groups or eat in large groups indoors, many of us chose to eat just right outside of the dining hall. Luckily at Northeastern University's main dining halls International Village, there is a small green space park for students to gather, socialize, and eat together. This year Covid-19 has presented many difficult challenges, especially towards the reintroduction of education and a college school year. It's already hard to meet and make new friends as a freshman, but we try as best as we can to socialize wherever we can. In addition to eating, many activities and socials are also done outdoors to recreate the typical college experience in a safe manner. I'd say as students we are responsible or at least most of us try to be responsible because we are all looking forward to the day we can just be normal college students and get that normal college experience.
• 
  2020-10-06

  How acting changes during the age of COVID

  This document is a list of requirements and guidelines for the attendance of a an acting workshop I was a part of in October of this year, as a part of a larger project the Drama Department at my university, St. Mary's was and is attempting to create a new and safer theatre experience for the coming semesters. The workshop we attended was, of course, created with the intent for attendees to participate in-person. Despite this, however, as the requirements here show, the fact that that was impossible, or at least very ill-advised, not only wasn't enough to prevent it from happening, it may have helped it in a good number of ways. For a first example, the individuals in charge of the workshop, affiliated with The Tectonic Theatre, were situated in New York, as opposed to my university being located in San Antonio Texas. The fact that the workshop was held virtually actually made it much more realistically approachable as otherwise the distance would have complicated matters considerably, which was taken care of in that way. In the same vein, as the requirements hint at with the items that are required, is that each person who participated was able to use their surroundings, almost exclusively their own homes, which they were of course very familiar with, to great affect for the exercises that were given to them. In fact, despite the initial misgivings that many of us-myself included-initially had, the workshop was able to take place not only just as well as it would have had it been in person, but in my personal opinion, it might have gone even better. All in all, the workshop was a pretty impressive look at overcoming complications from this pandemic and working around them to make the virtual experience lose nothing from an in-person experience.
• 
  2020-11-18

  "The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight" - The Atlantic Monthly

  With the development of two viable COVID-19 vaccines, it appears that the end of the pandemic appears to be at hand in the near future. In an article for the Atlantic Monthly magazine, journalist Sarah Zhang explains how these viable vaccines were developed using new technologies and how the resolution of the pandemic is now more dependent on policy choices made by political leaders, namely the President of the United States. During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical professionals, epidemiologists, and vaccinologists were in the dark about the symptoms, treatability, and curability of the disease. After months of intense hands-on experience and in-depth genomic research, the companies Pfizer and Moderna have developed viable vaccine candidates. But these vaccines are different from typical vaccines: they are mRNA vaccines. This means that they work by injecting mRNA which encodes viral proteins, rather than injecting a weakened or dead SARS-CoV-2 virus. mRNA vaccines, according to Zhang, were once thought to be potentially unviable, but the positive preliminary results of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines may mark the beginning of a new era of vaccine research and development. In the future, Zhang says, mRNA vaccines may be developed for the Zika virus or for personalized forms of cancer. However, a major drawback of mRNA vaccines is their fragility, as they require extremely cold temperatures to be preserved. Now that these vaccines may be available for public use in the near future, it is up to the United States' political leadership to formulate policies to promote the vaccination of the populace and the mitigation of COVID-19 infections during the winter. According to Zhang, "Every infection we prevent now—through masking and social distancing—is an infection that can, eventually, be prevented forever through vaccines."
• 
  2020-11-16

  Having a Negative COVID-19 Test Still Requires Social Distancing

  Some people have started to get tests for the coronavirus as a way to clear themselves to attend dinner parties without needing to wear masks or keep their distance. That’s absolutely the wrong thing to do.
• 
  2020-11-19

  California Governor Announces Curfew

  California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a limited stay at home order on Thursday that would require non-essential work and gatherings to stop between 10 pm and 5 am in counties with high rates of COVID-19. The order is set to take effect on Saturday at 10 pm and will last for one month.
• 
  2020-11-19

  Father and Son Graduation Celebration

  It was the fall of 2019, and the celebration was on for graduation. Two Air Force Veterans are standing side-by-side for a father and son picture. This moment represents the sky is the limit, and the only thing to do is to move forward and continue with a masters program. Continuing with my higher education meant a continuation in life events for my dad. COVID-19 and his untimely death was not foreseen for the new year of 2020. This will always be a happy time of our lives.
• 
  2020-08-05

  Navigating Mental Health and Self-Care with Hobbies

  Quarantine and social distancing call for acquiring new hobbies, right? From downloading TikTok to baking homemade bread to dying hair, one hobby I acquired throughout the pandemic was going outside and moving my body. As a result, I developed a passion for going on hikes, observing nature, riding my bike near the beach, and working out. All activities were enjoyed safe and socially distanced, of course. After trying out these hobbies, I realized these activities really improved my mental health, physical health, and overall level of productivity. It was a great way to escape the sedentary nature of quarantine. It was my new form of self-care. This photo I am sharing is a serene river I swam in after a long and hot hike at King’s National Park in California. The beautiful scenery as well as the clearness and freshness of the cold water helped me escape of the thoughts and worries about navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-11-19

  The Journal of a Common Man

  To show the hardships and happiness throughout the pandemic year of 2020
• 
  2020-07-23

  Snap Judgment podcast episode on covid-19 in San Quentin state prison (CA)

  Podcast episode produced by Snap Judgment in which they look at covid-19 outbreaks in San Quentin prison
• 
  2020-09-01

  St. Mary's Mask Squad

  A feature story in the lifestyle section of The Rattler student newspaper is about the St. Mary’s Mask Squad, a group of student leaders from different RSOs on campus promoting safety and Marianist values. The job of the mask squad is to not only promote proper mask wearing but find ways the campus can improve on safety for its students and staff. This promotes our Marinist values by caring about other’s safety and health and making sure our actions are aimed towards protecting those around us.
• 
  2020-11-19

  新型コロナ治療に光　ウイルス侵入防ぐ物質を開発(2020年11月19日) - Developed a substance to prevent invasion of light virus for new corona treatment (November 19, 2020)

  新型コロナウイルスの有力な治療薬になる可能性があります。京都府立医科大学などの研究チームは新型コロナウイルスが細胞に侵入するのを防ぐ特殊なたんぱく質を開発したと発表しました。 　京都府立医科大学・星野温助教：「（新型コロナウイルス）治療薬がまだ『これ』というのが確立されてませんので、その一つの大きな候補となる開発技術になりますので、大きく社会に貢献できるものと期待します」 　新型コロナウイルスは表面にあるトゲが人の細胞の表面にある「ACE2」と呼ばれる突起と結合することで細胞内に侵入します。京都府立医科大学の星野温助教らの研究チームは細胞の突起に結合する前に、ウイルス表面のトゲと結合する特殊なたんぱく質を開発しました。トゲと結合する力がACE2よりも100倍以上強いということです。このたんぱく質を軽症や中等症の患者に投与することで感染した後に症状の悪化を抑える効果が期待できるということです。また、似たような仕組みの抗体製剤と比べてウイルスが変異しても効果が変わらないとしています。 　京都府立医科大学・星野温助教：「抗体製剤は比較的スパイク（ウイルスのトゲ）と点でくっついている感じですね。私たちのたんぱく質製剤は元々、スパイクがACE2（細胞の突起）にくっつく面をすべてカバーしているので」 　今後は企業と協力して来年度に臨床試験を始め、再来年度の実用化を目指したいとしています。 It has the potential to be a powerful remedy for the new coronavirus. Research teams including Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine have announced that they have developed a special protein that prevents the new coronavirus from invading cells. Assistant Professor Atsushi Hoshino, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine: "(New coronavirus) Therapeutic drug has not yet been established, so it will be one of the major candidates for development technology, and will greatly contribute to society. I expect it to be possible. " The new coronavirus invades the cells by binding the spikes on the surface to the protrusions called "ACE2" on the surface of human cells. A research team led by Assistant Professor Atsushi Hoshino of Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine has developed a special protein that binds to spikes on the surface of the virus before it binds to the protrusions of cells. It means that the force to bind to spikes is more than 100 times stronger than ACE2. By administering this protein to patients with mild or moderate illness, it can be expected to have the effect of suppressing the worsening of symptoms after infection. In addition, compared to antibody preparations with a similar mechanism, the effect does not change even if the virus mutates. Atsushi Hoshino, Assistant Professor, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine: "It feels like antibody preparations are relatively sticking to spikes (virus spikes). Our protein preparations already have spikes sticking to ACE2 (cell protrusions) and it covers all of them. " In the future, we would like to cooperate with companies to start clinical trials next year and aim for practical application in the following year of next year. Video translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-11-19

  東京534人感染 最多を更新　警戒レベル「最高」に（2020年11月19日） - Updated the highest number of infections in 534 people in Tokyo to the highest alert level (November 19, 2020)

  This is a news that talks about the highest number of COVID cases in Tokyo. I believe this is caused by all the GO TO Travel which promoted people to travel despite being in COVID, and how all restaurants are open to dine-in and no one doing take-out. Also, Izakaya, a drinking/eating type of restaurants are usually have seats close to each other and do not have good ventilation. 東京都できょう、新型コロナウイルスの感染者が534人確認され、２日連続、過去最多を更新しました。 都は４段階の警戒レベルを「最高」に引き上げました。 きょう、都内で感染が確認されたのは534人できのうの493人を上回り最多を更新しました。 １日の新規感染者数が500人を超えるのは初めてです。 重症者はきのうから１人減った38人です。 こうした中、都は専門家と会議を開き、「感染状況」についての警戒レベルをおよそ２ヵ月ぶりに４段階で最も深刻な「感染が拡大している」に引き上げました。 特に重症化のリスクがある高齢者が大幅に増加したとして注意を呼びかけました。 （小池知事）「急速な感染拡大の局面にあるということ。高齢者・基礎疾患のある人は会食への参加を控えてもらいたい。避けてもらいたい。」 ただ、飲食店の営業時間の短縮要請については、「時短の効果とマイナスの影響を比較して考える必要がある」など慎重な意見もあり、現時点では行わない方針です。 In Tokyo, 534 people were confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus, which was a highest number for the second consecutive day. Tokyo has raised the four levels of alertness to "highest". Today, the number of confirmed infections (543) in Tokyo exceeded 493. This is the first time that the number of newly infected people exceeds 500 per day. The number of seriously ill people is 38, one less than yesterday. Under these circumstances, the city held a meeting with experts and raised the alert level for "infection status" to the most serious "infection is spreading" in four stages for the first time in about two months. In particular, Tokyo has stated that the number of elderly people at risk of becoming severe has increased significantly. (Governor Koike) "We are in a phase of rapid infection spread. We would like elderly people and people with underlying illnesses to refrain from attending dinner. Please avoid it." However, regarding the request to shorten the business hours of restaurants, she stated that "It is necessary to compare the effect of shortening the time with the negative effect", so we will not make that decision at this time. Video translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-11-19

  History does repeat itself

  In this short paper, I wrote about similarities between the 1918 Spanish Flu the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. I analyze an article written in the Toronto Globe on October 2nd, 1918, and compared it to the events that happened in January-February 2020 in the United States.
• 
  2020-11-02

  Running from the Virus Like...

  This item gives a sneak peek into a workout by St. Mary's University Baseball team. Their workout outdoors allows everyone to be spread out and maintaining social distancing requirements.
• 
  2020-11-18

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

  As schools reopened around the world, countries saw surges in new COVID-19 cases. In response, some countries have re-closed schools while others have remained upon and employed strict guidelines.
• 
  2020-09-01

  Meet The Rattler Staff

  These photos are introductions of The Rattler (St. Mary's University school newspaper) staff to the campus. Typically students interested in working on staff can meet the current editors at one of the many in person meetings, but since all meetings are held over Zoom and students can pick up more stories through a simple email putting names the faces of the section editors can be a bit hard. These introduction photos can help writers connect with the staff they will work with so closely, and understand who may be best to contact if they have any questions.
• 
  2020-11-18

  Working Full Time as a Mother and Student During a Pandemic: Interview with Ashley Trayler

  The interview is with Ashley Trayler, a senior undergraduate student majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Ashley is not only a student but a mother of a two-year-old named Adrian. In the interview, Ashley discusses her life before the pandemic, which involved taking care of her son and working full time at a call center. Once the pandemic hit, Ashley was impacted by job loss, facing financial obstacles, and being a college student transitioning to virtual school. Ashley has made many sacrifices to adapt to obstacles that have come her way caused by COVID-19, but she has remained strong by taking herself and prioritizing her health to be the best mother, student, and person she can be.
• 
  2020-10-14

  Visiting with Friends during the Pandemic

  My friend Victoria, has shared ways that she has been able to keep in touch with her friends during this time of quarantine, social distancing, and precaution. Victoria captioned this screenshot with: "Before COVID, I would hangout with my friends in person which was a good and fun stress reliever. However, now that we have to social distance, I FaceTime them which helps just as much" I, personally have also resulted in communicating with my friends via video chat calls. I usually try and schedule a time to call them where we can catch up and chat. I usually am not a huge video chat fan however, with COVID-19, I have become one. In order to minimize the spread of the virus and keep our families safe, most of my friends and I, have been relying solely on facetime calls to catch up. It's weird but it's definitely better than getting sick!
• 
  2020-09-03

  St. Mary's University's Mask Squad

  St. Mary's has gathered a group of students ( the mask squad) with the purpose to promote Covid-19 safety procedures. Typically St. Marys' campus is full of smiling faces and it always busy with students running to classes or to meet with friends. Since Covid-19 St.Mary’s students have had to adjust to not seeing the campus so lively. The mask squad is currently on campus to not only remind students to wear their masks but to give the campus some life. Wearing our masks is a crucial part of keeping all those on campus safe. This email shows the efforts that the university is taking to try and promote safety and community.
• 
  2020-05-10

  Learning How to Orienteer in Finland

  This picture is a picture of my friend, Linda, orienteering. Now if you're confused about what orienteering is, you are not alone. When I first reached out to her to see if she had picked up any new hobbies while in quarantine, I was also very confused by her response. It turns out, orienteering is the sport of navigation; you are given a compass and a map and are tasked with trying to find your way. I had never heard of orienteering before I asked Linda about it, but it turns out it is not exclusive to Finland and is also a competitive sport in some places in the United States. Linda told me that she picked up orienteering as a way to get outside and enjoy nature while fulfilling her competitive drive. If it weren't for the pandemic, she wouldn't have been inspired to try out this new favorite hobby of hers and now new favorite competition. Covid-19 has introduced not only her, but me as well to the sport of orienteering.
• 
  2020-03

  A Pass for the Lockdown

  This is an important submission to me, because it was a weird way for me to feel like more than just a simple grocery clerk, but also I felt more heavily the weight of the whole COVID pandemic. I was given this letter by my store manager at Kroger, back in late March I believe, when the city was placed under a lockdown. It was in the event any employee, on their way to work, was pulled over and asked why they were out driving during a lockdown. It makes me proud, in a way, to ensure that people still are able to shop, but it's also scary because, well people still come to shop for groceries. I haven't kept it in my car since the lockdown lifted, but I am concerned I will need it again, with the rise of cases.
• 
  2020-11

  What Keeps Me Sane

  Between working in a grocery store, and doing class work, I find myself busy and often stressed. I am lucky enough to have a partner, two cats and other luxuries that help me relax and relieve my anxieties. I included an older picture of myself and my partner, my switch, and my cats Wobbles (grey) and Jade (black). Having these distractions in my life have definitely made the pandemic a little more manageable. These things, along with my partner, help me count my blessings and appreciate what I have and have been able to hold on to during these anxious and stressful times.
• 
  2020-11-17

  Head Sports Performance Coach from StMU Oral History

  An oral history interview with CJ Richardson the Head Sports Performance Coach at StMU discussing COVID-19 protocols and life during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-09-18

  Aslak's Competitive Weightlifting

  My friend Aslak, from Norway, has always stayed in shape. It wasn't until the pandemic hit that he started to do it competitively. Weightlifting competitively gave him a new edge and something to bring focus into his life. While this isn't exactly a new hobby, it is a new form of one of his favorite hobbies and has allowed him to meet new people (while staying at a safe distance). During this pandemic, people all around the world have had to find new ways to adjust, to cope. While Aslak is all the way over in Norway, his life right now is not too different from mine. While Finland was able to handle the pandemic differently than the United States, they also had to quarantine and wear masks. The pandemic has become divisive, but it also has untied us in ways that we haven't been before. Everyone has had to adjust and some have done so through new hobbies, like Aslak.
• 
  2020-11

  Social Events in a Pandemic Year

  Part of attending college, both as an undergrad and graduate student, are campus activities. Some are designed to be fun, or educational, stress relieving, or to create a sense of community amongst the students. Sometimes you just walk into them as you are traveling about campus, or you see a flyer or an announcement e-mail for the event. The pandemic, and the constraints that go along with it have changed how these events happen. While some events happen in person, to comply with social distancing regulations, they are limited to how many people can attend, requiring a registration link. Other events that used to happen in person are now conducted over Zoom or other video conferencing platforms. The things that strikes me most out of these two screenshots is the asterisk next to some of the events, indicating it's a virtual event. It's foreign, and odd and really just serves as a constant reminder of the pandemic that the world is experiencing, because it singles out the event; this isn't in person, you must attend from your home / location of your computer.
• 
  2020-11-16

  Pandemic Hiking, Guadalupe River State Park

  I had not gone hiking since before the pandemic so I was nervous about this first trek out. I had to wear a mask when entering any buildings but other than that things were the same. I chose to go to the Guadalupe River State Park since it was one I had not previously visited. I was surprised at how many people were at the park on a weekday but it was easy to be away from people the farther you were from the water. I had a mask on anytime I had to walk near someone, but hiking on the Barred Owl and Bauer Trail I didn't run into anyone. Attached are photos from an isolated pocket I found where I could spend time with my feet in the cold river. For the first time in months, I felt a sense of normalcy. Besides the mask and the need to make reservations beforehand, nothing about this hiking experience was exceptional, and yet I felt completely renewed as I huffed and puffed back to my car. I hope that people still take precautions when they can.
• 
  2020-11-14

  NPR short story November 14, 2020

  I heard this short editorial of sorts during the 5pm hour today with my 4 good daughter on my lap at home. It helped me stop, reflect and take stock of everything.
• 
  2020-11-13

  One of Those Days

  I am actually suffering in this pandemic. Absolutely nothing has meaning anymore.
• 
  2020-11-13

  "Silver Lining" to the Pandemic and My College Experience

  For my first semester of college, myself as well as many other students admitted to the NUin program were to study abroad in London. However, as the pandemic worsened Northeastern University began to cancel some of the abroad options, London eventually included. Instead we were given the opportunity to participate in the “NUin Boston” program, where we would get to live off campus in Boston and take classes at Northeastern University. Of course, I was super excited to go to London and disappointed by the change of plans. I visited London once a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with the city. The history was fascinating and the culture of the city was incredibly charming. However, I have fallen in love with Boston just as much. The NUin program places an emphasis on learning more about the city where we are studying. Typically, NUin students learn about the culture of where they choose to study abroad, and then come back to Boston the second semester and continue classes as normal students. Instead, we got to study the culture and history of Boston. In a way, this was better than studying abroad. My family lives just a few hours away from Boston, so while I have been here a few times in my life, I never took time to appreciate all that goes on in the city. I am grateful for this opportunity because of how I was able to learn about the culture of a city that isn’t even that far away from me. I have also met an amazing group of friends who I may not have met if I went to London. It has also been great to already start classes on campus Northeastern and to be able to get involved on campus.
• 
  2020-11-13

  Free COVID-19 Testing

  This email was sent to me to set up an appointment to get a free COVID-19 test done at my school. This goes to show how the University is taking top priority in not only helping the St.Mary's community. This is helpful because not many students can afford to go get tested and now that we are going on break the University wants to take extra precaution. These screen shots are really important to keep as a reminder that the University did everything they can to provide help for students that want to go back home and visit during break but also making sure they do it in a safe way. This goes to show how it is to live during a pandemic were it's a big deal that we are provided with free testing.
• 
  2020-11-06

  Fang Squad Tee

  This is a picture of me in Charles Francis Hall at St. Mary's University, where I'm a student. One of the things which is happening here is the Fang Squad, which encourages social distancing and the wearing of masks. I'm modeling the teeshirt I was lucky enough to get. It's important to me because both myself and people I care about are members of the higher risk group.
• 
  2020-11-12

  "2019 was a terrible year for measles. 2021 could be much worse." - Vox

  With the rise of COVID-19, it is easy to forget the risks posed by other diseases to the health of the global community. But as Vox's Julia Belluz reminds readers, the risk posed by measles is still existent and increasing as the current COVID-19 pandemic unwinds. Belluz cites data from the World Health Organization (WHO), medical institutions, and epidemiologists that demonstrate that there has been a significant increase (556%) in measles cases worldwide in the lead up to the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase in cases, according to medical officials, can be attributed to the rise of vaccine skepticism, an anti-intellectual movement that believes that vaccines cause autism and other medical ailments. In addition to the anti-vaccination movement, childhood immunizations for measles have declined significantly (250,000 dose deficit) in the wake of the pandemic, as medical doctors that would usually oversee vaccination campaigns are overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. This massive deficit in vaccinations is creating the conditions for future outbreaks of measles, which will devastate marginalized communities already impacted by COVID-19. Belluz ends the article by calling for further vaccination campaigns, but she also acknowledges that the current Trump administration is unlikely to carry it out to fruition.
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  2020-11-12

  "How the pandemic got people smoking again" - Vox

  With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been pressured to develop bad habits such as overeating, alcoholism, doom scrolling, and impulse shopping. But one pandemic indulgence that stands out to medical officials and journalists is smoking, which damages lungs and puts one at an increased risk from dying of COVID-19. In an article for Vox, journalist Melinda Fakuade provides readers with an overview of the reasons why more people have taken up smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic in spite of the increased risk of death. According to Fakuade, a major factor that explains the increased prevalence of smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic is the sheer boredom that comes with being unable to leave home without risking contracting COVID-19. Not being able to leave home and spend money on other amenities also increases one's access to discretionary spending, which can be used to fund cigarette smoking and other bad habits. Fakuade also emphasizes the role of stress, which induces people to take up bad habits such as smoking as a coping mechanism. According to her, smoking functions as a way of maintaining a routine and sense of control in a time of extreme instability. Finally, Fakuade considers whether or not the increased prevalence of smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a reflection of an internal "death wish," on the part of smokers.
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  2020-11-11

  Russian-developed COVID-19 Vaccine Interim Trial Reports 92% Success Rate

  Following initial findings of Pfizer's vaccine being effective in preventing COVID-19 infection in more than 90% of people, Russia says its vaccine has 92% efficacy according to preliminary findings in stage three of the clinical trials. The trial results are based on 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
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  2020-11-12

  Chicago Stay at Home Order

  Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Thursday that the city is issuing a 30-day COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory that will begin on Monday, November 16. The mayor also asked residents to “cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans” and stay indoors as cases continue to rise in the city.
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  2010-11-12

  COVID-19 is so bad in the US we can't even decide who has it the worse

  The US literally cannot determine which state has the worst COVID infections because it's all just bad.
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  2020-07-12

  California becomes the second state with more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases

  California became the second state to reach one million known COVID-19 cases on Thursday. On Wednesday, Texas became the first state to reach this milestone. The US in total has surpassed 10 million infections.
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  1918-09-22

  Flu file Artifact paper

  It is about the Spanish flu during 1918 and how it is similar to our current pandemic.
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  2020-04-11

  Putting the Pieces Together

  When quarantine struck my family, my brother came home from Illinois State University due to safety reasons. Once he came home, my family started to play tons of board games and watched tons of movies just to spend time together. This was a rare moment as we haven't been living together as a family since my brother moved out, so it was a special time for all of us. This was a fun time for all of us because we got to come together as a family for the first time in a long time.
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  2020-11-12

  HISTW 300 Interview of Stephen Von Der Ahe

  This was an assignment that I did as part of a course on the global history of food. As a class, we interviewed each other to see how one's experience with covid was going. In particular, we asked questions about how one's experience with food has changed since the covid lockdown began.
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  2020-11-12

  HISTW300 Global History of Food Oral History Assignment

  This is an assignment by Prof Christine Peralta at Indiana University Bloomington for her HISTW300 students to create oral history transcripts. *may include private health info