Items

• 
  2020-11-22

  Family of Masks

  These are masks my mother and I have acquired by various means to wear during the pandemic.
• 
  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."
• 
  2020-11-19

  The Journal of a Common Man

  To show the hardships and happiness throughout the pandemic year of 2020
• 
  2020-11-17

  Campus Offers Free COVID-19 Testing

  In preparation for the holiday break, St. Mary's University is now offering its community free COVID-19 testing on campus. The test is a self-performed saliva test and it yields results within 36 to 48 hours. Located in front of the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center, it is in a central campus location and easily accessible.
• 
  2020-11-08

  Interview with a San Antonio Nurse, Christina Mena

  Christina Mena, a nurse in San Antonio, shares her experiences of working in a cardiac clinic during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-08

  "The Nightmarish Challenge of Trying to Get an Abortion in a Pandemic"

  The article describes the recent challenges to obtaining an abortion in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic due to several states attempting to add further restrictions on abortion rights. It is important to understand that while it was already difficult for many to obtain abortions to begin with, the pandemic has added even more challenges for those seeking reproductive healthcare as well as more opportunities for anti-choice lawmakers to restrict abortion care.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-11-12

  "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.
• 
  2020-11-02

  THE HIGHER RISK GROUPS

  This is new information dated November of this year updating the list of groups at higher risk for Covid-19. It is important to me because I am a member of a high risk group and virus prevention is important to me.
• 
  2020-11-09

  Elderly COVID-19 survivors with no home find warmth at Hyderabad hospital

  There are many older people who don't really have family connections in the world. It's interesting to see cases of people who were living in adult care facilities and contracted Covid. They end up in the hospital to be treated but then there is nowhere to send them after. It's interesting to see stories like this and I wonder how it will end for Ms. Nagendramma.
• 
  2020-11-09

  UK rollout of Covid vaccine could start before Christmas

  As someone who is patiently waiting for this dismal lockdown to end so I can get on with my life this is good news. Hopefully, things will clear up so I can actually go and visit my fiance. I wonder who all will take the vaccine though, or if visitors will be forced to take it.
• 
  2020-11-10

  Covid-19 Test Timeline in Victoria BC

  Timeline for Covid-19 testing from Island Health in Victoria, BC. Supposedly it's a very quick turnaround, taking under 24 hours.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Let 1,000 coronavirus flowers bloom

  A medical lab technologist in New York City has started making art out of biohazard labels. He calls his art "The Biohazard Collection" and plans to donate it to the New-York Historical Society.
• 2020-11-09

  HIST30060

  1. The Trump family contracting Covid When my friend first texted me about Donald and Melania Trump contracting Covid-19, I let out a hysterical laugh. To me, it wasn’t Trump, the person, contracting the virus that was funny but rather Trump, the one who belittled the effects of the virus and avoided taking meaningful measures to minimise its impact, that was funny. It was a stark reminder that boundaries between the powerful and the powerless, between the wealthy and the disadvantaged, between the authorities and the ones subject to authority, between varying socioeconomic standings can be blurred, especially in the case of a global pandemic. While pandemics have an undeniable impact on the disadvantaged or those with lower socioeconomic means, its impact on a figure such as Trump somewhat demonstrated that no one is beyond a virus. 2. Stigmatising Migrant Communities in Victoria When the second outbreak unfolded in Victoria, it was really interesting to, firstly, see the socioeconomic inequalities come into light and, secondly, the Victorian migrant communities framed as the problem. They were projected to be the cause of the second outbreak in Victoria which prompted the media to monopolise on this racist and bigoted rhetoric of migrants causing trouble. The media and some members of the public (through social media) insinuated that migrant communities’ culture was, by default, antithetical to the Australian way of life and thrust Victoria into another lockdown. It later became clear that the Victorian government’s hotel quarantine disaster prompted a second outbreak. The security personnel and other staff employed by the Victorian government spread the virus to a handful of postcodes in Victoria. The areas where the outbreaks first began to emerge were areas with lower socioeconomic standing and migrant communities. Considering that these staff members were from these postcodes, the outbreak seemed to be prompted and furthered by the migrant culture which supposedly allowed for the flouting of restrictions, mass gatherings and, therefore, quick local transmission of the virus. The wealthier suburbs or postcodes weren’t hit as hard. Thus, demonstrating the existing socioeconomic inequalities in Victoria and the way in which some communities were hit harder than others. It was striking to see how easily a community can be framed and dismissed as the other and the troublemaker. Additionally, this may speak to the debates or concerns which are left outside the national discussion which, in turn, can contribute to a specific historical record based on the dominant narrative. In Victoria’s case, perhaps this can be the more general covid lockdown narrative which for the average Victorian is divorced from any ethnic implications whilst for other Victorians, the connotations associated with their ethnic identities, particularly in the context of the covid pandemic, is warped and bigoted. 3. Burqa vs. facemask hypocrisy – facemasks can become the normalcy but burqa’s never will With the introduction of the coronavirus restrictions around the world, it was interesting to see the discourse around face-covering change, particularly, in the West. For about two decades, following 9/11 in America, there has been negative messaging around the burqa some Muslim women choose to wear. It was deemed socially unacceptable and antithetical to societal norms or appropriateness. Muslim women have been subjected to vilification and have been told that the burqa limits communication and is a symbol of an anti-western patriarchal tradition. There seems to be a hypocrisy around this issue in that while a health concern can normalise a face covering, religious reasoning seems insufficient. While the historical baggage associated with the burqa far surpasses this debate of covering versus revealing the face and, of course, while the health benefits of a face mask is of great importance, there is room to view it with a somewhat binary approach. Put more plainly, it seems while the health implications of any form of face covering or clothing items can allow officials to impose policies around mandatory face covering, religion or, more importantly, freedom of choice, does not offer enough of an incentive for officials to consider burqas as societally and socially acceptable. I believe the policies begat from health concerns are of prime importance. However, these policies can coexist alongside policies of acceptance. Thus, the reframing of societal norms to accommodate for another’s interpretation of their religious obligations. 4. Family member in hospital during Covid With the Covid pandemic, 2020 is probably one of the worst years to approach a hospital in any way. My family and I were unfortunate to have experienced a situation (not Covid-19 related) which required us to rush a family member to the hospital. I found that it was one of the hardest things I have had to cope with throughout my life. This is a photo of my family member’s patient wristband. As nurses in the emergency were asking one another about whether the incoming patients were swabbed for covid, the added difficulties of this situation were clear. The limited contact I was able to have with my family member due to the hyper alert covid environment at the hospital deeply frustrated me. These were perhaps the organic happenings of life, however, not having the option of being beside my family member and only seeing my family member for 2 hours in a day was tormenting. It was also a reminder of how varied the experiences of the lockdown and restrictions could be. Alongside the general difficulties of the pandemic and the lockdown, there could be added layers of complexity which may range from living arrangements, work, race, socioeconomic status to, in our case, an unexpected health condition. 5. TikTok dance Similar to the millions of others out there during the lockdown, I had my fair share of busting some dance moves on TikTok with my house mate. This made me appreciate the little fleeting moments of happiness even in a very grim-looking world with the virus ravaging communities across the globe. Making this video, learning the dance moves and continuously getting the moves wrong was the most upbeat, thrilling and enjoyable fun I had during quarantine. Also, given that I thought I would never use TikTok, I somewhat understood the solace most of its users found in the app, especially, more than ever, during a global pandemic.
• 
  2020-07-16

  Ten Days of Self-Isolation

  The following is a reflection on my experience in COVID-19 testing and self-isolation, after returning to my home country Bahrain from Australia, where I am a student. Upon arriving in Bahrain International Airport, travellers are taken aboard buses into a giant white tent-structure. Here, my temperature was taken. Then, I was escorted to one of the desks (mostly staffed by young volunteers) where I give my personal details, including where I intend to spend my 10 days of self-isolation (the Government of Bahrain had only recently reduced the requirement from 14 days). After that, I had the COVID-19 PCR test taken (quick but unpleasant nose swab). The results are published via the “Be Aware” app within 24 hours. It was, thankfully, negative. I was also given an electronic bracelet that acts as a tracker, to ensure that I am where I say I would be. I am driven from the airport by my brother, it was decided that he would pick me up because he had recently caught the virus himself, and so, supposedly he would have developed some immunity. Spending 10 days in one’s bedroom was as boring as one might expect. My main source of entertainment would be, as it turned out, Ancient Rome. I was still taking a university subject, which was moved online the week prior due to renewed restrictions in Melbourne after COVID-19 infections spiked in the State of Victoria. I did however have to get up at 3:00 in the morning to attend classes! I did, moreover, end up gaining about 2 kilograms of weight in those 10 days. The whole experience of travel and self-isolation in the age of COVID-19 is just one example of how simple aspects of our lives (travel, privacy, education, exercise, social life etc.) were changed so drastically by the pandemic. Everything would somehow be more complicated. This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.
• 
  2020-07-23

  COVID-19 Contact Tracing Notice - Healthcare Worker

  This was an email sent to my brother, who is a third year Doctor of Optometry student at the University of Melbourne. One of his classmates had tested positive for Covid-19, and he had been in the same lab room doing practicals together during this time. His whole class was asked to self-isolate for a two-week period, and his exams for the semester were pushed back as well. Although he does no directly deal with Covid-19 related patients, as a healthcare worker, he must come in close contact with people on a greater basis than almost any other profession. He isolated for the required period and was tested twice, thankfully with a negative result both times. Each test required 1-2 days turnaround. This object shows the steps organisations are taking to ensure proper contact tracing and in taking care both their patients and students. It also shows how healthcare workers, who come in close physical contact with others, are inherently at high risk and need to be extra careful not to catch or spread diseases. HIST30060.
• 
  2020-07-15

  Travel in the Age of Covid-19

  If you would like to know why I was travelling, please see this journal: https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive/item/30217 Travelling at the best of times can induce stress and anxiety. In the times of Covid-19, it is a whole different experience. I am dropped off at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. The departure screen, usually filled with flight information, now only has a handful of flights on display. Incoming flights into Melbourne have been suspended entirely. My destination is Bahrain via Dubai International Airport. Emirates Airlines EK409 is flying at about a third of its capacity (the Melbourne-Dubai route is, at normal times, a very popular one and flights are usually almost full). The extra room is welcome, allowing many travellers to lay down and enjoy a little comfort in these uncomfortable times. Masks as well as gloves are required throughout the flight. A hygiene kit is provided. I sleep for most of the flight. When I arrive in Dubai, sitting in the terminal building waiting for my connection (which is in 10 hours because of reduced flights frequency), and as a way of passing the time, I join one of my online University classes. Three months later, in October 2020, when this journal was written, travel is still a very complicated affair. This is the worst crisis to hit the industry since the attacks of September the 11th 2001. I will not take travel for granted ever again. This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Healthcare Workers Vulnerability to COVID

  This is article covers a research period from March 1 to May 31 involving adults with COVID-19 which included healthcare workers as patients. It reports finding who was affected, how sick they became, and the percentage of those who died. The median age was 49 for healthcare workers, 13 years younger than the entire group surveyed. Men outnumbered women in severity, but women accounted for larger numbers affected. The findings also concluded that healthcare workers are being stretched to their limits and operating with scarce personal protective equipment.
• 
  2020-04-03

  Ms. Jones COVID Experience

  Ms. Jones had Alzheimer’s and was living with others like her prior to the pandemic. When she was isolated because of the pandemic she became anxious and confused thus causing her meds to be increased. She was found on the floor with serious injuries due to a decrease of nursing oversight. Her family did not want to cause her anymore stress so moved her to a hospice house so they could visit and she died a week later.
• 
  2020-04-22

  AOC Tweet 4/22/2020

  This tweet is by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and reads: “GOP is seriously arguing that it’s worth sacrificing the lives of hourly workers so they can get a spray tan again. If they really wanted to reopen the economy, they’d fund mass testing, contact tracing, & healthcare for people. Instead they’re fighting against hospital funding.” This tweet briefly brings up the not-scientifically-founded idea of “re-opening” in order to boost the economy. And the lack of funding for mass covid testing/tracing, and general healthcare is also mentioned.
• 
  2020-11-01

  A Telling Graph...

  This graph illustrates unfortunately the differences in the handling of the Pandemic. When I created this I chose six industrialized nations They have a total of 346 million residents, according to Google. Also according to Google the United States has a population of 331 million residents. Five of the six nations appear on the graph below the figure for the United States. Taiwan did not have enough cases despite a population of 23.5 million to register on the bottom of the graph. So that is six industrialized nations for 77 thousand deaths versus 200 thousand deaths in the United States alone and growing at the world's fastest rate of infection. This is important to me because it illustrates the failure of our government to take the Pandemic seriously enough.
• 
  2020-10-27

  COVID in Rural Wisconsin

  This submission goes into detail from a front line worker on why rural Wisconsin is hit so hard when it comes to COVID, it is important because there are so few voices coming out of this part of the United States.
• 
  2020-08-08

  HMH Nurses Working 12-hour Shifts during COVID

  This is a news article telling how nurses since March 20, 2020 nurses have had had their hands full with covid patients. On a typical day, they have between five to eight patients. Interviewed was Kristie Polly, an ICU nurse. She says she tries to provide them with the best of care especially since the patient is not able to be with family during their stay. She wants the community to know that during their time in the hospital goes above and beyond for the patient in the absence of family and does their best to keep the family informed of the patient's progress or connect the patient and family virtually with iPads. The hospital and staff do not want the patient to feel alone. Having seen firsthand the effects of the virus she stresses the importance to the community of wearing face masks, hand washing, and social distancing. The staff has adapted to the pandemic in their guidelines and PPE, testing, and treatment. In addition to caring for their patients, the staff is mindful to take care of themselves so that they may take care of their patients. Nathan Ernst, the Intensive Care manager said that they are honored to provide care to the community and will continue to do everything possible to give the best care.
• 
  2020-10-07

  Young Doctor Dies of Covid

  This doctor worked in the emergency department at a hospital and refused PPE repeatedly because there was such a shortage of it. The article addresses the fact that so many medical professionals have died because of inadequate PPE.
• 
  2020-07-17

  Travel Nurses Share Their Story

  This article shows what things are like on the front lines during a pandemic. In the article a nurse states that they literally had to choose who was going to live, and who was going to die. They had to wear the same PPE for days at a time; even when there were feces and blood on them. There is a lot of information about what life has been like for nurses on the frontline and I think that needs to be heard.
• 
  2020-09-06

  The Faces of ICU Nurses Under Pressure

  An ICU nurse started photographing her coworkers during her breaks. Her photographs show the pressure and stress that health care professionals are under during this pandemic.
• 
  1918-09-28

  September 29, 1918 Chicago Tribune Newspaper

  The reason why I submitted this paper was to show the similarities between both the Spanish Flu and the current Covid-19 pandemic that we are going through. As philosopher George Santayana would say, "Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It."
• 
  1919-02-22

  Deadlier than a Disease: The Pandemic(s) of Misinformation

  This piece brings to light the persistence in human ability to question authority. The "tar cures" of yesterday are scarily similar to the presidential suggestions to "inject bleach" today. To me, this piece brings a sense of comfort; just knowing that the people of 1918 had their share of pseudo-scientific authority figures to dodge and denounce just as we do in 2020.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Texas social workers can no longer discriminate against LGBTQ Texans or those with disabilities

  After backlash, the Texas government rescinded a recent action they proceeded with.
• 
  2020-09-21

  Loss in a COVID World

  I believe this is a point of interest to talk about, since it’s likely that many will wonder, out of innocent curiosity, what it’s like to lose someone in a time of crisis. I should describe it as transcendental. May your soul be touched. My beloved mother didn’t die from COVID-19. She had been unknowingly battling cancer for several years, and had it diagnosed at its most lethal stage. I still shake my hands at the doctors who had ignored her concerns for all this time, because maybe she would still have been here if it weren’t for them. But how would that affect me? Would things remain the same at home? I have to say, I shudder at this thought, too. Colon cancer, which metastasized in the liver. She passed from liver failure in the later part of this year, 2020. I, the foolish child, was so preoccupied that I couldn’t understand why my uncle woke me at 4 am in the morning that day. With a classic sleepy rub of the eye, I told him, “I have a math test today.” And if it hadn’t been for the pain in his eyes, I wouldn’t have gotten up at all. There she was, lying eerily still in her bed, but she was also gone. As the people around me sobbed and turned away, all I could do was stand and stare. It felt like something was out of place. I felt out of place. If you could try to imagine it, remain perfectly still as you are and think of yourself exiting your body. Look around you without looking. That’s how it felt, everything slightly blurry by the darkness, lightness in my feet as if I were floating, a static, metal taste in my mouth, the sounds of sobbing flooding my ears, I couldn't handle it. I started to cry, and buried myself in the crook of my brother’s chest for support. To be in the unknown, and lose what you have, is the most frightening experience I wish for nobody else to have gone through. The pain is truly insufferable… but the healing process counts for so much of who I define myself as now, that I couldn’t imagine the year going any other way. The funeral was held the following sunday. It too was such a different experience. We took many long, empty roads to reach the cemetery. Seeing few cars on the road is commonplace for such a road, but to see none at all was creepy. I relinquished my thoughts to sleep. Upon our arrival, I put my mask on and stood before 50 some odd people who had come to see my mother off. That’s right, I thought comfortably, Mom was very well loved. The notion was reassuring. We exchanged hugs and hellos and sorrys, all the usual pleasantries you would expect at an event not so pleasant, and made our way to the casket for the gathering to take place. I’ll leave the eulogy I wrote here, in case you were curious and thought, I wonder what this stranger said at their mother’s funeral, because this is expected when you are here to read about losing a loved one. Finally, when all was said and done, condolences were given again. This time, though, I hardly recognized anyone. It must’ve been the masks that obstructed our faces, because I saw the attendees, and they saw me, but it was still so unfamiliar. The later part of that day I spent confused. I suppose that’s how we start when we learn to adjust, which I did. Presently I am still healing, but it’s not so bittersweet when I think of her, moreso sweet than bitter. The metal taste in my mouth begins to wear off, and I am feeling free. I hope she also feels free. And I hope this provided the insight you were looking for when you came across this page. We all love and lose in the end. Focus your energy towards healing, and you will learn to grow with the changes.
• 
  2020-07-28

  3D Printed, P100 Mask for COVID Nurses

  This is a video my sister sent me of her first day with the P100 mask. It is a 3D printed mask that a department at her hospital have been making themselves because of the shortage of PPE. Every nurse gets one of these and the filters on them are replaceable (roughly 3 months before replacement filters are needed). They are very tight so nurses apply gel stickers around the seal to prevent bruising. They are so new to the unit that some nurses and techs have been getting bad dermatitis on their skin, so their is still some improvements to be made but because of the severity of the situation comfort is overlooked.
• 
  2020-08-14

  Class Sticker

  Recently my sister graduated from Practitioner school but unfortunately wasn't able to have a traditional graduation. I still wanted to celebrate the best way I could because this was a huge accomplishment, so I searched the internet for funny little things to get her and I found this perfect sticker. She loves Friends and it worked perfectly for the situation we are in. It also led me down a rabbit hole of other satirical products related to the pandemic that I thought was super funny. I'm happy that people are able to make the best of this weird time.
• 
  2020-04-15

  My Grandmother and I’s Final Touch

  About a week before my grandmother passed, I went down to visit her for the day and help my grandfather with work around the house. When I arrived at their house, my aunt handed me a pair of nail clippers and asked if I could cut my grandmother’s nails for her. I kneeled at her bedside and began my work. I do not recall how it smelled in my grandmother’s room, as I was wearing my mask the entire time. I imagine it smelled like a hospital room though. I felt the cold metal of the nail clippers and the soft skin from my grandma’s hand, as the hum of her ventilator filled the room. I could hear her voice as well, she was hallucinating due to cerebral hypoxia, whispering to me about the train tracks in her closet. In those moments I could taste nothing but my own saliva. She died several days later on April 21, 2020, with my aunt, uncle, and grandfather in her company. I harbor great hatred for this virus, as it limited my time with my dying grandmother, and I harbor great disgust for everyone around me who refuses to take it seriously. You, however, don’t need to know about this. History does not care, it just happens.
• 
  2020-10-01

  Should I Go Home?

  COVID-19 has created a situation like no other. You can honestly go and study abroad. With all classes being online and there being no in-person meetings you could pack your bags and study wherever there is WIFI. Ironically this also proves risky. Going to places that have high-risk family members is difficult. I could go visit my grandma in The Bahamas, but what if I bring COVID... It's interesting seeing how countries and managing their own issues of travel. Countries like The Bahamas that are dependent on tourist travel, are desperate for a time of reopening, often crafting plans that allow travel.
• 
  2020-05-01

  What I did During Lockdown

  During the Covid pandemic lockdown was starting to ramp up and my manager came through the hospital with sheets that basically were to be shown to police or someone who would stop me from driving on the highway, or roads while going to work. This paper stated that I was an essential employee of the UNC hospitals, and that I had permission to leave my house. However many people were not allowed to go to work because their buildings were shut down and local government were not allowing businesses to operate. Some of my friends were let go, my sister was furloughed, and my roommates had to work from home. I never realized that the sheer boredom started to get to people. One of my friends had to take medication for anxiety because not being able to go to work or do anything social was becoming too stressful. While I worked a full 40 hours every week, I found that I had my weekends that I filled with classic films, new TV shows and all types of social media. Cleaning the house every weekend was part of my weekend routine because there was no where else I really felt like being, and seeing the whole hospital cleaned up I started finding things to clean around the house. Within a few weeks I began going to the local lake, Falls lake and would take long walks around it or just sit and watch the sunset, during the later part of the summer I went to photograph the sand storms from Africa that made the sunsets spectacular. While many people had to make things up and go back and forth between work and boredom and being in the same environment all the time, I was given the luxury to see the weekend in a whole new way. With the coming of the summer at the time people were expecting to have a summer hopefully and as can be seen in this video from Wral planning on having outdoor time that they could go about in the old social environments, such as the mall or local shops.
• 
  2020-10-08

  COVID-19 in Lebanon

  An article outlining the COVID-19 situation in Lebanon and how it is straining the already fragile healthcare system.
• 
  2020-10-21

  Arizona COVID-19 Cases Surging Again

  Arizona is seeing a surge in its cases again as winter approaches. The state is nearing 1,000 new cases a day with hospitalizations and ventilator usage is increasing.
• 
  2020-10-21

  COVID Graduation

  Here’s a photo of my cousin I posted on Instagram. She just finished nursing school in Mexico. She’s a single mom, has a full time job and is graduating with honors today. I’m so happy for her finally living her dream. Like many around the world, COVID has affected her graduation.
• 
  2020-10-20

  How I was impacted due to Covid-19

  Covid-19 has affected me since my mom worked in a doctor's office. The picture shown is where she works at. She was the manager of the office and worked here for many years already. Since the start of the pandemic, she has worked from home instead of the office she she was a higher risk ever since we was diagnosed with breast cancer about 3 years ago. It was harder to do her job from home since she needed to regularly speak with the staff as well as the doctors and had piles of workload and only herself to do them. I think my mom is such a hard working woman that I respect, especially more since she still continued to do her best even when we were trying to get through the pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-20

  Hard Working Mom

  This picture is not only important to me, but as well as my family. My mom is a nurse at Centennial Hills Hospital and has had to endure a lot throughout this pandemic; this flag was a gift from a fellow family member as a way to say thank you for all of her hard work. Having a mom as a nurse has always been difficult, weird and long work hours calls for less time to spend with family, nonetheless I am proud to say that my mom and her team have been put through the ringer and made it out okay. The government has called for all new protocol within the hospital to keep everyone as safe as they can. My mom and her team continue to keep working hard despite all the challenges they and the hospital as a whole have been through.
• 
  2020-10-20

  A Day In The Life Of COVID-19

  The main reason why I chose this piece of media is that I wanted to learn more about the daily life of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers. With both of my parents working in a healthcare setting, with my father as a nurse and my mother as a receptionist, it is important for me to understand what my parents deal with. I find this video to be extremely useful in becoming more aware of how government facilities are adapting to the virus, the daily life of healthcare workers and it gives me an overview of what I can possibly be doing in the future as a career. One precautionary action that the government has taken is an increase in virtual contact in order to prevent physical contact. In the vlog, Doctor Mike explains his hospital’s new “virtual patient visits”. This exhibits the government’s underlying guidelines (The CDC) about preventing the spread of the virus by limiting person to person contact.
• 
  2020-04-11

  Thunderbirds over Vegas to Thank COVID-19 Workers

  On April 11, 2020, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds flew over each hospital in the Las Vegas Valley from the north to the west to the south and then back to Nellis Air Force Base over the Las Vegas Strip to thank the Covid-19 healthcare workers. This picture was taken by my father as the Thunderbirds flew over the hospital nearest to me. Some might argue this this flyover and subsequent flyovers in other American cities was a waste of taxpayers’ money. I strongly disagree because it was a way for the heroic men and women of the Thunderbirds to thank the healthcare workers who themselves have been heroes in the battle against Covid-19. This view was best expressed by the commander and leader of the Thunderbirds, Lt. Col. John Caldwell. It is an honor to fly for the Americans at the forefront of our nation’s fight against the coronavirus. They are true heroes and we look forward to demonstrating the support of the 685,000 total force Airmen of the U.S. Air Force for healthcare workers, first responders and COVID-19 essential personnel in Las Vegas and across the nation.
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  2020-10-19

  新型コロナ　世界の感染者4000万人超える(2020年10月19日) - New Coronavirus Over 40 million infected people worldwide (October 19, 2020)

  新型コロナウイルスの世界全体の感染者が4000万人を超えました。アメリカやヨーロッパで感染の再拡大が止まらず、外出禁止など行動制限強化の動きも出ています。 　アメリカのジョンズ・ホプキンス大学の集計によりますと、日本時間19日午後5時半すぎの時点で世界全体の感染者は4005万902人となりました。約1カ月で1000万人増えています。死者は111万3750人に上っています。感染者が最も多いのはアメリカで815万人余り、2番目のインドは約750万人です。520万人余りで続くブラジルを含む3カ国で世界全体の感染者の半数を占めています。ヨーロッパでは第1波を超えるペースで感染が拡大していて、フランスでは17日からパリなどで夜間の外出が禁止されました The number of people infected with the new coronavirus worldwide has exceeded 40 million. In the United States and Europe, the spread of infection has not stopped, and there are movements to strict restrictions such as prohibition of going out. According to the data of Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the number of infected people in the world was 4,050,902 as of 5:30 pm on the 19th of Japan time. The number has increased by 10 million in about a month. The death toll has risen to 1,113,750. The United States has the highest number of infected people with more than 8.15 million, and the second most infected is India with about 7.5 million. Three countries, including Brazil, which has more than 5.2 million people, account for half of all infected people worldwide. In Europe, the infection is spreading at a pace faster than the first wave, and in France, going out at night was banned in Paris etc. from the 17th.
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  2020-10-17

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 70

  Antibodies- not free- not widely available
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  2020-03-26

  Medical Student's Experience with COVID-19

  This is a blog post from a fourth year medical student at Indiana University’s School of Medicine. According to the article, he had taken the precautions he thought were necessary in order to remain COVID free, but it really isn’t certain that no matter all the precautions you take that you won’t get it. It addresses the thoughts that younger citizens are less likely to contract the virus, and don’t expect it to happen to them. It pleads for people to be vigilant in their measures to remain COVID-free and to understand that it is a very real possibility. The author also discusses the dangers of the virus also presenting no symptoms in some who have contracted it. (Arizona State University, HST485)
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  2020-07-07

  Conspiracy Theories can be Deadly

  Conspiracy theories can be interesting, scary, and even entertaining. But they have real life consequences for some. This story about Carsyn Leigh Davis illustrates how dangerous conspiracy theories can be. Davis’s mother took her to a COVID-19 church party to purposely expose her to the virus. She was immunocompromised and became seriously ill. She was treated with treatments like hydroxychloriquine which have not been proven to be safe or effective by the FDA. She ultimately died from the disease. Here’s an example of folks who buy into conspiracy theories like Plandemic and Q-Anon and how their lack of information literacy has real consequences on their own health and the health of others.
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  2020-10-15

  The Consequences of Skipping Doctor Appointments

  There are two hospitals in Duluth, Minnesota. Both are being overwhelmed with patients, but not covid patients. People who were ill, have avoided going to the doctor because they fear they will contract Covid-19. As a result, their conditions have worsened and they must now be hospitalized. One hospital is full to capacity, and the other is not far behind.
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  2020-10-16

  アビガンで新型コロナ症状早く改善　承認を申請(2020年10月16日) - Apply for approval for early improvement of new corona symptoms with Avigan (October 16, 2020)

  I previously uploaded a story about the drug Avigan, where FUJIFILM was still in the process of asking for approval. This news talks about how FUJIFILM now actually asked for manufacturing approval and could be another drug that could be used for the new coronavirus. Personally, I do here that this drug also has a lot of side effects for certain patients, so I feel like we are rushing the development of drug. Side note, Avigan is also known as Favipiravir which is known to be used for treating influenza mainly in Japan. 承認されれば日本の製薬会社が作る初めての新型コロナ治療薬となります。 　富士フイルムは「アビガン」について、新型コロナウイルスの治療薬として製造販売の承認を申請したと発表しました。3月末から行われていた臨床試験で新型コロナの患者に対してアビガンを投与すると症状が早く改善することが確認でき、安全性の面でも新たな懸念事項は認められなかったということです。厚生労働省が承認すれば「レムデシベル」「デキサメタゾン」に続いて新型コロナの治療薬としては3例目となり、日本の製薬会社が開発した薬としては初めてとなります。 If approved, it will be the first new corona treatment made by a Japanese pharmaceutical company. FUJIFILM announced that it has applied for manufacturing and marketing approval of "Avigan" as a therapeutic drug for the new coronavirus. In clinical trials that began at the end of March, it was confirmed that administration of Avigan to patients with the new corona improved their symptoms quickly, and there were no new safety concerns. If approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, it will be the third therapeutic drug for the new corona following the "Remdesiver" and "Dexamethasone", and the first drug developed by a Japanese pharmaceutical company.
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  2020-10-13

  Testing Vaccine On Children

  American pharmaceutical company Pifizer will start to include participants as young as twelve. The US Food and Drug administration granted permission to the drug-maker and it’s German partner BioNTech SE for the same.
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  2020-10-15

  COVID-19 Re-infection

  Dutch women first to die after catching Covid-19 for the second time.