Items

• 
  2020-03

  My 2020

  This is a story about how my life was during the pandemic in 2020. It tells the story of how isolated everyone was because of social distancing. A whole year just went by but I still felt like my life was a standing still. It was my first time being in the city since the lock down and it was scary to see how empty Times Square was.
• 
  2021-02-25

  Longing to go Outside

  Like people, my dog seems to miss going out to public spaces (like an out door mall, hiking, the patio of a restaurant, even the Pima Air and Space Museum) and getting attention from all the humans that pass by. He too is missing out on the social experiences that he used to enjoy before the pandemic.
• 
  2021-02-24

  School in the Era of the Pandemic

  Going around the school, there are signs and posters scattered around the entire vicinity, requiring masks and social distancing. Prior to any of these events, people were constantly together, with no masks, crowded rooms, etc. Now it is crazy to even fathom that I've been to a concert with thousands of people bumping into each other. Although this seems like a generic topic to discuss, I'm sure in the future it will seem so inconceivable.
• 
  2021-02-22

  Call for submissions: Street Art

  Art unleashes, intensifies, and celebrates precisely the creative and destructive impact of vibratory force on bodies, on collectives, on the earth itself: it protects and enhances life that is and announces life to come. -- Elizabeth Grosz, Chaos, Territory, Art: Deleuze and the Framing of the Earth. This call for submissions seeks to highlight street art in the Journal of the Plague Year (JOTPY), a Crowdsourced digital archive where anyone can add their experiences and responses to the global pandemic for future generations to witness. Oftentimes, street art is temporary in nature and may be removed, obscured, or destroyed. Help JOTPY recognize the diversity of street artists and their expressions of the pandemic experience. Street art often reflects individuality, community sentiment, class differences, politics, emotion, and humor. Your contributions to the archive – such as news articles, blog posts, videos, photos, and social media posts of murals, graffiti, paste-ups, stencils, and stickers – will provide future generations access to a fleeting moment of art in and on public spaces and places during the pandemic. When submitting a street art item to JOTPY, please include a title for your submission, a description and location of the street art, your name (names can be kept private/anonymous), and #pandemicstreetart. Text stories, image(s), video(s), audio, and PDF files are all accepted file types. If the street art speaks to your experience(s) of the pandemic, please share your thoughts! If you would like to contribute, please share your story/pic/video here and reach out to Monica Ruth at meruth1@asu.edu if you have any questions.
• 
  2021-02-07

  The Hiking Experience during a Pandemic

  The pandemic and the increase in teleworking mean that people are able to go to the great outdoors much more frequently than they were able to do so previously. My experience hiking during this pandemic has been different in many ways from hiking pre-pandemic. Many more people on the trails every day of the week and at every time, problems finding a parking spot at the trailheads, and a general reluctance for people to stop and talk with you. In addition, people seem to discount social distancing practices on the trails; they rarely wear masks yet they walk within a feet or two of you, and they also talk while in close proximity to you. Hiking has always been a refuge for me, a chance to escape from people and noise. Now it’s more like walking on a city sidewalk. I hope that this appreciation of the great outdoors continues after the pandemic but along with it goes respect for the land and for fellow hikers.
• 2021-02-07

  Gas and New Covid

  When I was pumping gas I realized how much has life has changed from about a year ago. This time last year I did not have to wear a mask, glove, and wipe down everything just to get gas. It is crazy to think that a simple task like getting gas requires people who are responsible to put on their mask, put on gloves, get their hand sanitizer/ hand sanitizer wipes and wipe down the card machine and the gas handle. Then finally, after that is all done you can insert your card push the buttons, choose your fuel grade, then pump, and finally, you can place the pump back on the machine. Then you have to strategically take off the gloves like I was trained when dealing with blood and then I have to use my hand sanitizer then I can get in my car and leave. This new task and very detail-oriented "dance" was foreign to most of us this time one year ago and now it has become a way of life. This is important to note this change because there was a time before that it was not like this and maybe one day we may get close back to that but if not we need to document the change.
• 
  2021-02-05

  One year later - Erie Quiet

  This is a picture near Lattie F. Coor Hall at Arizona State University. Normally this area would bustling with students, but now, a year after the start of the pandemic, it remains empty and quiet.
• 2021-01-26

  The Numbers

  How much freedom we had throughout the pandemic depended solely on the statistics and numbers. If the number of COVID-19 cases was on a upward trend, then we had to stay at home and couldn't go places or eat at restaurants. If the numbers were on a downward trend, then things would open up until the cases started increasing. This has occurred throughout the pandemic. My final thoughts are that I can't wait for a time when we have no restrictions on the places we can go and when we can stop wearing out pesky masks.
• 2021-01-26

  Covid Stats

  Covid has infected more than 3 million U.S citizens. Almost 38 thousand people have died from this virus. L.A county has more than 1 million people Infected. This caused everything to close down. Airports shutting down, people getting trapped. Something that personally affected me was not being able to do anything outside. We couldn't go to the mall or movie theatre. Our families were not allowed to fly over and spend time with us. Covid crashed the economy for the world. Leaving more people in poverty than before. Covid has affected us all in terrible ways...
• 2021-01-24

  Navajo Nation COVID vaccine rolls out for elder population

  Tséhootsooí Medical Center hosts drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine event. Elderly residents, 75 and older, of the Navajo Nation (Fort Defiance), are given the COVID-19 vaccine at Tséhootsooí Medical Center
• 
  2021-01-23

  Change of Life A Friends Story!

  I realized the seriousness of the pandemic when I began an exercise program on February 6, 2020. There was not much noise being made about the pandemic yet. I got my nails and hair done on February 11-12, 2020. I would realize now that this would be the last time since I have done this in a year. As the pandemic progressed things were places shutting down and I left my exercise program on February 28, 2020. I early voted on March 2, 2020, and wore a mask. Saw my dentist on March 4, 2020, and got my hair done one last time. By May, I went practically to my doctors and my general physician via telehealth, and then finally I realized this was very serious. People I know began to test positive for Covid. One of these people came into direct contact with me so as a result I went and got a Covid Test as a safety precaution. I found out it was negative. I began to not leave the house now due to the rising cases in my community in Florida. In August cases began to surge even more as people returned to school since summer was over. The holidays came in December and the numbers continued to grow and caused me to not leave the house anymore. This has been a terrible year of isolation and has caused me to lose many dear friends due to the pandemics of isolationism and people's change in attitudes. I am blessed to have a great spouse and a home with a bed to sleep in. I got vaccinated in January 2021. While this brings hope I have to figure out what I am to do and how to move forward as a result of the ongoing pandemic while I have to still maintain safety protocols. I hope the end is in sight due to there now being federal government oversight.
• 
  2019-09-13

  Canceled Pride Parade

  My first time at a Pride parade was in 2019. The time at the pride parade made me super proud of who I am and that facet of my life. The photo I chose from the parade is that of the giant unicorn. I chose to use the unicorn photo because it truly represents LGBTQ+ people I feel because many people in my community consider themselves a unicorn which represents a mythological creature that is a myth and shows people view them as unique. The reason this picture represents Covid-19 is that for the past two years the Pride Parade in Durham, North Carolina has been canceled. It has bummed me out not being able to go to the Pride parade because having a new excitement for my community made me sad that I could not continue this. Also, I was looking forward to this event annually and making it a tradition.
• 
  2021-01

  Beautiful Things

  This picture was around the time of winter break. To many people it will just be a picture of the mountains covered in snow. However, to me it is a picture that represents the change in my life since this pandemic. Before the pandemic all I was able to do was focus on my studies and sports with no time for myself, but now, even though times are stressful I am able to breathe a little more.. I guess. Before these mountains were covered in snow I went up there a few days before to check out the view with the Christmas lights, but nothing could have prepared me for what would happen next. Even though these mountains were already beautiful before, after the snowfall they’ve become a masterpiece. These mountains show change, in fact they encourage change within ourselves, for the better of all of us.
• 2021-01-19

  Rules and Procedures that I have to Follow on a Daily Basis

  Some rules and procedures that I have to follow now because of Covid are good, and some are not my favorite. For example, one rule/procedure that people now have to follow because of Covid that is good is that we now have to wash our hands more frequently. We also use more hand sanitizer than we used to, and we are all more careful with our food and cleanliness than we were before Covid-19. On the other hand, there are some rules and procedures that are not the best. For example, because of Covid everyone has to wear some sort of mask or face shield when they are out in public. This is a rule that I don't like very much because the masks make it very hard to breathe, and I also get nauseous after wearing a mask for too long. Another rule or procedure that is in place because of Covid that I don't like very much is that we cannot meet in big groups anymore, and we all have to social distance. I don't like this procedure/rule because I like hanging out with all of my friend group, which is pretty big, and because of Covid most people don't feel comfortable meeting in big groups. These are some rules and procedures that are in place because of Covid-19.
• 2021-01-12

  The Cause of Covid

  I believe that Covid was started in all of the dirty towns of China. I think that because of the unsanitary conditions. Bacteria could have easily collected there, creating this contagious virus. Because it is a frequent place of visitation, it easily spread to mass quantities of people, who did not quarantine themselves. It then spread to America from trade. Because there is much a large trade between the US and China, it was perfect for the virus to spread.
• 2021-01-12

  What I Think Caused Covid

  I believe that Covid was caused by some sort of bacteria in one the animals in the meat markets in Wuhan, China. I believe this because the CDC has released a statement saying that this is true. I trust them because they have the biggest and most trusted disease control center in the world. Also, it makes sense logically because these markets were not very sanitary and many diseases can come from animals, especially dead animals. Out of all of the theories I’ve heard, this one not only makes the most sense but also has the most evidence out of all the other theories. Many people believe the animal was a bat, but that has not been confirmed.
• 2020-01-11

  How I think covid Started

  I think corona started out with an animal or insect. I'm not completely sure though and I don't know a lot about it.
• 2020-08-08

  Sensory Limitations While Job Seeking in a COVID Environment

  In March of 2020 I made the decision to leave Active Duty Army and pursue a new career in the civilian world. I submitted my resignation and began a six month process to transition out. It was immediately after this drastic step that the effects of COVID-19 on our daily lives began. My state (Maryland) shut down, and my mission essential job that I was in the process of leaving required me to pick up the extra work from at-risk employees. The applications to different government agencies that I had submitted were placed on hold due to the inability of those agencies to conduct in-person events. With less time available, my ability to apply for more jobs was also limited. After a delay of four months, and with only a few more to go before inevitable unemployment, agencies slowly began reinstating their hiring processes. It was at this time that the sensory impacts of a COVID-19 hiring market began to show. Most smaller agencies resorted to telephonic interviews or at the most, video conference calls. Those that did ask for an in-person interview were still heavily controlled with COVID-19 risk mitigation practices. Regardless of the medium enacted, the effects on the senses were the same. Visual senses not withstanding (the inability to see my interviewer was disconcerting, but at least I got to wear jeans), the tactile and auditory senses were also greatly impacted. In every interview conducted pre-COVID, the procedures consisted of shaking hands at the beginning of an interview (i.e. establishing trust through that time-worn gesture), sitting in close proximity to an interviewer with whom you are able to hear clearly, and who can hear you clearly, and in whom you can read facial expressions indicating when you may have said too much or not enough. The interview would then be over and you would seal that act through a final handshake and a smile. None of these basic tenants of interviews occur during a COVID-19 mitigated interview. In my first interview with a federal law enforcement agency, my interview panel and myself were required to wear masks, I was welcomed into the room without any of the standard greetings (handshakes and smiles) and seated behind a plexiglass barrier 8-10 feet from any of the interviewers. Not only did the interview lack the physical interaction that ceremonially marks the beginning and end of the interview, but due to masks, the conduct of the interview was also strained. Questions from interviewers were difficult to hear and understand due to the distance, glass, and masks, therefore requiring awkward repetitions which cast doubt on my competence and confidence. My responses were likewise muffled, which led to doubts as to whether my answers were fully understood by the interviewers. Both assaults on the auditory ability and tactile senses taken for granted in a pre-COVID world lead to an autocatalytic attack on my nerves. The lack of hearing and the absence of a reassuring touch eroded any confidence I may have had going into the interview that would have otherwise remained until I left. COVID-19 mitigation measures reduced what is normally a very personal interaction between human beings to a robotic and numbing experience lacking in all the sensory elements that enables the humanity of an interview. I conducted six more interviews in similar limited sensory manners, eventually evolving my expectations and re-learning a process before finally securing a position.
• 
  2020-12-10

  Senior Year in NYC: The Monumental Moments - Merry Christmas!

  COVID-19 has impacted small businesses all across NYC but one thing it has not been able to affect is holiday cheer. Merry Christmas from Rockefeller Center! **Fordham University, SOCI2200
• 
  2020-09-30

  Senior Year in NYC: The Monumental Moments - Strolling through Central Park

  The costumes weren’t the only thing that made this Halloween spooky, the fact that trick or treating was a no-go and bars required you to sit, eat and wear a mask. **Fordham University, SOCI2200
• 
  2020-12-19

  Naked Face

  I started a new job in late June while much of the country was still on lockdown. Most of my coworkers were working remotely and those of us on-site strictly adhered to our face-covering policy. We slowly allowed staff, volunteers, and lastly, visitors on the property. A training program was developed for staff to guide visitor interaction, particularly concerning policy enforcement. In the photograph, Peter, our Artist-in-Residence is demonstrating a hand gesture we use when asking people to cover their face. There are multiple levels of strangeness associated with this photo, but the strangest of all is not knowing what my coworkers look like "naked," a term we appropriated to mean mask-less.
• 2020-12-09

  Shopping during covid

  we've all been able to shop at our convince with no troubles until covid. Now shopping isn't as simple as It was before. Now we are urged to wear face protection, a certain number of customers are only allowed in at a certain time, creating long lines out side of the shopping establishments. The severity of covid was at an all time high closing most to all retail stores, leaving open the essential need stores, such as grocery, convenience and pharmacies.
• 
  2020-12-13

  Outdoor Dining

  When restaurants were allowed to open again, Loretta created outdoor dining for guests. When it got colder, heaters were put up, and blankets and seat warmers were offered. People have really liked the outdoor seating, not only because it is safer to eat outside, but because they also like to watch people, as I have learned from guests. I think that outdoor seating will increase in the future, and people will come to enjoy it more than indoor dining. Outdoor dining was already popular before the pandemic, but perhaps one day when people look at the past, they will notice how much outdoor dining continued even after the pandemic.
• 
  2020-12-06

  “I Ordered Takeout and I’m Outside Now!”

  One of the ways that Loretta has been able to thrive is through takeout. People will call in or place orders online, and can either come in to grab their food, or pull up at curbside pickup. Takeout has been a way that people are able to support a local business during this time, and to get out of their house in a safe way. I think that future historians will find this interesting in order to learn how restaurants used takeout as a way to stay open during the pandemic, and as a way to comfort people in the community, to let them know that we are still here. Recently, we have been offering delivery if people live close enough to the restaurant.
• 
  2020-12-06

  Scan Me!

  Instead of using reusable menus, to limit what people are touching, Loretta created scannable and paper menus for guests to use. Guests can scan the code on the paper provided, and a link pops up to bring people to the restaurants menu. This is an important part of the pandemic, because people are encouraged not to touch everything they see, so by limiting what people are touching, Loretta has limited the spread of potential germs. When future historians look back on restaurants during the pandemic, they will see how a lot of establishments created scannable menus for their guests. Some people have a difficult time with the snanable menus, which is why the paper menu is offered. People are typically eager to learn how to use the scan menus though, sometimes out of frustration for it not working, but also because of the growing popularity of scanning items with phones.
• 
  2020-12-06

  Indoor Dining at Loretta

  This is what it looks like for indoor dining at the restaurant Loretta in Newburyport, MA. There are less tables in the dining room and they are all spaced out at least 6 feet with tablecloths on them. Indoor dining has been a controversial activity during the pandemic, with people going out but experts warning against it. Loretta has made sure to keep safe distances with the tables and guests are also required to wear facemasks if they stand up. In the future, historians can look back and see how we maintained a safe dining experience throughout this pandemic.
• 
  2020

  #RESTARTMB Pandemic Response System

  The Pandemic Response System has been introduced to share the current level of risk, provide public health guidance to Manitobans and explain the range of measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Manitoba.
• 
  2020-11-19

  Manitoba bans in-store sales of non-essential items, visitors to homes with some exceptions

  The orders come into effect on Friday, except for the rule requiring businesses to prevent access to non-essential items; businesses must not sell non-essential goods starting Friday, but have until Saturday to remove them from shelves or rope off those areas of stores. Curbside pickup of non-essential items will still be allowed.
• 
  2020-10-20

  Social wedding: Calgary 'superspreader' wedding led to at least 49 cases of COVID-19

  This article explains the major consequences resulting from one 'superspreader' wedding in Calgary.
• 
  2020-10-29

  Social wedding: Ontario Wedding Identified As Superspreader Event Linked To 44 COVID-19 Cases

  This article explains how one Ontario wedding became identified as a "superspreader" event.
• 
  2020-12-05

  Social anti-mask: Very disappointed': Kenney not happy with mass anti-mask protest in Calgary

  Article includes photos and videos of a large anti-mask protest in Calgary.
• 
  2020-10-10

  Social anti-mask: Coronavirus: Dozens show up at anti-mask rally in Moncton, N.B.

  This article includes two videos and provides additional details as to an anti-mask rally in Moncton, N.B.
• 
  2020-10-16

  Social funeral: Bereavement Authority of Ontario

  This release provides an update on the procedures for funerals during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-09-20

  Photo of anti-mask protesters

  Anti-maskers ought to be remembered, not because their position is valid, but because we need to remember that how some people acted against the interests of the general population. Often, historical narratives of humanitarian crises focus on this idea of "everyone banded together and we all helped everyone survive." But this is way too simple, and there is a sizable part of our society who did not work to help others survive.
• 
  2020-06-03

  "Medical Workers hoping to recieve PPE hand-me-downs from riot police"

  This photo shows a masked woman with her arms raised in front of the riot police.
• 
  2020-06-05

  Picture of massive group of protesters in Halifax

  This photo shows a large gathering of marching protesters armed with signs in Halifax, Nova scotia.
• 
  2020-06-08

  Picture of massive group of protesters in Montreal

  This photo shows a large gathering of protesters armed with signs in downtown Montreal.
• 
  2020-06-24

  Picture of massive group of protesters in Ottawa

  This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in front of Parliament.
• 
  2020-06-05

  Picture of massive group of protesters in Calgary

  This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in downtown Calgary.
• 
  2020-05-29

  "Black Lives Matter Protest"

  This poster advertises a peaceful protest, and some of the space is used to explain COVID protocols while protesting.
• 
  2020-12-08

  You Still Need to Wear a Mask Even if You're Vaccinated

  Just because someone gets vaccinated does not automatically mean that they are completely immune to COVID-19. The article states, “A lot of people are thinking that once they get vaccinated, they’re not going to have to wear masks anymore,” said Michal Tal, an immunologist at Stanford University. “It’s really going to be critical for them to know if they have to keep wearing masks, because they could still be contagious.” People can be vaccinated and still contract and spread the virus.
• 
  2020-12-11

  Chengdu has new confirmed cases of COVID-19

  There is four new confirmed cases in Chengdu, China and the source of this outbreak has not been confirmed. All patients have been admitted to hospital and receiving treatments now. Sadly, there was a girl who did not know she was positive and she went to bars, restaurants, hair salons, etc. and these places had to be temporarily closed to be disinfected and trace the closed contacts. The girl was being cyber bullied by many because she was spreading the virus even she did not know she was confirmed, this has lead to a social conflict with many people defending her and many cursing her.
• 
  2020-06-25

  ISAVELIVES

  This is an image taken by Bournemouth Pier in England of a busy summer’s day despite the restrictions in place. People had grown tired of the rules and were just wanting to have some normality back in their lives. People from all around the country had flocked to Bournemouth for an especially hot day and because of most centres for entertainment still being closed, half a million people were pushed onto the beach where it got so busy that a major incident was called by the council.
• 2020-05-18T16:30

  Ghost town in Fisherman's Wharf

  When I was walking through Fishermen's Wharf, the location of tourists was completely dead to the point that it looked like an apocalypse, no boats were sailing through the ocean, no store's were open, not even a place to grab a cup of water; the area looked dead. The reason this photo/story is important to me is because in the beginning of Covid-19 it has shown how obedient people are when there is a deadly disease spreading throughout states.
• 
  2020-06-06

  Salem Stands with Black Lives

  On June 6, 2020, “Salem Stands with Black Lives,” a Black Lives Matter peaceful protest, was held in Salem, Massachusetts. Hundreds of masked individuals gathered in Salem Commons, wearing all black, with signs in support of George Floyd and all those who came before him. Attendants were required to wear a mask, keep physical distance from others, stay home if sick, and self-isolate or quarantine after the event. There were multiple speakers, a moment of silence for the deceased, and music. I attended the protest with my mother and sister. We saw people of all ages and ethnicities coming together in support yet staying physically apart. As we moved through the crowd in the Commons, we passed two young African American children playing in the grass. While walking close to them to avoid other people, we heard their mother say, “pull up your mask girls, these people are here for you, you want to make them feel safe too.” The video attached is from the event. You can see people masked, physically distanced, showing up during a public health emergency to support a cause they believe in. Not even a pandemic can stop democracy.
• 
  2020-12-01

  Exercise in a Pandemic

  When COVID struck my hometown, I thought it would not affect many things. I thought we would still be able to hang out in our local park doing our normal activities, including playing basketball at the courts. Although things started to close earlier and COVID started affecting our daily lives, we were still able to play for a few weeks. It was a surprise when one day my friends were playing basketball at the park and a sheriff pulled up to the courts to tell everyone they needed to leave the courts. My friends grabbed their stuff and left. We didn’t think much about it and went back to the courts to play again, but when we got there we found that both courts had yellow tape around them and that the basketball hoops had the rims removed so nobody could use them anymore. This was a big shock to me because I never thought that would happen. Basketball is a huge part of my life and was one of the ways I could get some exercise and hang out with my friends as restrictions on gatherings grew stricter. What is even crazier is that they still have not put the rims back up on the hoops even though the restrictions in my town have become less strict. Soccer games are happening at the school. People are working out in gyms and dining inside. The backboards remain bare. The local courts are silent.
• 
  2020-11-27

  東京、大阪、札幌、名古屋“時短”全飲食店に協力金(2020年11月27日) - Cooperation money for all restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, and Nagoya (November 27, 2020)

  In order to take measures for COVID-19, the Prime Minister will help restaurants if they reduce the hours open. However, by Japanese law, they cannot force this rule. All the measures taken are always, “We would like you to follow” and it depends on how the citizens act instead of the government’s rule. 菅総理大臣は新型コロナウイルス対策として東京、大阪などの各都市で今週末から営業時間を短縮したすべての飲食店に協力金を支給する方針を表明しました。 　菅総理大臣：「札幌市、東京都、大阪市、名古屋市でも飲食店の時間短縮を今週末から行う。時間短縮に協力するすべての店舗に対して国としてしっかり支援をしていきたい」 　また、感染拡大地域の保健所に派遣する保健師などの専門職について「これまでの倍の1200人を確保した」と明らかにしました。そのうえで、「3週間が極めて重要な時期だ」と強調し、マスクの着用など感染防止対策の徹底を呼び掛けました。 Prime Minister Suga has announced a policy to provide cooperation money to all restaurants whose business hours have been shortened from this weekend in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka as a countermeasure against the new coronavirus. Prime Minister Suga: "We will shorten the time for restaurants in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya from this weekend. We would like to support all the stores that cooperate in shortening the time as a country." Regarding professional occupations such as public health nurses dispatched to health centers in areas where the infection has spread, he said, "We have secured 1,200 people, twice as many as before." Based on his comments, he emphasized that "three weeks is an extremely important time," and called for thorough infection prevention measures such as wearing masks. Video translated by Youngbin Noh
• 
  2020-10-03

  Art gallery in ChongQing

  This is ChongQing Art Gallery. It was re-opened to the public in summer and everyone must obey the mandatory mask rules and pass the temperature test at the entrance. No food or drink are allowed in the gallery to prevent people taking their masks off.
• 
  2020-11-24

  Pandemic Protesting

  A summer protest against police brutality at which you can see people wearing masks
• 
  2020-11-18

  How art helps us make sense of COVID-19's incomprehensible toll

  Across the country, people have been making public art installations in memory have those that died due to COVID-19. Some of these memorials are meant to help people understand the large scope of death, others are meant to help the creators and viewers start to heal after loss.