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  2021-04-07

  St. Marys Spring Wind Ensemble Concert Poster

  This image is advertising the spring 2021 wind ensemble concert at St. Marys University. The location of the performance was in the Pecan Grove, one of the outdoor areas at the university. This is a sign that the band is trying to return to normal. However, there are several indicators that precautions are still being taken. The outdoor location tells us that the band is trying to protect both members of the band and those in the audience. The included zoom link also tells us that the band is considering those who might be uncomfortable with attending in person. So the band is clearly in a transitionary period, where they are trying to move back to normal but haven’t quite reached it yet.
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  2021-04-07

  The Mental Pandemic

  The pandemic was difficult in more ways than one. Health and safety were covered by all news stations, but the deeper hidden pandemic was the struggle of mental health and staying mentally healthy during isolation and lockdown. These screenshots showcase that mental health was an important topic that people were struggling with but the university tried to give help to students and staff that were struggling. This screenshot is important to me because they were resources I utilized that helped me mentally go through the pandemic and I believe deserve more attention.
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  2021-04-07

  covid questions

  Have u been sick? Noooo!! Do u remember the ticks? Noooo!! What kinda question is this? Screening sir…. Can u recognize the meaning? Screaming: Noooo!! War time in the field, the ears? Yes. Palpitations, shortness of breath? Yes. Secret agent spray Vaguely the mist, but yes ma'am Are you okay? Noooo!! I'm here for my vaccination.
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  2021-04-07

  Indigenous Peoples and Vaccines

  “The coronavirus  (COVID-19)  pandemic  poses  a grave  health threat to Indigenous peoples around the world. Indigenous communities already experience poor access to healthcare, significantly higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, lack of access to essential services, sanitation,  and  other key  preventive measures, such as  clean water, soap, disinfectant, etc.”
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  2021-04-07

  NC Law proposed would ban Trans Students and Report Them

  A new law making its way through the North Carolina legislator would force educators to out Transgender students to their parents. It also would not allow for people younger than 21 to have hormones for transgender surgery or to have surgery or anything like that.
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  2021-04-07

  Brazil is Bearing the Brunt of an Alarming Surge

  MSNBC reports on an alarming surge in Brazil and how it is trying to deal with a local variant and its politicians who still deny the severity of COVID-19.
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  2021-04-07

  First Responder Monument NYC

  Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the controversial governor of New York, announced earlier this month that they plan to build a monument to first responders in New York City. First responders were among the group of people that were on the front lines of the pandemic response. This monument will be designed to honor the efforts and sacrifices by New York's first responders. In the coming months and years, I think we will see many other states do a similar thing for their first responders and healthcare workers.
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  2021-04-07

  COVID-19 and the Brain

  COVID-19 has gone through a number of classifications. First as a “flu,” then as a “respiratory disease,” then as a “vascular disease,” and is in more recent studies, as a “brain disease.” Some reports are finding that one out of three COVID-19 survivors have mental health and/or neurological issues. This not only informs us of the complexity of COVID-19, but also brings light to the need to continue medical and psychological support of COVID survivors. Some survivors are described as having PTSD, and anxiety disorders are being diagnosed in a number of survivors. Neurologically, many survivors report “brain fog” and other issues. Another unexpected toll the virus takes on those infected.
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  2021-04-07

  POL COVID-19 Update: Possible UK Variant in Pueblo of Laguna

  Both vaccine makers, Pfizer and Moderna, have tested the effectiveness of their vaccines against the UK variant and tests are showing the vaccines are effective against this strain. The POL EOC strongly encourages that we all take individual responsibility to get vaccinated to protect ourselves and our children who are still not able to receive the vaccine. The virus still has a hold of us and is putting our community at risk so we must continue to remain vigilant.
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  2021-04-07

  Covid-19 Alberta Data

  This website is the official COVID-19 data tracker for the province of Alberta, this one in particular covers the increase of cases in Alberta on April the 7th, the increase in cases mirrored Ontario’s own massive outbreak of 3,000 new cases. Because of this, it is becoming more and more apparent that Alberta will be forced into another lockdown or at least a return to ‘step 1’ reopening restrictions. More and more Albertans are suffering from lockdown fatigue, and there is blatant unrest as many are becoming fed up with the constant opening and reopening, returning to step one – there has not been a decisive ‘win’ over the pandemic and many would point the government’s inaction to prove this. In regards to my small town of Cochrane Alberta, some businesses are stating that they will not shut-down with the return to step 1 or a renewed lockdown. Largely, they are stating that a lockdown would further gut small businesses which have suffered immensely from these restrictions – stating that smaller businesses have been largely left out to dry without provincial aid, while larger corporations continue to operate. Many of these larger businesses have operated throughout the pandemic while smaller businesses have been forced to shut their doors. On top of this, the same penalties apply to these larger stores, there have been large congested crowds lining up outside of such stores such as Ikea, or Wal-Mart; a condition which would result in a deathly fine if it were given to smaller businesses; but for these international corporations, these fines are nothing. While I’m personally in favor of lockdowns, it is hard to ignore the leniency given to these major corporations and the harm to these smaller businesses. Fore mostly we must protect human life by preventing the spread of COVID-19, yet we must also provide sufficient financial aid to these businesses; while also adjusting penalties to actually hurt these mega-corps when they break pandemic restrictions. However under a government which prides itself on austerity and corporate tax cuts, this will not happen. The attached image is the spike in cases on the 7th.
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  2021-04-07

  Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Diary-Day 2

  DAY 2: 4/7/21 8:30am. I woke up feeling a bit better. My eyes were very sore and hurt, and my body was slightly sore. I definitely was not feeling 100%, but I managed to take an 9 am exam and attend two more classes right after that. My friend had asked if I wanted to study together and maybe go to the pool the day before. I told her that if my side effects weren't bad, I'd be down to study, but I was probably not able to swim that day. When I woke up, I was in the mood to swim, but was not feeling well enough. 4:00pm: I finished most of my work and got ready to go out. I went to Starbucks to grab a coffee and work outside with my friend. By then, I was feeling much better emotionally. 5:00pm: My friend asked if I wanted to go to her pool. I realized that I felt so much better, and accepted. By the time we got to her pool, I felt 100% better and was able to socialize with my regular energy. This concludes the end of my diary for my Johnson and Johnson Vaccine experience. I am writing this from Day 3, and I no longer have any symptoms. I have asked various people about their experiences, and the overall conclusion is that it depends on the person. Some people get symptoms the next day, some people's symptoms last more than 2 days, and some people don't get any side effects at all. My symptoms only lasted around 6 hours. Overall, my vaccine experience was nothing surprising and went smoothly. Although the side effects were not ideal, they are more of a minor inconvenience.
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  2021-04-07

  Indian Health Services COVID-19 Infections by Service Area through 04/07/2021

  Indian Health Services is an agency of the United States federal government that oversees and administers healthcare to that nation's Native American populations and tribal reservations. This webpage from the Indian Health Services has three sections that address general Coronavirus (COVID-19) information and links, COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration by IHS Area, and COVID-19 Cases by IHS Area. it also includes a hyperlink to an interactive map for up-to-date COVID-19 Cases by IHS Area: https://maps.ihs.gov/portal/apps/StoryMapBasic/index.html
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  2021-04-07

  Sacramento: vaccination efforts opening up

  Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang distributes information about vaccination opportunities in her district. The notice contains information about registering in various languages including English, Spanish, Arabic, Hmong, and Vietnamese. Vaccination clinics have just begun to offer vaccinations to everyone aged 16 and up in Sacramento.
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  2021-04-07

  Vaccine Passports

  I just wanted to make a brief comment on the new controversy over “vaccine passports.” This phrase refers broadly to the idea of a sort of digital certificate to verify that a person has received one of the COVID-19 vaccines. The idea is that certain businesses, schools, etc., could use this digital certificate to instantly verify who has and has not received the vaccine. I think this is a fantastic idea and I wholeheartedly support it. As for those claiming that this is the latest sign of big government tyranny, a recent editorial about this issue in the Washington Post articulated a fantastic response: “Vaccination is voluntary, and the principle of voluntariness goes both ways. The government is not going to make anyone get a vaccine; every civilian has a right to abstain. By the same token, every restaurant should have the right to know whether a customer is immune before opening its doors: no shot, no shoes, no service.” Exactly -- voluntariness does indeed go both ways. If you make the decision not to get vaccinated, you should be willing to deal with the consequences of that decision, which may include contracting COVID-19 and/or being excluded from certain public places like restaurants, sporting events, or even schools or universities. If a person understands and accepts the risks and limitations they are putting on themselves and still insists on abstaining from the vaccine, I respect that. However, people insisting that they have the right to abstain from the vaccine while opposing the rights of businesses and other institutions to create a safer and more comfortable environment for their customers strikes me as a classic example of having your cake and eating too.
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  2021-04-07

  Little Gifts

  My dad is a paramedic currently working three jobs within the EMS field. He's basically only home one day out of the week. I take care of the house and my little sister while he's gone but I know the job is hard right now, especially with Covid-19. When I can, I buy him little gifts I think he would appreciate, like this Hawkeye Funko Pop. I honestly just wish they would pay paramedics and other EMS related first responders more than what they get now, especially since this pandemic has shown how necessary and essential their job is.