Items
Date is exactly
2021-01-28
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2021-01-28
Election was Stolen
A comic strip about Covid-19 -
2021-01-28
Freezer Failure
January 28, 2021, around 11 PM one of my friends called me, we normally don’t talk on the phone so I assumed something was wrong. I could tell that she was driving and her voice was shaky. She told me that a freezer had failed at her mom’s work and that around 1,300 vaccines would be expired by 5 or 6 AM. She was told to try to get anyone she knew to get to the hospital in order to reduce the chance of wasting such a hard to get thing. This was prior to my state lifting restrictions on who was eligible for the vaccine yet. Not everyone could get it, just certain people due to age, pre-existing conditions, and career. The clinic did a good job at still trying to make sure that people who were eligible got to the front of the line, but they knew that they needed to make sure every vaccine was used. My girlfriend and I would not have made it there in time since we were over 3 hours away, but her family all lived within a 30-minute drive. We started calling her parents and brothers to wake them up and get moving. Her mother, oldest brother, and soon to be sister-in-law were all teachers and were going to have to start teaching in person again. None of them would have been eligible until a month or more after going back in person, and they were all decently nervous about being in person unvaccinated. Her family got lucky and was able to get vaccinated that night. I cannot thank my friend enough for calling me to keep the people who have become my family safe. -
2021-01-28
Helpful, Novelty Add-ons for Corona Accessories
Here are 5 pictures of various accessories for masks and hand sanitizer that began to appear in the last months of 2020 and early 2021 and have continued to the present (April 2021). Among them are mask "straps" and "chains" much like glasses strings for eyeglasses to keep a person's mask from accidentally falling off their face. Another picture shows a "posh" faux leather mask wristlet with a matching pouch for hand sanitizer. For those going on a airplane, a complete Corona safety travel kit including masks, antiseptic wipes, a headrest cover, and disposable gloves is produced by the company IFLY Smart. Finally, the emphasis on preventing potentially COVID-19 infected droplets from getting on someone's face lead to an entire pantheon of plastic shields attached to the wearer with bands or even hats of which this final picture is only one of many examples. These pictures show how businesses were quick to capitalize on the new problems, needs, and wants of a society having to accommodate Corona Accessories. It also shows how rapidly COVID was commercialized which is unusual for a significant event in the 21st century. Arguably, no single event in the 21st, and perhaps only World War II in the 20th, ever so thoroughly entered the public consumer culture like Corona. The prevalence of these products may also hint at the demand for them. -
2021-01-28
Sacramento Unites for Social Justice During a Pandemic
After the murder of George Floyd people hit the streets demanding justice for him and many others who have died at the hands of public officers. After many days of protests, riots and military intervention, the Sacramento community proves to be a strong band of citizens, business owners and political leaders who have each other's back. -
2021-01-28
HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 96
BIDEN CANCELS PROGRAMS -
2021-01-28
ASU COVID Saliva test
I took my employee mandated COVID-19 test at 7:20 in the morning and recorded the process. Test result was negative. Transcript: Katy: All right, I’m taking my COVID test because ASU said that I needed to do it. It’s basically a saliva test. They give you a vile to spit into and a line that you have to meet. When I came in, somebody gave me the vile and wrote down my date of birth. I’ve got a straw. I’m just gonna fill this sucker up with saliva. -
2021-01-28
State expands access to COVID-19 vaccinations in rural areas
In Tennessee, the state has announced new partnerships with rural pharmacies to more effectively reach the elderly outside of urban areas. This particular article focuses on East Tennessee and the rural counties surrounding the Knoxville metropolitan area. This is great news to those who do not live in cities as Tennessee is a mostly rural state. For some elderly people, they would potentially have to drive two hours to get to the city to get a vaccine. However, because of this new partnership, it will make it far easier for those in rural areas to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. -
2021-01-28
Flowers brighten isolation for many during pandemic
A 65-year-old woman collects old flowers from funeral homes, grocery stores, and the like. She then makes bouquets and distributes them to nursing homes, hospitals, and community areas such as libraries and even laundromats. The flowers she delivers brighten people's days, especially in these hard times. -
2021-01-28
B.C. couple accused of flying to Yukon to get COVID-19 shots face six months in jail
Vancouver couple faces up to six months of jail or fines due to them traveling to the Yukon territory to get vaccinated, skipping the line. The vaccines were reserved for First Nations which have less access to healthcare. -
2021-01-28
Remote Learning
During covid, we started remote learning. Each day i wake up, get on my computer, and join class. Remote learning was fun at first but doing the same routine everyday gets repetitive and boring. There are still some perks to doing school remotely though. It is nice to have the freedom of being able to do something fun between classes like playing games or hanging out with family. I also get to sleep in a little later which is crucial. There are also some obsticles with remote learning too. For example, some kids are going back to may school and we are using cameras over head and it is hard to hear and see things. It is also hard to focus when you are at home so the education is probably not as good. Overall, I would like to go back to school but as soon as i go back, I am sure i will want to be online again so i will make the most out of this time. -
2021-01-28
The New Utopia
This Vox article by Sarah Khan is about the phenomenon of "pandemic tourism" to tropical places such as Tulum, Mexico; and Honolulu, Hawaii. According to Khan, these tourists, usually Western, seek to escape quarantine restrictions in their home countries and risk the health of foreigners by bringing COVID-19 with them. -
2021-01-28
My Time with COVID-19
Well, it finally happened. After social distancing for the better part of a year, I caught COVID-19 from a trip to the grocery store (I think). At first, it started off as any other normal cold, but it soon degraded into the worst fever I have ever had in my life. It felt as though my entire body were a blast furnace, and the bodily fatigue I felt made the experience a lot worse. I was barely able to stand up to close my bedroom blinds for most of my illness. Thankfully, my family supplied me with plenty of love, good medicine, water, hot tea, and books to help me recuperate over the course of these last few weeks. As of January 28th, I no longer feel any fatigue or fever, but my sense of smell has yet to return. Hopefully, it returns soon because I miss the smell of my mom's cooking! This experience really put this pandemic into perspective, and I hope everyone stays safe and takes extra precautions to avoid catching this disease. It is no joke and it will knock out young people for the better part of two weeks. Protect yourselves! -
2021-01-28
Statistics
There are 2.16M people who. Died from covid world wide out of 100M cases. Almost everyone knows someone who got it. They got a vaccine now which is good to stop covid. In my state alone there are 38,927 deaths. I hope that the end of covid is near although covid is spiking right now but they say it is just because of the holidays. And it is slowly going down. If the vasine works we should be back to normal after sumer. I am not very scared of getting it because mostly only old or unhealthy people die from it. -
2021-01-28
rules and procedures
Back when covid started in spring we really didn’t need to do anything but when it entered the US people started saying that wearing a mask will slow the spread but others said it didn’t work. Then they proved it worked and then everyone needed to wear them they also said staying 6 feet will protect you. Then the closed schools and some work. As covid climed they said large gatherings had to stop and told people to stay at home. They closed restreants for a while and then made it pick up only. The only rules that effected me was the stay at home orders because I couldn’t see my friends although I just quarinteaned in my naborhood and hung with everyone there. The mask effected me only when I left my naborhood. It was very wired with all these rules but it slowed the spread. -
2021-01-28
remote learning
Learning virtual was ok. There were good things about it and bad things. a good thing was I didn’t need to drive to school which gave me an extra 25min. also after school a didn’t need to drive home so I could just run out and surf with the kids in my naborhood. A problem withit though it after stairing at the screen all day my head always felt bad. A normal day of online school was I wake up at 7:00 unlike when I used to wake up at 6:00. I didn’t need to pack up my stuff for online school I could get ready faster. Then I would have a bowl of cearea. And then take a shower and hop on zome on zoom I sometimes had a little more food while in class. After class I didn’t usally have home work which was good because I didn’t need to be on the computer any longer. I am glad we are back at school -
2021-01-28
clay mask
this is a clay mask with we are fighting two pandemics coronavirus & stupidity -
2021-01-28
Protester, Rioteer
I drew this to show how spotlighted and how dramatic the BLM protests were, not out of want, but out of the need to bring attention to this issue. In the photo, the subject is shying away from the spotlight, not because they will be hurt in the same way as others, but because having a singular, white face as the flag would undermine the entire thing, and the subject knows that. They are wearing a mask, both to obscure their face and let them be known as part of the protests and not just an innocent bystander; and also to show how harmful covid was and that they are protecting others in different ways. -
2021-01-28
Fake News
This is a poem about how it's hard to know where your news is coming from, and what to believe. -
2021-01-28
pandemic life (group, santi, aj)
you will see inside of it. -
2021-01-28
Amanda's future pandemic nightmare.
The scene begins on december 31st 2019. Amanda: This year has been a wonderful year and I am ready to greet the next year 2020 with a few new year’s resolutions. My first new years resolution is- Mysterious time traveling Alien: I'm going to stop you right there. Amanda: who are you????!!!! Mysterious time traveling Alien: You aren’t going to get to do any of your new year's resolutions this year. Amanda: Yes I am. Why do you say that? Mysterious time traveling Alien: You’ll see. In fact, you’ll see right now. All of a sudden with a flash of blinding white-green light, Amanda is zapped 3 months into the future. Amanda: what happened? What day is it? She looks at her computer. Oh no! I’m late for a meeting! She then sees another email. It’s my boss. “Here is a zoom link” what is this? I guess I’ll click it. She enters the zoom meeting. Boss: alright. Hello, Amanda! So glad you arrived! So we have a problem. Amanda: No, I have a problem. What’s going on? Why are we on this call? Why am I not at work? Boss: are you serious? You don’t know? Yesterday you knew fine. You were saying you wished this pandemic would be over with. Amanda: But what’s going on? Boss: a virus has traveled around the world and has resulted in us having to stay at home, wear masks when we go outside, and do everything online. That’s why you’re here. Are you ok? Do you have amnesia? Amanda: i have to leave for a few minutes. Boss: the most i can give you is 20. Be sure to mute your mic and stop your video. Amanda: How do I do that? Boss: you do so like usual. Amanda: oh my god. What is going on? When i was making my new year's resolutions 10 minutes ago i had no idea this was what it was going to be like. How am I going to survive? I am never going to survive a day like this. Boss: um, Amanda? You’re not on mute. Amanda: How do i mute myself? Boss: you click on the bottom left hand corner of your screen and you have the option to mute and stop video. Amanda: ok. She does so, with much difficulty. Oh wait, Tiffany's calling. Maybe she can tell me what’s going on here. Tiffany: hey! How are you? What are you going to do today? Amanda: i was thinking about going to the grocery store, filing reports, and visiting you this afternoon. Tiffany: hold on, going to the grocery store? You have to order online. The only way you’re going to visit me is if you wear a mask. And the only thing you’ll get to do at home is the filling out reports thing. Amanda: how long is this going to last? Tiffany: what? Amanda: the whole “pandemic” thing. Tiffany: I think 2 weeks to a month. Amanda: thank god. Tiffany: I know, right? It’s terrible already! All of a sudden, Amanda’s Boss’s voice comes into her computer. Boss: Amanda? Are you ready to make your statement? Amanda: yes boss. Boss: i can’t hear you. You’re still on mute. Just as she finds the unmute and start video buttons, her 5 year-old daughter Vivian calls her saying she has been kicked out of her meeting. Amanda struggles for a few seconds, but then, with another blinding flash of white-green light, she is zapped into december 31st again. Mysterious time traveling Alien: Now do you see why you can’t do any of your new year's resolutions? Amanda: no, Tiffany said that the quarantining will only last 2 weeks to a month. I’ll have plenty of time to finish my new year's resolutions. Mysterious time traveling Alien: It’s going to be much longer than that. Amanda: *faints* -
2021-01-28
Hobbies and Scrapbooks of Quarantine
This was made for a group project that a group of 6th graders did when they interviewed the middle school. -
2021-01-28
postive vs. negative
This pandemic has affected each and everyone of us in a different way. Although this pandemic seems to be a lot about the negative, I try and look at the positive aspect to it. When this pandemic first started and we had to go under lockdown and were under a stay at home order, the idea of it seemed pretty fun at first. The thought of staying at home and not having any responsibilities seemed like a pretty good thing. Once this lockdown continued for longer than we expected, things easily got annoying and was easily frustrated with the little things in life. Everyone got on everyones nerves. All I could think about was when this was going to end. Looking back, I've realized how much closer me and my family have gotten. Even though my family and I were already very close, we realized how much this pandemic made us appreciate the time we do have together and how other families may not have it like us. All in all, looking back, I've realized that we need to be thankful and grateful for things things we have in life rather than wanting more. -
2021-01-28
Silences
I’d like to talk about potential “silences” in the Journal of the Plague Year. Although the journal is shaping up to be a fantastic archive that future historians will surely make use of, it is not a perfect representation of life during the pandemic. In my view, the journal has certain assumptions built into it that tend to produce certain silences. The journal likely encourages contributions that show change rather than continuity. We tend to focus on what is different -- online school, perhaps not participating in large gatherings during the holidays, etc. -- rather than what is basically the same, and there is a lot about our pandemic world that is strikingly similar to the pre-pandemic world. For example, capitalism, and consumer capitalism in particular, has largely continued in its pre-pandemic mode with a few minor tweaks (masks, for example). Stores like Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco have not only been open but have been open for indoor shopping throughout the entire pandemic. Also, people have a tendency to believe that they are spending more time at home and online. While this may be true for some, the fact is that American life had been trending this way for a long time, with more and more people spending more time isolated at home and engaging in less face-to-face social interactions, being less involved in community groups and associations, etc. Lastly, in order to make a contribution to the journal, one needs to have access to the internet; of course, there is a percentage of the American public that lacks internet access and likely an even larger percentage of people worldwide that lack access to the internet. -
2021-01-28
Invisible Enemy
Living during the time of a pandemic has inevitably changed my own surroundings, but what I find most striking is the fact that many of these changes are almost invisible to me, considering I stay home as much as possible. Sure, I hear the fire engines and ambulances working around the clock every day, their sirens blaring, but since I am inside, I never see them. Even more concerning is the fact that people in my area have almost certainly been infected, but again, I have never seen any. Similarly, chances are if you have not caught COVID yet, all the knowledge you have about how to combat it does not com from ones own personal experience, but from instruction from a third party. As a result, I feel like I both have some sort of an idea of whats going on around me and how to deal with it, and also no idea. For me the silence that I hear is just as alarming, if not more so, than the sound of an ambulance tearing down the street. -
2021-01-28
Silences in the Archive
As I've been reading through the archive and seeing the stories shown, I have been struck by one important missing group from the narratives of Covid-19: Those who haven't taken it seriously. There are countless stories of people who see the wilful ignorance and even maliciousness of those who either don't believe Covid is important or is simply a hoax, there is little to no input from those kinds of people themselves. This cannot be blamed entirely on the archive, to be sure. Every contribution here is voluntary, and if you are someone who is already disinclined to believe that Covid is important then you are less likely to attempt to talk about it in this space. Moreover, as this archive was created by and shared among academics, it is less likely to reach people who largely only use sites like Facebook on the internet and exist in their own bubbles. There is also the point that giving a space and platform to toxic conspiracies is not exactly a great idea. We live in an age of alternative facts and wildly different sources of news and entertainment. Future historians using this archive will need to keep in mind that most of what is presented here is just one of the many realities people have been dealing with this past year. -
2021-01-28
lacunae in the archive
about the representativeness of entries to the Journal -
2021-01-28
the beginning
The day before quarantine, I was with my friend and we had both just gone to a birthday. we knew about the virus but not about social distancing and masks. my dad had called me and told me to stay away from anyone. I was confused on why but when I went to Northern California, I realized that the cases in LA started to spike rapidly. from that moment forward, I wouldn't be seeing anybody for the next five months. when I went up there in November, there were few cases. Maybe 50. so when we went out to get food, groceries, or anything like that, I realized nobody really bothered to wear a mask. of course my family still did but we ended up getting weird looks from other people for wearing one. it was really strange.