When I wrote this journal entry the world was just starting to go into a panic. Mass hysteria caused every town to be placed on lockdown. Everyone was being forced to quarantine and had a curfew at 9 pm everyday. There was no explanation of what the Coronavirus was other than it was fast spreading and killing thousands of people. In March, there was still a lot of uncertainties. As a college student everything was very abrupt. Our classes and school were shut down fast following students traveling and coming back and testing positive. With being locked into a dorm where roommates left, the dorm life got very tough. Feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness were common to feel during this time. You go from having an active social life to being terrified to be near someone. It takes a toll on your mental health. Additionally, in this journal entry I talk about a relationship with a guy that wasn't going to work, another active conversation about how the want to see someone amidst the pandemic was not attractive and easy. There was a want to go home, but my family lived in Miami and their cases were higher than the one's on the West Coast of Florida. This entry was important to me because I thought it was a perfect description of the chaos and emotional uncertainty of the beginning of the pandemic.

When COVID-19 started affecting Kansas City, little changed at first. We wore masks, used hand sanitizer, etc., but life went on as normal otherwise. As the virus progressed, we closed our offices and I started working from home. One of my pre-COVID rituals was a trip to Broadway Cafe close to my house for a great latte or macchiato. At least this ritual was still intact. Then, the coffee shops all closed. It sounds silly to say this affected me even more than going into the office. It was my normal routine for so many years though...that a trip to the coffee shop served as an anchor for feeling life would go on, regardless of how far the virus progressed. The audio file attached is my espresso machine at home. I now buy coffee beans for the house, grind them, and pour shots of espresso to drink straight or craft into a macchiato or latte. The sound of my machine grinding beans, pressing the grounds into a puck, and then pouring into shot glasses still did not replace the coffee shop, but it did become an anchor to help me adjust when I needed it most. Today, our coffee shops are open for pickup service. Between that and still pouring my own at home, using their beans, life is good. I look forward to a post-COVID world where the local roasters and coffee shops continue to play an important role in my personal sense of normalcy and the social health of our collective neighborhoods.

The article from the screenshot is about the Major league Baseball minor league cancelling their 2020 season and the economic impact that it had on the team's ownership (most of which are mom and pop owners) and the city's and towns that host these teams. With the cancelled season, these places and people were not receiving any revenues, and in many cases, these games were a major source for the money coming in. The athletes themselves were still paid, but did not play. This may impact the future of the game in unknown ways. Some of the things that are important for these athletes is that they continuously play which keeps their skills up as well as their physical condition, but most importantly, it allows for the teams to see their talent and promote them to the "big leagues." With the 2021 minor league season in jeopardy, the future of the game is in question.

Holidays have never been particularly important in my family. Most holidays would end in a fight between me and my mother so the lack of family interaction wasn't really a big deal for me. My mom ended up driving down from California to spend time with my grandmother and me. These holidays ended up being good as my mom and I got along better. It seems as though without the pressure for the holidays to be fully good my mom and I were able to let go and just enjoy being around each other.

I work at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. My role is usually in education with a background in pre-hospital emergency medicine. Because of my background as a paramedic, I was asked to work in the vaccine clinic for the hospital staff as an observer. My position was to keep an eye on the hospital staff for 15 minutes after they received their Covid vaccine, just in case there were any reactions. Thankfully, my shifts have been very uneventful due to the safety of the vaccine. It was fascinating to talk with the staff when they came back for their second dose, as I was given insight into their experiences with the first dose. This meant that when I went in for my first dose in mid-January, I fully knew what to expect. I received the Moderna vaccine. About four hours after getting the shot, my arm felt quite sore. By the night of the vaccine, my shoulder was throbbing, but it was manageable. For the price of some shoulder pain, the opportunity to receive the shot during the first wave was well worth the discomfort. I get my second dose in early February, so I will see then if I feel as crummy as some of my friends and co-workers have after the second dose.

This article describes how the Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the mental health disparity in the United States. As the title suggests, those suffering from mental illness already did not receive equitable treatment; the pandemic has widened this inequality through a variety of issues, chiefly, disruption of service that was already minimal.

I have been a home gardener for a few years now, and love to cook using the things from my garden. When Covid started to hit the US in late February/early March, the resulting panic resulted in widespread shortages in the grocery stores for many common items of American households. News reports consistently told us that food supply networks were in jeapordy. I had never grown potatoes before (though I have grown sweet potatoes), but I decided that for its nutritional value to space ratio, it would be worth growing potatoes this year. Thankfully, the media had seemingly overblown the shortage problem (at least in my area), but that didn't matter because I enjoyed growing potatoes and had a great harvest. My first dish I made with my homegrown potatoes (and homegrown carrots) was a delishous pot roast. I was able to include a glass of y homebrewed beer to complete the meal. Sitting down for this meal was certainly a bright spot during the pandemic and was the culmination of several months of labor and enjoyment.

Israel is leading the vaccine rollout by a decent margin, with the United Arab Emirates close behind. Indeed, Israel hopes to have most of the population vaccinated by March. The advances in the vaccine rollout in these countries are an excellent chance to review the success rates in a larger population pool. There are many reasons for the success of Israel's rollout, including advance planning, an efficient healthcare system, and methodical shipping, storage, and distribution.

As of today, there have been no deaths attributed to the vaccine and only 10 reported cases of severe reactions to it.

97-year-old Alexander White, a Holocaust survivor, got a vaccine with a push from Arizona lawmakers.

Many people are concerned with the symptoms that come with the vaccines and if they differ depending on which vaccine. Some of the common symptoms of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are: i. injection site pain ii. tiredness iii. headache iv. muscle pain v. chills vi. joint pain vii. fever viii. injection site redness or swelling ix. nausea x. feeling unwell xi. swollen lymph nodes. Bibliography: “Highlighted Infectious Diseases for Arizona.” n.d. Arizona Department of Health Services. az.gov. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php?utm_source=google_grant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=covid19&utm_term=covid#novel-coronavirus-faqs. CDC. 2020. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fabout-vaccines%2Fhow-they-work.html.

1. Pfizer, mRNA vaccine – manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech, offered across the U.S. in every state 2. Moderna, mRNA vaccine – manufactured by ModernaTX, offered across the U.S. in every state Bibliography: CDC. 2020. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fabout-vaccines%2Fhow-they-work.html. Calgary, Open. n.d. “COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Allocations by Jurisdiction - Pfizer | Data | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Data.cdc.gov. Accessed January 25, 2021. https://data.cdc.gov/Vaccinations/COVID-19-Vaccine-Distribution-Allocations-by-Juris/saz5-9hgg.

This is an academic article that discusses the transmission of Covid-19 among Marine recruits in quarantine. Due to the pandemic, recruits have been forced to quarantine before they were able to begin their basic training. Marines were sent to a college campus where they practiced social distancing for two weeks before going to training. This study shows the effectiveness of quarantining, social distancing, and mask-wearing

There are a couple of reasons as to why there are different forms of not only the COVID-19 vaccine but of vaccines in general. This is because not much is understood about the COVID-19 virus, so there are multiple vaccines in trial or tested in order to provide as much of a range of protection as possible The two main vaccines use mRNA, which is still relatively new but effective, but the vector vaccines have been used since the 1970s to treat viral diseases Bibliography: CDC. 2020. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fabout-vaccines%2Fhow-they-work.html. “Covid-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions.” 2021. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021. https://www.nejm.org/covid-vaccine/faq?cid=DM108101_&bid=351587577.

There are 3 types of vaccines that are or will be available in the U.S. 1. mRNA: uses part of the COVID-19 virus to create proteins in our bodies that our immune system can recognize and remember in order to fight the virus 2. Protein subunit: has pieces of the proteins that the COVID-19 vaccine uses (not the actual virus) that the body will recognize in the future that do not belong in the body 3. Vector: injection of a weakened but live virus that has the genetic material that causes COVID-19 (a vector virus) that will cause the body to make the proteins that cause COVID-19 and force the immune system to remember that protein and fight it in the future The two being offered across the U.S. right now are both mRNA vaccines that require 2 shots 21 days apart Both vaccines are tested with a 95% effectivity, but that effectivity is only proven to be true after both doses are administered and there is not substantial long-term effect research yet Bibliography: CDC. 2020. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fabout-vaccines%2Fhow-they-work.html. “Covid-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions.” 2021. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021. https://www.nejm.org/covid-vaccine/faq?cid=DM108101_&bid=351587577.

Peruvian medics and health care workers are on a hunger strike to call attention to the need for further funding as the country struggles with its second wave of Covid-19. There is also a call to remove the country's Health Social Security, Fiorella Molinelli, over the mismanagement of Covid health and isolation centers, but Molinelli has yet to respond.

The article highlights how the National Guard is both assisting in distributing COVID-19 vaccines, as well as combating potential skeptics' worry about the vaccines' effects.

This article discusses the confusion over how vaccines are being rolled out to eligible individuals in San Francisco. A vaccination site is allowing individuals to get vaccinated without an appointment if there are extra doses at the end of the day. However, while texts are being sent out to let people know they are eligible, without an appointment there is no guarantee they will receive a vaccine if they go to the site; this is leading to people arriving, hoping to receive one of the leftover doses, only to be turned away. This is just one example of how confusion and misinformation about the vaccine is leading to anxiety and disappointment, and a desperate sense of hope that the kinks will be worked out soon so that the vaccination process will improve.

A woman named Patricia developed severe blisters on her feet several days after receiving a placebo COVID-19 virus. While attempting to raise money for her medical bills, her story became twisted, causing it to spread across the internet that the vaccine had caused her new skin condition - even though this was not the case.

The article addresses four of the main COVID-19 vaccine conspiracies as well as expert opinions about them.

This article introduces motives behind those who join conspiracy theories revolving around the COVID-19 vaccine

This story specifically addresses and debunks the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus vaccine implants microchips into an individual's bloodstream, as well as some background ideas as to why conspiracy theories are prevalent and a rumored cow dung vaccine.

Over the past several weeks, Knox County and the rural counties surrounding Knox have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Tennessee and its rural areas were not hit hard initially by the pandemic, but have become a major area for concern as of late.

A Washington Post article highlighting how the Chinese government is attempting to discredit the new COVID-19 vaccines since they themselves were unable to produce an effective vaccine as they claimed

I was planning to go to London this year to present at an international conference of librarians and connect with librarians from all over the world. This conference is only held every three years, and it is an important forum to share thoughts, present ideas and projects, network and build international collaborations, and plan joint projects. Doing so through email and Zoom is a poor substitute for this type of one-on-one conference. I travel internationally frequently, and I was planning to fit in a trip to Ireland before the conference, to visit with the land of my ancestors. I’ve been involved in a genealogy project along with some of my relatives, and my trip to Ireland would have given me the opportunity to do some family research. When I travel, I travel very close to the ground: staying in small B&Bs or hotels, dining in local establishments, traveling by bus or rail, and really trying to fit into the community rather than be a tourist to the extent possible. International travel is so important for this divisive world these days to foster understanding and cooperation both personally and professionally. So the cancellation of my trip meant not only the loss of some fun times but also speaks to a greater loss.

This information displayed on this webpage contains an interactive map with corresponding data summary of the dedicated COVID beds and general capacity of hospitals in southeastern New Mexico for January 24th, 2021. This snapshot demonstrates a reasonably live and present condition of the availability for urgent and emergent COVID medical care within that geographic region and at that date and time.

It is my understanding that the COVID19/Coronavirus originated from Wuhan, China. Since the Chinese government delayed communicating to other countries about the Virus it was able to spread throughout the states at a rapid pace. The Virus can only spread if it has a host, when people would travel internationally at the time, they didn't know how bad the virus really was. People have a lot of theories as to where the virus came from but this is my point of view.

In Wichita, Kansas, they gave all the doses they had with assurances that the second doses will arrive soon. However, as the date creeps up, the clinics haven’t received the second shipment later, and people are left wondering if they'll even be able to receive the second dose in the correct window of time.

Somebody who doesn’t work in the medical field might view this as a not so complicated process. But somebody planning how to distribute the vaccine to everyone in the community sees many challenges. Both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require a second dose in a specific time period. One challenge presents itself with the homeless population, how to get them back for their second dose and within the required time period. Suggestions for solving this problem include giving free transportation and meals for the people receiving their vaccine, but there seems to be no easy answer. Some experts are trying to find a solution by educating and informing the public, hoping to ease fear and get people in for both doses.

The process of giving the COVID vaccine is not as simple as one may think. For starters, hospitals and clinics have no idea when they will receive the next shipment of doses since it is held and distributed by the state. Scheduling appointments for the general population is difficult without knowing when they’ll receive the next shipment. Then, the paperwork is extensive for each patient. And when a bottle is opened, all doses must be pulled up immediately and distributed within 15-45 minutes, leaving little room for mistakes or missed appointments. Via Christi in Manhattan, Kansas, USA is proud to say they have not wasted a single dose yet, unlike many other hospitals across the US. The patient then has to wait for 15 minutes to be observed by the hospital staff for reactions before they can leave. If this sounds like a lot for a patient, imagine the process for the hospital staff.

Getting vaccines for lower to middle income countries is a challenge. Some experts believe up to 90% in low income countries will not receive the vaccine in 2021. It isn’t just buying the vaccine for them, it is transporting the vaccine safely. The vaccine is incredibly temperature-sensitive. The Moderna vaccine must be kept between -25°C and -15°C (-13°F and 5°F), while the Pfizer vaccine is minus 70°C! The answer for rural areas: solar-powered refrigeration. This “cold chain” of refrigerated vehicles may allow many areas in places like Africa to receive the vaccine. There are still complications and experts think up to 25% of the vaccines will still be wasted until the refrigerators are perfected.

People want the vaccine, and they want it now, but the process of clinics and hospitals giving the vaccine is a major process. To start, the vial must be pulled up all at once, and all five doses have to be given within a short time period, or they are ruined. Another complicated problem is the social distancing guidelines. Doctor’s offices are not generally large offices, and patients have to be there for at least fifteen minutes for observation, making drive thru vaccinations improbable. In addition, planning a day to give out vaccines is hard to do in advance, because medical centers have no idea when they will receive the vaccine. The state has control, and currently there seems to be insufficient communication and organization in many states.

Pandemics play a role in history, as they shaped us. From Bubonic to Covid, this is something that felt startling and unsettling. The lockdown reduced us to our homes' safety, and academia halted; my friends and family caught this rapid disease; unfortunately, one did not survive. At first, all you could do was wait and watch the news, and I even tried to google and journals or documents of those who lived during the plague; Something that sparked in my mind was the memory of Italy's Black Death, how Venetian doctors with large canes to examine and keep distance would go house to house seeing the sick, but knowing half the people would not survive. What became notable in my mind at the fear of illness and responding to safety was our face mask. But the mask is something everyone would see, the mask that would ward of the “miasma.” But we know disease spreads rapidly, you must stay at home do your part. I felt the sense of time begin to dissipate, days and months blur the sensation of cabin fever sets in quick, must distance six feet apart and the feeling of hopelessness and dread set in, unable to see friends, fear of getting infected or others. Still, we must wear our masks to fight this plague. We could help the effort by sewing masks, something so simple as a cloth with a string to protect us from a violent, deadly disease. Something so small and so simple caused such a debate, became some people's fashion staples. For me, I enjoy historical fashion, and I began to wonder how to incorporate each one into every outfit, maybe one for each theme or to tribute to my interest. Being a goth, I sought this to make sure if I'm going to go out, let me be safe, but have some joy in the safety I wear. Maybe in the future, historians would see this object and see the symbolism it held as the protector in such an uncertain time.

After months of deliberation, my wife and I decided to welcome another dog into our household. We were hesitant about getting a big dog, since we have only had experience with dachshunds together. But I have wanted a German shepherd my entire life and we figured that now is perhaps the only time in our lives that we will have enough time to invest in a big dog to make sure he is well trained (plus to keep him from eating the furniture!). Working from home due to the pandemic enabled us to get another dog, which probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise. While I am looking forward to some normalcy hopefully returning later this year, in the meantime I will be hanging out with my new pup, Oliver.

Indonesians are being distributed a vaccine called "CoronaVac" from a biopharmaceutical company based in China called Sinovac Biotech. They are working with PT Biofarma, which is an Indonesian-based company of a similar nature. On January 18, 2021, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi from the Ministry of Health spoke publicly about the vaccine’s conditions. In accordance with the regulations set by the World Health Organization (WHO), certain conditions must be met before the vaccine can be administered. This article from the main Indonesian government website states nine of them. Among them are those who have not screened positive for COVID-19 or have been sick from COVID-19-like symptoms such as a runny nose or cough in the 7 days prior. This extends to those who are immuno-compromised, have cancer, and many similar illnesses. Pregnant women are also discouraged from getting the vaccine. There are more conditions listed, however I don’t entirely understand the potential medical jargon. The article provided by IDN Times is more for this doctor’s credibility as she is one of the COVID-19 spokespersons for Indonesia. She is also the manager for the national AIDS division at the Ministry of Health in Indonesia. These articles were personally translated.

As of January 13, 2021, vaccinations have started its distribution across Indonesia — hitting 34 provinces. In light of this progress, it should also be noted that two (2) doses of the vaccine are recommended after a 14-day interval. A card will be issued to those who have had their first dose as well as a reminder for their second. The first article by Tirto concludes with instructions on what to do once the individual gets to the vaccination facility. The second article by Kompas says the same information, but also includes the reason why two (2) doses are necessary in the first place. These articles were personally translated.

Since Covid-19 hit, my college education has suffered enormously. I am currently paying for a full "college experience" for half of the benefits. My class through virtual and Zoom are now based on memorization and completing assignment rather than being geared towards retaining and applying information.

In hopes to raise awareness and rally more supporters of the vaccination, Indonesian President Joko Widodo made a public showing of him getting his first COVID-19 vaccination on January 13, 2021. The one administering the vaccination is the head doctor of the president’s medical team, Dr. Abdul Muthalib. As seen on the red banner behind the seated president, the text states that vaccination is safe and halal (safe for those practicing Islam). These articles were personally translated.

Straight from the Indonesian COVID-19 website, it was published on December 19, 2020 that citizens would be given the vaccination for free and without any conditions. This goes for people who do and do not have health insurance. Since the vaccines hadn’t arrived yet at the date of publication, they also emphasized and encouraged that everyone should continue taking precautions (i.e. wearing masks, washing hands with soap). In addition to this publication, Indonesian news source Kompas reported similarly the day prior. President Joko Widodo (through a representative) confirmed that the vaccine would be free for all Indonesian citizens. The Jakarta Post had also confirmed this information. These articles were personally translated.

It is of common knowledge to Indonesians that insurance is a luxury. This article, digitally published on January 24, 2021, by the Jakarta Post starts by saying that “a third of the population lacks health insurance.” The author goes on to describe the story of a family who had a diabetic relative. Government-funded as well as private medical facilities were not working quickly enough to provide the vaccination for them, and the hospitalization was becoming very costly for them. Corroborating with the predicament, an article by the Ministry of Health claims that roughly 22% of a total of 598,483 health workers have been vaccinated (as of January 22, 2021). They’ve lost an estimation of 600 health workers thus far, and are trying to rally the support of the citizens to get through the pandemic through vaccination. This article was personally translated.

In this Indonesian article on the main government website, they list out steps in which an individual can register to get themselves vaccinated. This article was digitally published on January 12, 2021, so the process is still ongoing. They provided four ways of registration: through a text message process when dialing *119#, through a phone application called “Pedulilindungi”, through the website http://pedulilindungi.id/ or through their local community officer. Furthermore, they did emphasize that their priority vaccinations, other than medical personnel, would include a numerous range of essential workers — such as the police, public transportation managers, and religious leaders. Indonesian news source Kompas digitally published the same information a few days prior while including that the text messages would not be charged. These articles were personally translated.

Obituary of Carl E. Skenes The man was able to catch bullets in his mouth. what a savage.

(KRQE) Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez urges the Federal government to continue the distribution of COVID vaccine to the Navajo Nation. Until then, the vaccine distribution plan will proceed into the next phase- focusing its efforts to provide vaccines to those who are 65 or older. According to Nez, over 70 percent of the vaccines issued by the Federal government have already been administered to the Navajo people.

Navajo Department of Health directive on Vaccine roll-out.

Another COVID related regional tension. Interesting to watch geopolitical conflicts play out regionally in relation to COVID. As China, Iran, and Russia strengthen their alliance and control over central Asia.

Almost as if Nintendo had made a contingency plan for the pandemic, Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out on the Switch around the same time "quarantine" had started. For a lot of people (including myself) it was their only way of having some semblance of normalcy, of a normal life. I personally began to understand the true value of being able to go fishing with my dad without fear of getting sick, and the value of being able to talk to other people and hang out on a sunny patch of grass without the stifling masks and social distancing. For a while, the game gave us what we needed, and it's honestly been impressive to see how far people have come with it. I know that it was an invaluable tool for me to hang out with loved ones, including my fiancee, in every way except physical. Maybe the same goes for others. This specific game system has been the respite of many people, not necessarily with Animal Crossing, but with other titles as well. I don't think i've ever seen that many games come out for a system within less than a year, and i've been gaming since I was six. I'm asthmatic, so i'm pretty limited in what I can do, so having this teeny little game system has been almost a saving grace for my mental health. Almost. Lol. There's probably something ironic about the fact that you start the game on a desolate island and you make the most of it while still being totally isolated from other islands, and being an figurative island yourself, far away from the reach of others. But you make the most of it.

I had planned to enter a boot camp, non-military, for personal growth. This specific boot camp was run by a religious organization and one of my older brothers had gone through it. I had previously prepared to go through it and had been postponed by a serious leg injury. After the injury I had decided to wait to try to do the training, and instead start my college journey. After my completion of an Associates Degree, I had planned to enter the boot camp and was preparing for it in early 2020, all registered and was staying at a nearby relative's house in the last days before the opening day of the boot camp. Less than a week until training was to commence, the program heads made a decision to cancel the upcoming Basic Training Unit as precautions for COVID 19 began to spike. Instead of spending months in basic training, I spent months with family as a sort of stay in vacation with them. As enjoyable as the time was, much of that time felt like a standstill in my personal growth and development. Work was unavailable, going out of the house was extremely limited, and I could not begin to further my education until a suitable way upon which to learn in the midst of a pandemic was decided. The pandemic shifted my plans for the immediate and the moderately near future as well as convince me that two denials of the chance to attend the Basic Training were a clear sign to dissuade me from a third attempt. Instead, I made plans to attend college at FGCU to continue past an AA toward a BA. The pandemic changed life plans to an extent and also changed how my young adulthood was affected by society and the government. The boots in the picture are the boots I was to wear during the boot camp, and now they sit in storage waiting for use and destined for nothing more than a photograph for archivists to use in 100 years when writing their homework about plagues and pandemics.

The photo shows me and my dog while I was in the hospital doing chemotherapy for Testicular Cancer. By that point, I had been in the hospital for three weeks and we had got a prescription for me to be able to bring my dogs in order to cheer me up. My husband brought me our dogs Little Man (Miniature Dauschuand) and Lady (Whippet Terrier Mix). I was so happy to see them that I cried. The fur babies were so happy to see me that they just jumped on me and began licking me. This shows how lonely the covid-19 had made me and how the doctors were able to allow my furbabies to come to visit me which cheered me up.

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.

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.