My brother-in-law is a grocery-store worker in Texas. As the numbers of positive Covid cases rise, he continues to go to work. He believes in his heart that his work is important and that he is an essential worker. Jobs previously overlooked such as truckers, grocery store workers, or waste management, Now Americans are celebrating these workers.

As an educator in California, I am watching this story closely. I don't know what I will do if I get laid off. My school district has already sent out an email asking us to prepare for possible furloughs. I don't understand how Newsome could cut budgets to the areas of highest need.

NPR answers questions about Covid-19, reopening, voting, elections and more.

Podcast about the push-back by rural Americans against restrictions.

This article is talking about SARS viruses and how orcas may be in danger.

From injecting bleach to a bio-shield? There are a lot of strange ideas to keep Covid-19 from infecting people. Some of them are pretty strange. Introducing the personal bio-shield.

As the states begin reopening the question of if social distancing will be enough to flatten the curve is now on the forefront.

Interesting article about the process of counting true covid-19 mortality numbers.

This day hit us hard. 100,000 Americans dead. As of today (June 25, 2020) the number is 124,440. And yet it is an actual debate for many on if social distancing and masks are necessary.

My sons school is talking about reopening in the fall. With so much uncertainty ahead these meeting sometimes feel pointless.

I went to the grocery story with my 83 year old grandmother and was more than a little irritated to see that so many people were refusing to wear a mask. It gave me an uneasy feeling. My grandmother who lives alone and very far from any family, has no choice but to leave her home to buy necessities. I am worried for her safety.

These two orders, issued by the Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner in late April and early May of 2020, waive the time frame for CNA training and the need for health screenings in Massachusetts schools. Both of these mandates reflected the constant need to buttress the number of frontline medical personnel available for service, as well as the fact that Massachusetts schools would no longer require such screenings due to the transition to virtual learning.

Issued at the end of April 2020, these public health directives include guidance on staff-to-patient ratios in dialysis units, COVID-19 data accessibility, allowing certain referrals to labs conducting COVID-19 testing, and essential practices for the continued operation of farmers' markets in Massachusetts. While most of these orders highlight the virus's testing and healthcare impacts, the last ordnance reflects the careful mitigation efforts employed to ensure access to a healthy food supply.

The public health directives contained in this set provide a closer look at COVID-19's impact on daily life in Massachusetts as it pertains to personal health. These orders sought to relieve the burden of prescription refills on quarantined individuals, clarify the essential practices of grocery stores, and details on the reporting COVID-19 case numbers and all relevant data.

These orders offer guidance on the maximization of healthcare availability, the compounding and sale of over-the-counter hand sanitizer at pharmacies, the continued expansion of the available pool of medical personnel, and public health guidance on the operation of garden centers/nurseries as an essential service.

These public health orders primarily address long-term care and assisted living facilities within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Specifically, they expand the number of medical personnel permitted to administer rescue inhalers and epinephrine injections in community programs, address the transfer/discharge of patients from long-term care facilities, while expanding the pool of nurses qualified to work in assisted living programs. Moreover, the orders give the Department of Public Health the authority to run criminal background checks on volunteers for MAResponds. Orders such as these detail the different ways that state governments, like Massachusetts, attempted to reinforce their healthcare system in the face of the pandemic.

Because of the coronavirus's potential to overwhelm the healthcare system at virtually every level, the Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner issued these orders to address the maintenance of adequate hospital staffing, the need for more medical personnel to perform a greater range of functions, and the steps grocery stores and pharmacies need to take to ensure customer safety. While providing a look into COVID-19's effects upon the public health system, these orders also render a snapshot into how the "new normal" began to take shape in Massachusetts.

Contained in this set are public health orders addressing modifications to medical examiner inspections, the production and donation of hand sanitizer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the closure of day programs, and directives for pharmacies to ensure the continuation of operations and the reduction of exposure to COVID-19. These orders give testament to the drastic alterations that COVID-19 forced upon the state, as well as the country and the world, as it aimed to combat the growing crisis.

These public health directives issued by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health reveal how the sudden health crisis forced the MA Department of Public Health to quickly adapt to a disease that had stormed the state, the country, and the world. These orders include guidance on the reassignment of physician's assistants to address the shortage of healthcare personnel, the administering of medications to treat opioid addiction due to said personnel shortage, the continuity of emergency medical services, as well as sharing of vital information with first responders.

On Tuesday, June 24th. Following cities across Maricopa County enacting mandatory mask ordinances. Scottsdale is one such city.

A meme posted about the cutthroat labor system in Peru, it's true that there's a lot of competition in certain sectors. In some cases, vendors barely make a profit because everyone is trying to offer the lowest price just to make the sale. I often had this conversation with my mother in law who sold clothing on consignment, I understand that consignment is a normal practice, but if you have to take a bus/taxi to someone's house 3 or 4 times to collect installments, the minimal profits you were making are essentially erased. Now that Peru is allowing some vendors to start selling again, it's once again a volatile and competitive environment because so many people have been without work and the basic necessities.

The image title reads, "Oxígeno para loncheras/oxygen for lunchboxes," and states "solo si tienes un montón de plata/only if you have a ton of money." This implies, that like the U.S. medicine and healthcare can divide people along class lines, and the best medical care is available to those who can afford it.

A political cartoon about new restrictions on ambulatory sales. Prior to the pandemic, Peru had an economy where lots of people could purchase and sell products like ambulatory salespeople, moving around buses and neighborhoods freely carrying their products. Now however, salespeople aren't allowed to walk around or sell on foot, they have to sell out of their car. It offers some relief to those who actually have access to a car, but for those who don't and aren't earning money, the economic challenge of survival is a greater threat than the virus.

A political cartoon reflecting on the recent news of a medical study in the UK that showed dexametasona (DECADRON) could help reduce the fatality rates of severe Coronavirus cases. The comments reflect some concern that readers might take this information too literally and self-medicate, which has been a problem in Peru. The self-medication approaches range from strange to devastating, as some have tried to create home spas or special chemical baths that proved fatal to users.

I really love reading Somos, and I love this short historias piece reflecting on the best and worst of coronavirus from 100 Peruvians. It's reassuring to read what is helping people stay positive, and at the same time recognize that we're all struggling with a really difficult moment. There's a parent who laments she can't visit her daughter when she got into Stanford, another parent willing to watch the Wizard of Oz as many times as his daughter asks, and others who took the extra time at home to learn new skills like baking a carrot cake or reflecting on their lives and relationships.

I didn't realize there were organizations coordinating the production and distribution of medical supplies to send abroad, it seemed like just a few months ago we couldn't even get states to agree to share supplies. I'm wondering where these ventilators will go, or if they won't even make it out of Lima. The comments and replies seemed laudatory for the president, but nothing too significant, so I didn't screenshot them. Tweet text: Today, 250 brand-new, state-of-the-art ventilators arrived safely in Peru. This @USAID donation is another example of American generosity as the United States battles COVID-19 at home and around the world.

A group of prisoners from Chino were recently transferred to San Quentin because of a COVID-19 outbreak. These prisoners were housed in a separate, yet connected, area from the residing San Quentin incarcerated population. San Quentin prisoners reported daily COVID-19 testing since the group arrived. 159 prisoners at San Quentin have now tested positive for COVID-19. The numbers are expected to continue to climb. Fear, anxiety, frustration and anger are running rampant as San Quentin attempts to contain the spread of the virus.

California is planning to release more corrections inmates early on July 1st in an effort to slow the spread of the corona virus. While this is a step in the right direction advocates point out that this group of inmates does not include those with disabilities, medically fragile, or preexisting conditions. The article also highlights how the virus is spreading from on facility to another through prisoner transfer. While transferring prisoners to facilities with lower populations sounds good to aid in social distancing the people being transferred are actually spreading the virus into new facilities.

Late night host, John Oliver, of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," recently dedicated the main portion of his thirty minute show to highlighting the struggle of America's inmates with the covid-19 pandemic. This article provides the highlights of the show including a lack of soap, the number of non-inmate personal who are ill, covid being introduced to new facilities through prison transfer, people who have yet to be convicted but stuck in jail because they cannot afford cash bail, and the use of solitary confinement as punishment for one inmate who shared a video on Facebook.

As the US struggles to deal with covid-19 so do the nations corrections facilities. Due to their architecture and systems the facilities are at high risk of covid spreading rapidly through their populations. Advocates are becoming increasingly concerned over a new policy in some facilities which are using solitary confinement as an answer to the problem of quarantine. While advocates of abolishing solitary confinement are concerned for all of the regular reasons this causes extra alarm because they are worried the practice will become more wide spread and more commonly used both during the pandemic and once it is over.

In an effort to slow the spread of covid-19 inside of US prisons and jails some inmates have been release early or sent home, on house arrest. As discussions were happening across the country regarding this idea Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, signed an executive order to stop early release from the states correctional facilities.

These executive orders from the US Virgin Islands reflect the various changes wrought by COVID-19, not to mention the virus's stubborn presence, thus requiring extensions of earlier orders. Found in this set of directives dating from April and May 2020 are mandates for beach closures, extension of the V.I. safer-at-home order, and information pertaining to the virtual presentation of the annual St. Thomas Carnival.

pandemic update & U.S. problems

pandemic entries and BLM issues

Social distancing is the main practice of COVID-19 that people have followed (six feet apart) BUT as a person who never liked being within six feet of strangers anyway it’s nothing new and also the fact that I am a touch-starved college student nothing has changed because of it

I uploaded these photos because they are funny and during this pandemic laughing is one of the few joys someone can have. No matter how dumb they are the point is the laughter and that is important while the world is crashing around us.

This set of executive directives, ordered by Governor Albert Bryan, Jr., includes suspensions of certain provisions under the Virgin Islands code, business closures and movement restrictions, as well as stay-at-home order extensions. Dated from March 20 to March 30, 2020, these documents reflect how the US Virgin Islands reacted and adapted to COVID-19's transmission by adopting mitigation efforts unique to an island environment.

Ranging in date from March 16 to April 10, 2020, these executive orders proclaimed by the Governor of Guam detail that island's reaction to COVID-19's appearance there. These documents cover topics such as road accessibility for essential businesses and public health emergency operations, social distancing/isolation and clarifications of what is an essential and non-essential business, as well as telehealth expansion, and eviction/price gouging prohibitions during the public health emergency.

With COVID-19 spreading to every corner of the globe, a patchwork of responses emerged, especially in the United States, where the counties, states, and even the overseas territories crafted their own pandemic counter-measures. These two amended executive orders issued by the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (Tinian, Rota, and Saipan), outline the actions taken by this US commonwealth in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, including various directives designed to "ameliorate and mitigate" the fallout brought on by the disease's spread.

The architecture and structure of US prisons and jails make it impossible follow any of the guidelines given to slow the spread of the corona virus. Some argue it is prudent to release nonviolent offenders or those nearing the end of their sentences in an effort to provide more space within the facilities. Others oppose this idea citing fear of public safety. Inmates and their advocates worry that a prison sentence could turn into a death sentence. What about persons who have yet to even stand trial? While many people are not aware in the difference between a prison and a jail the distinction is very important. Jails hold people awaiting trial that could not afford bail while prisons are where people convicted of crimes serve their sentence. To be fair there are a small number of people in jails serving their sentence because it is short. With covid looming the question has become is it fair to keep people in jail where they have no defense against a deadly virus? This article discusses this issue and provides excerpts from letters written by inmates at the Harris County Jail in downtown Houston, TX.

The US prison population quickly found it was impossible to social distance to protect themselves from contracting the corona virus. This is due to prison architecture and overcrowding. This article talks to inmates at the Marion Correctional Facility in Marion, Ohio. This facility has been the site of the largest virus outbreak in the nation.

This was the perspective of the coronavirus at the beginning from a younger unbiased person.

Facebook post from the Science Museum of Minnesota, highlighting a small piece of an object in the collection and asking users to guess what the object was. Museums have used several different hashtags and social media approaches to get people to engage with their collections digitally.

Tweet from the Walker Art Center sharing a piece from their sculpture garden that relates to the need for social distancing. The piece is a placard with an inscribed poem that reflects on connection and the act of breathing. Museums have been relying on their collections to relate to the current pandemic, even in ways that are humorous or fall outside of meaning an artist may have originally intended.

experience of E-learning

This is an image of soldiers prior to an airborne jump.While some are wearing face coverings no one is practicing social distancing and within the aircraft it is impossible to distance.Following this jump they were doing training further exposing themselves to the coronavirus which is why Fort Bragg is still having growing numbers of coronavirus cases.

This is a news article discussing the U.S. president purposely slowing the Covid testing.The president thinks if we test less we will have less positive coronavirus cases.The idiocy of Trump trying to slow tests is why the United States has the largest amount of coronavirus cases.It makes me angry that he could not use funds allocated for testing and he should be held accountable for it.it is honestly disgusting and people are paying for his foolishness and pride with their lives.

I have created collages for several years now, but living in lockdown as of March 17, 2020 gave this creative outlet a whole new importance in my life. It started as a bit of lark, when a new colleague and I shared with each other that we both had creative outlets. I shared my first COVID-19 collage with her, she shared the painting she had made, and that simple act gave me the impetus to continue using this creative outlet as a way of thinking about my experience of life in lockdown. I learned of your digital archive via an interview on CBC radio’s The Current, and I wrote about it (and similar “witnessing” projects) on my blog (link to blog is live in the attached pdf). I have ten pieces in this “end-date unknown” series; I produced none in May due to a family health crisis, since happily resolved. I returned to it in June, producing what is at the moment the last, though likely not the final, entry. Living in lockdown, with hope, Amanda Le Rougetel Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada June 23, 2020

I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. Here's the latest entry:

The Girlfriend's friend enters the hospital with lung problems, awaits test results; also, her colleague is a possible Covid-19 vector. The Girlfriend experiences tension with her mother in a nursing home, her children at her apartment. Meanwhile, my mother adjusts to her new isolation.