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2020-04-06
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.
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2020-06-24
pandemic update & U.S. problems
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2020-06-22
pandemic entries and BLM issues
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2020-06-23
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
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2020-05-18
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.
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2020-03-20
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.
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2020-03-16
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.
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2020-03-17
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.
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2020-05-01
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.
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2020-06-18
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.
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2020
This was the perspective of the coronavirus at the beginning from a younger unbiased person.
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2020-06-22
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.
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2020-05-02
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.
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2020-06-17
experience of E-learning
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2020-06-22
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.
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2020-06-22
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.
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2020-06-23T17:27
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
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2020-03-22
I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. Here's the latest entry:
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2020-03-21
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.
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2020-03-20
Keeping up with the news enrages me, so The Kid and I climb on bikes to ride through Prospect Park; Brooklynites seem withdrawn, more dour. The Kid gets her first online middle-school assignments; The Girlfriend packs up her son's New Jersey dorm room; and as the city empties out, we begin to hear birdsong and sirens.
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2020-06-23
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
We've officially crossed over the 100 day mark! And still no hair cut for our son. We did venture out to a local toy store as we had officially ran out of puzzles. It was our first outing and we actually went into the toy store as a family. We all wore masks and did not touch anything during our time there. We were the only family in the store. It was definitely eerie but felt wonderful to be out and doing something normal. It also felt nice to support a local business owner that has undoubtedly struggled during this pandemic due to loss of business. We picked out two dinosaur puzzles. I'm certain we will be back for more puzzles soon.
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2020-06-20
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
It was dad's turn for a photo with the completed puzzle! These two had a lot of fun completing this puzzle together and did this in just one afternoon. Dad recently got his "summer cut" from his sister, a former hair stylist, that we live with. Our son continues to refuse to allow us to cut his hair. It is getting so long! Tomorrow we will have sheltered-in-place for 100 days. 100 DAYS. This was supposed to last 14 days. How much longer will this be our reality?
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2020-06-05
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
We had a major puzzle mishap! Our daughter spilled an entire cup of water on the puzzle. We tried to dry the pieces but it did not work. The pieces completely disintegrated! While we were disappointed that we could not finish the puzzle, we did learn to keep liquids away from puzzles. Also, check out his hair! Although he has easy access to a hair cut as we live with his aunt who used to be a hair stylist, he refuses to get his hair cut. There are so many people out there wanting a hair cut that they cannot get. And here he is refusing a hair cut he can get! Note the presence of a mask on our table. We ordered a few different styles for the kids to try on to make sure they are successfully able to wear them as our county begins to open back up.
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2020-05-28
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
We chose a collection of puzzles to complete together today. My son's hair is starting to grow again. I wonder if he'll be open to another hair cut soon. 2 hair cuts in quarantine? It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. This image also clearly captures "Gary the Octopus" a special project that we completed as part of my son's remote learning curriculum.
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2020-03-16
This series of emails from March through May of 2020 details the measures taken by Starkey, a Wichita, Kansas, adult special needs community living program, to safeguard their vulnerable residents from infection. Among the topics covered in this set are protective measures, social distancing, day program closures, containment of COVID outbreaks in the residencies, and Starkey's phased plan for gradually returning their community members (known as "persons-served" in the documents) to a semblance of normalcy. Moreover, these emails provide a glimpse into how individual businesses and essential services reacted and adjusted to Kansas's statewide directives.
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2020-05-23
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
Immediately after he finished his first ever 1000 piece puzzle, he asked to do another one! He took a much more active role in sorting the pieces for this puzzle. It is so fun to lose ourselves in puzzling. It takes our minds off of the gravity of the world in which we live. Just looking at this photo, it is hard to believe that we are living in the middle of a pandemic.
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2020-05-19
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
After completing a number of 300 piece puzzles on his own, our son decided he was ready to move up and asked to do a 1000 piece puzzle! He let mom and dad help a lot more with this puzzle but primarily only to sort pieces. He never gave up and I am very impressed by his ability to work on a puzzle over multiple days without ever getting frustrated.
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2020-04-22
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
In this image, a glimpse of our family remote learning schedule and some school work are seen in the background. The presence of his "lovey" in hand is also a reminder to remember how young he is to be living during something as big as a pandemic.
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2020-04-19
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
He is easily completing 300 piece puzzles on his own! It's quite the feat for a child his age.
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2020-04-11
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
I love how this photo marks the passage of time for our son. We are sheltering-in-place with his aunt, who happens to cut hair. While all of the hair salons in our area are currently closed, he scored a fresh cut thanks to her!
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2020-04-07
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.
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2020-06-24
The Coronavirus outbreak confirmed as pendemic or a disease that is spreading in multiple countries around the world at the same time. Including in Indonesia.
President Joko Widodo annouces two positive Indonesian citizens on Monday [March 2,2020]. Then President Joko Widodo on Sunday [March 15, 2020] urged to all Indonesian to just stay at home also practicing what is called “Social Distancing” to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The situation has prompted a new outbreak in our community, likes anti-china ; hoaxes about Covid 19 ; Stigma & Discrimination and many more. Social media is more scarry than Covid 19. Another problem is our community have limited knowledge about the virus. They have learned from media or social media. So why many people are still going out and congregating in groups despite coronavirus pandemic.
Based on this, me and my team “CCFrontier” take the initiative to fight against corona.
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2020-03-19
I'm keeping a Plague Journal, here is today's entry: I struggle to file my unemployment claim in an overwhelmed system; Trumpians trot out a racist description of Covid-19; I work to grasp the virus's severity with everything from face touching to pants buying; and The Girlfriend and I walk and jog through Bed-Stuy.
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2020-04-10
I think how this pandemic has managed to empty even the most crowded city in the states, and how we were all nervous about what future holds is something no one has ever experienced. Everyone will remember how the world stopped in 2020.
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2020
The Smithsonian National Postal Museum has historically collected postal material from times of crisis, including 9/11 (https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_2002.2002.12) and the Anthrax attacks (https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_2002.2003.3). During this pandemic, postal workers are essential employees. There's been a resurgence in the public's use of mail (including letters to thank postal workers), the census was conducted by mail, and local elections have been conducted by mail. The National Postal Museum will review and accession material once staff is able to return to the building. In addition, we hope to collect oral histories from front-line, postal workers.
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2020-06-16
"The coronavirus museum: how historians are documenting the pandemic. The New-York Historical Society has started collecting artifacts for a collection aimed at teaching future generations about the current crisis .."
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2020-05-25
Clorox is a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a close friend that works for Clorox and they shared this interview with me. The interview captures the realities that COVID-19 is having on Clorox and its employees. The interview highlights the experience of Larry Wheeler, a senior packaging operator who has worked for the company for 29 years. Clorox employees are playing an essential role in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Wheeler's dedication and commitment to working as hard as possible for the common good is commendable.
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2020-06-16
My niece was on the path to braces right before California's shelter-in-place orders were issued mid-March. This is her first time in braces, she is one of the first in her grade to get braces, and a handful of her older cousins have braces. The excitement and anticipation were at an all time high for her. And then she had to wait, and wait, and wait. Her orthodontist recently reopened and she was one of the first patients seen. My niece was thrilled to finally get her braces! I am impressed by the dental practice's adaptability and ability to make sure their young patients feel at ease even given the newness of the COVID-19 world. The first photo in this series shows my niece waiting outside. Patients are now required to wait in/by their cars and text the practice upon arrival. They are waved in when it is their turn to enter the office. The second photo shows my niece getting her braces from her orthodontist who is in full PPE. The third photo shows her with a complete set of braces and you can feel the joy radiating from her. The final photos are of her wonderful orthodontist that is taking every possible precaution to ensure that everyone is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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2020-05-18
“In terms of music, the future is very uncertain. For everyone in my band, and friends who play music and survive on it, their livelihood has been turned off at the switch. It's a really weird feeling for society. Everyone in the industry knows how to hustle and change up their thing, but it’s just so uncertain. Many artists have no plans and no clear road ahead.
I just started a relationship with someone a couple of months ago. Two weeks later, we went into lockdown. But it’s been really awesome. Having a good person in my life has been really important.
When there’s no plans to be made, there’s a sort of a freedom when you can just focus on the day. It is nice to make everything small like that - focusing on the 14-16 waking hours and not expecting too much out of them.
Simplicity has been getting me through this. The pot plants are getting a fair amount of attention...”
Instagram post on Simon, musician, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-09
“My social life has become non-existent, but my relationships are still quite strong. Isolation has forced me to be a better friend because it has required me to check up on people in ways that I never did before.
For me this feels a bit like a break from the constant rat-race of life (but not a vacation). Everything feels slower, which I kind of like. I’m no longer forced to go to events or go out. I'm an introvert, so I love spending time at home. Life feels simple, and slow, and more intentional now. I’ve been able to catch up on lots of reading. I am also enjoying being able to walk down the street and not be harassed.
I expected something like this to happen sooner or later. I always had the sense that the pace at which this city runs is not sustainable, so pretty soon it will collapse. I've been mentally and emotionally prepared for this to happen. Everyday people are dying, suffering, and in the depths of misery, which I feel is the norm of the human condition. Peace is the exception. I think that’s why I’m mentally not so affected by the pandemic, because I don't have hopeful expectations for humanity.
If we all agreed on the basics that homelessness and suffering is unnecessary, then we could get rid of all of this in a couple of months and save the future of humanity. There’s a lot we can do to prevent this, I just don't think we will do it.”
Instagram post on Bobo Matjila, podcast host & writer, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-08
“My work is very much in the community, having face to face conversations. So right now I am having lots of phone calls and zoom sessions. Forming new relationships using technology is hard, especially when everyone is dealing with their own personal stuff at this time.
The government will be focused on jobs in getting the economy back to usual, so the environment is potentially going to be put on the backburner. We’re all really concerned about the future of the environment in terms of development and logging. The environment won't be of great priority in economic recovery.
I was on holiday when lockdown started. Coming back to Melbourne was pretty shocking, and I was initially grieving the way things used to be. We’ve been doing lots of checking in with each other and touching base, which is really important but also exhausting. We were talking about Covid non-stop for 2-3 weeks. I'm getting better at not talking about it.
I feel lucky to have a home, a great relationship with my partner and a job. We need to remember to have gratitude whilst dealing with everything else going on.”
Instagram post on Fiona Blandford, community organizer of BirdLife Australia, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-07
“COVID19 has had a huge impact on the film industry, in fact it wipes it out completely. Pretty much every production has stopped right now, which is massive, almost like the airline industry with all the planes lined up on the tarmac. Many people are doing development work to fill the time and adjusting some projects to make them simpler.
Content is like fast food at the moment, people are devouring it and are addicted to it. It is likely that simpler movies, with fewer characters, will be shot sooner. This situation will also create innovation, many people are coming up with ways to direct remotely and we could see a lot more animation and visual effects.
For me, films are always ahead of reality. There are so many movies about COVID19 already, look at Contagion, almost bizarrely similar - it's crazy!
This event may inspire people to connect more to the story they are telling. Some of the greatest art has come from moments of trauma and difficulty. Sometimes such circumstances can push out really inventive, amazing things.
This virus is a dress rehearsal for what is really coming, one of the offspring of our journey to the elephant in the room, which is global warming. We do have the capacity to act as one people and work together globally. There is hope - but we need to get ahead of this, not be reactionary.”
Instagram post on Garth Davis, film director, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-06
“People are often saying that it sounds so nice and relaxing working from home, but I've been finding the opposite. It’s really exhausting, more so than a day at the office. I think it's because you’re fighting so many distractions, both consciously and unconsciously, all day.
For me, art is often mental health focused. The reason that I do the art is for my personal mental health, it's a really good outlet for me to feel calm and understand my feelings and thoughts. But I also make the art to share it with others and build a community of people that can support each other and feel reassured by relating to others’ feelings.
I love that people are turning to art as an outlet during this time. I'm a big believer that creativity can help people to reach a state of mindfulness and act as a preventative measure to mental health issues.
I’ve noticed that people are being so generous and compassionate. As I go for walks, I notice that people have got baskets out on the nature-strip, offering their things, and sending letters to each other. It’s really wholesome.
COVID19 has made me realize that there are so many things we do everyday that contribute to the decay of earth, but are completely unnecessary.”
Instagram post on Montana, illustrator, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-06
“COVID19 hasn’t really made a huge difference to my life. I was working full time up until last year, then I quit my job to go back to writing full time. I live alone, and my office is in my home, so I already spend most of my time socially isolated. I'm not sure yet how the pandemic will impact on my writing. I am using this time to do a large amount of reading and take in many ideas.
Weirdly, the novel that I published last year is actually an apt one for a pandemic. A big part of the novel takes place in Paris in 1940 as the narrator, who is Jewish, waits for the Nazis to invade France; he is largely stuck in his flat and there’s a curfew going on. So in a way, my novel reflects the current reality.
Sometimes a silver lining doesn’t justify the damage caused by the thunderstorm. But I hope that this pandemic will lead to a recalibration of our priorities, away from a fantasy happiness bubble living beyond our needs. I hope the return to scarcity will be accompanied by a return to cooperation, mutual assistance, empathy. Some of those values that we associate with helping each other through tough times
I've been making a concerted effort to not rely too much on technology. I’ve made a deliberate decision to read more and I hope this quarantine will lead to a revival in interesting reading for all.
I've been reading a book that was written almost 100 years ago. The main message I've taken from the book is that you’re never going to get used to this. The only thing you can do is get used to not getting used to it.”
Instagram post on Alex Landragin, writer, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-05-01
“Tutoring online is kind of bizarre. I'm used to having lots of two-way communication, and using body language to gauge students’ interests, and that's all very different on zoom. Cameras are often turned off and muted, so you just have to assume that people are alive and with you. I’ve really had to back myself and keep going. And you can’t crack jokes because there’s no one to laugh along with you, or you have to laugh at your own jokes
Many tutors are certainly feeling disconnected towards students, university and the faculty as a whole. It is making us realise how important physical presence is in terms of forging purpose. Although we assume we are superior to the natural world, COVID19 is forcing people to realise the fragility of our systems. The shut down of certain supply chains has revealed how interconnected everything is.
It has also forced us to understand what we need to live, rather than what we want to live - it has made us all question what our actual basic necessities are versus our learned needs.
People's behaviour has become more environmental by accident. We just need to hope that there is not a slingshot back to old habits.”
Instagram post on Kate, university tutor, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-04-30
“It’s strange having all this time to myself at home. I'm not necessarily someone who spends a lot of time at home alone doing my own thing in normal circumstances. The first few weeks were very funny to sit back and think ‘What are my interests? What am I into?’ I’ve been trying to do things that keep my brain active, like Boggle, practising my French, and learning some Spanish.
Coming back a few months ago from exchange in France has given me some perspective on COVID19. I’ve got a few friends over there who are completely locked in their apartment. Here, we’re lucky to still have the freedom to walk and bike ride at our leisure. I’ve been doing both of them a lot.
Earlier in the pandemic, everyone was talking about ‘social distancing’. My mum pointed out that the better term is ‘physical distancing’. You don't want to be socially distant, you want to be socially connected, with a distance - something that me and my friends have maintained.
I’ve been feeding off the creativity of some of my friends: weekly Zoom live music; a home-made magazine; a friend is making Vino Quarantino. So there are a few things that have been happening amongst my close circle that keep us all talking, interested and connected.
We’ll definitely carry the habit of diligent handwashing into the future, and a greater consideration for general hygiene. The pandemic has definitely sparked that in my house. I get bouts of cabin fever from time to time, but am trying to keep busy and active.”
Instagram post on Hugo Ling, student, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-04-30
“I live on a cattle farm in the bush, so isolation is nothing new for me. I swore that I would never live here, but then I fell in love with a beautiful woman. The big thing for me at the moment is that I'm about to publish my memoir, Untethered. It's a very exciting time.
COVID-19 has had very little impact on us. We live quite isolated lives; I could go for weeks without seeing anyone. So it’s kind of funny to see city friends who are usually very busy suddenly wanting to do Zooms and Whatsapps. It’s nice, but I’ve lived like this for so long.
The biggest difference for me is actually positive. I feel a sense of being accompanied at this time, as everyone is now living as I have been living. Often, over the years, I have felt quite lonely and struggled with the isolation, as do so many people. Now we are all in this. Adjusting to isolation is a deeply personal process. We all need to find what delights us and add it to our days.
As I have compromised immunity, I have to wear a mask when going out. It feels very strange going to the supermarket and not being able to connect with anyone. I’ve been dealing with ovarian cancer treatment, so there is an uncertainty to my future. At this time, when the whole world is dealing with anxiety and uncertainty, there’s a universality to this shared experience. I find this intriguing at one level, and also feel incredibly lucky to be where I am.
What most interests me is what we will put back into the world after this. My life won't change significantly. But in terms of our fragile planet, what will people do to take care of it?”
Instagram post on Hayley Katzen, author, and their experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-04-29
“I'm still working here at the supermarket 3-4 times a week. It’s been way busier and at times quite overwhelming. When the whole toilet paper saga was happening, it was hard to get enough products in. My other job is at a skatepark, but that’s been put on hold
I'm glad to have employment at this time. I’ve been working here for five months now and I love it. Although sitting on my couch is always good, I would much rather come here and work with these guys and get paid. And definitely for my mental state I would rather be here.
The skate park that I have been going to for 10 years is closed. I miss that a little bit. But I’m still skating when I can.
I’m looking forward to being able to see my mates. Zoom calls are not the same. It’s weird, you never would have thought you’d appreciate it so much.”
Instagram post on James, store clerk, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
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2020-03-20
A Campolindo HS photography class assignment was to take photos of some nearby location that tells a story. My senior decided to procrastinate and ended up needing to complete the assignment during the early days of quarantine. A trip to a normally very busy Broadway Plaza shopping center in Walnut Creek on a Saturday turned out to be the perfect location. The only people we saw out there was a man and his son riding bikes past this center fountain area. In one of the pictures, you'll see the Apple store in the distance, completely dark and vacant. It looks like a ghost town. It's not this vacant even on holidays recognized by retail stores.
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2020-04-28
“My life was so different to how it is now. I had a very good hourly job and social life. I really want it back like that. The distance is so hard and awkward. I miss my lovely clients whose house I clean. It has totally changed my life.
I do a lot of charity work with the Singapore community to occupy my time without work. We help each other with whatever we can. We give food to people who need it on a continuous basis. Many people aren’t earning money right now, but a way to survive is by helping each other.
I hope that my family is safe over in Indonesia. Indonesia is one of the worst Asian countries for COVID19. It is very serious. I really want to shout out to my people “this is the worst thing and listen to the government’s warnings!”. I always remind my family: stay at home. Don't worry about food or money, I will provide. Just don’t step outside the house.
I really appreciate the Australian Government, they are doing the best. The cases have slowed down, and there has been a good response and togetherness from all of the people. We must always be aware of what the government is saying. Always listen and do it, it’s not that hard. This is not a holiday, lock down is lock down. I have to go outside to make money. The rest are very lucky to work from home.”
Instagram post on Suzy Suzet, cleaner, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
