Prisoners with COVID19

As I have heard, there are some prisons that are letting some of of their prisoners get out earlier than their expected date because they fear that the prisoners will get the virus. A public health expert has warned that prisons and detention centres provide ideal incubation conditions for the rapid spread of covid19, as the first case of the virus in a UL inmate was confirmed. Countries such as Spain and Iran have ordered the release of many prisoners due to the risk of virus transmission among detainees and jail staff. The UK government issued guidance stating that if there was a significant outbreak of covid19, "cohorting"should be used to put all those infected together behind locked doors in prisons, detention centres, young offender institutions and secure units. A report by Prof Richard Coker, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicinem warns of the substantial risk of the virus spreading at a particularly fast rate in locked establishments such as prisons and detention centres, in a process he refers to a "cluster amplification". On Wednesday the first case of covid19 in a UK prisoner was confirmed at Strangeways prison in Manchester. The inmate was taken to hospital and there are no further confirmed cases of covid19 at the prison, although the Ministry of Justice said 13 prisoners had been put into isolation as a precaution.

CARES Law

President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion economic relief plan to offer help for millions of Americans affected by the virus. Payments will go to expanded unemployment coverage, student loan changes, different retirement account rules and more. Obviously, there are specific rules to see if you qualify for a certain amount of money.

It mainly depends on your income from 2019. For example, married couples with no children that earned $150,000 or less will receive $2,400. However, if someone claims you as a dependent, then you are not eligible for any payment.

People that are part of direct payment will receive money between two and three weeks. However, people that carry around paper checks will have to wait up to two to four months.

To summarize, mainly people who are unemployed, partly unemployed, or cannot work for reasons related to the virus will be more likely to receive benefits. Even those that receive unemployment benefits already, will receive an extra $600 a week for up to 39 weeks, depending on the state.

Those who make over the income limit, who are able to work from home, or those receiving paid sick leave or paid family leave are not eligible for these benefits.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html

Making Your Own Face Mask

Across the globe, many people are finding creative ways to make face masks. Some are definitely more effective than others. With health care workers facing a shortage of masks I think it is super important that people continue to find ways to make their own rather than feeding into the shortage.

While homemade options are not as effective experts say they do still help. A 2013 study found that homemade masks were 1/3 as effective as surgical masks in stopping the spread of influenza. They do not, however, know exactly how effective they are at stopping a virus.


Joyce Fulton, a registered nurse has been organizing people to produce homemade masks. Fulton hopes this could free up the supply of surgical masks. Many different materials can be used to make a mask. Experts say layers are important and the mask should be snug around the mouth and nose so air particles cannot get in. There are many free patterns online for how to make masks and stores like JoAnn fabrics are giving away free precut materials. There are also no-sew options. A study in 2006 was done for this exact situation. They looked for ways to make masks if a shortage we ever to happen in the face of a viral outbreak.

Here are the steps Annie Cook used to make masks for 120 of her neighbors.
1. Start with two rectangles of fabric, 12 inches by 6 inches (or 11 inches by 5 inches for a smaller head).
2. Sew the layers together, then sew the bottom edge closed.
3. Fold over one side edge, and start sewing the fabric so that the elastic band or hair tie is inside the fold.
4. Once you've started it, pull the elastic taut and sew down the rest of the fold.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Be sure to backstitch (sew over multiple times) at the beginning and end of the seam, since the elastic will be pulling at those spots.

Do you feel a need to have a mask?

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-an-effective-face-mask-at-home-2020-3

Disabled people are increasingly at risk due to COVID-19- and not in the ways you think

It's very easy to overlook the disabled in the face of a global pandemic- between government shutdowns, mass panic, and an increasing pile of bodies, the needs of disabled people seem to take a backseat, 15 percent of the world population or not. Unfortunately, COVID-19 doesn't discriminate, and the disabled are increasingly at risk. For some, this risk is physical; people with respiratory issues may be more likely to develop serious illness or die from COVID-19. For others, however, the risk comes in another form: the unavailability of things like information, healthcare, and social services.

Education is crucial when it comes to preventing the spread of coronavirus, and those who are blind or hard of hearing may be deprived of lifesaving information. Human Rights Watch interviewed Karen McCall, a legally blind woman in Ontario, Canada, after she potentially came into contact with an infected person. She stated that "it was difficult for her to access information from Ontario's Ministry of Health, as an online slideshow about staying healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak was not compatible with the screen reading or magnification technology she relies on." This doesn't just affect Karen- it affects the people around her as well, because of how rapidly the disease spreads.

Additionally, disabled people often rely on social services to assist them with daily needs, such as for meals and hygiene. Because of the quarantine, they may lose access to these vital services and be neglected by the system.

There are many other factors- financial, social, and educational- that put the disabled at increased risk during this pandemic. But one thing is clear: right now, many people with mental and physical disabilities feel like their lives are valued less than those of their abled peers. It's up to us- our community, our government- to support them in their time of need.


https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/26/protect-rights-people-disabilities-during-covid-19
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1059762

"The Great Equalizer"

In a recent Instagram post, Madonna called Coronavirus “the great equalizer”, saying that “it doesn’t care about how rich you are, how famous you are… what's terrible about it is that it's made us all equal in many ways -- and what's wonderful about it is that it's made us all equal in many ways.” While this may seem to be the perspective of many celebrities in their calls to the internet community to “rally” around their music and shared troubles, a lot of people are saying that these celebrities can’t relate. They talk about their difficulty in managing a life of isolation in their mansions with resources to keep them from losing money and food, but the pandemic is in no way affecting everyone equally.
Unemployment is on the rise in America, and according to projections, the economic freeze could cost 47 million jobs and send the unemployment rate past 32%. While the one time payment of about $1,200 is being made to help people cope with the current economic situation, it’s fairly clear that such a small amount of money as a one time payment is unsubstantial, and the money won’t be received for another three weeks. A monthly payment of $1,200 is nothing, and still leaves people suffering.
In many countries and areas around the world, people have little they can do to protect themselves from the virus. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a 21-day nationwide lockdown to stop the spreading among the 1.3 billion people. Upper and middle class people are able to stay at home and still have access to food, water, and income, but the same is not applicable for the 74 million people, a sixth of the population, that live in extreme poverty. In some slums, a single water tank might be the only water resource for 70 people, with only a communal tap shared between everyone in the area. In Dharavi in Mumbai, there’s one toilet per 1,440 residents, and only 22% of the community toilets have a water supply. Many of the people in these communities have no alternative but to go to work. They earn the equivalent of $1.84 to $5.97 per day, and don’t get paid if they don’t go to work. Grocery stores are only open for 4 hours a day, resulting in intense crowds where the disease is easily spread. Cleaners, being essential workers, aren’t given masks, gloves, or even soap when handling trash, be it in a hospital or residential area.
The virus is throwing the world into a crisis of suffering that is severely affecting impoverished communities where people have no choice but to work to avoid starvation. So, no, coronavirus is not the great equalizer. I would even argue that it’s the opposite—a crisis like this only further shows that money and resources can buy safety and distance from danger, and for those who have already caught the disease, can buy life saving health care.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/entertainment/madonna-coronavirus-video-intl-scli/?hpt=ob_blogfooterold

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/30/coronavirus-job-losses-could-total-47-million-unemployment-rate-of-32percent-fed-says.html

https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/india/india-coronavirus-social-distancing-intl-hnk/index.html

Spring Break in Miami during COVID-19 Pandemic

     As many states, cities, and counties instructing their citizens to self quarantine in hopes of minimizing the spread of the coronavirus, it is important we follow such commands in order to eventually put an end to this pandemic. With approximately 142,735 cases and 2,488 deaths being confirmed on March 29, 2020, we must avoid contact with those who live outside of our household and attempt to social distance ourselves when exposing ourselves to others. Without our nation learning to cooperate in putting an end to the coronavirus, the spread and number of lives at stake will continue to increase.

     This image illustrates Miami spring break during this pandemic. Despite the coronavirus warnings, many young adults prioritized their entertainment over the danger they were both putting themselves and others under. Many comments were recorded by these spring breakers such as "If I get corona, I get corona... at the end of the day, I'm not going to let it stop me from partying. I've been waiting, we've been waiting for Miami spring break for a while". This immoral behavior demonstrates the irresponsibility of these young adults who do not recognize the possible impact their behavior could have on other's lives. Although the number of cases in the United States were not as high as they currently are, the possibility of putting the life of any other person, especially an elderly person, in danger was still present and easily preventable. Their feeling of invincibility is part of the reason the number of cases are jumping so substantially, as just like these spring breakers, many young adults continue to associate with friends on a daily basis while ignoring the instructions proposed by states and our nation. Without cooperation, more and more lives are put at stake. It should not have to take a loved one or an acquaintance to die or be seriously harmed from COVID-19 for people to recognize the danger of this pandemic.

Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spring-break-party-coronavirus-pandemic-miami-beaches/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

Xenophobia and Coronavirus

     Xenophobia is when someone or a group of people demonstrate a hatred or prejudice towards another group of people from another country. Currently, many Asians are experiencing xenophobia due to the coronavirus, as it originated from Wuhan, China and has spread worldwide, infecting hundreds of thousands of people.

     There are various examples that can be recognized involving the Asian American community in the United States that illustrate xenophobia. One example took place in New York City, where a Hong Kong native named Eunice believed it would be beneficial to wear a face mask to help her remain healthy and prevent infection. Living through the SARS outbreak in 2003, Eunice knew the potential impact of COVID-19 and wanted to prepare in advance before it possibly reaches the United States. She stated her action of wearing the face mask was an act of solidarity as she mentioned, "When you wear a mask, it's a symbol of solidarity to other people... It's a way of saying, 'I understand that things are scary, but here is a thing that I'm going to do to protect myself and to protect all of you"'. Though many citizens lacked the understanding of her actions, as she began to notice that people would distance themselves and eventually experienced racial comments directed towards her. This was an act of xenophobia.

     Similarly, Chinatown's business for restaurants in San Francisco began experiencing the impacts of xenophobia. These restaurants began receiving less and less customers due to the outbreak, as Americans began avoiding Asian Americans due to the fact they believed they were protecting themselves from COVID-19. 

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-covid19-xenophobia-racism/607816/

College Decisions

Most of us seniors have heard back from most/if not all of their colleges by today. Thursday was Ivy Day which for you could’ve been a day of celebration or straight disappointing. For me, I was rejected from USC which was no surprise but after scrolling through the Tiktok for you page and seeing people’s reactions to decisions, the rejection hit a little harder. I knew I was going to end up where I’m supposed to be but the thought if I’m not good enough loomed in the back of my head. For some of my friends, rejection hit really hard. I thought it would be a good idea to make a blog post for those who also were disappointed in themselves after reading the words, “We regret to inform you that we are not offering you admission to ______.” 

Wherever you end up is where you are meant to be! The colleges that did accept you are great schools and your family, friends, classmates will be proud of you no matter if it isn’t a top tier school. You’ve worked extremely hard these past four years and on your applications. Even if our graduation is over a Zoom call, you’ve completed high school. These next four years will be great and you will be successful! You deserve to celebrate what you’ve accomplished and no college determines whether not it was worth it. 

I hope these words cheer you up a bit if you’re upset about getting rejected or waitlisted at schools you felt you deserved to go to. It hurts for now but once you’re at the school you pick, you’ll be happy with your choice

Covid-19 and mental health

Covid-19 and mental health

We are all aware of the Covid-19 and how it’s affecting the world we live in. People’s lives have changed so rapidly, whether you know some who has been infected or you are on lockdown trying to help and stop the spreading of the virus. It’s a hard situation we are in and this pandemic is also affecting people’s mental health. Isolation, physical distancing, the closure of schools and workplaces are challenges that affect us, and it is natural to feel stress, anxiety, fear, and loneliness, etc. during these times is important to always try to keep your self distracted by exercising, reading, crafts anything that can help you feel motivated. There’s already a good amount of people who suffer from anxiety and depression and being on lockdown doesn’t help their mental health, so always checking on your family and friends maybe neighbors as well can be very helpful. I am glad that the only thing I have to worry about, for the most part, is keeping myself on a schedule where I can do my homework and do other activities to just wait for this lockdown to end. Other people are more vulnerable to the virus, people with medical conditions or low financial income who are now without a job, homeless, the elderly, etc. They don’t count on the advantage that most of us have. Not being able to go out to get food and feed their families or buy essentials that they might need is extremely hard. Italy reported 909 deaths in a day, this can create a lot of fear and chaos but trying to remember to maintain calm and follow protocol can help and hopefully, we can help this epidemic end as soon as possible.

i hope everyone is staying safe.

Long-term Effects of Covid-19

      Covid-19 is going to have significant long-term effects on society, and not in a medical way. When people are forced to change their typical habits due to reasons such as lockdown, they have to find a way to change the way they live their lives. One example being, people who normally don't buy goods online are having to now enter the world of online shopping. This doesn't seem significant when you read it, but with what if 75% of people who normally go to stores and malls start shopping online? Now retail has been declining for years due to the growth of online shopping, but now that people are being forced to change their habits, it could truly destroy the industry, while at the same time allowing the online retail industry to grow at even quicker rates.

       During these periods of social distancing and lockdown, a lot of businesses have changed how they are having meetings with on another. Im sure some of you have seen your parents on Zoom Conference calls for work sometime throughout the lockdown. This could have lasting effects. After seeing that people can still be productive and get their work done, we could see a large spike of people working from home when this is all over simply because if they ever need to connect with anyone they can use video call services.

      Covid-19 will have many more astronomical effects on how we live our lives, and I believe this is just the transition point. Much like how 9/11 changed airport security as well as central intelligence, Covid-19 will change how we live our lives for the rest of our lives.

Homeless and the Corona Virus

California has been in 'Sheltered in place" to help stop the virus from spreading and with the population wanting to make sure that doesn't happen, we are all at home...

But what happens to the homeless people of California?

In San Francisco there is around 8,000 homeless people and with them struggling to find a home or shelter to be in, they risk being exposed to the virus which for them has a high probability of being deadly.  

Many of the city leaders are finding ways of getting the homeless people off the streets and into shelter. They have leased hotel rooms and trailers for them to quarantine in for those who have signs of the virus. 

 With an estimated of 108,000 homeless, we could see around 60,000 be infected with the virus in the next two months and the hospitals would struggle to keep up. 

The overall plan for helping the homeless get off the street is to purchase 1,300 trailers, and is still talking about 51,000 hotel rooms as quarantine spaces. They have put in around $50 million to put this plan into action. 

sports and COVID

Due to the fast spreading sickness the commissioners of all sports have been delaying the play of all games. At first the teams were suppose to just play with no fans in attendance, but then a player on Utah Jazz basketball team tested positive for having COVID-19, and after that the whole NBA has been shut down. Not long after that the MLB had also announced that they would be pushing back the start of opening day. They have still not said when that new day will be yet either. and probably one of the most anticipated events every year, no matter what sport you like the NCAA march madness tournament has been cancelled as well. This one was devastating to all sports fans, because it is the peak of college sports, and some may argue that this tournament is better than some professional teams playoffs. Also all college spring sports have been cancelled as well has high schools, but for college the NCAA is granting all of the players and extra year of eligibility if they choose to take that. It is just crazy to think about all of the things that are happening throughout the untied states and around the world because of this unknown infection. 

Government giving us money ?

You might have some extra money coming from the U.S. Government this spring. The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping $2 trillion stimulus package that aims to help people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. People who are still working, those who are unemployed, those who are self-employed and contractors would all benefit. Businesses also stands to get financial assistance to avoid closing down or laying off employees because of the economic effect of the pandemic. This legislation still needs approval in the U.S. House. For individuals, the amount of money you receive is based on your household income and how many children you claim as dependents on your taxes.

US now has more coronavirus cases than any other country

The US now has more coronavirus cases than any other country. At least 82,404 Americans have been affected with COVID-19, a running count by Johns Hopkins University researchers showed Thursday evening. China, were the outbreak began, had 81,782 and Italy had 80,589. New York accounts for a large slice of the US cases, with at least 37,258 reported and 385 deaths. Other states with high case counts include New Jersy with 6,876, California with 3,894, Michigan with 2,856, and Washington with 2,580, according to local health departments. The US population is around 330 million, a fraction of chinas is 1.4 billion, but higher than the 60 million in Italy, which became the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe. More than half-million people worldwide have fought the illness. At least 120,00 have recovered. 

Face Mask Shortage

In the United States, the shortage of face masks is opening to doors to people such as Seattle crafters, who are making DIY masks and face shields to help fight coronavirus. 

As hospitals run out of masks, gowns and other PPE (personal protectant equipment) to keep medical workers safe, local creatives - many fresh out of gigs - are pitching in from behind their sewing machines, flooding social media with photos of homemade masks dotted with flowers and cute patters. Groups across the nation have started virtual sewing circles to create masks and protective gowns, forming an army of volunteers responding to the medical community's calls for help. 

For now, hospitals are relying on dwindling stockpiles, some shipments, as well as much-needed donations of PPE (such as gloves and N95 masks) from dental offices, nonemergency medical facilities, veterinary organizations, the building trades and individuals who may have stores supplies. 

There's also debate on how helpful fabric masks are. Experts say DIY masks can provide a false sense of security, resulting in lapses in other protective measures (like washing hands). One study found that due to moisture retention, reuse, and poor filtration, cloth masks had significantly higher rates of infection than medical masks. Another study, by the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, found that while "both masks significantly reduce the number of microorganisms expelled by volunteers...the surgical mask was three times more effective in blocking transmission than the homemade mask". 

"When we need them, cloth masks and gowns are better than nothing," says Dr. Lindquist, and I personally agree. 

What do you think about the shortage and community coming together?  

https://crosscut.com/2020/03/seattle-crafters-are-making-diy-masks-and-face-shields-help-fight-coronavirus

Corona Virus in Rwanda

Rwanda has one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa and has a reputation for innovation in areas like health care. The country has essentially universal healthcare and has been using drones to deliver essential medical supplies.

In the wake of the Corona outbreak, the government immediately instituted an action plan. Despite these efforts, Rwanda became the country with the most confirmed cases in Eastern and Central Africa. Due to Ebola Rwanda already has had washing stations and thermometers for everyone entering the country and like what we have in California the government has now instituted a total shut down as they face a lack of testing capability. Currently, the lab can only process 20-30 tests a day and the government is hoping that the shutdown can mitigate the spread enough to make sure those who need testing can get it.
To enforce the shutdown there is heavy police presence across Rwanda. Only essential movement outside the home is permitted. Casual laborers who now have no income have been trying to escape Kigali and get back to their villages. Because public transit has been banned they have been seen walking countless miles to get home.

Rwandans are also worried that the Coronavirus could be a threat to the endangered mountain gorillas. Apes have shown that they can fall victim to things like the common cold and losing the gorillas would be devastating to Rwanda's tourism industry.


Most citizens seem to be abiding by the rules of the shutdown. One man, however, broke out of his house to go fishing. He was then killed and eaten by a crocodile.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/rwandas-successes-and-challenges-in-response-to-covid-19/
https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cwlw3xz0zdet/rwanda