covlog19

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I have always believed that ‘fake news’, even before it was called that, poses a threat to millions of gullible people who believe everything that they see on social media or TV. Now more than ever it is important that we verify the claims that are being made across. If we see an article and choose to believe it ourselves it is one thing, but when we spread false information to others is when this becomes an issue. As the number of confirmed cases in the US passes 1 million, it is critical that we stick to reliable news sources and check that it is not just one outlet making a claim or talking about an important story. Since the internet has made the world a smaller place it is also important for those in marginalized communities and poor countries, where the spread of fake news can be potentially deadly. “If you drink water every five minutes, you’ll be fine, because coronavirus embeds itself in dry throats”, “coronavirus only kills elderly people”, “this whole thing is a government hoax”, all of these lies have been spread around like wildfire and now there are actually people who believe them and have adjusted their response in accordance with these lies. As talks of a vaccine and treatments start to pop up, just remember to stay safe and check your sources before taking anything for a fact.

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A funny Twitter thread which sarcastically highlights an exception to the racial inequality experienced in America. Anybody who still thinks that this isn’t real can read the following article:

 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/armen-henderson-arrested-homeless-coronavirus-testing.html

Where Dr. Armen Henderson, a black Miami doctor was put in cuffs while administering free tests to homeless people. Although the doctor was released after his wife came out to talk to the officer, there is no reason that he should have even been put into such a humiliating situation.

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Evgeni Malkin’s to the Pittsburgh Ronald McDonald House pantry adds to the list of charitable actions that Pittsburgh Penguin players have partaken in for their community. His donation will help to continue feeding the 20 families that are currently housed in the Ronald McDonald house and also have family members in the hospital being treated for COVID-19. Any donations to charity are always great and there certainly have been a lot of coronavirus relief funds during this period, but Malkins’ donation to this local charity is also a powerful act of solidarity and a good reminder for us to be remain engaged and informed in our local community so that we can support those who are less fortunate.

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Although coronavirus is affecting the entire world, the music industry in particular has been one hit particularly hard by social distancing orders worldwide. SXSW was cancelled and Coachella was rescheduled. Artist have cancelled entire tours and people have been worrying about their plans for the summer. Some artists have found ways to interact with their fans such as Tory Lanez, who goes on Instagram Live almost daily and even FaceTimes other celebrities, all the while entertaining his fans. Travis Scott held a concert in ‘Fortnite’, which at one point had 12.3 million consecutive attendees. Other artists such as Jhene Aiko, Lil Uzi, The Weeknd, DaBaby, BTS, Niall Horan, and Bad Bunny have released albums which have kept their fans entertained during quarantine. However the cancellation of shows and tours has lost the industry millions of dollars so far. Even the idea of a concert in our current state is far fetched so it is yet to be seen how big COVID’s true effect on the industry proves to be.

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It has been interesting to watch the pandemic alter regular activities as we are forced to isolate at home. Divorce rates have surged in China now that the country has managed to control the spread of COVID 19 and many people on the internet have been laughing at the thought of an incoming wave of coronababies despite the fact that the pandemic is discouraging would-be parents.Some of the things that I’ve noticed in my life are that those that are at home with me are restless, I’m the only one that actually has something to do so I can only sit at the table and listen to them talk about Money Heist and the long road trip that they want to go on. My friends and I were initially studying together when remote classes began but as quarantine has dragged on and our sleep schedules have been thrown off we no longer do that either. At work, everybody seems much happier than usual as they are happy to leave their houses and ‘socialize’ with their coworkers for however long their shift is. Past 8pm roads are practically empty and if I go out during the day I can see that Spring is in full bloom. 

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One of the biggest injustices that also ties back to race and class issues is the fact that most essential workers are currently making less money than those on unemployment. Although these people are ‘praised’ and thanked regularly and most have received a two to three dollar raise, they often fill minimum wage positions or anything slightly above that. The cashiers and people that provide services at essential businesses are also parents, brothers, spouses, and yet they continue to put their lives on the line to keep food on their table. Meanwhile, millions of people who are staying home on unemployment are receiving $1,800 every two weeks. I don’t think enough is being done to reward these people for taking such a huge risk daily, whether it’s out of necessity or not I don’t think it matters: if their jobs have been deemed essential for society in the middle of a worldwide pandemic than they should be receiving hazard pay or a much higher raise than the current two extra dollars they are getting. Senate Democrats have drafted a plan which proposes a $13/hour pay raise until the end of the year with a $25,000 dollar cap. This is a step in the right direction but I’m highly skeptical of how far this bill will actually go.

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At this point in the crisis where the death toll in the United States has surpassed 60,000 I find it ignorant of the Vice President, who is also in charge of leading the ‘coronavirus task force’ to not wear a mask inside a clinic where the virus is being treated. Everyone else in the photos is wearing a mask; doctors, patients and suits, but the Vice President felt it was unnecessary because wanted to speak to health-care personnel and “look them in the eye and say, ‘thank you’.” Thankfully our Vice President did not wear a mask and his eyes remained uncovered for the duration of his visit. A true American and a role-model to all.

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Walt Handelsman drew this cartoon for The Advocate mocking the preachers that have recently been on the news. I found it funny since these people have continued putting hundreds of others (who are just as stupid as they are) at risk in ‘God’s name’ as they continued to hold services. There have been at least two incidents that I’ve seen on the news where preachers have been arrested for encouraging large gatherings.

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Latinos made up 64.9 percent of the Covid-19 deaths among patients age 18 to 49, and 43.5 percent of that overall population. In the same age group, 15.3 percent of the people who died were black, while making up only 6.3 percent of the overall population. These disparities are due to systemic issues and the large presence of these groups among essential workers. This coupled with the fact that these populations sometimes lack knowledge and access to good healthcare, has left thousands behind. Many Californian Latinos and Blacks already live in precarious financial situations, so they must keep working to provide for their families, however they are becoming infected and dying in the process. Governments and businesses are setting up measures to protect these workers but not enough is being done and there seems to be no sense of urgency either. 

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Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, shuttered nonessential businesses and schools while  imposing a strict month-long lockdown. She closed her country’s borders as well and essentially froze New Zealand’s economy. Ms. Ardern was criticized for putting the country into a “nanny state”. Now her country is reopening its economy, not its social life she says. after ‘crushing’ COVID 19, with only two new cases being reported as of Friday. She currently holds an 80% approval rating. Although New Zealand is a much smaller country than the United States, with a smaller population density and just under five million citizens,the work that its people have put in seems to be paying off.

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2019 was a huge year for mass demonstrations, with people from Italy, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Colombia, and many other countries taking to the streets to protest climate injustices and government incompetency. Many people living in the Middle East also took to the streets, Iraq’s October revolution and Iran’s fuel protests being some of the most prominent. The coronavirus has done what none of these countries’ governments could: keep people in their houses, but these movements are not dead: messages flow back in forth on WhatsApp group chats, planning for the future. The people who have taken part in these protests, especially the youth, remain angry, and as economies come to terms with low oil prices and broken systems, whether or not the Middle East will implode remains to be seen.

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This article was very interesting to me because I have been thinking about many different things during this quarantine. When I talk to my friends and family, many of them have also been reflecting on their current situation and what they will do when everything goes back to normal. Something as simple as picking up a new hobby during quarantine could prove to be beneficial for our mental health in the future. Reflecting on what is most important to us in these times can give us a different outlook in life, and reminds us not to take things for granted, such as our friends, family, and freedoms. 

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The US government has struggled to procure enough testing kits during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, since they faced issues with supplying respirators and safety equipment to protect both patients and medical workers. So this responsibility has fallen on state governors instead. Yumi Hogan, first lady of Maryland, securing half a million coronavirus test kits for her state was huge, especially at that point in time, and I feel like this story did not get the amount of coverage that it deserved. Maryland’s first lady worked along with her husband for 22 days of negotiations with the Korean government until they were able to strike a deal. Maryland will also continue to purchase testing kits from South Korea and both Hogans will continue to work closely with Korea’s government, which I believe is a very smart move as they seem to be one of the countries who have dealt the best with COVID 19.

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As the world grappled with the coronavirus pandemic, inmates were momentarily forgotten. Now that testing is being done and many are returning positive, prisons have begun fighting the fight as well. I’ve seen a lot of articles on prisoners being granted home arrest, parole, and even early releases due to the pandemic. While the long term effects of this are yet to be seen, the short term effects have become evident in homes where inmates are returning home to elderly parents or family members with preexisting conditions,putting them in potential danger and possibly spreading the virus.

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Although many medical experts have agreed on the fact that we will be seeing a second wave of COVID 19 cases in the fall and winter, it is also common sense that the measures that we enforce now will either mitigate or exacerbate its effects. I have always thought that there is no right answer on how to make things ‘go back to normal’, since governments have to be very slow and cautious until there is a vaccine. There will be no one ‘moment’ where governments will say we can resume our regular lives, instead we will watch the world open back up slowly as measures are put in place to ensure our safety.

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Since everything currently on the news seems to be coronavirus related, it is interesting to see this situation come out of a country as isolated as North Korea. There economy has been hit extremely hard and it is hard to imagine how its citizens are fairing, given the rumors of the awful conditions that North Koreans live in. A spotlight has been placed on Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s younger sister, who has been deemed by many as a potential successor in the Kim regime. There is no talk of civil unrest (so far) but watching this play out could be very interesting for the future of North Korea and its people.

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The isolated people and deserted locales of Edward Hopper’s works have seemingly come to life. I really enjoyed these pieces and it is also interesting to think about how we may have looked at them prior to the current situation.