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elwingflight · 5 years ago

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Coronavirus: Information & Guidelines

What you can do now, and what to prepare for

There seems to be a lack of what-to-do suggestions on tumblr beyond handwashing, so I thought I’d put something together. I’ve never actually encouraged people to reblog something of mine before, but this might be the time. To be clear: I am not personally a public health expert of any kind. Both my parents are (epidemiology/global health degrees, worked for CDC) and I’ve run this by them. My information is coming from disease researchers on twitter and official public health guidelines online. Sources at the end of the post. This is mostly directed at people in countries where COVID-19 has been reported (I’m in the U.S.), but is not *yet* widespread in the community. Written Mar. 1st 2020, last updated 3/9 (shorter, helpful twitter thread here, helpful NPR article here)

General Info

Firstly, a lot of politicians are *still* trying to sugarcoat things, but it should be clear by now that the new coronavirus is spreading widely and will continue to do so. Because of the incubation period, and in the U.S. at least the delay in testing, the number of cases is almost certainly going to increase rapidly in the near future no matter what we do now. Official government sources are helpful, but its also good to look at what experts on viral epidemics who aren’t directly government-affiliated are saying. Their agenda is purely informing the public in the most constructive way possible, without politics getting in the way.

Two key points- COVID-19 can have a long incubation period (the time from when you catch the virus to when you start showing symptoms) and most people don’t get severe symptoms. Some are entirely asymptomatic, but most people get typical flu-like symptoms. Specifically, the early symptoms to watch out for are a fever and dry cough (meaning, a stuffy nose is probably just a regular cold). Its possible but unlikely to transmit the virus while asymptomatic, most transmission happens when you have heavier symptoms.

The most vulnerable people are the elderly (~ over 60) and those with preexisting health conditions (i.e. cardiovascular disease, respiratory condition, diabetes), or a simultaneous infection with something else (NOT kids in particular!) So far the mortality rate has been about 1-2% (compared to 0.1% for the general winter flu - yes, this really is worse). However, that might be an overestimate, both because people with mild cases aren’t getting tested (the denominator should be bigger), and because the early situation in Wuhan, where a lot of our numbers come from, was especially bad in regards to availability of healthcare.

This is an emotional, difficult situation. Don’t panic. The world didn’t end in 1918, and its not going to end now. But it is very serious, and we need to be thinking about it rationally, not pretending everything is just going to be okay, or uselessly pointing blame. Take care of your mental health, and check in with each other. Epidemics test our generosity and selflessness. Those qualities are needed right now, but don’t neglect yourself either.

What You Can Do Now

There is stuff everyone can do both to prevent yourself from getting infected, and to prepare if you do. ***The big picture to keep in mind is that the biggest risk of epidemics is that they overwhelm our system, especially our healthcare system. What I mean by this is that our society is built to deal with a certain volume of things happening at once- people buying groceries, getting sick, etc. If we suddenly all rush to do something, we overburden these systems and they won’t be there for the people who need them most. Therefore our goal is to slow down the spread of disease, buying time and lowering the overall burden on these systems. This is called “flattening the curve”. It looks like this, and I cannot stress how important this is.***

A very helpful thread on preparedness

Staying Healthy

Like similar viruses (think colds and flu), COVID-19 is mostly transmitted from person to person, usually by close contact but sometimes from an infected surface. More here.

Wash your hands. Everyone has heard this one- 20 seconds, soap all over your hands, wash the soap off. If you can’t wash your hands use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol). But handwashing is absolutely better. Also- cough into your elbow/shoulder, not your hand, and avoid shaking hands- try elbow bumps or maybe a polite nod instead! If you’re handwashing so much that you’re hands are threatening to crack and bleed though, consider washing more strategically or using hand sanitizer instead.

In combination with hand-washing- stop touching your face, especially while out! This takes practice, everyone does it all the time without thinking. A good practice is to avoid touching your face while out, then wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you get home.

Similarly, avoid touching surfaces as much as possible! Particularly bad are door handles, elevator buttons, that kind of thing. The virus can probably (based on studies of related viruses) last a while on these. Regular gloves can help a bit. Use a tissue then throw it away, use your elbow, etc.

Do Not buy face masks! There’s mixed evidence on whether they’re at all helpful when used by the general public to prevent catching a virus, but actual medical professionals who need them are facing shortages (that’s probably part of why so many healthcare workers got sick in Wuhan), so our buying them up is really bad. The only times you should be wearing them is if you yourself are sick (they do help then!) or if you’re looking after a sick person. Seek instruction in that case in how to use them properly. (Thread on why buying those fancy masks is not good).

If COVID-19 is in your community, try to stay 6 feet from people, which basically means going places as little as possible. See below.

Planning Ahead

Its also a good idea to prepare in case you need to self-quarantine. Self-quarantine is necessary if you’ve potentially been exposed to COVID-19, or if you’re sick but not enough to need to go to the hospital. Follow local guidelines- if there’s lots of transmission in your area, nonessential workers will probably be advised to stay home as much as possible.

If you’re able, get medication now. Don’t go crazy and buy out the drug store, just a reasonable amount. Try to get at least a month’s worth of any prescription medications. This can be hard at least in the U.S. - your doctor may well be able to prescribe more, but insurance companies and drug stores can be terrible. I’ve found trying a different drugstore can sometimes help. Try your best. They may also be reluctant to prescribe more to avoid causing shortages. Idk what the right answer is here.

Don’t go crazy and buy out the store, but start getting a little extra shelf-stable or frozen food. Even some root vegetables that will last a few weeks. You want enough for 2 weeks in case of self-quarantine, but you do NOT want to empty out stores. Panic buying is definitely a stress on the system. Just add a few extra things each time you shop. Don’t forget about pets. You can always eat the food and replenish it over time.

Make a plan with your family/community. If someone gets sick or needs to self-quarantine, is there a corner of the house they can stay in? Who can take care of them? etc. I haven’t focused on plans for schools/religious communities/workplaces etc but those are very important too! This is one place where keeping an eye on local and national news is important. In the U.S., for example, school systems are planning ways to make food available to kids if they’re not going to school.

If COVID-19 is starting to spread in your community, think about how else you can be a good community member. Cancelling nonessential doctor’s appointments, surgeries etc may be very important, for example. If schools are closed, can you help out neighbors with childcare? Do you have a cleaner who may need to be payed in advance if there’s a quarantine?

If You Might Be Sick/Need to Quarantine

See likely symptoms above. Remember, normal colds still exist, and if you go to the doctor for every one of those you will overwhelm the system.

Don’t just go to a hospital! Call ahead to your doctor/clinic/hospital and get instructions on what to do. Getting healthcare workers sick is something we really want to avoid. That said, DO get tested as soon as possible, and act as if you are contagious. The health coverage situation is the U.S. is not yet clear (and ofc its not something the current admin is eager to clarify). Hopefully testing will be covered financially by the government, but I can’t promise that at this time.

In the meantime, stay home and quarantined if you show any symptoms of illness if you possibly, possibly can. This is especially difficult in the U.S. if you don’t have sick leave/childcare, but please. Do your utmost.

Look after yourself. Skype/google hangouts/etc is great for keeping connected. Have some chocolate/chicken broth/other sick foods ready.

The Big Picture

Coronavirus/COVID-19 has not been declared a pandemic yet, but it probably will be before long. This is almost certainly going to get worse before it gets better. We don’t yet know if warmer weather will slow its spread, and a vaccine will probably take about 1-1.5 years to be developed and tested. As I mentioned before, the best thing we can do to keep the world working, minimize mortality, etc is to slow the spread as much as we can, and minimize the strain on the system. Hospitals are going to be overwhelmed. There aren’t infinite unoccupied beds or ventilators, or people to operate them, and supply chains could get disrupted. Thinking about these things is scary, and it will take time to adjust to what’s happening. Start that process now, and help everyone you know reach the point where they’re able to act, not panic. Another reassuring thing- if we slow the spread of COVID-19, in addition to fewer total people getting sick, you will soon have people who are recovered and almost certainly immune. These people will be invaluable as helpers in their communities.

Now that the practical stuff is out of the way, I want to say from a U.S. perspective that yes, our lack of social welfare other countries take for granted is going to hurt us. Lack of access to childcare, no guaranteed paid sick leave, and of course expensive healthcare are massive problems that will make it much harder to limit disease transmission. Help each other in any way you can, and vote for candidates that support implementing these policies! And of course, watch out for propaganda of all kinds, whether its using the virus as an excuse for racism, calls to delay elections, etc. So far my biggest concern is a lack of willingness to admit how serious this is, but we can do this. Lets put extra pressure on politicians to be honest and change policies to actually help people. But, yes, lets also stay united. We need each other now (just, you know, 6 feet apart).

A few sources

In general, the Guardian is a great, free, reliable source of news. In the U.S., NPR (website as well as radio) is another great source. The Washington Post and Seattle Times have made their coronavirus-related coverage open access, not sure about other national newspapers.

twitter thread from World Health Organization (WHO)

U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 homepage (not being updated in some ways it should be, like total # of tests)

A reality check from some non-Governmental experts (basically, what governments don’t want to say yet, which is that this virus is going to spread, and the goal now is to infect as few people as possible, as slowly as possible. Read this.)

Why you should act now, not when things get bad in your area (we’re always operating on outdated information)

If you want the latest technical info, The Lancet (major medical journal group) has all of their content compiled here, open access.

I can do my best to answer questions (i.e. ask my dad) but those or other reliable, readily find-able sources should have you pretty well covered. Do let me know if anything on here is wrong or needs to be updated! Stay safe, stay positive, we can do this.

#coronavirus #covid19 #covid-19 #healthcare #actually important shit

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clatterbane · 4 years ago

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Just got back from a PT session, where we went out the main entrance (honestly kind of nerve-wracking, with all the people in the lobby too close together and too often with masks pulled down under their noses).

The PT people didn't want to spend much time outside coming up on noon, because heatwave. I didn't think it was that hot, but hey.

But, I got in a pretty good workout mostly in the shade (away from people!), dealing with uneven/slightly slanting pavement, gentle slopes, and some easy curb cuts. Continuing on the "no pushing too hard" department, they were suggesting again a few times that I might want to take a rest break before I thought/said I was ready.

Loads of work to go, but I keep reminding myself that progress is progress. And judging by other new challenges so far, if I keep plugging on it should actually get a lot easier before I realize it.

I was thinking about that when PT came to get me, when I was having a short stretch out on the bed after finally getting some pain relief.

In just a couple of weeks (or less) I've gone from having extreme difficulty sitting up on the edge of the bed with help, and their watching me carefully because of the low blood pressure to make sure I didn't fall over. To that weird "faceplant into a chair arm" incident one of the first times I tried to use the banana board to transfer with help, plus feeling for a while like I might overbalance and "normal"-fall over forward every time I transferred (with help).

Today when PT came back after my little break, I had moved myself between the bed and chair both times and it felt like no big deal. While keeping track of and moving around the board, wheelchair parts, the damned catheter bag, my table, various belongings, etc. without needing help. I can pick things up out of the floor--which has seemed to startle some staff!--unless it goes somewhere totally inaccessible. And actually throw my own trash away and wash my hands at the room handwash sink!

And so on. Quite a change with just like 2 weeks' recovery and work.

Partly because I am such a stubborn asshole, in general I have gotten a lot stronger and more able to do things for myself. My wheelchair skills and strength/stamina have been improving with practice, and there is no reason this should not continue to be the case.

As slow as the progress does sometimes seem day to day, then I am also impressed at how much has been accomplished like when I thought about it earlier.

#hospital fun #physical therapy #physiotherapy #pt #progress #wheelchair #manual wheelchair #new wheelchair user #coronavirus #face masks

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thechasefiles · 5 years ago

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 30/4/2020

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily news cap Thursday 30TH April, 2020. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

SCHOOL TERM STARTS ON MONDAY - The Trinity school term will commence on Monday, May 4, 2020. Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw made the announcement earlier today and also indicated her Ministry would be rolling out its electronic learning suite. In an address to the public tonight, Prime Minister Mia Mottley made it clear to parents and guardians that the school plants would remain closed. “For the avoidance of doubt, no child will be going physically to the school plant for classes,” she explained. Instead, the Ministry of Education will be using its remote learning platform G- Suite for Education. The Prime Minister acknowledged not every child had access to an electronic device or even internet access, so the G-Suite Tech-drive project will provide “much needed assistance to several students who require devices”. “This is not a perfect situation,” she said. “However, I am pleased that this initiative has already garnered significant support from the private sector as well as individuals and over the course of the next week we will see the distribution of devices to those students in greatest need across the education system.” Some schools have already been testing the platform and the Ministry says most of the teachers have been trained. (DN)

MORE PUBLIC SECTOR OFFICES REOPENING IN PHASE 2 – The public sector will reopen on a phased basis from May 4, 2020 to continue to provide support to both private and public initiatives as Barbados moves to Phase 2 of the recovery plan in a new COVID-19 environment. And Prime Minister Mia Mottley cautioned there will be a period of adjustment, but the system will also be reviewed in about two weeks. During a national address on Wednesday night, the Prime Minister said this reopening was on the best advice of the public health officials, but it would be some time before a new normal is established and that hinges on the development of a vaccine. In the meantime, those Government offices which have been functioning over the 24-hour curfew like the General Post Office, National Insurance Department and Customs and Immigration Departments will continue to do so, while others which “provide functions deemed critical at this time”, will commence operations with regular staff complements to provide full services. The Prime Minister said some staff will work in the office and others will continue to work remotely. “I consider it important to get the seeds of economic activity growing again, and departments such as those responsible for projects in the Ministry of Transport Works and Maintenance and the Lands Surveys Department in the Ministry of Housing and Rural Development are supportive of the kinds of targeted construction activities we need at this time,” she said. Those which will operate with partial staff include the Town and Country Planning Department and the Urban Development Commission; Units in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment including the Public Investment Unit; and the Rural Development Commission in the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural Development. “I need to stress that when these new measures come on stream, in all instances across all arms of government, the requirement of physical distancing must be observed. Only those engagements which do not put the public nor the officers in danger will be allowed,” Mottley said. Additionally, personal protective equipment must be provided to staff, some adjustments will have to be made to physical spacing and masks are to be worn. Those who can work from home must continue to do so and a system of flexi-time and staff rotation will be implemented. This system will be overseen by the permanent secretaries in the various ministries and Mottley told those public servants who are uncertain of their statues to check with the relevant heads in their departments. She said a hotline would be set up to provide answers for persons whose businesses may be impacted. (DN)

MORE SERVICES IN NEXT PHASE –Barbadians will again be able to go to the beach, and purchase alcohol, but under strict conditions. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley tonight said she recognised that some people needed the soothing effect of a seabath, along with execise, but cautioned that the period for gping to the beach must be adhered to. "We will begin in Phase 2 by opening them from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. every morning and we will monitor closely to see if we can safely widen this window," she said. Purchasing of alcohol will be allowed, but public consumption is banned. Additionally, Mottley listed businesses that will be open under Phase 2 on May 4, 2020. These businesses are as follows: Everything that was allowed to function in Phase 1. Mottley emphasised: "For the absence of doubt, everything that can be carried out fully at home, online, construction and mining." Landscaping services, Food and beverages manufacturing and retailing, Supermarkets, Finance and insurance, Legal, accounting and other professional services to support businesses Tradesmen (like joiners and upholsterers and welding workshops), Automotive stores and workshops, Landscaping, garden and pool operations, Electronic stores, other than for mobile ICT, Retailers of baby products, Building supplies, Beauty supply stores, Health and medicine services, Office equipment and supplies, Pet services and supplies, Safety equipment, Security products and services, Marine products distributors, Education suppliers, Dry cleaning and laundry services, distribution and printing supplies, delivery companies. (DN)

ACTING SAFELY, PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley spoke to the country for close to two hours tonight and outlined measures for a phased easing of the lockdown imposed to limit spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Among measures were what she called “protocols for safe people doing safe things and vulnerable people at home and protected”. Vulnerable people were defined as:

• Anyone who has a high temperature or a new, persistent cough

• A vulnerable person (by their age, underlying health condition, clinical condition or are pregnant)

• Is living with someone in self-isolation or a vulnerable person. should not come to work.

For public transport, buses will be limited to 60 per cent capacity to provide sufficient space and only one person at a time can sit on a row of chairs. While it is not yet mandatory, she asked that people wear masks, whether disposable or cloth, in public. “I know that some of you already have the disposable masks – surgical and in particular, the N95. Let us agree that as far as possible these should be left for our health care workers and frontline workers. Barbadians will buy and they will make,” she said. Workers were encouraged to travel to work alone using their transport, where possible. Mottley said employers need to consider parking arrangements for additional cars and bicycles, providing hand cleaning facilities at entrances and exits. “All persons entering the worksite are, with their consent, to have their temperature taken before proceeding onto the site. Temperatures on sites should be tested twice daily by a dedicated nurse assigned to carry out this duty for large workplaces like construction sites, supermarkets and manufacturing plants.

OTHER RMEASURES INCLUDE:

• Employers should introduce staggered start and finish times

• All workers must wash or clean their hands before entering or leaving the workplace

• Employers must allow at least six feet or two metres between people waiting to enter the site.

• Employers must regularly clean common contact surfaces.

HAND WASHING

• Employers must provide additional handwashing facilities to the usual welfare facilities on larger sites or significant numbers of personnel on-site.

• Employers must ensure soap and fresh water is readily available and kept topped up at all times.

• The workforce should be required to stay on-site once they have entered it and not use local shops.They should be asked to bring pre-prepared meals and refillable drinking bottles from home.

• Break times should be staggered to reduce congestion and contact at all times.

Workers should sit two metres apart from each other while eating and avoid all contact. Payments should be taken by contactless methods wherever possible.

AVOIDING CLOSE WORKING

• Non-essential physical work that requires close contact between workers should not be carried out.

• Work requiring human contact should not be carried out

• All workers should wear the disposable face mask issued once made available.

• Employers should increase ventilation in enclosed spaces, regularly clean the inside of work vehicles and between use by different operators.

• Only necessary meeting participants should attend in-door meetings.

• Rubbish collection and storage points should be increased and emptied regularly throughout and at the end of each day.

• Beyond these protocols, we must phase our approach to limit bunching and congestion and potential sources of risk.(DN)

HOME HELPERS NO THREAT TO PUBLIC SAYS ACTING CMO – All 236 members of staff of the National Assistance Board (NAB) have been tested for COVID-19, and no additional positive results have been recorded. Consequently, officials of the Ministry of Health and Wellness have advised Barbadians, particularly elderly and incapacitated persons who depend on personnel from the Home Help Service for assistance, that they have nothing to fear while interacting with these workers. Additionally, the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs has reiterated that while the headquarters of the NAB is closed in accordance with the advice of health officials, its Home Help Programme remains fully functional. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George explained that personnel from the Ministry of Health had been engaged in rigorous contact tracing since the first case was discovered and they were now satisfied there was no additional threat to the public. He explained that after the completed course of testing, there remained five positive cases among office staff of the NAB headquarters, which had been traced to one member who had come into contact with a family member with a travel history. The one non-office staffer who tested positive, a home helper, investigations showed, came into contact with one of the members of the office staff. As a result of intensive investigations of this home helper’s case, including testing of the individual and family members, George explained that there was no need for any fear among clients of the service. “The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ position is that our elderly and vulnerable face no threat of COVID-19 by interacting with home helpers or the other members of staff who provide at-home services. “Of course, the public can be assured that if there is a change in circumstances, we will be frank and honest with them,” George said. (DN)

100 BAJANS FOR FARM JOBS – With thousands jobless as the economy reels from the global pandemic, scores of Barbadians are to leave the island soon to head to Canada for jobs in farming, Minister of Labour Colin Jordan has revealed. Barbados is set to participate in the Seasonal Agriculture Workers’ Programme despite delays due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He told Barbados TODAY that within days a contingent of over 100 workers are to head to Canada once flights arrangements have been finalized. But Jordan said: “How and when those flights are arranged is not really up to us, that is up to the Canadian government working with the farmers’ organization to organize those flights so that they can come into Barbados, take the Barbadian workers and go back. “So the situation is very fluid but it is being worked on and I believe that within days, no more than a week or two, the first set of Barbadian workers will be going off to Canada. “We are right now assessing our workers. We have said to them this is the situation. We have indicated to them what the issues could possibly be. But I have to say to you that Barbadian workers want to work. “The workers understand the situation and they have made decisions, and almost all have said yes we want to go. So we are fully part of the programme and some of our workers are soon going to be leaving to go to Canada to earn some money to support themselves and their families.” Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Barbados and the rest of the world, the Labour Minister said he was concerned that the programme would have to be cancelled this year. But in talks with Canadian authorities, Government has been assured that the workers will be going into a safe environment, he said. Jordan told Barbados TODAY: “Under normal circumstances, persons would have gone to Canada during the month of March, not all, but some. But we would have had flight disruptions and there also was the situation where protocols had to be put in place by the Canadian government and the Canadian farmers’ organizations to ensure that workers were safe in the work environment. “We have been working very closely with the Canadian government and through our consulate in Toronto as well as our High Commission in Ottawa to make sure that all the protocols that would keep Barbadian workers safe are in place. We are satisfied that those protocols are in place. From actually visiting the farms we recognize that in many cases there is always natural distance as workers work.” The Minister also indicated that the management of some of the Canadian farms have requested that the workers be brought in earlier than usual owing to delays in readying crops for harvest. He said that it was important Barbados played its part in supporting the programme at this time since some of the island’s food is imported from Canada. Jordan declared: “At the end of the day, the world still needs to eat and some of the supplies chains that I am talking about that are being disrupted are also in Canada. “So [Barbadians] have a vested interest in making sure that agriculture around the world does not fail because all of us have to eat.” (BT)

LOW WATER LEVELS STOP BWA FROM PUMPING AT BOWMANSTON & THE MOUNT - Residents and businesses in St John, St Peter, and St George are likely to experience water outages, the Barbados Water Authority has advised. In a statement, the BWA said it has to stop pumping from two of its facilities due to low water levels – Bowmanston in St. John and the Mount in St. Peter. The Authority explained: “The situation is a direct result of the continued dry spell the island is experiencing and at present appears to be a daily occurrence, as the aquifer is not being replenished fast enough for pumping to be continuous” Affected areas are as follows:

St. John: Cheshire, Eastmont, Small Hope, Moores Land, Carters, Gall Hill, Clifton Hall, Church View, Newcastle, Martins Bay, Zores Land, Pothouse, Glebe, Colleton, Colleton Gardens, Cliff Cottage, Coach Hill, Haynes Hill, Bath Land, Welch Village, Sargeant Street, Society, Massiah Street, Rose Gate, Guinea Land, Stewart Hill, Pool Land, Spooner’s, Wakefield Tenantry, Lemon Arbor, Cherry Grove, Four Roads, Sherbourne, Todds Tenantry, Henley, Macaroni Village and surrounding areas.

St George: Ashbury, Golden Ridge Village and surrounding districts.

St Peter: The Mount No. 1 and the Mount No. 2 and surrounding areas. (BWA)

BRA RESUMES PASSWORD SET EMAILS –The Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) has announced that the “Forgot Your Password” emails from TAMIS have resumed. A press release said while BRA has been responding to queries through the available channels and has manually reset passwords, taxpayers are asked to note that the “Forgot Your Password” link on the TAMIS login page is the official method for doing so. The process includes answering security questions before the email with a temporary password is sent. Taxpayers are asked to change the temporary password on successful login to TAMIS. The statement said taxpayers should also note that if a password request submitted via email or social media has not yet been reset that they should use the link available on the TAMIS website to do so. BRA reminded taxpayers that it is not business as usual, and looks forward to continued patience. (BGIS)

PDP CRIES FOUL OVER BILL – The Opposition People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PDP) has joined with the Barbados Bar Association in criticising Government over lack of consultation before bringing the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2020, to Parliament last week. Party spokesperson on law and order, attorney Maria Phillips, accused the Mia Amor Mottley administration of sneaking through the legislation, which would impact the right to trial by jury, while the country was focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. “Why is this being done now, particularly during this time? Why must it be done at this point in time when we are in a public health emergency state? It makes you wonder what other things that Parliament may want to bring and pass as legislation while we are in this state. (BT)

UPDATE: BARBADOS RECORDS 7TH COVID-19 DEATH - A 78-year-old Barbadian woman today became the seventh person who died from COVID-19. The woman, who arrived on the island on March 12 from the United Kingdom, was tested for COVID-19 on March 27 after reporting symptoms. She was diagnosed as positive on the same day and immediately admitted to the Isolation Facility at Enmore, but was later transferred to the primary isolation facility at Harrison Point, St Lucy. The patient, who had diabetes and hypertension, was intubated and remained on a ventilator for 33 days. Her condition fluctuated as she showed improvements periodically until it deteriorated this morning when she succumbed to the viral illness around 7 o’clock. Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kenneth George, expressed sadness on hearing of the death and extended sympathy to the friends and family of the deceased on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados. Meanwhile, no new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Barbados overnight. All 75 tests conducted by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory, two of which were employees of the National Assistance Board, came back negative. This brings the total number of tests to 2005. To date, the island has recorded 80 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 39 persons recovered, while 34 persons remain in isolation. (BGIS)

ST MICHAEL MEN FINED $7,000 EACH FOR BREACHING CURFEW LAW – It has cost two men $7,000 each for their “reckless” disregard of the nation’s curfew law, which requires all persons to remain indoors. The sum is the highest imposed on any person pleading guilty to breaching the Covid-19 directive law put in place by the Government to help stem the spread of the highly contagious and deadly coronavirus. Now, the two men, 43-year-old seaman, Rene Decoursey Jordan and 33-year-old Damien Decourey Walter, both of London Bourne Towers, Bay Street, St Michael have 20 weeks in which to pay the fines if they want to avoid spending six months in prison. Prosecutor, Sergeant Theodore McClean, said on April 26 lawmen received a report that men wearing masks, one armed with a firearm were walking along Wharf Road, St Michael. They responded and on reaching the area they observed one man throwing something into the Careenage. Divers were called in to search the area but McClean said due to the conditions at the time and poor visibility nothing was recovered. The men were questioned on their reasons for being outdoors at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday.Jordan, according to the prosecutor, told police, “I just went to the ATM to give back my friend money I had borrowed,” while Walter said, “I just went outside to assist him to the ATM.” The two were arrested and charged. Today, before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes the men’s attorneys-at-law, Talal Noumeh and Faye Finisterre, made submissions for their clients to be shown leniency. Noumeh said contrary to what the prosecutor had read in the facts his instructions were that Walter’s was having an “asthmatic fit . . . and so he went for a walk. He went for a walk with the other fella to calm himself down.” The attorney told the court that he was not denying the seriousness of the charge but asked that the distance between his client’s residence and where he was found be taken into consideration. “It not like he was from St George. He is not known and has been in police custody since Sunday. I ask the court to look upon him mercifully.” However, the magistrate said while he was aware that lawyers took instructions, Walter’s condition was one that put him in the “at risk” group. Finisterre, meantime said, she was “surprised” by the facts, given that the charge against her client, Jordan, “speaks nothing” of such an offence.

She explained that Jordan had a reasonable excuse as he was a port worker and was expecting to be called in to work the following day. As such she said he went to the ATM to get money for his elderly mother with whom he lives, as the following day was their day to do business and shopping. “He wanted to ensure that his elderly mother had the funds.” The defence attorney also pointed to the facts outlined which suggested that the men were wearing masks at the time. “Everybody wears a mask, it is a socially responsible. We can’t vilify certain people for wearing masks,” she argued as she urged the court not to impose a custodial sentence on her client. But the chief magistrate questioned the time the men went to the ATM. “What I am hearing is absurd, at a quarter to 10 going to the ATM is madness. They are reckless. The two of them are reckless,” Weekes stressed. He added: “He (Walter) is an asthmatic and walked from London Bourne Towers to the Careenage . . . reckless. “They are not going to jail today but they are reckless…A fine of $7,000 each. “This is to send a message to all of those liming in the district. No more moonlighting!” (BT)

PRISON TIME FOR CURFEW VIOLATION – Six months in prison was the sentence handed down on a 32-year-old man who was outdoors on Heroes Day during the national curfew without a reasonable explanation. Shane Alexander Drakes, of 1st Avenue Sion Hill Terrace, Sion Hill, St James was arrested around 2:45 p.m. yesterday by police. Lawmen were carrying out operations in a bushy area of Drakes’ community when they saw him approaching an area where cannabis plants were under cultivation. Asked why he was outdoors at the time Drakes, according to prosecutor Sergeant Theodore McClean, told lawmen he was coming to “cut some sticks”. However he had no paraphernalia to support was he was saying. A search was requested and a quantity of cannabis was found on him. “This is a little Bajan weed that a man give me to smoke this morning,” he told police at the time. Before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes today Drakes explained that his younger brother wanted sticks to “complete something” in their backyard. “So he asked me to help so I went to cut some sticks,” he explained while admitting that he was aware that a curfew was in place. Asked by the chief magistrate what were his days for shopping and doing other business Drakes was unsure and listed three days for shopping – Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “My problem with all of this, is that, we have too many ads out there to protect people and wunna out there breaking the law. Too many of wunna walking around like nothing is happening. Wunna don’t understand how serious this Covid thing is,” Chief Magistrate Weekes said before he imposed the sentence on the breach of curfew charge. Drakes was reprimanded and discharged on the drug charge. (BT)

DOUBLE JEOPARDY – Having reportedly received a bit of neighbourhood justice, a 31-year-old will now spend three months in prison for breaking the COVID-19 curfew. With his two arms heavily bandaged and in slings, Mario Rommel Michael Lamar Murrell, of Upper Military Road, Bush Hall, St Michael appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes and pleaded guilty to being outdoors on April 26 about 9 p.m. without a reasonable excuse. The prosecutor said lawmen received a report that a man was along Jubilee Gap, Barbarees Hill knocking on doors of residents begging for money. Several residents approached him but he ran off and was subsequently captured by the residents. When police arrived they found Murrell with injuries about the body. He was taken to the hospital for medical attention. When asked why he was on the road at the time Murrell said: “I am very sorry I was trying to get busfare.”Sergeant Theodore McClean said Murrell has 21 prior convictions the last in January 2019 where he spent 18 months in prison for burglary and loitering. “I is a diabetic and an asthmatic. I rent a room in Upper Military Road and wanted to go to St Philip. I was feeling really, really bad. I stopped by a family friend in Barbarees Hill to get $7 busfare. I was sleeping during the day because I was not feeling good. I did not know what time it was. I was aware a curfew is in place,” Murrell said. However, he said, he did not knock on the doors of any of his neighbours in Upper Military Road because he did not really know them. He also disclosed that it was men who knew him that “come out and beat” him. (BT)

T&T NURSES WANT $1 MILLION COVID-19 DEATH PAYOUT - The T&T Registered Nurses’ Association (TTRNA) is asking the Government to consider a $1 million payout in the event any nurse loses their life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The request comes in the wake of the death of head nurse Merlene Placide at the Caura Hospital last week. While Placide’s death was not COVID-related, the anxiety of the fraternity has once again been heightened after what nurses claimed was the poor response to the North Central Regional Health Authority following her death. Placide volunteered her services for COVID duty and reportedly set up the virus unit at Caura. However, following her death, the NCRHA only sent a fruit basket and a wreath to her family, as per policy with RHA’s. This prompted calls for hazard pay, death benefits and health insurance nurses now on the COVID frontline. In a 10-page letter Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh on Monday (April 27), the TTRNA, which is headed by Idi Stuart, proposed that a $1 million disbursement be paid to the beneficiaries of nurses “in the unfortunate circumstance that he or she dies while on duty or in route to or from duty as a direct result of work.” It said the cost to the Government is to be determined. The TTRNA also asked for tiered Hazard allowance for nurses and midwives working in hazardous situations. It said this will cost Government $9,182, 520 per year. The third request is a proposal for a contributory and mandatory Health Insurance Benefit at $500,000 over a three-year period to be administered through the TTRNA’s existing policy with TATIL. The expected cost per year to the Government, as worked out by the TTRNA, is $12,600. At the COVID-19 news conference yesterday, Deyalsingh said Regional Health Authorities were gearing up to approach the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) to discuss medical coverage for the healthcare providers. He said he discussed the matter with the CEOs of all the RHAs yesterday and was told that all RHAs “have some sort of insurance for healthcare workers; healthcare workers in general, not a particular group.” However, notwithstanding this, he said the RHAs will be seeking to do more for the frontline workers. “I am told they are looking to go to the Chief Personnel Officer to see what other additional coverage can be offered but this has to be done using the process available with the Chief Personnel Officer,” Deyalsingh said. In response to this, Stuart said his association was pleased with the announcement. “However, we continue to be confused with the repeated statements made by officials that nurses already receive some measure of health insurance. For the record, nurses do not receive any form of health insurance or any other benefit from the RHAs,” he said. Stuart said the TTRNA is mindful Deyalsingh also said the Cabinet has already approved significant sums to the COVID response to be used by the RHAs but said he does not envision any problems in accessing more if needed. “Therefore, the association and its members, while thankful, are a bit disappointed that the Government did not see it fit to be proactive and provide these benefits for staff who are directly working with suspected and positive patients, and it took the death of a nurse and the agitation of TTRNA to jolt the ministry into action,” he said. Yesterday, Deyalsingh reminded the country that Cabinet approved $157 million to deal with COVID-19 and that his ministry has got everything it asked for. “So I see no financial challenges moving forward dealing with COVID,” he said. At the briefing, Deyalsingh also said the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) is now operational and four health care workers are currently being housed there, while 12 more are expected next week. He said the facility will be used to quarantine medical professionals after they deal with COVID patients. On Monday, police officers received word that they will now be covered by COVID-19 insurance with an agreement between the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Guardian Group. Those covered under the specialised Guardian Life plan will be entitled to $10,000 if they contract the virus. Should they die as a result of COVID-19, their dependants will receive an additional $25,000. The coverage period is 12 months but will be subject to review depending on how the COVID-19 issue develops. (Guardian)

DROPPING GAYLE WAS JUST BUSINESS - The Jamaica Tallawahs Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise today insisted that the decision to drop Chris Gayle ahead of the 2020 season was just “business and cricketing reasoning”, contrary to what the T20 specialist has alleged. Responding to a series of YouTube videos in which the Jamaican accused assistant coach Ramnaresh Sarwan of having a big part to play in the Tallawahs releasing him from the squad, the franchise said it was disappointed by Gayle’s comments. It insisted that Sarwan did not play a role in the decision to part ways with the 40-year-old batting star. “Mr Gayle gave several reasons for the decision that was made not to retain him in the Tallawahs. However, the truth is that this decision was made collectively by the ownership and management team, which did not include Mr Ramnaresh Sarwan, and based purely on business and cricketing reasoning,” it said in a statement. “The Tallawahs had a very disappointing season in CPL 2019, where the team finished last in the tournament. The ownership and management team has exercised its rights in the selection of players for CPL 2020 for the betterment of the team.” Gayle, 40, played his first four seasons of the T20 tournament with Tallawahs, which he led to the title in 2013 and 2016, before turning out for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He returned to his home franchise last year. Last week, the St. Lucia Zouks announced he was joining the squad for the 2020 CPL. In a scathing attack on Sarwan, Gayle claimed to have been victimized by his former West Indies teammate because he had not previously supported his bid to be head coach of the Tallawahs’ squad. The world’s leading T20 run scorer also charged that management of the franchise was “playing games” with him before his departure. He claimed that the Tallawahs’ CEO Jeff Miller asked him three times to take a pay cut because the franchise was struggling financially. According to Gayle, he agreed to two reductions, even though a three-year contract he had signed with the team in 2019 stated that his pay would be increased each year. However, the self-styled ‘Universe Boss’ said he refused a third cut when the request was made on the CPL’s March 31 retention submission deadline, and Miller said he would get back to him but never did. Gayle said he subsequently found out from people at the CPL that his name was not on the list. “The ownership and management of the Jamaica Tallawahs was disappointed to see the comments made by Mr Christopher Gayle about his departure from the Tallawahs, as we would much rather have had these discussions in private,” the franchise said in its statement today. The Kris Persaud-owned franchise also denied Gayle’s claims that his exclusion from the Tallawahs this year was political. “The ownership and management of the Tallawahs have no political affiliation with any political organization in any country of the Caribbean,” it said, adding that it would make no further comment on the matter as it was “focusing on building the team for the future”. The eighth edition of the CPL is scheduled to run from August 19 to September 26, but organisers are keeping an eye on the COVID-19 pandemic and liaising with medical advisors and governments to determine if play will go ahead. CEO Pete Russell has said that novel social distancing measures could be implemented to ensure the tournament comes off as planned, including playing without international players and using only a few stadiums as venues to mitigate against widespread contact. (CMC)

The world is facing the rapid spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. As we continue to do our part in Barbados please remember to stay home but on the days you have to go out wear your masks, practice social distancing (stand 6-10 feet away from each other), practice good daily hygiene, eat healthy, exercise and keep your mind active. There are 246 days left in the year Shalom! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps #bajannewscaps #newsinanutshell #coronavirusinbarbados #nationalresponse #dailynews #thechasefilesblog

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umassdonahueinstitute · 5 years ago

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Worldwide check-ins from Civic Initiative alumni during the COVID-19 epidemic (part 1)

Mike Hannahan, director of the UMass Civic Initiative, asked alumni last week about how the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting them and what they were doing to take care of themselves during this unprecedented time across the world. Here are there responses, categorized by country.

The responses are to two questions: How has the coronavirus changed your life? How are you taking care of yourself?

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Italy

Locked at home under "house arrest" on my own. No contagion, at least no symptoms. Family split, I am in Lombardy, the most dangerous place in the world, sister in Lisbon, parents in Taranto. E-teaching is a nightmare, always working in front of the computer.

Going out every 2/3 weeks to buy food, wearing gloves. No face mask, I can't find them anywhere, putting a scarf on my nose and mouth, like a far West outlaw man.

Argentina

Today we are in a complete quarantine, we cannot go out, unless we go to the market or the pharmacy. We have to be in our homes, not going to work or we could go to prison. It's complicated but it's a sacrifice for a good cause.

We cannot complain if we are at home with food and internet. It's hard but not impossible, it could be worst. We don't have to forget that is the only way we could help to stop the virus. Just stay at home. We are not being asked to go to war, to risk our lives, we are being asked just to stay with our family. Call your friends if you miss them, call your boyfriend, but do not minimize what you could cause if you go out of your house.

Turkey

Materially not much, I and my family are in good health, but mentally I am devastated by this development. As a professor of international relations, I observe very extraordinary/unusual developments and cases in my country and the world at large. I ask and wonder about many consequences of this coronavirus problem, which I call it as humanity's ontological war against the virus and the nature in general. In this respect we in Turkey also have extraordinary measures and policies: schools and universities are closed; distance learning started first time; travel, meeting, entertainment, even shops and many other places are restricted or closed. In short, our life is getting miserable and scary like in the "American horror films"!

The first and the most important thing is that I and my family isolated ourselves from society and even our larger family connections, locked into home except for shopping. But, thanks to classical and social media such as Twitter, we are strongly engaged with the external world, learning things about and sharing my views with the world. Consequently, we are living in a strange world in many ways: coronavirus threatens us, but we struggle against, definitely defeat it.

Hungary

I am distancing... It is a state of emergency from March 12th in Hungary. The borders are closed for foreigners. More and more of the clothing, furniture and similar stores are closing, except for pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations and tobacco shops. People can still go to work (if they are not in home office). My university switched to remote learning. However, we don't have clear rules for distance learning. So, I basically preparing informative slides with helping docs and video lectures in Camtasia (6-10 minutes each).

I was like a person in the joke: on the first day, I found a woman on my couch. (It turned out that she's my wife. She is nice.) More seriously, I am working from home. Luckily my wife, too. Our kid's kindergarten is closed since Monday (16th). So we are together. Since it is not mandatory yet to be in our homes, I try to take a walk every day. If I see somebody then I go to the other side of the street. We are cooking every day and in general, we try to have a daily schedule. The life is pretty much the same as it was in Yugoslavia/Serbia during the NATO bombing in 1999. A daily schedule could help a lot to get back in normal when this 'shutdown' is over.

Pakistan

You may know, I am Resident of Internal Medicine leading to specialty now at HMC Peshawar, one of the prime teaching hospital, at the capital city of our province Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. I am actively involved in the health policy and advocacy for doctors’ rights as well. Currently, I represent the Provincial Doctors Association Khyber Pukhtunkhwa as official spokesperson and Member Executive council.

I am part of Corona (COVID-19) Combat Team of my hospital and Provincial policy board. The aim of both of the above is to contain the disease and treat the already affected ones. I was very instrumental in the process of devising a policy and now to accomplish what has been planned to combat this highly infective and deadly virus. In short, I am among the few to face and fight this pandemic in the front lines.

How am I taking care of myself? The answer to the above question is simple, our government doesn't have many resources. The PPE's (Personal Protection Equipment) are missing. There are a very limited number of masks, goggles and protective gowns available. Most doctors are working without any protection. One of our doctors just died today at Gilgit, Dr. Osama. Our President of Association is isolated in quarantine as he dealt a patient suspected case of the virus with a positive travel history of China which later on come out to be a positive case after PCR testing. Many doctors are exposed due to the non-availability of PPEs. Yesterday, I did a press conference and demanded the Provincial government to provide PPEs to all the health staff working in the ERs and OPD clinics.

Australia

I'm currently living in Sydney, Australia. One month ago I started to work as a Program Coordinator at Generation Australia, a non-for- profit that trains unemployed people to get jobs. Since last week all trainings were switched to on-line learning. So I work from home and all the students study from home. Apart from that, Australia has closed its borders for all people who are not Australians. So if I go out even to see my family back in Argentia, I won't be able to get in again anytime soon. That would mean losing my job.

I wash my hands very frequently and try to avoid crowded places and taking public transport.

Pakistan

The coronavirus is turning out to be surprising us with a new challenge every day. The government is saying numbers increasing day by day. For a person who has to work to earn, the uncertainty and now the lockdown is making her/him thinking how s/he will be managing things for the future. The lockdown is said to be for 10 to 14 days, but experts are suggesting that it can be prolonged to months and even for a year. The biggest challenge we are facing is uncertainty, no one knows what to expect and what to plan for the coming days which surely can be predicted as very challenging.

I personally am looking into and following the guidelines shared by the WHO, which starts from regular handwashing, not touching face and avoiding public places as much as possible. I am looking forward to social distancing, self-isolating myself and with my family until the situation becomes normal again.

India

I as teacher and responsible citizen was always telling in classrooms and talks outside for years maintain personal hygiene...keep ur surroundings clean...wash hands whenever u have to eat anything...but most of the people in India doesn’t bother unless some epidemic breaks out. After that, its life as usual...spitting, urinating, keeping surroundings unclean are common sights on the roads here... No government can do anything if people in that society doesn’t have self-health discipline. I as warden and vice-principal saw that 1000 students under my control are asked to vacate hostels 2 days back and come back on 31st March. Told the students not to join weddings and festival gatherings...warned them not come with some virus when they return to campus later this month

As I am a sportsman too, maintain the utmost health discipline from the beginning. I must thank my parents for this. Alternate days tennis...mask when I go out...wash hands as frequently as possible as water is a scarce resource in our country.

England

I am in London as I moved here 2 years ago but as you know all my family and friends in Turkey hence, it was a very hard decision for me to choice staying here...It has changed my life a lot already. My husband and I are working from home now. We tried to stay at home as much as we can even before the government advice. I am still frustrated with Boris for his very late decision to close schools, bars, pubs ext. I am a face-to-face major gift fundraiser, therefore, now we need to find out new ways how my role can evolve with the current situation.

In terms of taking care of myself, as I said we go out only for a walk or market shopping. Thank God, we are healthy and due to at-home physical activities, having enough sleep and ext. I feel good physically. However, it is challenging to keep sane and calm mentally.

I am terrified to get a coronavirus as NHS is not capable of taking care of any patients and we are expected to get well at home. Also, I am very concerned for my family and friends since the rates in Turkey is also increasing rapidly. At last, having thought of losing them and not being able to see them again is killing me, that's my biggest fear at this moment. Other than that I am fine writing my dissertation, working, cooking, painting at home to keep myself busy.

Iraq

We registered more than 200 cases with 17 deaths and the spread is getting serious in our country, so there was a curfew forced by the government so we are staying home and that was so boring at first. I used to go out like every day and this is a big challenge for me to stay home. We have to adhere to our own benefit and the bright side is we are spending much more time with our families, so it won't be worse than catching the infection.

Some measures I'm taking to protect myself and family is by encouraging them to stay home, using some chemicals to fumigate the house, and when I go out for necessities I use good protection with face mask and gloves and using alcohol frequently.

My final word is to encourage everyone to stay home and enjoy what's in your houses, you will be surprised with the things you can do in your place.

Finland

Finland is in lockdown since 18 March 2020. I am in self-quarantine since 14 March after arriving from a one week trip to Belarus back to Finland that day. I live with my husband in Joensuu, Eastern Finland where epidemics have not hit as yet. However, we are moving to our new flat in Helsinki 30 March which is now a stressful and exiting situations in the present circumstances.

In Finland there is a strong suggestion to stay at home and reduce all social contacts. So, we live quietly and go for walks with our dog twice a day. Shops are open normally and in Finland the globally exceptional emergency supply work supports the trustworthy situation with foodstuff and pharmacies in such time of crisis (we are proud for that!).

My daughters are students and staying in their homes in Helsinki region. High Schools and universities are closed down and all people who can do distance work. So, all kinds of challenges and solutions for distance work and supporting those alone at home without face-to-face contacts are important at the moment.

The present lockdown is issued till 13 April. In Finland first death due to Corona took place yesterday. We have 500 reported Corona cases at the moment. The most serious concern is about those over 70 years old.

Cameroon

Although there is no nationwide lockdown, we are advised to stay at home, and to go out only if it is compulsiry. We had a very busy first semester. I reduce academic activities.

May God make us safe.

Pakistan

Watching the death toll rising around the globe has made me realize, how even at the peak of technology and billions of dollars at our disposal. To fight mother nature head-on is something we cannot do in one day. The virus is spreading exponentially in our country and it is sad that only a few hundred thousand are taking it seriously, while millions are making fun of it. This has made me take on another challenge which is to teach and aware people of the dangers of this virus. As our majority of the population is Muslim, we live our religion, so I am trying to relate the awareness with the Islamic concepts. Hopefully, by teaching through social media will benefit some and creates a chain reaction.

This is a global crisis and must be tackled with everything a human can do.

Be safe everyone, be helpful and empathetic.

Pakistan

Indeed this pandemic is a colossal test for the self and our collective character. Amidst the gloom of rising Covid-19, it’s understandable that every single person on this earth can be affected by it. It has a multidimensional impact at individual, national and international levels. This epidemic has changed my thinking patterns and make me more conscious of the philosophy of life. It is affecting my personal, professional and academic life. Actually, I was busy in the data collection of my postgraduate thesis; but unfortunately, I have to stop it. No doubt, it’s a challenge for “humanity”, the current situation is depressing and alarming but the indomitable human nature can deal with it. At the individual level, I am trying to isolate myself and my family; also, I am following all the authentic instructions by international(WHO) and national agencies(NIH) because, “health is wealth”. As a responsible community we should have to take serious precautions about this natural call. This is the crucial time to reflect back critically on ‘ourselves’ (self-purification) by evaluating the purpose and meaning of life. Hopefully, we will defeat this health war wisely, the required input from every policy stakeholder can act like a safety-chain for the entire human community. However-in proceeding years-it is clearly evident that there will be a neo-social change in transnationalism and the domestic policy arena.

Indonesia

This global pandemic has certainly changed my daily routine. My workplace has been conducted work from home regulation to protect the employer from the events. My works have been much in their field, where I need to work with stakeholders and community, but this situation changed our plan. Though it is hard to still conduct some work with the community since we prevent to do face to face activity, but this moment we gave a try in initiating an online platform. In how we teach people to occupy current technology. There are still many challenges as it might not effectively work with a community who were never exposed or experienced any technology. At this moment, I learn about the technology gap as well.

On the other hand, this global pandemic also got me to learn about such a complex system in dealing with a global pandemic. I learn to see the gap in the socio-economic class dynamics in the ocommunity. Moreover, to see the systematic failure in addressing the issue. It has never been this concerning to see the vulnerable groups (elders, disabled people, women, low-income family, etc.) would be the ones who got the most severe impact of this event. As a civic society, we might be so aware about this issue, but we don’t have much ‘power’ to create such a significant change in dealing with this virus. But, I see the crucial courage to push people in power through advocacy to take such an important action and commitment to make sure that everyone could be treated fairly during this emerging situation.

I am trying to have healthy lifestyle. I consume more vegetables, fruits and a balanced diet. I do regular workouts. Reading and listening to music for my free time. And I am trying to focus on my works too. It is a bit overwhelming to keep reading the news and update, sometimes it has been too complicated and frustrating. In this very uncertain situation, it is good to balance what I need to know and when to stop scrolling Twitter.

Pakistan

I was at my university when I got to know about the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our class finished before its usual time and we were asked to leave our class room quickly. When I came out of the room, we were informed that the university was closed for 15 days because of the coronavirus outbreak that has infected several people across Pakistan. It was very shocking for me because I was living my usual life. I was unaware of the occurrence of such an unexpected deadly virus causing a huge loss to humanity. We were overloaded with assignments, case studies, readings etc. I did not know anything about the pandemic at all or its horrendous effects on other countries. When I googled Covid-19, I felt so dreadful looking at its adverse effects in China, Italy, Iran and other countries. The most frightening part was how it spreads fast among people and now most of the world was suffering from it. The unsympathetic, horrific coronavirus changed my life as it brought so much uncertainty, confusion and worry with itself. Realizing that the virus has no vaccine or cure until now makes me so anxious and nervous. I spent last week constantly dreading about the future of the humanity. I am concerned about all the countries where so many people are illiterate and they are not aware of the seriousness of coronavirus and how lethal it could be to humans. I feel as if my life has become immobile. Amidst the chaotic situation, I cannot think about my future plans, dreams or goals. As a working woman, I used to work 8 hours as an English language instructor in a college and I would take post-graduate classes in the evening. Now, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I am practicing self-isolation which made my life so dormant and passive. I miss my colleagues and friends. We cannot hang out like usual anymore. The news channels constantly update us about the rising number of coronavirus patients and how the situation is getting worst throughout the world. Mostly countries despite trying their best are experiencing worst circumstances. The situation is strange, stagnant, desperate and hopeless but realizing how China successfully came out of it gave me hope. Nowadays, I am focusing on how I can spread awareness regarding the coronavirus technologically. I am sharing and spreading coronavirus precautionary videos, voice messages, photos, text messages with people and groups. I miss my life before the coronavirus outbreak but I am concentrating on how I can help people amid the pandemic. My life and concerns have totally changed during the coronavirus outbreak. I have started focusing on the need of the hour which is to follow all the safety measures and to provide support to people through spreading awareness about safety measures and guiding them to be compassionate during this challenging time. I am trying my best to act as a responsible citizen and human in order to contribute my share in controlling the coronavirus outbreak.

I keep on washing my hands after every 20 to 30 minutes. I am more conscious and attentive when I go out for doing some inevitable tasks. Initially, I used hand sanitizer frequently but they got finished in the market which was troublesome. I ordered gloves for myself and now I use gloves whenever I go out. Furthermore, I have been using a mask for pollution and seasonal allergy so wearing a mask during the pandemic is not something tough for me. I started practicing self-isolation the day I got to know about precautionary measures which all of us have to take during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-isolation which was boring at first as I used to be out till evening before the COVID-19 pandemic for work and evening classes. Now I spend most of my time reading, watching movies, playing indoor games, article writing, praying and working on my assignments. These activities keep me busy and I do not feel pessimistic or gloomy due to this sudden lifestyle change which was greatly depressing for me at the start. I am trying my best to act with complete responsibility as it does not only concern my life but many others too. We all have to try to break the chain in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. If we follow the precautionary measures, we can win this fight against this global pandemic. The restraint that we practice during this chaotic pandemic will help in restoring human life as it was before the coronavirus outbreak.

Iraqi Kurdistan

My city and all Kurdistan is under lockdown now. Because of the nature of my work, I am still allowed to go to work at my hospital, but pretty much almost all other non-essential businesses are closed. I hope this doesn't become the new normal.

I try to not go out and stay at home unless I really have to. At work, we take the necessary measures. All the doctors, nurses and hospital staff have to use personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves.

Argentina

The quarantine has affected us all at a personal level, but the economic effect is also very significant. Work opportunities are more scarce and the near future seems complicated in that sense. Although what worries me most is how this will affect the people who depend on the informal economy. Governments from all over the world have to develop policies to support marginalized groups in this context. It is easy to shelter in place if you can fill your fridge, it is more difficult if you can't.

Besides following the publicly known instructions, I am also wearing a mask when I go buy groceries. Some say it protects you better from the virus and some say it doesn't, but everybody agrees on the fact that it is good for not spreading it. You never know how it will affect you or even if you have it without showing symptoms yet.

Ecuador

How has the coronavirus changed your life? Well, the university closes all installations and send students and professors to home. So, right now I am working at home and trying to fulfill all my duties until the beginning of the next semester. Besides by an order of the authorities, remain at home is compulsory and one just can go out to obtain supplies and medicines.

Since last Thursday I remain at home.

Australia

A few minor things such as football season being suspended, travel bans, pubs and cafes being closed, and limited availability in supermarkets of some things such as rice, pasta etc. Major disruption has involved the University of Tasmania stopping all face-to-face teaching (tutes and lectures) and lecturers transitioning to fully online teaching. Things will change in Tasmania when either a government decision to close schools is made, or schools make the decision independent of government.

I’m socially isolating and following advice about hygiene. I’m still going for a bike ride when I can to keep myself healthy

South Africa

COVID-19 has redefined my pattern of social interactions among peers. It has placed restrictions on my movement and keeps me at home and my desk. Unnecessary visits discarded and concentrate more on my research. Nevertheless, it has created an atmosphere of fear and panic. It is a time that has drawn me closer to God and sharing the gospel with friends. I explore the social media platforms to encourage people to put their trust in God in the face of a raging pandemic.

I take care of myself by improving personal hygiene and maintaining my food habits. I keep social distance having restricted my movements and contacts with people.

Ethiopia

I am deeply saddened by the death and suffering of thousands of people across the world. Here in my country, Ethiopia, the spread of the virus, according to official figures, is limited to a handful of people who contracted it while abroad. There is no report of domestic transmission so far. Nevertheless, schools are closed for two weeks (we are now into the second week) and classes are suspended for university students. As university instructors, we are supposed to help students study while at home but the problem is that we do not have the necessary preparations to do that. Though the spread of the virus is very limited the global situation is hitting the country very hard. The country is very dependent on exports and imports in the countries seriously affected by the virus. So, there is a shortage of important supplies such as sanitizers, alcohol, face masks and food items. So, people are turning to traditional ways of preventing epidemics. In fact, as we are yet to suffer from the spread of the virus, we are going to see the real reaction of the people in the immediate future. Our thoughts are with those who are suffering from the virus.

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