Christy Ng 4/29/20 Period 2 - Blog #3

Christy Ng

Period 2

Modern Mythology 2020

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

As of today, the world has over 3 million cases, over 200 thousand deceased, and nearly a million recovered from COVID-19. The US has recently hit over 1 million cases, with 60 thousand deaths, giving us a death rate of 5.66%. In New York, we have 300 thousand cases and 23 thousand deaths, and a death rate of 7.66%. In NYC alone, we have nearly as many cases as some of the European countries with the most cases: 160 thousand cases. Although these numbers seem scary, NY seems to be on a decline and pass the apex of infections, with the number of new cases and deaths dropping by the day. After what seems like forever in quarantine, things are looking a bit up. Unfortunately, there are talks of a high possibility of there being a second wave of the virus in the future, which means coronavirus is likely here to stay until we have a vaccine. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on reactions?

I am learning that these situations bring out the worst and the best in people. On one hand, there are some people acting completely inappropriately. For example, some people are displaying discriminatory behavior against Chinese people, calling coronavirus the “Chinese virus” and mistreating Chinese people due to this pandemic. The virus seems to open a gateway to racism since so many people are afraid and thus act out in inappropriate or offensive ways. In addition, there are people who take this situation as an opportunity to spread fear and hostility. There are some people making threats to infect other people and some people who are infected and knowingly contaminate objects outside instead of self isolating to prevent the spread of disease. But during these crazy times, there are also people who show their best. Health care workers and essential workers continue working in order to help many normal civilians get their needs. While they can most definitely take off from work due to fear of infection, they continue to work to help society get back on its feet. In addition, many people are doing charity work for coronavirus relief and there are so many cases of people helping each other out at this time. We see corporations from all over the world helping each other out and donating masks, tests, and all kinds of essentials to the places that need it most. For example, California has lent many ventilators to New York when we needed them the most. The event has really shown that we can all cooperate and help each other out. 

Your personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now. 

While I believe this situation is unfortunate, it can’t be helped. At first, I had trouble accepting this was the reality now, but after I did, I felt much better. I am fortunate enough that my family is fine during these times and we are doing well in quarantine. I feel like these times can be really difficult and negative, but everyday I cling onto the hope that one day we will return back to normalcy and we can enjoy our everyday lives once again. It’s been a little bit difficult to stay on top of school work because I feel like it is hard to get motivated while being stuck at home. Being stuck at home makes me miss our normal lives the most. I miss being able to go out with friends and freely go outside. Overall, I can’t wait for this all to be over, but I have already accepted the fact that it will be a while before everything will be back to normal. 

4/30/20 Steven Shi PD 7

4/30/2020

Steven Shi 

Period 7

Modern Mythology 2020

What is it like working from home?

The transition to remote learning has been somewhat difficult, but manageable. I feel that for

many classes, including this one, open and productive discussion among my peers has

played a pivotal role to my understanding of in-class content, as it not only encourages me

to think more analytically about a certain topic, but also exposes me to other perspectives on

various topics that we learn in class. Although we do have a weekly thread, we do not usually

have the long, in-depth discussions that we usually did. Nevertheless, I still feel that weekly

thread helps me learn the content well, as I still have to give in-depth responses to the

prompts that we go over in our weekly responses, and actively engage with my classmates

by responding to their answers to the prompts. Furthermore, by working at home, I find that

my schedule is more flexible, and I am able to work at my own pace by prioritizing learning

new content, or content that I am still confused with. Thus, while I do not get the same

in-class experience that I am used to, working from home does have its benefits.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I feel that we are now truly living in a time of change; this virus has and will continue to affect foreign policy, the economy, and the scope of government. Because of this, we must tread carefully when trying to remedy the situation. For example, we have slowly begun to see the scope of local government begin to increase, with greater surveillance and stricter policing to enforce social distancing measures, as well as restrictions on businesses via price ceilings on goods such as cleaning products. In Washington DC, Congress has recently approved a multi-trillion dollar stimulus plan in response to the virus, while the Federal Reserve has also poured hundreds of billions of dollars into our nation’s money supply. I think that while certain measures are necessary to ensure the safety of our citizens, my biggest concern is that the virus has given the local and federal governments a blank check to continue expanding their authority, possibly even after the virus ends. Furthermore, such a drastic manipulation of the economy will further worsen our already gigantic national debt, and ultimately, I feel that it will be the American taxpayer that will be forced to take the responsibility. Meanwhile, we are now seeing entire industries collapsing, as restaurants and other family businesses are forced to close. As a New Yorker, this is especially concerning, as the restaurant industry has played such an impactful role in not only this city’s economy, but also culture and society. These businesses are the foundation of our nation’s economy, and if the government is unable to work diligently to ensure that these businesses are able to recover successfully, we may have even greater problems at hand. 

On the brighter side, however, it is quite inspiring to see how many businesses, small and large, are willing to play their part in making the situation easier for everyone, via donations, drives, and other means. Furthermore, I feel that especially now, Americans are beginning to appreciate the impact that nurses, teachers, and social workers on our communities, which too often goes overlooked. And back at home, while it is tough not being able to see my friends or take a walk outside, I have at least been able to catch up on my hobbies, such as cooking and watching my favorite films. Overall, the quarantine has certainly taken a toll on all of us. However, I firmly believe that with enough hope and caution, we will not be able to overcome the virus, but also the challenges that result from it.

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

I find it concerning how only recently have we as a nation decided to take genuine action against this virus. More concerning is how much of it has to do with the extremely high amount of misinformation that has been spread via social media activism during the first few weeks of the disease. During February and March, I have constantly seen posts severely downplaying the true nature of the disease, as well as people promoting methods that claim to prevent the spread of the virus, but ultimately do not work. I firmly believe that this has not only allowed for the spread of the disease at such a high rate, but also the impulse-buying of supplies that would not benefit most people. Furthermore, there have been people who have, and still are, ignoring social distancing recommendations. While I believe that there may be some genuine reasons to act against these measures, actively defying these measures, as we have seen in some cases in the news, is not only counterintuitive, but reckless. 

However, in times of adversity, we as a nation have always come together during trying times. Although disregarding social distancing guidelines remains an issue, corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, and philanthropists have all pooled their efforts and resources to help the disadvantaged, elderly, and the sick get through this trying time, whether is is through dedicated shopping times for those most prone to the virus, shipments of medical supplies, or working around the clock to deliver food to households. This is a disease that affects all of us, whether it is our health, our education, or our finances, and it is crucial that we take responsibility and work together to overcome this virus. 

4/30/20 Acewin Tam Period 8

Acewin Tam Period 8 - Modern Mythology 2020

What is it like working from home?

Working from home is a lot less stressful than being in school because you have more time to get things done and it’s much more an “at your own pace” kind of thing. If I’m tired, I can wake up later and still complete my assignments in the time given, but I’d just be doing it later. However, it also makes me feel like I’m lazier because I’m not forced to be in school. I get up a lot later, the latest so far has been 3 PM, and usually don’t manage to do my work in the time designated during the school day. 

What are updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

As of the moment I write this, there are over 3.2 million cases and 231,708 deaths worldwide, with the United States making up about ⅓ of the total global cases. In New York State, there have been 304,000 confirmed cases and 18,321 deaths, making that approximately 9.5% of cases and 7.9% of deaths globally. However, there have been around 1 million that have recovered. There have been a significant increase in unemployment claims, with about 30 million claims in the past 6 weeks. Some cities have experienced protests against the quarantines where many people gather in close proximity, resulting in backlash from many others. According to the Washington Post, the majority of U.S. states are partially reopening in the next few days. Dr. Fauci states that he recommends states to begin reopening only if they have seen a 2-week decline in the number of new cases and believes that “developing hundreds of millions of doses of a vaccine is doable by January” (nbcnews.com).

Your own personal thoughts and feelings about what is happening right now. 

My deepest condolences go out to those who have had loved ones tested positive or those who have passed away from the coronavirus. I know a few people who have unfortunately passed away and in one specific family, only one of the four immediate family members is still with us. I would like to thank front line workers, whether that be medical professionals, grocery workers, etc. because they put their lives at risk to make sure the rest of us are okay. When I hear of protests against quarantining, I personally find it ridiculous and think that they’re just putting more people in danger. However, I am uplifted by Dr. Fauci saying that he has been working to speed up the development of a vaccine. I just hope that everyone continues to try to stay at home so you not only keep yourself safe but others who are more vulnerable safe and don’t have our front line workers’ sacrifices be in vain. 

4/6/2020 Stanley Kong PD8

Stanley Kong PD8

4/6/2020 Modern Mythology

• What is it like to work from home?
• Working from home is a new experience. Due to the world being in a crisis, a lot of essential needs such as the internet, food, etc are no longer stable and it can cause a lot of issues for everyone. Although working from home can definitely seem like it is easier, it takes more will power and responsibility. It’s harder to sleep at regular times and way easier to forget about things such as attendance and assigned work. As a student, this is probably the easiest we can have compared to adults. Also, learning from home is less learning than in school. It’s way easier to “just do” the assignments assigned to us from home without actually learning anything because of our access to the internet. In the end, working from home should be a benefit if you have a good work ethic and are responsible. 
• Another aspect of working from home is the mental aspect it has on us kids. This being the time of our life, is probably the worst case scenario. The fact that that is true makes the case even worse. It causes other students and such to go out in large groups, ignoring rules and potentially bringing danger upon themselves, their family, and even more. This makes me scared for myself because if people have this mindset, this quarantine will never end.

• What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?
• I am learning a scary amount of information on the world. Through my economy class, I learned that there is a very high chance that the entire economy of the US might collapse just because of the virus. The possibility of our life being normal again soon is very low and it frightens me. I want to be able to eat out, go to the gym, hangout with friends but every month, we will get a notification on how we have to stay home. I’m learning how unprepared the world is for something like this. Although it’s just a slightly deadly disease that is like the flu, we are still extremely unprepared. What if there was a deadly virus outbreak like in the movies or tv shows? This is what also frightens me. Although all of this is the scary reality we all live in, it causes many communities to come together and work together to get through all issues together which makes me feel a lot better. 

• Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
• Additionally to the fact that this is our last year of high school and this is probably the best part of our life, we also have to deal with additional unnecessary work during a hard time of our life. This includes gym work, extra work from elective classes, and additional work from classes that originally gave nearly no work. (I am not talking about myth as this class still follows the syllabus and is being very lenient of the work that is being assigned.) The quarantine has also made me very grateful for life and made me realize things that I took granted for before was something that I should cherish now.

4/30/20 Daniela Yevdaev Pd 5

Daniela Yevdaev Pd 5

April 30, 2020

Sophomores 2020

What is it like working from home?
Even though it's been so long with remote learning in place, I feel as if I still haven't fully adapted to the new method of a "school day". I wake up in time for any online class meetings that we have but other than that I have been slacking on the actual work given from each class. Being at home with 5 other people in the house has made it a bit hard to fully concentrate and the fact that I am at home has made it hard to motivate myself to do my work in advance so I have been mostly completing any work the day before it is due. Through all this I have realized that I really need to fix how distracted I get by the littlest things going on around me because once I actually start my work I am able to finish it in a quick manner if I just stay on task.

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

It has been more than a month in quarantine in the US and we are able to see some progress throughout the world and the community overall. Even though there is still a number of confirmed cases across the countries, the amount of recovered cases has been increasing greatly as well. At this time, 127,000 people have recovered just in the US and 986,000 across the world. Along with the improved statistics, there have been great efforts put in around the world to develop a vaccine to cure the virus and according to the world health organization, there are 122 potential vaccines in progress with 8 of them approved for clinical trials. If we zoom in further into just our community and NYC, you can see that there is an increase of testing sites to help further speed up the process and the Governor has already been discussing plans for re-opening the city once the numbers in certain regions improve even more.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now?
The whole situation going on around us at times hasn't felt completely real. We as a society have never had to deal with this type of situation before and I feel that it has been really hard for everyone to adapt to it all. Personally I've been trying to keep the day as normal as possible to distract from how "unnormal" everything outside is. I attempt to keep a routine throughout the day by getting up and going to sleep at the same. With the whole situation I have been spending a lot more time with family and just hanging out with them whenever I get bored which has been quite nice. Along with that, I've been face timing friends and messaging friends as a way to make sure everyone is doing fine and to stay connected during all of this. I have also managed to find ways to keep entertained with new hobbies to prevent getting bored or just staying on my phone all day.

4/29/20 Erika Yan Yim Period 5

4/29/2020
Erika Yan Yim
Period 5
Sophomore 2020

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

Somethings that I have learned from reactions on the news, social media, and other platforms on the current situation is how many people are really selfish, they go out saying they are young and they won’t get the virus. How do people become this selfish, not caring about other people that can get the virus and it will possible kill them, the whole purpose of quarantine is for us to not to spread the virus by staying away from each other. I also learned how a lot of people are not thinking about the future, I am talking about how in some places people are protesting quarantine and staying at home. In other places that stayed home and did not go out even when they wanted are now virus free for the most part, and their lock down lifted, this could of been the USA if not for people who think their prom and their hangouts are more important at the moment and just can not wait. But over all I learned how in order to get something you want, like going out in the summer, you have to sacrifice somethings for the greater reward, like hanging out or going out during quarantine, even though it might seem hard and it’s very tempting.

What is work like at home?

Working at home is for the most part great, I can finish my work with out leaving my bed, eat when every I want, and not have to travel or get ready that early in the morning. But the down side of working from home is getting super lazy, I have noticed my self waking up later, getting lazier because I do not have to get up and go out early in the morning. However I personally really like working from home and having a flexible schedule of when I get my school work done, exercise, play games, and many other things. The work from school is not bad, I can learn and do my work at my own pace, but if i have any questions I’m have to wait for either the teacher to be on, or I have to figure it out myself, but other from that everything else is very flexible. 

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now?

Right now I am realizing things we take granted for in out daily lives, when we no longer have them we start to think about it more. For example daily trips to the local Starbucks, boba place, or anywhere either with friends or by yourself, when we did it everyday we did not think much of it, but now that we don't do it anymore we start to miss it greatly even though we never really through the of . Right now seeing how the virus is taking many lives is heart breaking but I sometimes wonder why we can’t just stay home like the government is telling us, and I feel that the government is not doing as much as they should be, but it is better than just ignoring it. Right now I do not think we will be going back to school soon, if we do not stay in our house and quarantine, if one group goes out and contract the virus then it can spread to their family, if we were to all quarantine and not put you your selfishness first we would have what we wanted, like maybe graduation, and a summer vacation. But no, some people want to ruin for everyone else by protesting, which does not make a difference, protesting against a virus is not going to make it go away.

4/29/20 Colin Rualo PD 7

Colin Rualo PD.7

Modern Mythology 2020

What is it like working from home?

Working from home definitely has its benefits for me. Aside from obviously being able to do work mostly on my own time, I can take breaks I desperately need during the school day. Having the freedom to just leave my room and go eat or exercise just because I’m tired of doing workis an amazing benefit. Working from home gives me access to my computer (which I can’t bring to school), textbooks, and unlimited music. Having all the resources at my fingertips while I do work allows me to learn before I answer, rather than learn by getting something wrong. Being able to listen to music while I work helps me stay calm and focused on the task at hand. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

I’ve learned that some people get severe cabin fever, and that I just can’t relate. People, my parents included, need to step out and walk at the park or go for a drive (while yes, respecting social distancing and other safety precautions). It’s difficult for me to relate; I’m perfectly content in my room playing video games and watching Netflix. To add on to my point about cabin fever, I’ve learned that some people will sacrifice their safety to get some fresh air. Take Florida. Beaches in Jacksonville Beach were reopened and people swarmed. As if an open public area wouldn’t spread the virus. I’ve learned that people are still underestimating the destruction of this pandemic just so they can have fun now rather than later.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

All things considered, I really enjoy being home. Essential schooltime responsibilities are of little worry to me now. Rather than waking up by alarm at dawn, I wake up midday of my own accord. Rather than eating cold sandwiches for lunch everyday I am fortunate to be able to enjoy my parents’ cooking. School hasn’t taken a backseat role in my life though. I still have reading to do and assignments to complete. And with AP tests around the corner, I know it’s crucial to prepare and study, regardless whether I’m at home or in school. As for my thoughts on lockdown: I am fortunate that I didn’t have to change my lifestyle too drastically. Aside from no sports or going out, a day in my room could’ve been a normal Sunday in the past. I don’t mind staying “cooped up” as long as I have the Internet and food.

4/13/20 Nicholas Russo PD1

Nicholas Russo         Modern Mythology 2020                4/13/2020    Pd 1

What is it like working from home?

    Remote learning has been different to say the least. While the workload is reduced the whole school at home thing took a little bit of getting used to. Deadlines became harder to find for some classes, but overall I think that teachers and students have adjusted rather well. I personally appreciate the level of understanding that many teachers have during these times as some people could be dealing with sickness of themselves or a loved one.  I enjoy the freedom of working from home, as it lets me manage my own time more efficiently. The drawback of working from home is that a certain aspect of accountability for work has left as there is no specific class time to remind you of your work that needs to be completed. This is why working from home requires a much higher level of maturity and responsibility in my own eyes. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

    I am observing one of the greatest tests of infrastructure and character for many countries and their leaders. For example, countries with more proactive infrastructures are handling the virus better than those who are merely reacting to it. Countries who responded quickly and with swift legal action like New Zealand are on their way to full recovery already, while slower countries like the USA are lagging behind. I am glad to see the amount of people taking quarantine seriously all over the world. 

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

    At this point i'm not sure what to think. This has been a surreal experience to say the least. If you told me I would be home my senior year for a virus, I would have told you you were crazy a year ago. I personally think that this virus should serve as a wake up call to our country as it shows just how unprepared we were to deal with something like this. On the other hand, preparation for something like this isn't the easiest thing to realistically achieve. The continuation of social distancing and quarantine is essential to overcome the curve. Even if a vaccination is not presented, the real need comes in the form of some lesser treatment. Once people are able to be saved from death they will eventually develop natural antibodies, slowing down the death rate tremendously. I think that a vaccine is a great course of action, in addition to a lesser more suppression-like treatment. I do know that for years after this people will continue very hygenic mannerisms so at least there’s that silver lining.

4/28/20 Rachel Yang Period 5

4/28/20
Rachel Yang
 Period 5
Sophomores 2020

• What is it like working from home?

Working at home has made my day a lot less stressful. Since all my work is right in front of me, I no longer have to spend an hour of my day commuting on the bus. Even though my normal school day started 3rd period, I would have to stay after school so by the time I got home and was ready to do homework it would be around 7. I also got easily distracted when I did homework,  so I used to finish all my assignments pretty late at night, but the new remote learning schedule allows me to start my work whenever I want. I also find myself being productive for most of my classes. Especially on day B where I have to wake up early for a class, I will just dedicate the whole morning to work so then I don't have to worry about my assignments later. However, there have been some drawbacks to working at home. While I still find myself being productive, there are often days when I become lazy and much less motivated to do work. The classroom setting helped me get in the mindset to focus and work, but now that I'm in my own room, it is harder for me to focus. I also feel like I'm not obtaining as much information as I used to since the learning is all on myself now, especially with the AP test coming up soon.

• What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

Today it was announced that the U.S. has officially surpassed one million cases and over 50 thousand people have lost their lives due to the virus. While New York continues to have the most cases in the country, there have been guidelines set for the reopening of the state. Governor Cuomo plans on following CDC guidelines on when it is appropriate to slowly start reopening; starting off by opening construction and manufacturing businesses. In addition, there are new updates revolving around the NYC grading system for students. High school students now have the opportunity to take classes based on a pass or fail system. We are also being given extra time (if needed) to complete our courses for the year.

• Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

The situation has grown to be much larger and scarier than I expected. It is crazy to think that a little over a month ago my friends and I were looking at the citizen app seeing that there were only 10 cases in the city and now the number has grown tremendously. I miss being able to see all my friends and hanging out after school. It's also crazy to know that my last day of sophomore year was in March. I really wasn't expecting school to be cancelled for the whole school year and honestly, I'm a little worried for the transition into junior year. Despite this, I am thankful that my family has not been dramatically affected and we've been trying our best to take precautionary measures when we have to go outside for groceries.

4/27/20 Alan Peysakhov Period 8

Modern Mythology 2020

Alan Peysakhov 

Blog 4/27/20

What is it like working from home?

Working from home was definitely a strange shift for me. I went from having a set 8-2 schedule to a more open schedule in which I have to correctly manage the assignments and tasks that I must complete. Some classes are also more difficult from home. A good example of this would be calculus as the teacher is not with us to be able to teach. However, it had little effect on some of the other classes because they already incorporated a large usage of online learning. Overall I feel like the shift has been mostly positive with a few minor struggles that have been minimized over time.

What are you learning about the world/community based on the reactions?

        I’m learning that we have an amazing group of first responders in our communities. They are selfless in fighting this virus for us and put themselves at risk. This has showed me how important people are to the well-being of communities and how first responders are largely under appreciated. We all just need too take a minute and think about what these people are being asked to do. While we’re at home playing our parts in social distancing they are actually out there helping cure and bring people back to their families while putting themselves in danger.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I believe that the corona virus is a very serious issue and we must for sure stay at home and social distance. However, I found it a little scary how fast we were in giving power to the government. They closed the entire country down in very quick fashion and we obviously allowed it to happen based on the severity of the situation. I feel like moving forward we should be cautious of the power we give to the government. I hope that after they’ve just had so much power they don’t get the feeling that they can control us in any situation. The lives that have been lost are absolutely awful and would have been even worse if we didn't social distance. This was obviously necessary but I hope we don’t get use to giving up our freedoms this easily again.

4/27/20 Alexander Rimerov PD 7

Alexander Rimerov         Period: 7

Modern Mythology 2020

What is it like working from home?

Because of the flexibility of online schooling, I find every day to be a little more

different than the last. My sleeping schedule gets cycled constantly. One day I would

find myself staying up with the sun, and the next starting with the sunset and ending with

the sunrise. I get everything done on time, but I never feel tired because if my body yearns

for sleep, I will on the spot. I don’t feel like a machine running out of oil anymore and I,

for once, feel completely in control of my life.

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

I’ve learned that, even at the point of near economic collapse, people will still do their part

to help. Companies like Sony and Ubisoft are offering their top selling games for free to

keep people at home. More recently, Ikea gave away the recipe for their famous sweedish

meatballs! They’ve always been so protective of their recipe, so for them to release it is

mind-boggling and generous to say the least. If it wasn’t already impossible to fathom my

respect for this company, you can only imagine to what regards I hold them to now.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

Besides the lack of after school activities and not being able to see my friends, I enjoy

staying in the comforts of my home. I feel like I’m putting in as much effort into school

here as I would’ve if I came in every day, but now I can focus on the other things I’ve

always meant to do in my free time. I’m feeling more motivated than ever and I’m finally

doing something with my life. I still miss you all, but while I’m holed up here, I’m going

to utilize my time to the best of my ability.

4/27/20 Weixuan Wu PD 5

Weixuan Wu 

4/27/20

Period 5

Sophomores 2020 

Blogger #28

What is like working from home?

I think working from home is enjoyable for many reasons. Firstly, I can get more work done. As long as I have a checklist of what I’m planning to get done, I'm more productive when I’m working from home. Second, I can get more sleep. Before, I needed to wake up at 6:30 everyday inorder to get to school on time, but now I can wake up at 8:30 and still get my work done. Lastly, I get to spend more time with my family. Before, I barely had time to chat with my family because we don’t usually have dinner together. Now, I get to chat with my family when we have breakfast, lunch and dinner together. However, there are issues when you work from home. For example, you are more dependent on your electronic devices. Since every assignment was done on an iPad, I found that my average screen time reached 13 hours per day over the past month. If this crisis continues, I might need glasses for the rest of my life. 

What are the updates around the world/ community regarding the virus?

Currently, Covid-19 has infected more than 2.9 million people and killed at least 206,000 people worldwide. There are 967,585 reported cases and 54,931 deaths in the U.S. New York, as the peak of this criss, reported 288,045 confirmed cases.(https://apple.news/A_R4dopFQRQulXvHMhehAHA) Despite the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases, anti- Lockdown protests spread across the country. More than 20 states had participated in this protest. Protesters expressed a financial need to return to work, and the need for freedom.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now?

I find what is happening right now scary and worrying. In New York, hundreds of lives were taken away by the same cause everyday. They were not just numbers, the side effects were astronomical, many children lost both of their parents due to Coronavirus. People died from other health issues because they worried about going to the hospital and getting infected. 

Although I do understand the financial need to return to work, I found public gathering without a mask alarming. Protestors are increasing the risk of themselves and their family getting infected by the Coronavirus. Personally, is the spread of the virus that kept me at home, I would stay at home even without the Lockdown. 

On April 27, The president of New Zealand declared that the nation had defeated the coronavirus for the present and won the ‘battle”. The government announced lifting most of the restrictions previously imposed due to coronavirus. Hopefully more countries will be able to declare this news, and we will be able to return to school soon. (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/27/845304917/new-zealand-says-it-has-won-battle-against-covid-19)

4/24/20 Zuting Chen PD 1

Zuting Chen

Period 1
Modern Mythology

4/24/2020

What is it like working from home?

Personally, it’s been easier for some classes but also harder for some others with remote learning. Although some topics are clear enough that just the notes suffice, there have been some topics throughout my classes that I haven’t been able to understand as well without the regular class periods. Each period lasts either 75 or 150 minutes per week compared to the previous 225 minutes (due to a day being spread out into 3 days with each day having three 75 minute blocks), which is a notable reduction (SITHS). On the brighter end, I do like the flexibility in time for the work to be done. The classwork is usually due the day of or the following days, allowing me to spread out the work more and take my time in understanding the topics. Another benefit to working from home is being able to get more rest. I usually go home late from school and wake up early because I live far away. I’m glad that I’m able to rest better for these months before attending college.

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

In the beginning few weeks, the United States didn’t take the coronavirus very seriously and kept most services and activities open. When action was finally taken, it was to limit the amount of people who can gather to 500 people (CNBC), which helps a bit, but school was still open as usual. Although our school is smaller, We still have well over that amount of people, many of which also have to commute. For example, I have to take multiple trains and a bus to get to school, coming across hundreds of people daily. There’s hundreds of other students who have to commute to Staten Island Technical High School alone, and many more across New York City. By that week, many parents were urging their children to stay home because the number of cases were increasing exponentially. On that Friday, March 13th, schools reported a drastic decline in attendance. That weekend, it was finally announced that school would become remote. If this outbreak was more deadly, this delay in action would have meant the difference of many more lives. With another week as cases continued to grow rapidly, services and jobs were starting to come to a temporary halt.

With many services and activities closed, the Dow Jones saw a decline that dropped to the lowest on March 23rd (Google), Since then, it has been improving, suggesting that economic activity is resuming. Although millions of Americans have filed for unemployment, a coronavirus stimulus package was announced late March to account for the lack of income. The economic state has been questionable, but we will know more in time about the effect this pandemic had on the economy.

Aside from the government’s reactions and the state of the economy, there’s also been mixed impressions from people. There are always people who won’t take the situation seriously, but there was a lot of racism and mistreatment of people as a result of the coronavirus. Since the virus originated from China, some Chinese people were targeted and their businesses faced a decline. But even with the negativity, there’s also been many people like medical care workers who put their lives on the line to attend to the spike in cases — one of the biggest challenges to the pandemic. For many who are infected by the virus, that medical care is critical. Bill de Blasio, among others, called out to medical workers to help (NY Times). According to that article, there’s also been a shortage of beds and other medical supplies.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I think it’s a learning experience for everyone alike. Like explained above, it took some time for school and other activities to be closed to limit the spread of the virus. The public reacted in a multitude of ways, good and bad. But I’m grateful for all the help from medical workers and anyone who has to keep working to make sure life is sustainable during these tough times. People doubted the scale of this virus and it spreaded really quickly. The coronavirus luckily isn’t as deadly (of the 2.8 million cases, there’s been a reported 197,000 deaths) as the 1918 influenza, but is still widespread (Source). Despite the approximate 7% death rate, 197,000 deaths is a large number of people who were fatally affected by the virus. It’s not guaranteed that future pandemics would be the same — it could be better or worse. It was a struggle this time, hopefully preparing the world for future pandemics.

4/24/20 Iandra Ramos PD 7

Iandra Ramos

Modern Mythology | Period 7

April 24, 2020

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

Recently, people have been trying to avoid any talk about the global pandemic

we’re in the middle of because it has been so devastating. Unfortunately, it is true that

there have been 2.7 million confirmed cases worldwide, with as many as 192k deaths

thus far. Of those affected, 729k have fully recovered; the rest remain in hospitals and

are in the hands of the world’s medical workers. The United States has surpassed China

and Italy to become the nation with the most cases, by far. It all seems like the world is falling

apart. I am reminded of our reading of The Book of Revelation, which describes the many

natural disasters and plagues that came upon the people of the world to mark its end.

People are losing hope because this pandemic was not something we were prepared for,

or even expecting. This uncertainty continues to inspire fear, especially in youth, whose

futures are unclear at the moment.

Media and news outlets continue to cover the progress of nations in battling this disease,

but they do so in a way that amplifies the bad without bringing more light to the good. So,

that is what I will be discussing today: the good things that have been happening in our world

even during this pandemic. Along with the fact that new daily cases in New York City have

started to gradually decline, other countries have started to experience some healing. The

Chinese government has officially ended lockdown after reported cases dramatically fell

this past week. Germany and Denmark have also reached their peak and small shops and

businesses are beginning to reopen. Singapore’s quick response to the virus has allowed

it to contain the spread without taking the drastic measures that China did. 

As for finding a vaccine for the virus, experiments are underway in several places.

At the Imperial College in London, researchers are using coronavirus RNA to design a

vaccine. In Seattle, the first clinical trials testing a vaccine based on the virus’s S

protein are underway. In general, researchers have found that the coronavirus is very similar

to the SARS virus that affected the world not so long ago, and are hoping to use their

experience with SARS to battle Covid-19. 

With that said, the world will hopefully return to normalcy. We are lucky that scientists

have the technology to find a vaccine for this virus, and that we know how to slow down its

spread: social distancing! I am positive this will all be over soon, as long as we listen to

trusted sources and stay aware, informed, and away from each other!!!

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

It makes me sad to say that the biggest thing I’ve learned about my community and

the world is that some people are really, really ignorant. There is clearly a global

pandemic happening, and people are dying all over the world, but there are those who

still want to complain that they’re bored in their house. Much worse than this is the fact

that some politicians and government officials, whom I will not name, continue to

downplay the severity of the situation we’re in. They refuse to assume responsibility

over their respective domains. They refuse to plan ahead. They refuse to take preventative

actions until their own people are directly affected. The very reason why the

United States experienced such a surge in cases in just weeks is because we were too

arrogant. We did not think this was something that could ever happen to our untouchable,

superior country. Even as we lead the world with the most cases, people continue to

think that this country is invincible. They continue to go about their lives with no sense

of guilt. Perhaps what is causing these people to disregard social distancing measures

is denial; maybe they cannot believe that something so devastating has reached the U.S.,

and they want to foster normalcy within their lives as much as they can. Still, there is no

reason for any ignorance at a time like this.

As the world continues to battle the coronavirus, socioeconomic divisions

become more transparent. I have come to see that the wealthy really do have certain

privileges that are not bestowed upon the middle or lower class citizens not just in this country,

but in others. Tests for the coronavirus have rather mean price tags, which is why they are not

being distributed as much as the general public would like. However, those who have

greater influence can arrange for tests to be conducted on themselves, even if they display

just one of the many symptoms of coronavirus. A similar case can be observed in hospitals.

It is unfortunate that decades after the Civil Rights Movement, colored individuals continue

to be held in a lower regard than their white counterparts. A large population of minorities

tend to live in low income neighborhoods, and thus they can barely afford decent

healthcare. Theoretically, when individuals become ill with the virus, all are subject to

the same treatment and care. However, there have been instances of patients having

priority over others, with there being correlations to race and social class. A coworker of my

father actually has had second-hand experience with such discrimination; her sister sadly

passed away from coronavirus because she was only admitted for care once she developed

severe pneumonia and practically couldn’t breath on her own anymore. For the sake of the

entire world, I sincerely hope that our current situation is a reminder that prejudices still

exist, and that we as people still need to do better.

What are your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now?

Even with all the chaos that is going on in the world right now I have found the

silver linings during my time of quarantine. I believe everyone has found their own

as well. I’ve come to accept that there really is nothing I can do about the situation except

practice social distancing and good hygiene, and to continue to raise awareness about

what is going on through my social media accounts. On the other hand, I have found that I

now have more time to invest in myself. I have picked up new hobbies such as baking and

cooking; I have settled into my own schedule to maintain daily productivity; I have started

reading books I’ve always wanted to read, such as “All The Light We Cannot See” and

“To Kill a Mockingbird.” I have also developed new passions, such as nutrition and health

awareness, as I motivate myself to eat healthy foods to boost my immune system. While I

continue to socially distance, I have been keeping in touch with my Tech friends, as well

as my new family at Harvard, which is where I will be going for college! I have also been

in contact with some medical workers and researchers my mom used to work with at

Columbia University to receive the most accurate information I can about the scientific

community’s progress in this pandemic. 

In general, quarantine has allowed me to reinvent myself in many good ways. I encourage others to do the same while there is still time. It may seem like all hope is lost, but once the world returns to normalcy, hopefully soon, life will have to go on. People should use this time to invest in as many positive activities for themselves as they can, and to be selfish just a little. It doesn’t hurt to develop new skills, find new shows to watch, or even just do some self-reflection in the midst of what will become a unique part of our world’s history. I am a strong believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason, so I ask people to see this time of uncertainty as preparation for bigger and better things in the future. With that said, I hope everyone continues to stay healthy, stay home, and stay mindful!!