Boccaccio

A New Decameron: Covid-19 Edition

Here I will present a list of 10 stories,
about connection amidst crisis in many territories.
We begin with examples of what not to do,
of figures who put themselves above you.
We then move to stories of communities trying to heal,
of working together in times that are far from ideal.
We end by looking back on the past,
at examples of other pandemics to show that they do not last.
I hope that in reading my tales,
you will go out and reach out to others, to help and cure some of our ails.

Day 1, Story 1:

This is a story of a man overcome by greed,
who is willing to put himself above those in need.
From him we learn that self-interest
is not always the best interest.

"Philadelphia Hospital to Stay Closed After Owner Requests Nearly $1 Million a Month" (NY Times, 27 Mar 2020)

Day 1, Story 2:

This next story is one of people hoarding supplies,
and marking them up as time flies.
Here we see people price gouging,
keeping mass amounts of sanitizer and masks, enough to leave those rationing them howling.
In this story we see how in a time of crisis,
it is the needs of the community that are the most righteous.

"He Has 17,700 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer and Nowhere to Sell Them" (NY Times, 14 Mar 2020)

Day 1, Story 3:

This story is one of unwarranted blame,
of people who are treating Asians like we are not the same.
The increase in fear created by uncertainty,
left some to attack others fervently.
This prejudice was stirred by some in power,
leaving Asian-Americans unsafe during this daunting hour.
The origin location of the virus,
does not warrant unnecessary suffering during this crisis.

"FBI Warns of Potential Surge in Hate Crimes against Asian Americans amid Coronavirus" (ABC News, 27 Mar 2020)

Day 1, Story 4:

Here we have an anonymous poem. [Ed: not actually anonymous any more.]

It shows the transformation we feel,
when everything we knew, now feels unreal.
The world seems to be turned upside-down,
leaving us feeling like we lost our crowns.
The message here is rather clear,
the Earth is a part of our community too, and we need to treat her more dearly.

We fell asleep in one world, and woke up in another.
Suddenly Disney is out of magic,
Paris is no longer romantic,
New York doesn't stand up anymore,
the Chinese wall is no longer a fortress, and Mecca is empty.

Hugs & kisses suddenly become weapons,
and not visiting parents & friends becomes an act of love.
Suddenly you realize that power, beauty & money are worthless,
and can't get you the oxygen you're fighting for.

The world continues its life and it is beautiful.
It only puts humans in cages. I think it's sending us a message:

"You are not necessary.
The air, earth, water and sky without you are fine.
When you come back, remember that you are my guests. Not my masters."

Day 1, Story 5:

At this point, let’s change gears,
to a story about literal cheer.
Around the globe there are health care workers,
continuing to work amidst the stay at home orders.
Every person of every community should be grateful for the work that they do,
and now Sarasota is a part of the list that wants to applaud them too.
This is a story of local gratitude,
in an attempt to get the healthcare workers' struggle viewed.

"Suncoast Plans to Applaud Healthcare Workers for Heroism in Fighting Coronavirus" (SNN News, 28 Mar 2020)

Day 1, Story 6:

Here we have the story of a celebrity,
giving her excess as charity.
But she is doing more than this,
Comrade Britney is calling for us to reminisce.
To rethink the distribution of wealth,
in these trying times of ill health.
This story shows how in this tumultuous time,
people can still give big-time.
It is also highlighting failures in our current system,
that makes us want to come together and fight to resist him (him being the Man).

"Comrade Britney Spears! Star Calls for Strike and Wealth Redistribution" (The Guardian, 25 Mar 2020)

Day 1, Story 7:

Next is my personal favorite, of a local sports team
coming together to raise esteem.
A Roller Derby team is producing videos with various members teaching us “how-to…”
they are keeping us connected and giving us something new to do.
This goofy video is teaching us how to juggle,
giving its viewers a good chuckle.
The connection in this idea is clear,
keeping everyone together while a part is queer.

Bradentucky Bombers Shelter-in-Place Tutorials: Juggling with Anne R. Key

(Side-note: my partner and I are actually members of the Bradentucky Bombers as non-skating officials, so it has been nice to see how they are staying together as a community. We also tried to juggle for like 20 minutes after watching this video and failed miserably.)

Day 1, Story 8:

Next, we move to the history of something that is in short supply,
a podcast by a doctor and her husband from plague doctor masks to N-95 shows how time really does fly. We get information and comedy,
both of which can help us to avoid tragedy.

Sydnee & Justin McElroy, "Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine."
Podcast episode 317: MASKS
Audio and transcript

Day 1, Story 9:

This story takes us back to the Black Death,
a pestilence whose mortality rate took away our breath.
This article analyzes the descriptions of the plague in the Church,
its descriptions in sermons were enough to make a congregation lurch.
The power of a pandemic lies in its fluidity,
its power to blend lines between disciplines tests our lucidity.
The plague’s meaning and elusiveness increased as it was transferred into scripture,
painting a whole new picture.
We see how a community can transform the perception of a pandemic,
this is happening now as well, but maybe not quite as academic.

Kathleen Hines, "Contagious Metaphors: Liturgies of Early Modern Plague" (2018)

Day 1, Story 10:

This last story looks at the Black Death too;
it analyzes it closer though,
seeing how it spread to and fro.
It looks at how different places in the world were impacted,
as well as how specific elements of the plague acted.
It looks at different waves of plagues,
and how doctors were able to find “successful” aids.
It addresses how different countries were impacted,
and how people reacted.
Since this study spans hundreds of years,
we get to see the impact of plagues among different spheres.

Samuel Cohn Jr, "The Black Death: End of a Paradigm" (2002)

I hope among the chaos you can see,
how truly together we need to be.
This is clearly not the first pandemic,
and we need to work together to make changes that are systemic.
I wish everyone good health and good luck,
and hope that your world isn’t too amuck.
I hope my tales brought you information, anger, and cheer,
know that we will make it through this year.

1. Social distancing tips from a nun in my hometown (Summit, NJ). (NJ.com, March 15; this is the original link but the story got picked up by media outlets as far away as the UK.)

2. This cartoon from the Toronto Star. (Description: Three grim reapers heading out as Horsemen of the Apocalypse; one holds a sword, one a scythe, and one a shield. The fourth shows up laden with toilet paper, and the one with the shield says, "Really?")

3. The “Infectious Historians” podcast.

4. This pandemic has highlighted how our society systemically undervalues certain types of domestic and low-skilled or manual work—and yet falls apart when those jobs are not done. Child care is a case in point: “The Parents Are Not All Right” (Medium.com, April 5). But also, see Stephanie Trilling's reimaginings of beloved children's book covers for the Coronavirus Age, such as Goodnight Zoom, Horton Hears a W.H.O., and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad 2020.

5. Two movies about monasticism: a) Escapist medieval humor, courtesy of Boccaccio: The Little Hours (2017); b) Totally different, but no less enjoyable: Into Great Silence (2005).

6. Three stories about people in costumes: A) Buckinghamshire couple dress in period costume for lockdown walks (BBC). B) UK police seek person dressing as plague doctor (RTE). C) A lawyer dressed as the Grim Reaper is haunting Florida beaches to protest their reopening (CNN).

7. My nomination for the best work of history of the last 20 years: Frank Snowden, The Conquest of Malaria: Italy, 1900–62 (2006). Even more timely: Snowden’s recent Epidemics & Society: From the Black Death to the Present (2019).

8. Two reads on the practice of “shutting up” (the practice of barricading those suspected of being contagious into their homes: in 17c England (Journal of Social History 2012) and recently in Maine (ABC News, March 29).

9. Orhan Pamuk, “What the Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us” (NY Times, April 23). Also, every novel recommended in Pamuk's article.

10. This amazing example of historical perspective, from 84-year-old Gertrude Johnson Howard (Slate, March 31).

"Now they have penicillin to help with pneumonia and stuff like that. You just think about all those epidemics I’ve been through since malaria! They had polio, they had so many things. So I’m not stressed out about this disease that done hit us." (Note: she is still taking precautions. That's failure-to-panic you're seeing, not failure-to-react.)

Day 17 of Quarantine

Restaurants and large food businesses are closing their doors. While this means people cannot go to a restaurant for a sit-down meal, those who stock the kitchens are placed at a loss. Tomatoes are a big commodity exported from the Bradenton area, but due to the virus, companies have not been able to sell their tomatoes. So the businesses are now selling their boxes of tomatoes to the public. People have lined up to buy ungodly amounts of tomatoes especially as the stay-at-home regulations increase in the area. Desperate times call for desperate measures as people do what they have to do to survive.

Dream season turns into nightmare for Manatee tomato growers. It could be good news for you (Bradenton Herald, 1 Apr 2020)

Finding leisure activity during these trying times is hard. The regulations around social distancing is perpetually become more stringent as cases continue to rise. Thus, many places have put into place a rule of only allowing essential activities to take place. Given this is Florida, one of the state’s most recognizable leisure activities has continued to thrive, golfing. Closing these courses would create a big loss for the state as an oddly significant amount of money is made by those who play golf.

Coronavirus Florida: Lockdown doesn’t close golf courses (Sarasota Herald Tribune, 2 Apr 2020)

Given the times, people have been forced to work in rather unideal circumstances. Technology has made the transition a little easier, but there are pitfalls to this luxury. Virtual meetings allow for work to continue remotely, as work does not stop even in times of crisis. The transition to fully digital has proven more challenging for some than others. Take for example, the boss who turned herself into a potato. She was unable to fix the matter, so she stayed as a potato for the entirety of her meeting.

Boss Trapped In Potato Filter For Video Meeting Is Peak Work-From-Home Gold (Huffington Post, 2 Apr 2020)

*Since then, she has embraced the moniker of PotatoBoss and changed her Twitter icon to fit her new status.

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The next handful of stories provides a basic guide as to what someone can do being held up in their homes all day.

Animals can provide an immense amount of stress relief. People often pay to see animals such as like zoos and aquariums. As summer nears and the likely hood of being able to see these magnificent creatures hang in limbo, there are many places live streaming. Similar to the mass amount of celebrities who have taken to live streaming as of late, zoos and aquariums are utilizing these tools to allow a virtual experience with your favorite animals.

Visit the Animals at These U.S. Zoos and Aquariums Live from Your Sofa During Social Distancing (People, 18 Mar 2020)

Art is something many turn to in times of need. The Getty has called upon the public with a challenge to recreate famous works of art from their houses. Given the numerous works of art out there, obviously there will not be a shortage of pieces to recreate.

The Getty Museum called for people to recreate works of art while in quarantine — and they did not disappoint (CBS News, 1 Apr 2020)

Nothing speaks of a plague quite like zombies. Along with becoming one with the paintings and photographs, a couple has decided to try and create the world largest zombie movie, created by children. Film festivals had to close or postpone their festivities, but that does not stop the grind. This opportunity allows young, aspiring filmmakers to dabble in the art of film and home production while giving them something to do. Already submissions have come in from around the globe as many youngsters dawn the character of a zombies. The film will be released through this website on May 1.

Coronavirus Florida: Sarasota residents asking children to help make ‘World’s Largest Zombie Movie (Sarasota Herald Tribune, 4 Apr 2020)

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Tensions and stress run rampant as the uncertainty of the situation. People have turned to many different means to try and suppress and ease these unwanted feelings in these trying times.

During tough times, many people turn to religion. This church decided to hold a gathering, but not an in-person one. They held a virtual dance party. Using the many streaming services now available, people were able to dance their worries away this past Friday, letting loose all the while social distancing.

Unity Naples church to host virtual dance party to ease anxiety of COVID-19 (Naples Daily News, 2 Apr 2020)

Music seems to be a calling to many on lockdown. In Barcelona, a group of roommates got together and formed their own band. Creating songs and sharing them with people online, they soon garnered a decent following.

Feeling isolated? This boy band wants to cheer you up (CNN, 3 Apr 2020)

In Australia, where disaster befalls disaster, people have tried to make light of the situation by having some of their own fun. They have turned a rather mundane and boring aspect of life, taking out the trash, into a comedic enterprise. People are now dressing up in costumes or whatever they have to take out their trash. While, this might not be much or for a long period of time, people are doing what they can to bring smiles to others faces.

Coronavirus: Dressing up for bin night 'brings a smile' in Australia (BBC, 3 Apr 2020)

Here is just a video of Jack Black dancing on TikTok to create some laughs and bring a smile (or a cringe) to your face.

Jack Black's shirtless 'quarantine dance' takes TikTok by storm (CNN, no date)

PLAGUEFEED

Ten Ways People Are Coping During Coronavirus Quarantine

By Adrienne Hill

1. Some people cope by thinking about the future (even though this may cause anxiety for others). Politico rounded up about 30 academics and other thinkers for their predications on how the pandemic will change the world.

In this article, Politico asked several academics and other thinkers for their short predictions about how the pandemic will transform society. Some predictions include decreasing political polarization, widening inequality, or a revival of parks. A fun reading to imagine the greater consequences of the virus on the future.

2. Other people cope by exercising. A YouTube fitness channel created a workout plan that is apartment friendly to keep you healthy during the quarantine.

Quarantine can encourage you not to move for days. Exercising is a great way to relieve stress in these especially stressful times. YouTube fitness channel Blogilates is helping people by putting out a structured workout plan that works in a small space and won’t disturb your neighbors.

3. Some cope by helping others, Joann Fabrics is creating kits for people to create masks at home.

Coping activities can involve sewing but some are turning this into a way to help during the crisis. Joann Fabrics, well known craft store, is making “make your own masks at home” kits. Many are going further and using these kits to make masks to donate to hospitals to help health care workers. As hospitals run dangerously low on supplies, some people are using their skills to give back. Even though these masks don’t meet PPE standards, they are better than nothing according to some.

4. With many sports leagues being cancelled, people are tuning into more “amateur” sports to get their fix.

A man in Britain raised over $32,000 for the NHS by running a 26-mile marathon in his small backyard over five hours. Thousands tuned into his run and donated money. This is almost as good as an NBA game, right?

5. Not all coping mechanisms are positive or fun; some people have taken to hoarding toilet paper as a way to keep them reassured during the crisis.

For some reason people have been hoarding toilet paper to cope with their anxiety during the pandemic. This has led to physical altercations in grocery stores over the last precious package, even though there is no reason to believe that the US is going to run out of toilet paper. This article talks about what is behind this irrational behavior and maybe it’s time for a bidet revolution.

6. Another bad coping mechanism is coughing on people you don’t like in hopes of giving them the virus. In fact it’s a arrestable offense.

A man in Britain was jailed for coughing on a police officer after saying he had the virus. He was stopped on suspicion of trying to break into cars. Doing this could be seen as a type of biological terrorism, so don’t try to give other people the virus because you’re angry at them.

7. One more bad coping mechanism: becoming an armed vigilante to forcibly quarantine your neighbors.

In Maine, a group of “armed vigilantes” knocked down a tree in a house’s driveway to prevent the inhabitants from leaving so they could remain in quarantine. The household had just moved from New Jersey and there were fears in the town that they new neighbors would bring the virus with them. Don’t do this.

8. Back to more positive coping: Eating take-out is very comforting for many people. The City of Seattle is helping people get their fix.

The City of Seattle created an interactive map to connect people with local restaurants to help people eat comfort food while also supporting small businesses. Getting take-out has never been so easy!

9. Many people meditate to ease anxiety and stress about the pandemic. Popstar Lizzo has started offering guided meditation on her Instagram.

Meditation is a common way for people to relieve stress, and what better way than to meditate with Lizzo? She plays calming flute music, surrounded by crystals, while telling her viewers to think about positive images. Calming music is what many people need right now, especially the toilet paper hoarders.

10. Institutions are coping with the virus as well; schools are using Zoom classes to continue which have their challenges but also possibilities.

Our own Catalyst did an article discussing the challenges of online learning but also the unknown possibilities that comes with it. Many professors have had to get creative and this fostering of creativity can advance learning outside the traditional classroom.

10 Reminders of Plagues Past

It used to be easy to think of pandemics like the Black Death or the Spanish Flu as things of the past: Germ theory and modern medical infrastructure separate us from those kinds of worries, right? Now that coronavirus has forced the world inside the past does not seem so in the past anymore, and as our world continues to look a little more like the plague-ridden one of medieval Europe, we can empathize more with their responses to their pandemic.

In an attempt to draw parallels and distinctions between the past and the present, here are some interesting ways the world is adapting to coronavirus and how they might compare to medieval responses to plague:

1. 44 Texas Students Have Coronavirus After Spring Break Trip (NY Times, 1 Apr 2020)

It seems that these spring breakers here shared the same desire of “having as much fun as possible, feasting and making merry” that the character Pampinea did in Boccacio’s Decameron. The danger of plague was greater for young people in those times than Coronavirus, but in both cases people wanted to try to escape worry about the disease and have fun. Still, perhaps we should be more critical of these spring breakers as their doctors could warn them of spreading the virus while all that Pampinea would have is warnings of avoiding miasma.

2. Governors are starting to tighten their borders. The implications are staggering. (Vox.com, 28 Mar 2020)

This article covering the problems that arise from the mass amounts of people fleeing coronavirus hotspots raises some obvious comparisons to the past. Those with the means would flee to their country homes during bouts of plague, and those lacking those funds would find other ways to move away. A merchant named Gregorio Dati, for example, took on governmental positions in other city-states in an attempt to avoid plague in his native Florence. Florida in particular is experiencing a very similar phenomenon in real time, with snowbirds staying longer and finding excuses to bring their children down.

3. The Beat Goes On: High School Choirs Improvise In The Age Of Coronavirus (NPR, 5 Apr 2020)

4. Quarantined musicians play and sing from balconies in locked-down Italy (Classic FM, 16 Mar 2020)

The power of music is truly timeless: just as the members of Boccaccio’s brigata would entertain each other with song and dance people find ways to continue singing and dancing to lift their spirits.

5. Passover Will Be Very Different This Year — And That’s OK (Buzzfeed, 3 Apr 2020)

6. Zoom CFO explains how the company is grappling with increased demand (CNBC, 18 Mar 2020)

In our technological advancement we find one of our privileges over the people that experienced the plague. While stories of funerals and weddings, holidays and gatherings being deserted because of plague are common, with technology we can maintain these social ceremonies despite physical separation.

7. Dolphins appear in Italian waterways as coronavirus keeps tourists away (NY Post, 19 Mar 2020)

8. Shutdowns from coronavirus create blue skies in California, could inform future pollution control (Space.com, 2 Apr 2020)

As people change their behaviors and stay inside, the natural world sees less human impact, especially in areas that are normally more active. As we see what even a few weeks of people staying inside can do, it is interesting to think of what something like the plague, with the thousands of homes it emptied and the farms it left deserted, did to the environment.

9. Foster Pets Are Finding Homes With Quarantined Americans (NY Times, 19 Mar 2020)

On a more positive note, people now as then look for ways to stay happy and, as an added bonus, don’t have to worry about the fleas that come with their furry friends!

10. 4 zookeepers have moved into their zoo for 3 months to quarantine with the animals (Insider.com, 30 Mar 2020)

To continue with the animal theme, even in times of plague some had to continue their jobs, whether they were essential to the commune or because they simply had to sustain themselves. This story seems like a particularly fun essential job, but during the plagues people like the aforementioned Dati still conducted business and still participated in government.

Has the Coronavirus got you feeling down? This listicle is here to help you stay informed, but also hopefully provide some uplifting thoughts!

1. The Connection Between Plague and Coronavirus

When people think of a pandemic on the same level as the COVID-19 outbreak, many think of the historic outbreak of plague known as the Black Death. This article, “Constable: coronavirus bad, but it could be a lot worse, expert on the plague says,” from the Daily Herald gives a Black Death expert’s perspective of the historical relationship between the plague and coronavirus.

2. The Coronavirus is Not New

While many have only recently heard of the coronavirus, it was initially recognized in the 1960s. To learn more about the medical history of coronavirus, read “History and Recent Advances in Coronavirus Discovery” by Jeffery S. Kahn MD, PhD and Kenneth McIntosh MD, in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

3. Generation Z’s Reaction to Coronavirus

In a world of constant connection through the internet, we are experiencing a restriction on physical connection. This Insider article, “Coronavirus tests, homelessness, and solo births: People are posting their real-life COVID-19 woes on TikTok,” gives the experiences of younger people with the coronavirus through the social media platform, TikTok.

4. Still, we can Connect and Provide Relief and Help

Celebrities, and non-celebrities alike, are donating money and resources all over the world to help during this pandemic. For a glimpse into the inspiring donations, read, “How Celebrities, Athletes, and Civilians Are Giving Back During the Coronavirus Pandemic,” from Glamour.

5. The Pandemic Affects Health as well as the Economy

Within two weeks almost ten million Americans have filed for unemployment. However, some economists are still looking up. For an understanding of the “V-shaped” rebound theory, read Business Insiders’ article, “Economists think coronavirus could push unemployment above Great Depression levels. Here's why the pain won't be as prolonged this time.”

6. What about Corona, the Beer?

When the first news of coronavirus broke, many people immediately thought of the alcoholic beverage, Corona. Many made jokes about the beer being directly related to pandemic. While it seems these jokes have not actually hurt sales, this New York Times article, “Corona Beer to Halt Production Amid Coronavirus Outbreak,” discusses how the name sharing product is being affected.

7. Trying to Outrun the Coronavirus

Like the Brigata in Boccaccio’s Decameron, some people are trying to flee hotspots of the virus. In the article, “You’re from where? Pandemic stigmatizes New Yorkers fleeing city,” from the Washington Post, the act of fleeing from the hotspot of New York is discussed, as well as the stigma that is attached to fleeing.

8. Are People Still Connecting Physically?

This article from Wired UK discusses how individuals’ relationships and sex lives have been affected so far during the pandemic. Content Warning: This article, “Coronavirus Has Created a Sex Boom—but Maybe Not a Baby Boom,” contains one image of a sex toy and discussion of sexual activity and sex toys in an informed and relevant manner.

9. Connections with Religion

This listicle would not be complete without a reflection on religion. Many people turn to higher powers in times of crisis. Beyond spiritual healing and solace, one bishop in London has also offered physical protection from coronavirus, as specified in the bible. The BBC reported on the spiritual protection oil one church was selling in the article, “Coronavirus: London church investigated over 'protection' oil.”

10. Staying Up to Date on Statistics

Finally, this website, COVID-19 WorldOMeter, contains the current medial statistics on coronavirus, such as infection and death numbers. It is important to stay informed but try not to refresh the page too often.

Stay safe, healthy, and informed during this pandemic, but do not forget to take some time to relax and have a laugh!

10 Stories & Videos that Will Make You Feel a Little Bit Happier this Quarantine Season

(In the original version of this listicle, each entry was a different color of the rainbow. We regret that the strict design limitations of Google Sites does not allow us to reproduce that bit of cheerfulness here.)

1. Parents transformed their garage into “Club Quarantine” for their son’s 21st birthday. (Buzzfeed)

2. Chameleon teaches people how to wash their hands! (Reddit)

3. 'Quarantined Bachelor' is the love story we all need right now. (ABC News)

4. Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as more people quarantine. (BBC)

5. Virtual Disney rides have been released for those who want to experience the magic from their own homes (Buzzfeed)

6. A dad used the virtual Disney rides to create a real and magical experience for his daughter! (Daily Mail)

7. Local restaurants are providing food for hospital workers. (NY Times)

8. Local government and school officials are making sure those who qualify for free or reduced lunch will still receive meals during school closures. (WLRN Miami)

9. Another government official, Bernie Sanders, requests for his supporters to donate money to charities that help those affected by coronavirus instead of his campaign—and raises over $2 million in two days. (Common Dreams)

10. Finally, the oldest Coronavirus survivor just celebrated his 104th birthday celebration. (YouTube)

1. Florida saw a pandemic coming and prepared. Then state leaders started to cut (Bradenton Herald)

• Article about the cuts to the health department specifically for an epidemic during the recession.

2. Things To Do When You’re Mostly Homebound (Psychology Today)

• A short article written by a mother who has been housebound for the past 16 years due to chronic illness

3. 34 simple ways to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic (care.com)

• Short and sweet tips about how to best help your community

4. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

• A fictionalized account of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia

5. What Fictional Pandemics Can Teach Us About Real-World Survival (NPR)

• An article about fiction that has recently come out about pandemics and how they relate to real-world problems in pandemics, especially relating to discrimination or lack of government help

6. Amazon workers walk out over lack of protective gear amid coronavirus (The Guardian)

• Article about Amazon, and subsequently other, workers striking due to lack of proper protection in warehouses and other businesses

7. Streets of Paradise keeps feeding during pandemic (Herald-Tribune)

• What’s on the label

8. Millions of dads are stuck at home—which could be a game changer for working moms (CNN)

• An article based on a paper about how this could change the gender equality conversation around housework, now that many parents are homebound.

9. This 7-year-old is making and delivering care packages to the elderly shut in by the coronavirus (CNN)

• What’s on the label. The rest of his community is pitching in too.

10. A compilation of Italians singing from their balconies during the lockdown since no one is allowed to visit other people.

• There are other compilations but I think the addition in the description makes this worth it.