This time, it's different!
In this century, we have seen previous epidemics like SARS, MERS, H1N1 come & go!
But none has caused the massive social disruption like the coronavirus.
I admit, because of the previously mentioned epidemics that came & went, I was skeptical of the fear caused by the current epidemic (now a pandemic).
Also, because I tend to believe the more liberty the better, I have been skeptical of anything that demands more government intrusion than we already had!
However, because hospitals in China & Italy have been overwhelmed, and because PPE's (personal protective equipment) have been in short supply, governments do have to take action to prevent the same level of trouble here.
In Hawaii, all the county mayors and the governor have been putting a lockdown on all non-essential activities and a "stay at home" directive. People can still leave the home to get medical services, grocery shopping and outdoor exercise (for now). Social distancing is pretty much mandated now.
As for me, I can go days without interacting with anyone and it doesn't bother me much. But house arrest in my tiny apartment? Just the thought of that drives me insane.
We already had an increase of sedentary-related illness and I want to reduce my chances of getting those illnesses myself. I already eat too much and spend too much time in front of a computer. Mandated house arrests will only make the problem worse.
Luckily, both the mayor and governor allow for outdoor exercise with social distancing. However, I heard the Honolulu mayor said if there are more cases, he will up the restrictions. That makes me paranoid about that leading to police harassment if I go outside and talk a brief walk outside.
For now, I'm appreciating my solo walks around the block. There is a wind advisory, so I'm loving the walks in the windy weather.
For tips on exercising outside during the coronavirus crisis, check out ........
Hannah Keyser, “Https: //sports.yahoo.com/even-during-coronavirus-you-can-carefully-go-outside-anxiety-mental-health-182526658.html,” Yahoo, March 19, 2020, https://sports.yahoo.com/even-during-coronavirus-you-can-carefully-go-outside-anxiety-mental-health-182526658.html.
Changing Social Norms
Even though I love spending time alone, I also loved going to events. UH sports games, nightclubs, block parties, booksales (sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Hawaii) were all things that I loved. They bring people who shared the same interests together and developed bonds between people who otherwise would never meet each other.
So even though I've been social distancing before it was cool, I am worried that even after the pandemic subside that people will continue their reluctance to go to events. And when people don't come together, it only hurts the social fabric.
I also see a decline in physical contact meant to bond people together, whether it's handshakes, hi-fives, hugs, and more. Recently people have been more conscientious about intrusive touching since the start of the #metoo movement and that's has been great in reminding people about respecting each other's personal space. The coronavirus crisis will now lead to an even steeper decline in physical contact.
Hostility to outsiders
One of my concerns in the reaction to the coronavirus crisis is that heavy-handed government action could lead to hostility to those not in the in-group!
In Hawaii, there have been protesters with signs telling visitors to "go home". Yes, I know it's to prevent more viruses from spreading. But do you think that hostility will subside when the pandemic subside? Once you get people angry like that, that anger doesn't fade easily when the triggering situation fades.
Already, well-known xenophobes like Pat Buchanan are gloating that this coronavirus crisis is destroying the globalist dream of open borders and free markets. He is happy that this urge to stop a virus is leading to more travel and migration restrictions.
Pat Buchanan, “Will the Coronavirus Kill the New World Order?,” Townhall, March 13, 2020,
Again, this urge to exclude will not fade so easily once the pandemic fades.
Because the virus originated in the markets in China, this had led to hate crimes against anyone who even remotely looks East Asian.
The "woke" who claim that "people of color can't be racist because they don't have institutional power" bullcrap are quick to ignore the fact that it isn't just those of European ancestry who are committing the hate crimes against Asians. Some of those anti-Asian hate crimes that have been recorded have also been committed by African-Americans, and I wouldn't be surprised if some Latinos have been doing the same thing. Even on social media, I've seen Polynesians making racist jokes/comments about East Asians and the coronavirus, even though some of their islands had a measles outbreak last year.
Donald Trump claims that calling the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" is "telling like it is". No, it's all about the "hey look at me everyone, I'm being politically incorrect".
People will respond with "what about the Spanish flu or the German measles"? Those diseases too should've been given different names. Diseases like Lyme Disease and Ebola were named after very obscure towns that most of the world has never heard before.
Schools and libraries
For now, Hawaii's public schools are on an extended break. Spring Break was just supposed to be last week, but students are scheduled to return on April 7. That will most likely be delayed again. The school I work at has 1,000+ students, so much for social distancing. Some high schools here have up to 3,000 students. Try social distancing that!
Starting today, my school's staff have been teleconferencing in the morning. So basically, I'm working half-days. Teachers are planning assignments that students can do at home. Being that I'm a library clerk and not a classroom teacher, I currently don't have much of a workload now that the schools are shut-down.
University campuses are a different story.
At the start of the coronavirus crisis, universities like Harvard made an abrupt decision to get everyone off-campus. The problem is that many students have nowhere to go. International students can't just leave so easily. Even students from other parts of the country had to scramble for arrangements.
Connor Perrett, “'I barely kept from crying': Schools and Universities Throw Students Into Panic After Telling Them to Leave Campus and Take Classes Online Amid Coronavirus Fears,” Yahoo News, March 10, 2020,
College classes have also gone online. But if the school's facilities are shut-down, how the hell students who don't have their own computers supposed to do their online work. When I was a university student. I relied on the library's computer labs to do all computer work. I also relied on the library for quiet study space. My university's main library has so much study space that you can easily do some social distancing while doing research for your classes.
Some professors aren't tech-savvy. This is especially true for older professors who don't teach STEM classes.
I was never a fan of online classes. I liked classes where you're actually in class, having discussions and having assistance from a professor or classmate right next to you. You can only learn so much from hiding behind a screen. Even though I like spending time alone, this trend towards online classes where you're physically isolated from your classmates disturbs me. In-class classes were a great setting for me to socialize with people with similar interests and it would be sad to have less of those opportunities for the next generation.
A sociology professor Dr. Rebecca Barrett-Fox wrote an article with a clickbait title "Please do a bad job of putting your courses online" and those who took that title literally threw a hissy fit in the comments! But if you read beyond that title, you would notice that Dr. Barret-Fox suggested that if the class wasn't originally scheduled to be an online class, don't go overboard with unrealistic expectations for yourself and the students on such short notice.
Rebecca Barrett-Fox, “Please Do a Bad Job of Putting Your Courses Online,” AnyGoodThing, March 12, 2020,
also for professors who assume "I know my students, they'll be fine in online-only courses.
Rebecca Barrett-Fox, “You Probably Don’t Know Your Students as Well as You Think You Do (And That’s Okay, but You Still Have to Design for Their Success),” AnyGoodThing, March 19, 2020,
So far, I'm noticing that the University of Hawaii system has been more reasonable with their responses. They did put all classes online, but they did allow dormitory residents to stay and allowed the library to remain open. However, the library, usually open to the public, now is restricted to university staff and students.
Susan Essoyan, “University of Hawaii Closes Campuses to General Public,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, March 20, 2020,
As for the public libraries, the ones in Hawaii have been shut-down for now. Many people rely on them not only for physical books but also for their computer labs. For a long time, that was THE place I go to use the internet. For now, those who could only use the internet at the public library are out of luck. That means 3+ weeks of not being able to check their email.
Prisons
The one place that social distancing is nearly impossible is the prisons. Most are overcrowded. A place where contagious diseases are easily spread. When the guards fall ill and have to call in sick, the prisons get even more under-staffed to dealing with over-crowded conditions.
Sure, people will gloat when some heinous criminal like Harvey Weinstein gets the virus behind bars. For the harm they did, people understandably will have little sympathy for them.
However, those who may have been wrongfully convicted, those who are convicted but have overly harsh sentences for comparatively minor violations, those convicted of unjust laws, and for those who are not convicted but are behind bars because they can't afford bail, my heart goes out to them.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley have been advocating for compassionate releases for some inmates (most likely nonviolent offenders, those who are already disabled or elderly) but as soon as you say "some inmates are getting out of jail", the public will go into a panic about "killers and rapists being out in the streets". Being that some inmates have been alienated from loved ones and have no home, putting them out there during the coronavirus crisis will make them vulnerable in a different way.
Beth Baumann, “Ayanna Pressley: Prisoners Are Vulnerable to the Wuhan Virus, so Let's Set Them Free,” Townhall, March 15, 2020,
The release of domestic abusers will definitely put people in danger, as those abusers have a long history of taking everything personally and they sure don't forgive very easily
Domestic Violence
Forcing families to stay home together for an extended period of time, what can go wrong? A lot!
Tensions will flare, and those with abusive personalities will definitely take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to isolate their victims. Their victims worry about having no place to go and worry that wherever they might go (shelters, hospitals, etc) will further expose themselves to the virus
Melissa Godin, “As Cities Around the World Go On Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out,” Time, March 18, 2020,
Economics
The cancellations and shutdowns have caused serious harm to those who work in events and hospitality. That will definitely spread to the industries that those workers spend money on.
An article on how the coronavirus crisis has economically harmed those who work at music events......
Unemployment insurance is being offered, but their eligibility requirements don't cover every situation. If the economy doesn't rebound, the unemployment insurance fund will eventually dry up.
I used to be a substitute teacher and I remember not getting paid when schools are on vacation. Now that the schools are locked out, the substitute teachers are scrambling at a time when economic opportunities are declining everywhere. I'm currently blessed with a full-time position at a school library and I'm still getting paid the full amount. It is a possibility that government revenue dries up and positions will be cut. How much longer will I be blessed?
