Hammond, LA
March 31, 2020
S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y
WHEN YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, WE ARE THERE WITH YOU. A
s the United States faces the worst public health crisis in a generation, we want you to know we are here for you — and with you. Whatever happens, whenever it happens, your newspaper will be there for you. We’ll be there to let you know how our community is managing through this crisis — from business to government to the health care system and schools to the drastic impact on individuals and families. And we’ll be there to let you know about the good and extraordinary things happening in the midst of this crisis — the Southeastern Food Pantry partnering with the Wesley Foundation, the city and nonprofit workers attending to the homeless
community, the volunteers bringing food to elderly people who cannot leave their homes, the health workers putting themselves in harm’s way to care for the sick. Amidst the sadness and anxiety, there are uplifting moments that remind us of the resilience of the human spirit, and we’ll be there to document those, too. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards cited the exponential growth in positive cases as the reason he issued an order for all residents to stay home. “You have it within your power the opportunity to save lives if you simply minimize your contact with other people,” Edwards told residents during a press conference, repeatedly asking them
to comply with the stay-at-home order. We are here to help you make sense of the situation and to help you navigate it. Having fact-based, reliable reporting that provides public scrutiny and oversight is more important than ever. Together, across the decades, this newspaper and its readers have navigated horrific events — natural disasters, terrorism, financial downturns and periods of extreme political and societal division. This challenge is greater than any of those, but, rest assured, we’ll be here for you. Southeastern is a resilient community where people come together to build and rebuild. Let’s stick together, and we will get through this, too.
Parents face new challenges with school, work and home
DSA staff member Lorraine Peppo puts her 2-year-old son, Jacob, down for a nap as she also works from home remotely. Many faculty, staff and students of the university are finding themselves unexpectedly juggling parental duties at the same time they attempt to manage academic or professional responsibilities from home. Photo courtesy of Johnny Peppo BRYNN LUNDY
changes in their daily routines, Many teachers and students much of the campus population at the university have children must now learn to balance work of various ages who are also As many continue to face and home life differently. experiencing the temporary
Staff Reporter
closures of schools due to the pandemic. How do these parents simultaneously and remotely manage their jobs, their coursework and their children’s education? LaTasha Baker, a senior communication major, explained how her husband helps her when it comes to balancing work, classes and keeping up with their son’s education. “Although I prefer oncampus classes, I am a fulltime employee; therefore, most of my classes are online,” explained Baker. “I do have a 12-year-old at home, but I have a wonderful husband who assists him with his virtual learning while I continue with my courses as well as work remotely from home.” Baker shared an upside and downside to having more time at home than usual. “The positive is that we’re spending more time together, but the negative is that children are easily bored so they have to be kept busy, which is challenging while working and going to school remotely from home,” said Baker. The pandemic is directly affecting some families. Senior English education major Kimberly Cox described
the added stress of having to balance online coursework while helping with her grandchild and her teenage son. “My daughter, who normally works three jobs, is not working at all and is calling mom to help with her stressful situation,” explained Cox. “My high school son was working an essential job until Monday when someone at his job tested positive. Now, we are both in a full 100% quarantine.” Cox expressed how she is ready for the stress of the semester and the current circumstances to come to an end. “Dealing with a teenager who is used to going and doing something every day, whether it’s work, school or friends, is yet another stress,” said Cox. “The end of the semester and the end of the pandemic cannot come soon enough.” Stephanie Welch, an instructor of earth and space science, described the difficulties of having to work remotely and splitting the responsibilities with her husband. “It has been difficult,” shared Welch. “My husband and I alternate shifts with the kids, and I try to concentrate on my work in the early morning
and nap time when the twoyear-old is asleep.” Welch explained what homeschooling tools she has implemented to make sure her kids keep up with learning. “My kids are two and six, Iris and Felix, so the homeschooling is mainly concentrated on the six-yearold, Felix, in first grade,” said Welch. “I have him reading a book chapter and describing it to me and doing some math work through apps on his tablet.” She shared how getting to spend more time with her kids has been positive, as well as a negative aspect of the newly found free time. “I love the extra time with them, but they are both used to having my undivided attention when we’re all home, so it’s difficult to tell them that I need to work too,” explained Welch. Welch shared her advice for anyone home with children during the current situation. “I would tell them that no one is at their best right now,” urged Welch. “We all need to prioritize what is important and let go of the over-the-top expectations that we have of ourselves. This time definitely calls for a ‘let’s just get through this in one piece’ strategy.”
Flu vs. COVID-19: What are the differences? JORDYN FRANKLIN Staff Reporter
As the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 continues to develop, media outlets are sharing information on the ever-changing and unpredictable pandemic. Recently, comparisons between influenza and COVID-19 have been drawn. While there are similarities, such as both being infectious viruses that can cause respiratory illness, differences exist between them as well. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, COVID-19 is caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, while the flu is caused by several different types and
strains of influenza viruses. As a general overview, symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On the other hand, the CDC shared that symptoms of influenza include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue and occasionally vomiting and diarrhea. In a Q&A, the World Health Organization distinguished the speed of transmission to be an important difference between the two viruses. The WHO stated that the median incubation periods and serial intervals of the two viruses differ. “Influenza has a shorter median
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incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) and a shorter serial interval (the time between successive cases) than COVID-19 virus,” reported the WHO. “The serial interval for COVID-19 virus is estimated to be five to six days, while for influenza virus, the serial interval is three days.” While the methods of transmission are the same, from contact, droplets and fomites, there is a new possibility that COVID-19 is spreading through the airborne route. “COVID-19 might be spread through the airborne route, meaning that tiny droplets remaining in the air could cause disease in others even after the ill person is no longer near,” according to
Johns Hopkins Medicine. While children are important factors of flu transmission within communities, data suggests that children are less affected than adults are, according to the WHO. “For the COVID-19 virus, initial data indicates that children are less affected than adults and that clinical attack rates in the zero to 19 age group are low. Further preliminary data from household transmission studies in China suggest that children are infected from adults, rather than vice versa,” reported the WHO. Additionally, the WHO stated that the mortality rate for COVID-19 appears to be higher than that of the flu. “Mortality for COVID-19 appears
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higher than for influenza, especially seasonal influenza. While the true mortality of COVID-19 will take some time to fully understand, the data we have so far indicate that the crude mortality ratio is between three to four percent,” reported the WHO. The available medical interventions are one major difference. There are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics for COVID-19, though the WHO states that there are over 20 vaccines currently in development. The flu, however, has antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to combat it. The CDC urges all individuals to follow precaution and practice social distancing. Those showing symptoms should seek medical care.
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