The Reporter Issue 5 Special Edition: Coronavirus

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the reporter ISSUE V

SPECIAL EDITION: CORONAVIRUS

As a global pandemic tears through our nation, we explore the people, places, and institutions that have been impacted by COVID-19.

WHAT’S INSIDE Living With (And Loving) An Immunocompromised Person PG. 12

Coronavirus and the Sunshine State: How Governor DeSantis Responded to the COVID-19 Crisis PG. 14

Getting Sick of Fake News and American Individualism PG. 26

VOL. CXXVII

Letter editor chief from the in

Of course what I really want is to be original. I think we all want to be original when we feel like everything’s been said a million times and the president’s on TV 83 times a day trying to convince us that he was right all along and we’re wondering when we’ll be able to touch our faces without wincing and when we can commence these plans we’ve made to begin truly, actually, finally living our lives, when we’ll wear bright red lipstick and pantsuits every day and eat at greasy pizza restaurants and so we’re wondering when this will end, but of course the internet has it all wrong and so does the government, “the virus decides what will happen,” Dr. Fauci says as if he’s the disease whisperer and that COVID-19 can speak for itself, but of course no one wants to believe him.

Perhaps what I really want is to offer a perspective, that we’re not living in a dystopia, that it’s fine, everything’s fine, that we can predict what’s going to happen, because diseases like this have happened before, and we’re America, we’re tough, we’re strong, we can get through it again. I want to be poignant, I want to be hopeful, I want to offer solace, because I know you’re reading this and probably secretly thinking that I’m in a position to have some answers that you don’t.

I read something recently about how Americans suffer from this idea that we think everything can be predicted, because maybe everything’s Google-able, maybe everything has the ability to be concrete and figured out easily. That because we live in this bubble of a so-called developed country with inclusive institutions, nothing bad can get in, and we are totally and completely invincible. And that’s how it usually is; the Middle East suffers, dictatorships tear up South America, and here we sit, on oversized couches with our feet up, eating chips and watching Netflix, donating two dollars here and there, or maybe just scrolling past the charities people are raising money for on Facebook. But I don’t have a conclusion for this paragraph or for you. When this ends we might go back to the same culture of apathy and consumerism, or we might change and care about the world outside of the United States. There’s no way of knowing.

So we made this remotely. The Reporter’s almost 140 years old and I’m not sure if it’s ever been made remotely.

But I think we did a good job. Please stay inside and wash your hands, call your friends and your relatives, but take a break and look around yourself. It may never look the same again.

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Ruby Rosenthal

Letter executiveeditor from the

It’s weird the things you miss when you’ve never had to miss them. I miss the smell of old books at my job.

I miss the way the sun looked on my commute home.

I miss the way I got a little thrill every time I passed a friend in the hall I wasn’t expecting to see, and I just so happen to have the perfect story to tell them because they won’t believe what professor so-and-so said in class. I miss class, and I miss professor so-and-so, and I miss the world that I had built for myself that felt so entirely unshakable that it had become a lightning rod for all of my anxieties, that if all else failed, I knew I still had the old book smell and the sunlight on my drive home and the friends I was always excited to see, even if I didn’t know I was going to see them.

In many ways, it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in this. That the melancholy, the anger, the boredom, the uncertainty, the amount of time I’ve spent doing ridiculous things on the internet, it’s not just mine. A pandemic spreads anxiety along with its contagion, so I guess it’s nice to know that as we all take on this virus together, we take on the emotions it brings with it together too.

That’s what this issue is: all of us coming together to face this thing. It’s the amalgamation of our stresses and our fears bottled up inside of us and pushed out in a product driven by passion and dedication and a need to do something to take control of this moment. To create something that will remember what it was like to live through this, long after we’ve (hopefully) forgotten.

If you’re reading this at the time of publication, wash your hands. If you’re reading it many, many years after, also wash your hands. And go do something social for all of us. Knowing you did will make us feel better.

Hannah Zeller

our process

behind the scenes For a while, we went back and forth about whether or not this issue would even exist at all. There just seemed to be one too many obstacles, one too many reasons to forgo a fifth issue. How would we get photos?

How would we get interviews? Is it even possible to produce a magazine remotely, especially with our staff abruptly uprooted from their lives and scattered across the country?

We were drowning in journalistic insecurity. But eventually, we realized that creating something that will outlive this pandemic, that will serve as a record for what it was like working and learning and living during a global emergency, was more important than all the things we were telling ourselves we couldn’t do. So we got to work, however we could. We conducted email interviews and staged photo shoots in our living rooms. We set up offices in bedrooms, dining rooms, backyards, basements; really anywhere with an internet connection strong enough to connect us to a Google Drive and Spotify. We took advantage of every free resource and every connection we have, and though it was a long and unconventional process, we made it work. Over an ungodly amount of Zoom calls, FaceTimes, text messages, GroupMes, smoke signals, and carrier pigeons, our team fought their way through all the reasons we shouldn’t be able to do this until we had a finished product. And my, what a finished product it is (in my totally unbiased opinion).

- Hannah Zeller, Executive Editor

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the line up 4

issue 5

Ruby Rosenthal

Hannah Zeller

Natalie Bergeron

Isabel Solorzano

editor-in-chief

photo editor

Julia Gray

social media director

Calista Headrick opinion editor

executive editor

creative director

Ashton Craig

news & local editor

Rene Campbell

arts & culture editor

Ihsaan Fanusie sports editor

Arnaldo Chow web director

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may 2020

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What’s your favorite quarantine activity?

staff

Ruby Rosenthal, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Zeller, Executive Editor Anjana Srinivasan, Copy Editor Writing to-do lists I can’t Natalie Bergeron, Photo Editor Forcing my dog to finish Isabel Solorzano, Creative Director hang out with me Julia Gray, Social Media Director Ashton Craig, News & Local Editor Ihsaan Fanusie, Sports Editor Working out over Calista Headrick, Opinion Editor videochat with friends René Campbell, Arts & Culture Editor Arnaldo Chow, Web Director Kevin Vega, Photographer Playing Animal Crossing an Gabriela Molina, Photographer excessive amount to avoid Jillian Semmel, Photographer homework Caitlin Bhagwandeen, Photographer & Designer Madison Gray, Designer Bella Steiert, Designer Robert Che-Bonilla, Designer Coloring to get my mind Lauren Barney, Designer & News Writer off everything going on Naomi Johnson, News Writer Nicole Rosen, News Writer Vivianne Skavlem, News Writer Kendall Couture, Arts & Culture Writer Emily Derrenbacker, Arts & Culture Writer Planning what I’m going to Hannah Russo, Arts & Culture Writer do when quarantine ends Jay Stearman, Opinion Writer Maxx Smith, Opinion Writer Allie Wilson, Sports Writer Josh Miller, Sports Writer Puzzles, I never knew I owned them and I never knew how addicting they can be

contributors Jenny Fang, Writer Julia Gray, Arts & Culture Writer

JOINING US

When it comes to joining The

Reporter, we’re not picky.

Whether you’re interested in writing an article, designing a page, taking photos or creating some graphics for us, we want to hear what you have to say. A Hatter Network contributor is someone whose occasionally takes part in Hatter Network as a reporter, photographer, show host, or designer, but does not attend regular meetings and nor do they necessarily have an in-person relationship with their editor. A Hatter Network staffer, on the other hand, attends all meetings and abides by deadlines set by their editor, and regularly contributes to the online and in-print content that Hatter Network produces. The Reporter is an extracurricular, volunteer operation made for students, by students, and we aim to cover the full spectrum of student life here at Stetson. If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions, comments or concerns, email our editor-in-chief, Ruby Rosenthal, at rrosenthal@stetson.edu or apply on Engage.

CORRECTIONS

As an official media outlet for students on campus, we push ourselves to be constantly improving our standards and correcting our mistakes. We care about accuracy and providing you with the most accurate information we can give.

If there are mistakes, let us know by emailing us at thereporterstetson@gmail.com.

ABOUT US

The Reporter is the oldest collegiate

publication in the state of Florida.

The magazine is produced six times per year, three a semester. Florida Sun Printing prints 650 copies per issue on 8.5 x 11inch, 80#Gloss Text. Most body text is 11 point Adobe Garamond Pro with 13 point leading set with a combination of regular, italic, and bold.

All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit hatternetwork.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 421 N Woodland Blvd., Unit 8416 DeLand, Florida 32723 or emailed to thereporterstetson@gmail.com. We plan to forge a media group that meets our own high standards of excellence and integrity through expression in print and online. Ultimately, student media at Stetson University will be a representation of just that: the students. And because we are serving our peers, we will be honest in the stories we tell. Because if we don’t tell them, who will?

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FEATURES 12

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issue 45

Living With (& Loving) an Immunocompromised Person Story by Vivianne Skavlem

Getting Sick of Fake News & American Individualism Story by Maxx Smith

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Stetson’s Response to COVID-19: Late, but Strong Story by Ihsaan Fanusie

Staying-at-Home With Resident Assistants Story by Jay Stearman

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ZOOM: Greek Life at Zoom University Living With (& Loving) an Immunocompromised Person Coronavirus and the Sunshine State: How Governor DeSantis Responded to the COVID-19 Crisis Pandemic Professors: How Professors Reacted

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CONTENTS

08 10 12 14

The Global Impact of COVID-19

Stetson’s Response to COVID-19: Late, but Strong

Staying Fit During COVID-19

Inside the Epicenter: A Look at Life in Italy During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Hope Despite Homelessness Getting Sick of Fake News & American Individualism Staying-at-Home With Resident Assistants

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TOP: Parks in Florida have been closed until further notice with no knowledge of when it will be reopened. MIDDLE: Streets all over the country have been filled with barricade lights used to spread the word to stay home.

BOTTOM: Some citizens have found different ways to honor essential workers by creating signs and posters to hang outside their home.

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COVID-19 Story by Emily Derrenbacker Design, Graphics, & Photos by Isabel Solorzano

COVID-19 has already caused 100,745 deaths around the world.

As of April 10, scientists can only guess as to how many more it will cause in the future. Multiple countries have insisted that their citizens take shelter and avoid leaving home as much as possible. But how did the world get to this point? What really is coronavirus?

C

OVID-19 stands for “coronavirus disease discovered in 2019,” but what we are seeing now is a new strain out of an entire family of coronaviruses. Other examples of coronaviruses include SARS and MERS, which also caused major outbreaks in 2003 and 2012, respectively. Thankfully, the fatality rate of COVID-19 is much lower than the two previous diseases, possibly because COVID-19 has received more international attention and funding.

Coronaviruses can range from common colds to serious diseases, which reflects what we are seeing now with the huge range of symptoms people infected with COVID-19 are showing. Some show no symptoms at all, while others require hospitalization. Because some people are asymptomatic, the number of people infected is like to be much higher than expected.

Despite COVID-19 being discovered in 2019, it didn’t reach mainstream U.S. news until January 2020. Its origins are not proven, but because the virus likely has its origins in bats, scientists believe that it was linked to a large seafood and animal market in Wuhan, China.

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According to Dweepobotee Brahma, Brookings Institute, “It started with a few deaths in Wuhan, China, with the earliest reported case on November 17, 2019. By December 31, 2019, when the Chinese authorities first reported it to the World Health Organization (WHO), it was already a full-fledged outbreak.”

On Jan. 20, the U.S. and other countries reported their first confirmed cases, but how each country responded was entirely different. Once their death toll reached 17, China completely shut down the city of Wuhan: including all public transportation and travel in and out of the city. South Korea quickly instituted an international travel ban and canceled public events. As a result, South Korea was able to keep its infection rate and death rate low, with only 208 total deaths as of April 10. Canada is another country that was able to slow the spread by conducting a large number of tests early.

I interviewed epidemiology assistant professor, Asal Johnson to compare the United States’ response. Dr. Johnson said, “First, our very first response was not until Jan. 31. People were travelling

from China, where the virus was circulating, throughout December and January to the United States. Our first response should have been to monitor, test, quarantine and isolate or contact tracing of travelers since early January or at least mid-January. This classic public health approach was not considered.” She continued by saying, “the patchwork nature of US epidemic control policies (Federal, State, County, cities) was exacerbated by the lack of leadership from the White House. While it was known that this disease was serious, and the president was given a report in January warning him of a real threat of a pandemic, he insisted and persisted until late February that the situation was well-under control.” As of April 10, the U.S. only makes up 4.4% of the world’s population, but has 30% of the world’s COVID-19 cases.

If the rise in cases were to continue exponentially, there will be a point at which hospitals won’t have enough room for the extreme number of people needing hospitalization.

For weeks, scientists and government officials have been encouraging social distancing as a way to “flatten the curve.” Despite warnings, many people went about their business as usual, saying that coronavirus was no worse than the seasonal flu. But is it more deadly? Dr. Johnson states, “These are two different viruses. Seasonal flu has been around for a long time. We have vaccines and antiviral treatments for it. Every year the CDC and some states have campaigns to reduce the burden of disease. Therefore, it does not overwhelm our health care system in an overnight manner. COVID-19 is a novel virus. Human populations have no susceptibility against it. There is no medicine or vaccine and as it is happening now, it has imposed substantial loss of life and productivity.” Public health officials are constantly warning how quickly coronavirus can spread. The CDC lists ways it can spread, including from person to person through droplets from coughs and sneezes and through infected surfaces or objects: by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. One of the most dangerous factors is that it can stay in the air for up to three hours, and survive on plastic and stainless steel for up to three days, according to Harvard Health.

U.S. hospitals are depending on the population to flatten the curve, which means to slow the spread of coronavirus so that the number of new cases per day is lower. If the rise in cases were to continue exponentially, there will be a point at which hospitals won’t have enough room for the extreme number of people needing hospitalization. Dr. Johnson addressed what students can do to protect themselves and others who are most vulnerable during this time: “Given where we are now with this pandemic, it is critical for all of us to stay at home and if we must leave home, we keep our distance with other people. The more we stick to our stay home regimens, the more we make the environment safer for those who have no choice but to go to work.” Young people just as easily become infected as anyone else, but we don’t face a high risk of death. However, it is important to remember that all parts of society will be affected: people have already lost their jobs, seniors are missing out on graduation, pregnant mothers won’t have family members present when giving birth. The question now is, how much worse will it get? This is about doing what we can as a society to protect the vulnerable. R ** This story was written on April 10 and reflects the most current information at that time.

Publix has implemented measures that protect both employees and customers by having employees wear masks at all times.

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Z ETA O MICRON O MICRON MU A Story by Nicole Rosen Design by Ruby Rosenthal Graphics by Caitlin Bhagwandeen

communities & Coronavirus Are you in a sorority or fraternity and miss your sisters or brothers? Would you just like a taste of Greek life without joining a sorority or fraternity on campus? Maybe you just want to meet new people from all around the world that are also stuck in quarantine? Zeta Omicron Omicron Mu (ZOOM) might be the place for you!

Greek Life at Zoom University

ttendance at Zoom University - the colloquial term for college courses that have transitioned online - has skyrocketed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Memes about Zoom University are being shared on every social media platform, as it gives a collective feeling of togetherness in a time of social isolation. This sense of community birthed Zeta Omnicron Omnicron Mu, also knows as ZOOM, an online srat (sorority/ fraternity) that accepts everyone, no matter if they are affiliated with real-world Greek Organizations or not.

organizations. They then had a Big/Little ceremony over Zoom where the bigs were revealed to their new littles.

And, just like exisiting Greek life organizations, Zeta Mu has people who act as officers and are on different parts of the board. People applied for the positions and then the election committee decided who would get each position. Tipett became the Vice President of Philanthropy of the online srat, just like she is for her sorority in real life.

There are two people that were elected as presidents.

One electee, Jasmine Bacchus is a member of Kappa ZOOM, also known as Zeta Mu, was created on Alpha Theta at Brown University, and majors in March 16, and began as a Facebook group started politics, philosophy, and economics. I asked her why

by Kathryn Tippett, a student from University of she decided to join the online srat, and she told me: “I California San Diego and a sorority sister from decided to join ZOOM because I realized the potential Alpha Epsilon Phi. This Facebook group currently for the organization to have an impact on a wide range has 11,000+ members, and they are working on of students and really wanted to be a part of the team creating and selling merchandise that will have that made it happen. Not only have we been able to proceeds go towards COVID-19 relief efforts. be a space for students to connect with each other, but we’ve been able to [have] mental health resources, create Zeta Mu is treated almost like a real sorority or employment mentorship pairings, and raise money fraternity, just online. ZOOM soon had some small for COVID-19 research. We’ve only been running committees that could perform duties. One of these for a couple of weeks, but even back then I saw the committees put out a form for Bigs and Littles and potential for the group to really make an impact during hand selected the people who filled it out to make the pandemic and I’m so glad I had the chance to get families, a tradition present in physical Greek life involved.”

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It seems that Zeta Mu has had a significant and positive impact on people all around the world. When I asked her about how it has affected her, she told me this: “In the absence of orgs on campus, ZOOM has helped me bridge the gap between my virtual classes and the community that usually comes with being on a college campus. ZOOM has begun to function just like any other student org, and has developed to become pretty

efficient while reaching a growing number of students around the world. It’s been really cool to work through some of the same challenges that face any student org: engagement, organization, elections to name a few. So the effect ZOOM has had on me is just showing me how a group of students with no prior relationships can autonomously create a highly functioning organization with

“

Not only have we been able to be a space for students to connect with each other, but we’ve been able to [have] mental health resources, create employment mentorship pairings, and raise money for COVID-19 research.”

- ZOOM co-president Jasmine Bacchus

the capability to really reach/help thousands of people.

As I’m studying political economy and we look at how challenging it can be to get groups of people to reach collective decisions, it’s been cool to see ZOOM thrive and function so well.”

I also spoke with McKenzie Connelly, the other president of Zeta Mu She is also a Kappa Alpha Theta at Louisiana State University with a major in political science with a concentration in international politics and law, and a minor in vocal performance. When I asked her about Zeta Mu she said: “ZOOM has brought so much joy to my life during the COVID-19 pandemic. To know my work in this community, in some part, is bringing joy to others is so fulfilling. I joined ZOOM to find a community of like-minded individuals who wanted a fun distraction during our period of social distancing and the suspension of in-person classes. ZOOM has provided me with friends from across the world who I can spend time with when I can’t see my school friends or friends from my hometown in person. I have made so many friends through ZOOM! From exec, to Discord, to my [ZOOM] family, and the Theta chat -- I can honestly say I’ve met some amazing people within the short time we’ve been established.”

For Connelly, Zeta Mu has been extremely beneficial.

“I have been able to continue to work on my leadership skills and communicate with so many individuals that this goes beyond personal relationships and networking, I am becoming a better leader as well.”

to leading such a large organization. I had quickly grown an affinity for Zeta Mu and knew with further involvement this organization could evolve into something truly magnificent. Being President is truly an amazing experience. I feel like I get a great chance to know every active member and engage on all platforms.

I truly love my job!”

Zeta Mu has also inspired the creation of other virtual organizations, such as a Harry Potter Club— that I’m acting as one of the Hufflepuff Prefects for— called Zoom University Harry Potter Club. Other organizations, such as Dungeons & Dragons groups, have begun to pop up, and people are connecting with sisters and brothers from other chapters through ZOOM.

A Zeta Mu member, Kimsey Stewart, is part of some of these tangential organizations. Coincidentally, Stewart is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

She attends Louisiana State University and majors in political communications and spanish. She said that she joined ZOOM because “It came up as a recommended group and I honestly just thought it was funny. But since then I’ve joined a group of writers and a DnD group and I’ve really enjoyed that! I think ZOOM is very different from my in-person Greek life experience in a lot of ways. I love my sorority and I love my sisters but sometimes being in a sorority can be stressful. There are a lot of commitments and requirements. Not to mention going through rush.

ZOOM has helped me by always having something to smile at in the group, such as the post where everyone is commenting pictures of their dogs. And it’s nice to see other people are going through this and having similar feelings as me. Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one this stressed out and this worried, but this group has really helped me realize other people are stressed and worried too and that it’s okay to feel like that right now.”

In these times, groups like Zeta Omicron Omicron Mu remind us that we can come together, and that even though we’re all facing our own struggles, at least we have a place where we can all connect. R

About applying for her position, Connelly said: “I felt like I had a strong skill set that would be conducive

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(and loving)

lianvimmunocompromised ing with person

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COVID-19 may not impact you directly, but it could be the difference between life and death for someone you love. When the news first broke about the pandemic, my first thought wasn’t about me, but about my immunocompromised sister, and what a global health crisis could mean for her health and safety.

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personal history

Story by Vivianne Skavlem Design by Ruby Rosenthal Photos Courtesy of Vivianne Skavlem

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y little sister is one of the toughest people I know, but she is also one of the most vulnerable. Violette has Down syndrome. For most aspects of life, this doesn’t affect her; she is still a fiesty 12-year-old, who Snapchats her friends, makes YouTube videos, plays sports, fights with her older sisters, and gets roles in school musicals. However, when it comes to her health, she is immunocompromised, and therefore more at risk of illness than most others.

Usually, it’s an ear infection here, and a cold there.

But when she was 3 years old, she battled bacterial meningitis, which can have up to a 20% mortality rate, and that is for children with healthy immune systems.

Her case was bad; my parents brought in a priest to do an anointing of the sick, which is a Catholic sacrament reserved for those who are “gravely ill.” Somehow, she survived and had none of the lasting effects that could include lifelong seizures, brain damage, deafness, or vision loss.

What if I told you that you could save a life without leaving the comfort of your home?

That is what the stay-at-home, self isolation, and quarantine orders across the nation do.

Stay home, order takeout, go for a walk.

I came close to losing my sister to something we couldn’t control. Ever since she was born, my family has gotten flu shots to lower the risk of us passing it on to Violette, whose body has a harder time fighting off illness. I still get a flu shot while I am at Stetson, and I usually get multiple people who tell me that they never get the flu shot because it’s not necessary, or that the one time they did get the flu shot, they got the flu anyway, (that is factually incorrect, they got a different strain of the flu than what was in the vaccine, or they had already been infected before getting vaccinated). They always look at me in confusion when I tell them that I don’t get the flu shot for me, I get it for others.

That might sound melodramatic, but did you know that with the ventilator shortage, they have to prioritize who gets ventilators? You might think that “of course they would give them to the sickest of the sick to get better,” but in reality, they go to those who have the best chances of getting better (the conversation of the rich and powerful is another article entirely). If there was a waitlist of people, my sister, and anyone else with underlying health conditions, or whose life expectancy is shortened already, would be towards the bottom of that list.

Vivanne Skavlem '22 (left) poses with her sisters. Her sister Violette (center) has Down syndrome. As she is immunocomprised, this means she has a higher mortality rate in terms of COVID-19.

I am sure you have seen the video of spring breakers being interviewed, and their unworried responses.

The quote that sticks out to me is from one young man, who shrugged while laughing, saying “if I get Corona, I get it.” I wanted to grab him and shake him, yelling “No! That’s not the end of it! If you get it, you spread it!” Even if you were to get it but didn’t have severe symptoms, you would still be passing it along to everyone you came into contact with, whether that be your roommate, spouse, barista, or bus driver. Then they pass it along, and then those people pass it along….

Until it gets to someone like my sister. What might be a slight cough for you could mean death for her.

What if I told you that you could save a life without leaving the comfort of your home? That is what the stayat-home, self isolation, and quarantine orders across the nation do. Stay home, order takeout, go for a walk.

I know this is really inconvenient; I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t annoyed when Ohio governor Mike DeWine issued the shelter in place order on March 23.

I know Stetson going online was really inconvenient.

I transformed my closet into a makeshift office and classes feel optional. But I know that what we are doing is worth it when I walk downstairs in the morning and am greeted with a smile and a hug from a safe, healthy Violette. R

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Story by Hannah Russo Graphics by Isabel Solorzano Design by Ruby Rosenthal

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Coronavirus

&

Amidst the rise of COVID-19, the eyes of Florida residents have been on Ron DeSantis and his administration. DeSantis’s responses to the pandemic, and subsequent efforts to deescalate quarantine measures, have received both criticism and praise, and they raise the question: how should states work to ensure the health of both citizens and the economy?

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n April 1, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state-wide stay-at-home order which severely restricts the movement of Florida citizens, especially those over the age of 65, or those with underlying conditions. At the writing of this piece, DeSantis has moved the state into Phase 1 of Florida’s recovery plan, which will continue to limit movement but, notably, allows provisions for businesses to begin operation, albeit in a truncated form. Many provisions are left up to the discretion of county governance.

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the Sunshine State: How Governor DeSantis Responded to the COVID-19 crisis

The opinions on DeSantis’s plans have been split, with some of the public condemning when the order was carried out, and how the ensuing Phase 1 has been implemented.

Initially, these sentiment moved from Twitter hashtags (#shutdownflorida) to national news.

An April 1 New York Times piece titled “Florida Governor, at Long Last, Orders Residents to Stay Home to Avoid Coronavirus,” reported that, as of its authorship, confirmed COVID-19 cases had skyrocketed to nearly 7,000, with 101 reported deaths. At this point, there are roughly 35,000 reported cases in the state.

Many critics of DeSantis’s late response have suggested that Florida’s demographic makeup makes less severe contingency plans for the virus more dangerous. Florida’s over-65 population is unprecedentedly large, leading the nation at 19.1%. This age group is the most susceptible to COVID-19, meaning that almost a fifth of the Florida population is at extreme risk of contracting the virus.

With all this in mind, the public consensus seemed to have decided that DeSantis’s order was not simply tardy, but dangerous because of its late implementation.

The public consensus seemed to have decided that DeSantis’s order was not simply tardy, but dangerous because of its late implementation.

The stay-at-home order was not the only late response on Florida’s part, however. Florida waited a significant amount of time before implementing any restrictions on travelers entering the state. Many members of the public criticized this lack of action on interstate travel, especially since Florida sees such a high volume of interstate travel due to tourism.

DeSantis has since ordered restrictions on travel into the state – as of March 27, the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida Department of Health is conducting screenings on drivers coming into high-risk regions of Florida – and though Florida was the first state to impose widespread restrictions and self-quarantine measures on domestic travelers, both Florida citizens and local media outlets alike are attributing Desantis’s slow response to the rising number of confirmed cases in the state.

among Florida’s largest industries, and it is, necessarily, dependent on interstate travel and the continual operation of nonessential establishments, be it the Mom-n-Pop ice cream shops or themed-entertainment giants like Walt Disney World. It is clear that DeSantis did not want to lose one of Florida’s largest economic assets, but as the Florida beaches and theme parks close, this seems quite unavoidable. Florida’s reliance on tourism, and how it ought to be dealt with, is a tricky question; the governor and state legislature continue to seek a resolution to this problem. It raises another side of the debate on Phase 1; some employees are restless to get back to work to make rent and meet their personal needs. It is a very difficult discussion, since both sides of the debate are wrapped up in the health and needs of the public.

It is uncertain when Florida will be back to business as usual again. If the state of Florida abides by the stay-at-home order and the updated social distancing guidelines, it is hoped that normalcy will be regained sooner rather than later. Governor DeSantis, echoing the urgings of the White House and President Donald Trump, strongly suggests Florida residents limit their interactions with nonessential activities, and asks that those most at risk stay at home as much as they possibly can. R

DeSantis’s measures were implemented far later than many other stay-at-home orders issued in other states, but his reasoning for holding off has been very clear: Florida’s economy is built on tourism. Tourism is ** This story was updated on May 3 and reflects the most current information at that time.

the reporter

15

PANDEMIC PROFESSORS: howprofessors

communities & Coronavirus

Reacted

Story by Calista Headrick Design & Graphics by Isabel Solorzano

I even miss the students who would sneak check-ins on their phones during class.

-- Dr. Nicole Denner

When Stetson made the move to online classes for the remainder of the semester, it came as a shock to students and faculty alike — and Stetson’s professors have been no exception to this. We spoke to a handful of professors about this transition: how they struggle to adjust just as much as students, and learn how to continue teaching in a world consumed by the coronavirus.

The engagement is not the same. You can hide in Zoom, and even the very best of students, even me I can not translate, I'm going to use the word chemistry.

There's a chemistry that happens in the classroom.

-- Dr. Ana Eire

What drives me every day when I go to work is that I'm going to see my students. -- Dr. Ana Eire And with the seniors, our last concert is a big deal. The Chamber Winds concert, that was going to be the first time we’d ever done it.

The students have been working really hard at it and it was going to be really great. But again, when you stop and think about the bigger picture of everything — they’re important. They’re hugely important.

But we’ll get through it, and again, people will have new memories and all that kind of thing. But I feel especially for our seniors.

-- Dr. Douglas Phillips

For the most part, I believe students have rolled with the changes and, like faculty, staff, and administrators, are doing what they need to in order to complete the semester.

16 issue 5

-- Dr. Greg Sapp

I miss nods and smiles and quizzical looks.

Talking at students is exhausting — I have to think so far in advance, organize materials logically, and, because I am teaching film, find ways to show them visually what I want them to see.

-- Dr. Nicole Denner

I truly miss student interaction.

I am not a teacher who lectures, I am a discuss-oriented teacher, and I have not yet successfully transferred this over to an online format -- Dr. Nicole Denner A few students have indicated to me that the internet connection in their homes is not as reliable as it is on campus. This presents a problem since most everything about the classes now is online and requires a reliable Internet connection.

-- Dr. Greg Sapp

One of the things I talked to them about when we're in rehearsal is that when we're there in rehearsal and we're in class, nothing else matters while we're there. So I'd say that's a gift they can give to themselves about just not worrying about anything else.

-- Dr. Douglas Phillips

I miss the eye contact, the silent gestures, the movement and dynamic a physical space has and that gives each class a distinct identity.

-- Dr. Yohann Ripert

I miss being able to draw on the whiteboard the different colored markers, because I am quite the stick-figure artist! (Just kidding.)

Actually, I miss being in the same physical space with students and having a conversation about subjects that are meaningful to us. -- Dr. Greg Sapp

While I would not be “eager� to reiterate the experience, we have done (and will continue to do as long as necessary for the safe health and well-being of everyone) the best we could in an unprecedented once-ina-century situation.

-- Dr. Yohann Ripert

To read the full story and interview with professors, go on hatternetwork.com. the reporter

17

Stetson’s Response to COVID-19: The coronavirus pandemic has shocked the world. Schools across the world have been tasked with responding to the crisis with very little notice. Stetson has had a relatively strong response, with considerations also being made for students that could not vacate campus.

opinion

Late,Strong but

Story by Ihsaan Fanusie Design by Bella Steiert & Isabel Solorzano Photos by Caitlin Bhagwandeen

S

ince March, Stetson has urged students to go back home if they were able, and has largely reduced campus staff to essential personnel. The vast majority of students have moved off-campus and the entire school has transitioned to online classes.

Considering the short notice that schools across the nation were given though, Stetson seems to have prepared itself for online schooling as best it could. Professors were told to teach classes online a week before the predicted shutdown early in March to test the university’s online learning capabilities. The university ended up moving up the canceling of classes and terminating the plan, but its very existence displayed Stetson’s commitment to preparation.

This preparation doesn’t mean that the switch to distanced learning has been without flaws. This transition has been bumpy at best, with some professors and students having difficulty using the various online tools for communication, and others not having access to the technology necessary to run or attend online courses in the first place.

As students have slowly moved off campus and returned home, buildings have remained empy and closed off for close seating and contact to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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Creating a more unified approach to online learning may have dispelled some of the confusion surrounding online platforms; for example, during the introduction of the online courses in March, I had difficulty accessing Blackboard Collaborate Ultra because I had never used it before. To add to the confusion, some of my classes were also on Zoom. Different professors electing to use different platforms for their classes made keeping track of synchronous class sessions quite a pain.

Beyond the transition towards online classes, the school also partially shut down campus in response to COVID-19. However, this process came slower than it should have, and it was by far the weakest aspect of the university’s response. Students were gradually shepherded off-campus with a series of emails giving “strong recommendations” to “consider leaving.”

This response left students confused, with many opting to stay on campus instead of leaving. Often, it seems this choice was made because it was more convenient to stay oncampus, and not because staying on campus was the safer choice.

Within a few weeks, it was clear that Stetson had underestimated the number of people that would elect to stay on campus; as such, the university issued another notice once again imploring students that could leave, to do so.

Other schools opted for a more decisive approach. University of Central Florida (UCF), for example, required that all students vacate campus by March 25, unless they had extenuating circumstances, which were to be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Rollins College also evacuated students from campus, but issued a waiver that allowed students with special considerations to stay on campus and receive meals.

Students were gradually shepherded off-campus with a series of emails giving “strong recommendations” to “consider leaving.

My home state of Maryland has taken a proactive approach to the pandemic, halting all non-essential business early and issuing a stay-at-home order at the end of March (and charging violators). University of Maryland (UMD), the state’s largest public university, required students to leave campus as well, with a few exceptions.

Other private institutions, like the University of Miami (UM), also went the “strongly encourage” route. It seems as if private schools, not beholden to the same rules as public institutions, were more likely to allow students to stay on campus.

On top of this, Stetson’s approach to reimbursements has been subpar. Students were given only a $400 housing credit for leaving their dorms, which does not even begin to cover the costs of two months of housing.

The credits for unused meal plans were also underwhelming. Had these credits been larger, perhaps more students would have left campus earlier, reducing the overall risk to the institution and its inhabitants.

Though it seems to me that the university’s attempts at clearing campus were nowhere near as aggressive as they should have been, I believe Stetson was very effective in the rest of its response. Stetson has done a decent job in being accommodating for students still on campus. The Commons is open, at very limited times, and the coffee shop is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. This accessibility, coupled with meal plans still being active for students that have them, gives students the bare minimum needed to survive on a healthy diet, for the most part.

The hours for the food options are reasonable, as dining staff health and well-being must be considered. Taking into account the balance needed for these different interests, the solutions the university provided, while leaving much to be desired for student food options, are good compromises.

The Hollis Center, one of the last studentheavy campus locations, was closed by the third week of March. The gym, pool, and basketball courts in the Hollis Center would have been a breeding ground for viruses, so it was and remains an excellent move to close them (though it does make life around campus a lot less exciting). The coffee shop and cafeteria have both been moved to a ‘takeout’ designation in accordance with Florida regulations. Following in line with other schools across the country and world, Stetson halted all athletic events as well.

Overall, the university’s response has not been perfect. At the time of this writing, two Stetson students have already contracted the coronavirus. But the university operated on short notice to partially close campus and lower the risk of the pandemic spreading further, and that is something to be proud of. R The coffee shop and cafeteria have both been adjusted to be a “take-out” designation to be in accordance with the Florida regulations.

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19

fit

communities & Coronavirus

Staying

During

COVID-19

With Governor DeSantis issuing a “stay-at-home” order at the beginning of the April, the coronavirus-induced quarantine is in full effect for all Florida residents. As all nonessential business has been shut down, there’s certainly less of a reason to go places or even leave your house. So say goodbye to any hopes of going to the gym for a while. Keeping these new restrictions in mind, you might be wondering, “How can I still get daily exercise?” Although, there are certainly some activities that you simply can’t do without access to a gym or sports Story by Ihsaan Fanusie facility, there’s still a lot that you can do in quarantine. Let’s take a look.

Design by Isabel Solorzano Graphics by Caitlin Bhagwadeen

1 Biceps Chin-ups

This is pretty much the only exercise on this list that requires equipment. If you have a bar, regular chin-ups are a great way to increase bicep strength in a relatively short amount of time. Chin-ups are certainly one of the more difficult exercises here, though. If you can’t do one, don’t think that excludes you from the exercise! Try to lift your chin past the bar as you would to do a chin-up, and then gradually lower yourself as slowly as you can for a similar workout.

Towel Bicep Curls

Bicep exercises are hard to do if you don’t have any equipment. You’ll want to avoid simply lifting random heavy stuff you find around the house in a workout, as that can be dangerous when your makeshift “equipment” isn’t meant to be used in that manner. Instead, try using a towel as a makeshift curling device and lift part of your body weight. If you haven’t tried this one before, look up towel bicep curl videos on YouTube that way you can make sure that you get your form correct.

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2 glutes Lunges

There are a plethora of different lunging exercises you can do to get a good workout. Different people require different regimens when it comes to these workouts (or any type of exercise, really), but you can start off with static lunges to get the feel of the exercise and work on your form.

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges are a type of workout that can help exercise the glutes and hamstrings without taking up a lot of space. These beginnerfriendly workouts can help exercise the abdomen, too.

4 legs

3 chest

Dynamic Squats

Push-ups

Push-ups are the classic “I-want-to-get-someexercise-but-I-don’t-feel-like-leaving-the-house” type of exercise. They fit the quarantine vibe perfectly. They can be difficult if you don’t have a strong upper body, but if you can do them, they’re excellent. There are also a lot of different variations for push-ups, so look up some alternatives to the classic type and try those, too. Crank out a few push-ups in some organized sets for a quick (but not so easy) chest exercise.

Mountain Climbers

If push-ups aren’t quite your speed, mountain climbers can be a great alternative that will exercise your chest and may also get you some cardio action (depending on how quickly you do it). Now, you aren’t actually climbing a mountain with this position (although it may feel like that after a while), but you can still get some great in-home exercise. I put it in the chest section, but really, mountain climbing is a full body workout that exercises the biceps, triceps, quads, abdominals, hamstrings, and other body parts.

There are a lot of great techniques to this practice, and doing a quick Google search can really help you perfect your form.

Don’t skip leg day! Dynamic squats can be a great alternative to static squats and can really help your legs stay healthy. Something important here is to bend your knees outward instead of inward, so that they do not receive too much pressure.

Calf Raises

This relatively simple exercise can be extremely helpful in developing calf muscles. There are quite a few alternatives to the standard calf-raise, so doing some quick research to find other variations will allow you to switch it up occasionally.

5 cardio

Running

Of course, the stay-at-home order doesn’t prevent perhaps the best form of cardio you can get: running. Feel free to take a jog around your neighborhood, or campus. If you have a treadmill, taking a quick run on that can also help you get some cardio without leaving the house.

Air Squats

Ouch, I can feel the burn for this one just by writing! Air squats can be great for cardio purposes and just a few sets can get your heart racing.

Jump Roping

OK, OK, I know I said that chin-ups would be the only exercise in this list that requires actual “equipment,” but honestly, you can probably pick up a jump rope at the nearest Walmart on your next shopping spree. While it’s also used as a children's toy, athletic jump ropes can also be great for exercising your entire body as a teen or adult.

6 alternative exercising

Formal exercise techniques, while incredibly helpful in maintaining fitness, are not the only method of doing so. It’s a great time to take walks in nature, or go for a bike ride. All of these forms of exercise are still allowed under current quarantine laws.

All of our lives have been affected by COVID-19, in fact, some of the most basic daily functions being disrupted in the past couple of months. The social distancing and quarantine measures have taken out many of our usual avenues of exercise, but that doesn’t mean we have to become sedentary. With the right dedication, we can still incorporate fitness into our regular routines. *It’s always best to consult a medical professional or nutritionist for advice on your specific situation. Never conduct dangerous or extremely difficult exercises without the appropriate supervision. If you are unable to do a certain exercise or feel unusual pain or soreness after trying a new exercise, stop immediately and contact a medical professional if necessary.

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21

Hatter Network: What’s the difference between DeLand & where you are in Italy? Paint us a picture from what we know to what we don’t know. What are the requirements like? If they are stricter, do you feel safer?

inside the epicenter communities & Coronavirus

Alessandra Rubello: When I first came back to Italy, it was quite shocking to see that everything was shut down and no one was outside. I am from Rovigo, a little town located right outside of Venice, and it's always so full of tourists and people walking outside, so when I first came back [and] didn't see anyone, it felt surreal.

On top of being on lockdown, I also had to self-quarantine for two weeks when I first arrived because I had been traveling, and I didn't want to put my family at risk. Things are actually going a lot better right now, and they just re-opened a few businesses, which is very important for the economy. We are still in quarantine, but now we are able to go outside and enjoy a little bit of freedom, but always wearing a mask, gloves, and keeping distance from other people.

Alessandra Rubello ‘22 had a difficult choice to make at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: return to Italy as it was quickly becoming one of the major epicenters for the outbreak in Europe, or stay in the United States and risk being unable to return home indefinitely.

Story by Hannah Zeller & Ruby Rosenthal Photos Courtesy of Alessandra Rubello Design by Ruby Rosenthal

** This conversation has been condensed and edited for grammar and clarity.

22 issue 5

TOP LEFT: Rubello in her hometown of Rovigo, Italy. BOTTOM LEFT & TOP RIGHT: Scenes from Rubello's hometown.

HN: How has your life personally been affected? What most concerns you about the effects of the pandemic?

Health (physical and/ or mental)? Personal relationships?

Economics?

AR: My life was affected by the pandemic because I had to leave Deland two months early, and the transition to online classes was stressful, especially because of the time difference. Now that the semester has come to an end, I am happy and relieved, because I was able to finish on time all my final exams and assignments. This pandemic concerns me a lot, because it spread so quickly in every part of the world, and it could really affect anyone. My biggest concerns were my grandparents, who are old and have low immune systems, but they are healthy and safe, and that is all that matters. I believe this pandemic has affected the economy, because everything was put on lockdown for almost two months, and so many people lost their jobs. The most tragic aspect of this is that Italy has had economic problems for years now, and this pandemic only made things worse. Our biggest source of income was tourism, but now no one can come to Italy and our economy is really suffering.

HN: Do you and/or your parents still have their jobs? Are you going to be financially okay to be able to come to back to Stetson in the fall? Or is it the same?

AR: Luckily, my parents still have their jobs and they work from home, so I will be able to come back to Stetson. I am lucky enough to be on a scholarship, so I am able to afford to pay for next semester too.

My uncle, unfortunately, lost his job because his business suffered from the non-existent income during these months of lockdown, so this really affected my family, but we are helping him and his family as much as we can.

HN: What’s a day to day schedule for you? Can you leave the house? Do you leave the house? What comforts were you used to having in Italy that you don’t have anymore?

AR: My daily routine is far from exciting, because now that this semester came to an end, I don't have anything to do besides the regular house chores. I usually just help my brother and sister with their homework, and I just recently helped my brother with his college applications. We are finally able to leave the house, even if it's just for a small walk around the neighbourhood, and since I live in a small village community, I can talk to my neighbour and best friend Marco everyday. I really miss going out or just walking around my city, and my friends. Some of them live far from me, so I haven't seen them since January, but hopefully I'll be able to see them soon.

HN: Walk us through a day in your life during quarantine. What is your daily routine? How have you found ways to establish a sense of “normal?” Or is “normal” something you haven’t found yet?

AR: During this quarantine, I normally wake up around 10, eat breakfast and walk my black labrador Bolt around the house. After lunch, it is time to do some house chores, which vary every day, and then I just go for a walk behind my house. This has become a "normal" routine for me. I also find time to read, watch Netflix and just relax with my family. Now that we can't really go anywhere, we have many opportunities to hang out and play board games.

HN: What do you think of the United States’s response to the pandemic, based on what you saw in your area of Italy? Are we doing too much? Not enough? Is this even something on your radar?

AR: I decided to come back to Italy because I wanted to be with my family, in case things in America got worse.

I am worried about coming back to college in August because I know that the issue is still tragic overseas, and I am scared schools won't reopen for the fall semester. The only thing to do is quarantine and stay home, because otherwise the virus will keep spreading.

I am hopeful they will find a vaccine or something that will kill this virus, but in the meantime, stay safe and stay home! R

the reporter

23

communities & Coronavirus

HOPE

despite

Z

Homelessness

oe Boykin ‘23 has tackled much more during her first year of college than most. Between learning the ropes of college, keeping up with her digital arts classes, and now a pandemic, there is another aspect to her life that one might not expect from an excelling student: she’s homeless.

Boykin lives on campus like most Stetson students, but it is more than an opportunity for her to meet new friends by living in the dorms; it’s a place that offers secure housing. Both her mother and father rely on motels for housing, a living situation that is not optimal for anyone, never mind a studying college student.

This is a more recent challenge Boykin has been facing. Although it has its challenges and is a difficult way to live, she expresses that it has given her an improved outlook on life with lessons that have left her happier overall.

“I’m lucky that when I was middle class, I was able to buy a computer for school. I was able to have a phone network, I was able to even have a TV, and I was able to kind of splurge every once in a while on luxury items that I didn’t need,” Boykin said. “And now that’s something that I don’t have the ability to, but now when I splurge, it’s because I’m getting myself like a candy bar and it’s something that I honestly appreciate a little bit more now is seeing that you don’t need to live in excess.”

The inability to make rent payments is the cause of her family’s homelessness

24 issue 5

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a Stetson student under extraordinary circumstances, is a reminder of what Story by René Campbell really matters.

Design by Bella Steiert & Isabel Solorzano Photos courtesy of Zoe Boykin

status. Very candidly, Boykin opened up about her misconceptions about homelessness before it became something that she and her family were living through: “When I was growing up, I thought that if someone was homeless, it was because they did drugs or they wasted all their money on drugs, or because they were irresponsible with money.” Now that she is facing homelessness herself, Boykin hopes that her growth in understanding can be spread to those around her and destroy harmful stereotypes regarding homelessness.

Though the threat of university closures at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic had Boykin concerned, the university’s decision to remain open allows Boykin to stay in her dorm. If this had not been the case, Boykin was unsure if she’d have a place to stay.

This isn’t a permanent solution, though. As the school year is coming to an end, so is Boykin’s resident contract, though Boykin hopes she can remain on campus for the duration of the summer.

Extending the academic year in exchange for a place to live is a solution for her housing that she is waiting on.

“Unfortunately I realized that the summer semester isn’t as long as I thought it was,” Boykin continued. “I was devastated to hear that… I’ve had conversations with financial aid and with the Dean of Students [Lynn Schoenberg] in regards to keeping me the entire summer. They have not really given me as much information as I wish I could get.

They definitely said that they’re working on it, which I appreciate. But I really want a direct answer so I can start planning for my future and it’s not something that I’ve received yet so I’m just kind of holding on.”

If Stetson is not able to accommodate her housing needs, Boykin said she will have to resort to couch surfing in order to keep a roof over her head. Although this scenario “isn’t ideal,” she says that she is fortunate enough to have found a very supportive group of friends who take the time to understand and learn from her situation.

Although the pandemic has amplified the uncertainty she is dealing with, it has also provided her mother a job as a food deliverer for the elderly— a development that Boykin views as progress to the tribulations her family has faced.

“

But even when I was well off, I wasn’t happy…

I just learned to appreciate a lot smaller things which just made me happier overall as a person. I feel like everyone can learn from that.”

- Zoe Boykin

“We’re making progress. It’s just very slow, very steady, and kind of nervewracking [especially with] not knowing whether I’m gonna have housing this summer. So I’m definitely just bracing for impact, but I’m keeping a positive attitude because if I don’t I’ll lose my mind.”

Not only does her status as a student at Stetson allow her to have a place to live, but it also means that Stetson and its resources are her main source for food. “I’ve been using the Hatter Pantry, which, bless Stetson for having that, because that is one of the best programs that I’ve ever come in contact with: I have my necessities in terms of food and drinks and [although] my shelter is up

in the air, it’s also met, so right now I am set and that’s great and I don’t feel like I’m gonna have to worry about food for as long as I’m at Stetson and that’s something that I’m very thankful for.”

Throughout the stresses of a pandemic, finals, and homelessness, Boykin’s optimism is something to be admired as well as learned from: “This is the happiest I’ve been in a while.

And it’s something that obviously I wouldn’t have expected. But even when I was well off, I wasn’t happy… I just learned to appreciate a lot smaller things which just made me happier overall as a person. I feel like everyone can learn from that.” R

Zoe Boykin hopes to use her dorm room at school as a home year-round. She powers through the hard times and is grateful for what she does have, a roof over her head.

the reporter

25

GETTING SICK OF

FAKE NEWS and american

individualisopimnion

In times of crisis, access to accurate information is imperative. It seems, however, that as coronavirus spreads across the globe, so does swaths of dangerous misinformation about the pandemic that’s creating far more problems than it’s solving.

Story by Maxx Smith Design by Ruby Rosenthal Photos by Jillian Semmel

I

t was Jan. 30 and I was aboard a plane heading to Chicago O’Hare airport. I was discussing the current statistics of the then foreign coronavirus that was ravaging China’s population. The World Health Organization (WHO) had recently announced COVID-19 as global pandemic, and to my surprise, as I read the headline, a man sitting behind me joined in.

“You have to be stupid to believe that it won’t destroy this country,” he said. This took me back for a second. I laughed, shook my head and responded with “What?”

26 issue 5

The man, who looked to be about in his

40s, sitting next to his young children in their Mickey ears, responded in a thick Chicago accent: “They’re going to turn off the water, electricity, no one is going to be able to work, the economy will collapse, this country will never recover.”

I asked him where he got these ideas, as I couldn’t imagine a respiratory disease being the arrow that hit the world’s largest economy and most powerful country straight in the gut. “Facebook. My friend says his wife works at the CDC,” the man said. This was the first incidence of “Facebook,” “My friend said,” “this video of a nurse,” “This guy on YouTube,” when asked for a source regarding information of the COVID-19 pandemic that I encountered, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

Amongst a pandemic of physical and deathly proportions, we struggle with a pandemic of false information. I wasn’t all too worried, that is until I began to hear the phrase, “It’s not as bad as the flu.” This is when I knew we were doomed.

The second we turn away from a problem and pretend it doesn’t exist, we allow it to grow at an exponential rate.

That 12-page paper assigned at the start of the semester due tomorrow? Yeah, you could have done that earlier, and now you have 24 hours with your grade on the line. Much in the sense that the people of the United States were aware of the disease as early as January, yet refused to acknowledge the problem until we had 20-year-olds running around pretending they have a Ph.D. in epidemiology subtly reminding themselves that they’re invincible, and that if they contracted COVID-19 they would only be stuck inside for a day or two.

Where did our generation begin to believe that this

disease was no match for our superior college immune systems?

We looked at news hosts telling their viewers this is nothing to be worried about, that this disease is only impacting and killing the older members of society. We looked at data from China, a communist regime notorious for lying and data manipulation.

We pointed to the low death rate and noted that the flu kills more people and we saw the president telling a rally in North Carolina on February 28 that “This is their new hoax,” “their,” of course, referring to the Democratic party. We had an entire February of confusion, misinformation, and negligence,when it should have been one of preparation, distribution, and coordination.

The flu is, of course, not COVID-19. Despite President Trump’s claim on March 24 at a FOX News virtual town hall that “it’s just the flu”. Our president, as of April 1, has rightly realized that indeed, “It is worse than the flu.”

The science is available and incredibly easy to digest.

COVID-19 is similar to that of SARS, a respiratory infection attacking the lungs.

The case mortality rate for the seasonal flu, according to the CDC, is 0.1%. The difficulty in calculating case mortality rate for COVID-19 is that it’s different in each country, depending on the level of care their civilians can receive. In the United States, according to data collected by the European CDC, the case mortality rate is sitting at 3.4%. This number, of course, increases drastically if you have a compromised immune system, are diabetic, asthmatic, or suffer from hypertension. These outcomes for individuals with these pre-existing health conditions are significantly less positive.

Amongst a pandemic of physical and deathly proportions, we struggle with a pandemic of false information.

In our day and age, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish what’s fact vs. what’s fiction.

With many trying to push false narratives, it’s imperative we focus on the facts, not just opinion.

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27

The science is out there, and as you learn in middle school, you cannot argue facts; you can simply argue how to interpret them. The issue here isn’t the scientific method, it’s how we’re interpreting the data that we’ve collected.

that we would never see again. We did this because we tell ourselves that someone else will handle it, that this disease can’t and won’t impact us. Well surprise — the burden of handling it has fallen on our shoulders.

Fake news has followed the COVID-19 outbreak since the beginning. Articles from shady publications have reported that the disease dies in 80 degree heat, that it dies from heavy drinking, to make sure your throat is always wet so that it slides down to your stomach where the weak bonds of the virus are disintegrated, disabling it entirely.

Our daily lives have been severely impacted and our entire world has moved to a digital landscape. Politicians and those who were keeping up with COVID-19 since the beginning of January are all sitting at home saying a collective “we told you so.” Not that it matters at this point. What is more important is that we learn.

Now the fake news has even latched onto cures and treatments much like how the virus attaches itself to the hosts lungs. The president is liable for plugging a drug that was claimed to be a great cure to COVID-19 in a study that the medical world has deemed inadequate and full of holes.

Hydroxychloroquine was used in an observation scenario with individuals showing mild symptoms. No control was used and the study was not peer reviewed. The individual who operated the observation, Didier Raoult, is known as an incredibly controversial figure in the world of epidemiology.

He is now claiming that he has a cure to COVID-19, no doubt to continue his illustrious television tour that took him from the backseat of his field to the forefront.

Americans must begin to realize that their actions have dire consequences for those around them. American resilience is an enemy in times of pandemics. We’re taught as Americans that we can weather any storm. We’ve taken on just about the whole damn world and we’ve won. So how could a tiny little bug take us out? Go outside, have fun, our scientists and doctors will handle this. The market will win as it always does. How wrong we were.

Here’s where things get difficult. An Arizona man searched through everything he owned, found something on a label similar to it, chloroquine phosphate, and ingested it.

It was fish medicine — killing himself and putting his wife in critical condition.

Stories of people buying up crucial supplies and attempting to sell them for a steep price increase, influencers licking toilet seats for social media clout to complete a “challenge” while ending up in the ICU contracting the disease just a few days later, cities desperately asking the federal government for assistance yet oddly enough, as discovered by Vox, states like Florida are the only places

We traveled, we stayed out, we drank heavily in crowded bars and made contact with random strangers that we would never see again. We did this because we tell ourselves that someone else will handle it, that this disease can’t and won’t impact us.

As fake news continues to spread, we’re seeing more and more injuries and fatalities at the hands of unproven “miracle cures,” and we have no one to blame but ourselves. The pandemic has been allowed to grow to this size because of our woeful ignorance as a population, especially the youth, as we fostered every single dangerous attitude in times of epidemic crises. We traveled, we stayed out, we drank heavily in crowded bars and made contact with random strangers

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Though trying to recognize whether you’re reading fact or fiction is frustrating at times, there are simple ways to know if what you’re reading is fake or not.

Visit Polifact.com or Snopes.com to reliably fact check.

receiving 100% of their requests. All of these are examples of how our society was broken before this all happened.

American society is so focused on the individual, that we forget the collective. We were only worried about ourselves, until it dawned on us that the ones we loved could be severely impacted by the disease. American Resilience failed us. Where once we could get back up and punch another country in the face, we are forced to retreat into our homes and watch netflix while trying to internalize all that is going on around us. I want this to be a wakeup call for America, I wish it could have come at the expense of no lives, but here we are. A country looking for answers and finding only reasons to blame our government. It’s absolutely fair to criticize them, but it’s our fault too. We shared, reposted, retweeted information that has cost lives.

We went out to bars, beaches, clubs, restaurants spreading, albeit unwillingly and unknowingly, COVID.

Looking back is easier than looking ahead, it’s easy to point fingers and play the blame game.

I’d rather us look at what we did and promise to never do it again.

Solutions to these problems are clear, we need to be vigilant in reporting and ignoring fake news. Before hitting share or retweet, take a couple seconds to google that piece of media. If it’s fake, you’ll know. A Snopes report or a Politifact link will appear. We need to listen to those who are qualified, and shut out those who are not. We need to do what’s right for the country, not just ourselves.

Looking back is easier than looking ahead. It’s easy to point fingers and play the blame game. I’d rather us look at what we did and promise to never do it again. I’d rather the American people agree to listen to the experts, ignore those who are desperately seeking relevancy in a time of chaos, and look at the light at the end of the tunnel. R

the reporter

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Staying-At-Home with

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EXPLORING THE RESIDENTIAL LIVING AND LEARNING OFFICE’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

t n e d i s e R s t n a t s i s As

he dawn of the COVID-19 outbreak brought a wake-up call that hundreds of college campuses received this March.

Few academic institutions had actionable contingency plans for abruptly shifting day-to-day campus functions to an online format. Lacking any form of model to work off of, internal administration staff had to make major in-the-moment judgment calls as the viral outbreak worsened — and the housing office was no exception.

Story by Jay Stearman Photo courtesy of Raven McCain Design by Madison Gray & Isabel Solorzano

communities & Coronavirus

The move wasn’t without its turbulence, though. The lack of communication was particularly tough for RAs. “I think a lot of us were frustrated that they were giving us such little information to work with, and even less information to our residents,” McCain said.

I sat down with Resident Assistant (RA) Raven McCain ‘21 to learn more about the consolidation process and how the situation unfolded for essential student employees such as herself who went through a whirlwind of crisis management over the past month.

Indeed, a lot of students were confused about the $400 refund, their meal plan, their accommodations, and their jobs.

The RAs, who provide the support for us students and often take on the first line of questions, were left without some key details. ”We don’t control any of it but we can answer questions and be the support system, so we catch the brunt of most of the confusion,” McCain explained.

McCain, who has been a resident assistant for two semesters now, described how hectic the process was of checking out so many of her residents in such a short period of time. She and many other RAs ended up spending several nights without much sleep in order to accommodate residents moving out at all hours of the day.

These, and other concerns about what would be changing as Stetson responded to precautions taken by the state of Florida, could only be answered so quickly.

“The longer the silence, the more concerned people became,” McCain said.

“There was a lot of staying up until 6 a.m. because I had so many checkouts. I would have a checkout anywhere from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.,” she said. “It would be in the middle of the night so a lot of us just didn’t sleep.”

The role of the resident assistant took on some changes at the start of the month. Okruashvili explains that RAs “are here to support our remaining residents on campus, as well as our residents who have left the residence halls, as many important room selection decisions are being made right now.

We’re still their RA and we can still support them in various ways,” she said.

The administration wanted to provide the most flexibility for students trying to leave during the confusion surrounding such a sudden transition. Some students hastily rented storage units, while others had international flights to catch. In the end, no one was sure just how many students would leave and when.

Mirroring the response from the state of Florida, the university deliberated when the severity of the outbreak began to set in and then made the decision to move online abruptly, “people weren’t expecting it so a lot of stuff got forgotten, overlooked. I personally went and grabbed their things before their rooms were cleaned,” she said.

McCain described how, as many students and even some RAs themselves left, it made sense to consolidate the students who opted to stay living on campus, as staying at Stetson was their best or otherwise safest option.

“For some students, the Stetson community is the only option they have and the administration has been understanding and flexible with accommodating them”, said Elené Okruashvili ‘22, a fellow RA. Both Okruashvili, an international student, and McCain, who moves across the country in May, are no exception.

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Resident assistants still hold office hours, answer calls and questions, and facilitate the check out process for the residents who continue to leave. “For the moment we’re still available, we’re still on call, however, we can’t really physically do anything,” McCain said.

Several core support resources are still available in an online format, but rounds and handling lock-outs will be carried out by Public Safety. “Learning as you go is really the only option you have now,” McCain added, “[and] in the end we’re all trying to do our part until this whole thing passes.”

Residential Life Coordinator Yasas Vithanage encourages students to take the COVID-19 outbreak, and the public responses seriously: “students who choose to ignore social distancing and guest policies, break community standards, or don’t take personal hygiene seriously put our RAs, professional staff including Public Safety, and students at risk,” said Vithanage.

“I implore our students to be mindful of how their actions affect others, especially during this pandemic.” R

LEFT: Pictured is Raven McCain, the resident assistant for Stetson Oaks Apartments.

RIGHT: Pictured is Elené Okruashvili, the resident assistant for the Commnity Catalyst Houses.

“

I think a lot of us were frustrated that they were giving us such little information to work with, and even less information to our residents.”

- Raven McCain

the reporter the reporter 31

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