People gathered at Huntington Beach on Friday to protest the closure of all Orange County beaches to stop the spread of the virus and the main target of the protestors’ frustration was directed toward Governor Gavin Newsom who initially gave the order for beaches to close.
With coronavirus cases increasing at a rapid speed across the United States, the government has been encouraging social distancing and the utilization of masks and gloves and this also includes the closure of non-essential businesses and the closure of public spaces such as the beach.
The protest brought hundreds of people carrying the American flag chanting, “USA, USA, USA” and “No more Newsom.”
Many of the signs also stated, “Freedom is Essential,” “Make America Work Again,” and “All Jobs Are Essential.”
Protester David Jaggli said, “They make everyone wear the mask so everyone thinks there is something wrong, but there’s nothing wrong. By wearing the mask, they are able to control everyone.”
Jaggli also said, “I should be president.”
Many protestors brought their families including their children to help in the protest.
California Representative Ted Lieu stated in a tweet directed toward the Huntington Beach protestors, “There were over 30,000 new US cases reported yesterday & over 34,000 today. #COVID_19 is a highly contagious virus. These folks at Huntington Beach undoubtedly spread the virus even more.”
Although most people came to protest, others simply spectated the protest as they were curious to see what was happening.
Torrie Mayberry, a spectator at the protest said, “I’m from Colorado and I thought California was going to practice more social distancing, but not at all… I do believe they should open things up within reason and as long as we practice social distancing.”
Mayberry also stated, “There’s Republicans and there’s people who just want things to open up and they’re both protesting against [California’s] governor, but the person who gave the order was President Trump who they’re voting for… So they’re idiots or they don’t know what’s going on.”
According to the CDC the amount of current cases as of May 2 is 1,092,815 cases with 64,283 of those cases resulting in death.
California is one of the states with a higher number of cases, being 50,442 cases, and 2.073 resulting in death.
Many police officers regulated the protest by surrounding the area by horse mount, car, and motorcycles.
However, this is not the only protest popping up across the states opposing the stay-at-home order.
Protests like this one have popped up in other cities like Palm Beach, Florida, Lansing, Michigan, Olympia, Washington and more.
Many of the states conducting protests are also states with a higher amount of cases.
Washington has 14,637 reported cases, Michigan has 42,356 reported cases, and Florida has 34,728 reported cases.
Since the protest, May 1has been recorded as the second most deadly day since the coronavirus started, shown by data compiled by The Mercury News.
May 1recorded 98 deaths second only to April 22 where 118 people died and 5 of those deaths recorded on Friday came from Orange County.
According to a study done in China by University of Texas students, the virus is carried by asymptomatic transmission.
They found that because of this 1 in 10 infections are from people who have the virus but don’t feel sick.
Therefore, such extreme precautions are being taken with the COVID-19 coronavirus compared to others.
For many international students at Long Beach City College who traveled to the United States with hopes of a quality education, COVID-19 has added challenges to the difficult transition of online learning.
Historically, the United States has been a top location for international students to study- in fact, in 2017, 1.1 million students from all around the world came to the U.S. to study, according to Migration Policy Institute.
For five international students, the question of maintaining a student visa has been raised, as well as the dilemma of potentially returning to their home countries, or waiting out the pandemic in Long Beach.
For some international students like LBCC student Takato Watabe, returning to his home country of Japan and withdrawing for the semester was the preferable option.
“I do not think it is worth paying regular tuition for online classes,” Watabe said over Instagram direct messages.
Watabe credited missing the social atmosphere of school to a challenging time difference that would make certain courses difficult, as some classes still graded for participation.
A student at UCLA since the summer of 2019, Watabe returned to Japan on March 30.
“It was unexpected . . . But in order to protect myself, I felt it was needed so I was not too sad,” he said.
Watabe cited his reasons for returning home as mainly if he were to get sick, he would feel more comfortable with his relatives.
Additionally he said, “I am not quite familiar with the American insurance system. If I get infected, the medical bill could be way beyond my budget.”
He explained that Japan was not in a current lockdown such as California or New York at the time of his arrival, however people were encouraged to stay home, and according to his observations, most have.
“Anyone from the U.S. or particular places have to quarantine for 14 days. [Those] people cannot use public transportation to go back home, so some people have to find a hotel by themselves and stay there for 14 days without any financial support from the government. I am quarantining at home now. I was lucky that my parents gave me a ride to go back home,” he said April 9.
Watabe did express concern about his student visa, considering he is taking the quarter off, along with concerns about being able to return to the U.S. in the fall.
LBCC student Monica Grace also made the decision to return back to Nicaragua upon the switch to remote learning.
“I want to feel at home,” she said during a phone interview April 17.
California had enacted its stay-at-home order for two weeks when she made the decision to return home.
“I was feeling sad and depressed and I told my aunt, ‘I feel the same way that I felt when I first moved to the U.S.’ And that doesn’t make me happy. My mom wanted to have me here. She wanted all her kids at the same place,” Grace said.
After she decided to leave Long Beach, Grace first had to figure out her visa status and make sure it would not be impacted by her decision.
Standards have been relaxed for many international students to maintain their visa status upon COVID-19, no longer requiring in-person learning.
“It took me 2 or 3 days to figure out my visa status,” she said. “They got like 10 calls from me, and I think they were done with me the last time I talked to them,” she said with a laugh.
After all was settled and it was determined her visa status would not be impacted, “I booked my ticket at 4 p.m., and I was at the airport by 9:30 that day.”
A day after her arrival in San Juan Del Sur, she found out there were no more flights entering Nicaragua.
She still remained concerned upon the event that she is not able to return to the U.S. this summer.
Grace explained that the Nicaraguan government has taken very little initiative to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Holy Week was last week, and there was no one outside. No one going to parties, no one going to the beach. Streets are empty.”
Grace said that most people have taken it upon themselves to follow the lead of other countries and social distance, even without regulations in place.
Nicaragua has reported very few cases as of her April 17 interview, however, she expressed concerns over the medical system’s capacity to handle an influx of cases. “It’s a third world country, so healthcare is bad,” Grace said.
Lack of ventilators is a concern, and Grace also said that she read reports of receiving a donation from other countries of one million dollars for medical supplies, but no one knows what has happened to that money.
“That’s why people are taking their own measures because they’re scared. They’re scared to die because healthcare is just so bad.”
“People here are more self-conscious about the use of the mask. They know they’re very limited in medical supplies. We think the government is hiding the amount of positive cases. As a family, we all take care, because we care about all the generations. Most of the restaurants are closed,” Grace said.
Grace has adjusted well to her remote learning experience.
“I miss my family [in Long Beach] but I know they’re okay, so I’m okay. I knew I made the right decision when I got here. When I booked the flight and was traveling, [I wasn’t sure], but I knew I had made the right decision when I saw my mom and my brother, and I felt the smell of my country, and the weather- it’s just a different feeling. I’m glad I’m here,” she said.
Grace self-quarantined for 15 days after entering Nicaragua, not hugging anyone from her family, and staying in separate rooms.
“It is sad, you feel bad. Now I’m here, but I can’t hug my mom or kiss her, but you know it’s just for a couple of days.”
While Watabe and Grace made the decision to return to their home countries, many international students have decided to stay in Long Beach.
For Brazilian student Andrea Tavares Ferreira, who made the move to Long Beach with her husband and son, returning was not as much of an option.
“I’m the only daughter now, and my parents are almost in their eighties. So they worry about me getting sick and not being able to go to the hospital for some reason and dying here, and them not being able to come see me before that. In Brazil, it’s crazy as well. I wish I could be able to help them more…” Ferreira said.
Ferreira and her family have been able to communicate through Facetime using Apple IPhones to maintain contact with relatives in Brazil. Ferreira worries for her parents health as she is their only daughter now and unable to help amid the travel restrictions. Photo provided by Andrea Tavares Ferreira.
“They worry about our wellbeing, and I feel their pain, and it’s hard for me too to stay far away. My dad told me last night, ‘If something happens to us, I don’t know what we’re going to do to say goodbye.’ It’s so hard. There are so many cases in the city where they live, so many people have died already.”
Ferreira discussed her concerns about the medical system in her home city, and the potential consequences of the outbreak there.
“The U.S. is first world, Brazil is third world. People in the country can not afford everyone quarantining. A lot of Brazilians, they have to work, or they don’t even have money to eat. The spread is pretty bad because of that. Staying home is not an option for them.”
She also said the medical system is not equipped to handle the outbreak.
Ferreira being a nursing student, her semester has been extended until the end of June, and she expressed concerns that coronavirus could delay her graduation even further.
“My biggest concern is the financial part,” she said during an April 1 phone interview.
“Everything is three-fold, because I have my husband and my son. And my son is basically an adult already, and he’s going to start college, so I have another tuition to pay besides mine. So when we moved to the U.S. we had to plan how much money to spend per month, so we had everything organized before moving. But now postponing, it means we have to invest more money because it’s going to take longer for me to graduate. We have to postpone everything.”
For Ferreira, the economic impact of coronavirus has also been detrimental.
“The current exchange rate for us now is super high. One dollar for you is five reais for us. One more month is 3-4 thousand dollars more, and it’s super hard for us. Hopefully, everything is going to be fine in a month, and I’ll be able to graduate next year in June. I really need to start doing something and working in order to survive.”
Ferreira and her family initially had plans to return to Recife in June to visit her family, for her parents’ 50th anniversary.
With her classes extended until the end of June, along with ever-evolving travel policies, the trip was canceled.
“I told my parents, ‘You have to hold the party.’ It is sad, especially if they get sick . . . it is super tough for me. A year ago my dad had a heart attack and I was in the middle of my semester, so I couldn’t go because I didn’t want to lose my visa,” Ferreira said.
Samantha Oboru, a Nigerian student who has also remained in Long Beach, is also facing possible graduation difficulties due to the pandemic.
She has been accepted to Cal State Long Beach, and is hoping to transfer in the fall.
However, the borders to Nigeria have been closed, which could create difficulties if she is unable to return over the summer as planned to renew her visa.
She explained that a visa can only be renewed at the embassy of her country, however despite this potential challenge, “I don’t really have fears. I just know it’s not just me that’s going through this. If the whole world is going through this, they have to understand, plus if Nigeria isn’t letting people in, it’s not my fault. I’m really just in a place of whatever happens, happens. I’m just hopeful. If it does, I know it’s not the end of the world,” she said during an April 2 phone interview.
Oboro explained the different government responses in the United States versus in Nigeria.
“The cases are not as bad, and they’re trying to make sure it doesn’t get bad. They banned all international flights, they told schools to close down, and I think they’re enforcing it more strictly than here. They have soldiers on the streets, and if you’re outside and not doing an essential service, you’re going to get hit by a soldier.”
Peruvian LBCC student Marcelo Osterloh also discussed strict enforcement in his home country.
“The situation [in Peru] is not bad, but they’re doing a mandatory quarantine. From 6 to 5 a.m., you can not go outside, and if you do, the police will take you to prison,” he said during a March 31 phone interview.
“My family is more worried about me, because here, [there are less restrictions]. They’re a little stressed because they can’t go out, only for supplies, but it’s either that or getting the virus.”
He said that he has heard of panic shopping in Peru similar to what has occurred here, and grocery stores began limiting customers and requiring masks far earlier than similar policies were enacted in the U.S., despite their limited number of cases.
“When it hadn’t hit that bad here yet, I was looking for flights for the summer, because they were really cheap, but then the situation got a lot worse.”
Osterloh said that he was not really concerned, as he wasn’t planning on returning until this December.
“I have my brother here, and we talk pretty much every day,” he said. “The person I’m living with is not blood, but he’s pretty close to us, so he’s helping with everything. Everything is fine. The only time I go out is to run around the neighborhood.”
Ferreira shared her sentiment for the future of humanity after the health crisis.
“I have a lot of faith, and I know there’s a reason for everything, and we’re going to grow. I sincerely hope that people try to use this free time, this time at home, to grow, and see the world with a different perspective, and try to help each other more instead of judging people, and to believe that we have the same needs. Talking about your country, my country, it’s pretty much the same. The needs are the same, the fears are the same. We are all on the same boat, and there is no sense to work separately. We have to work together as one.”
The Long Beach Health Department has opened a free rapid assessment clinic and drive-thru testing site at LBCC’s Pacific Coast Campus to help the overflow of patients at hospitals caused by COVID-19.
The rapid assessment clinic has been in place at PCC’s parking lot located at 1305 Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach since April 6. Drive-thru testing for COVID-19 began on April 7.
Members of the 315th engineer corps of the National Guard, Long Beach CERT and the Long Beach Medical Reserve Corps including doctors, nurse practitioners, and medical assistants are all working to operate the testing site and clinic.
In a press release issued April 3, the city of Long Beach stated, “The walk-up rapid assessment clinic will not provide treatment, take X-rays or fill prescriptions on-site, but will provide medical assessments and will renew and prescribe medications for people with routine health maintenance issues.”
National Guard member Second Lt. Nasser Yasin, the officer in charge of the operations at the clinic and testing site, spoke about the National Guard’s involvement at the clinic and its day-to-day operations during a phone interview on April 17.
“The main function of that clinic is to relieve some of the local hospitals that are going to be short staffed and limited with resources,” Yasin said.
The National Guard has been able to provide medics to assist in the triage of patients, provide traffic control, check points and ensure everything is extremely orderly and help in the administering of tests for COVID-19.
“Testing can only be done through drive thru-testing. It’s a self-test kit, so patients can administer the kit and do everything themselves. Swabbing, whatever else the kit entails, we collect it and then send it out to be tested,” said Yasin.
A look inside one of the tents that make up the rapid assessment clinic at PCC’s parking lot. The clinic is free and manned by members of the National Guard, Long Beach Medical Reserve Corps, and Long Beach CERT. Photo by Veronica Huerta
The number of patients tested daily at the site has increased dramatically as well, according to Yasin, who said the number of tests administered on April 23 hit 100. That number was originally between 60-70 on April 17.
Kate Kuykendall, spokesperson for the Long Beach Health Department, provided details on the clinic, its testing capacity, and how long it will stay open in an emailed statement on April 20.
Per day, “The testing capacity at our sites is now up to 120 per site. We can expand as more test kits become available. We hope to be able to test every resident who needs a test,” said Kuykendall.
Originally testing was only for people 65 and older or those who had an underlying illness.
Kuykendall said, “Anyone experiencing symptoms can get a test. They don’t have to be older or high risk anymore.”
In regards to how long the clinic and testing site will remain open, Kuykendall said, “We will run it until the Safer at Home restrictions ease up and more private providers become available for walk-in visits. And of course after we peak and begin to see our curve flatten.”
The site continues to operate while LBCC’s campuses remain closed due to shutdown orders issued by the city in mid-March.
LBCC Vice President of Business Services Marlene Drinkwine spoke about the opening of the clinic and how LBCC feels about having a COVID-19 testing site open on its campus.
“We’ve had a close relationship with the city. It was through Lt. Martinez, whose in charge of our campus safety and security, we were contacted by the city for potentially providing facilities for their COVID-19 responses. Truthfully, we had anticipated that phone call,” Drinkwine said.
Representatives from the Long Beach Incident Response Team were given a tour, detailed information and plans to run the testing site at the PCC location, said Drinkwine.
“We knew what we could provide, which of their operations could be suitable to our campuses and we were privileged to partner with the city to service our community,” Drinkwine said.
Regarding how the clinic will affect the opening of classes on campus at LBCC, Drinkwine said, “It’s really difficult to have a clear vision on the next couple months, but it is my belief that the path to open classes is the same path to open operations and when the order is able to be lifted or modified.”
Concerning the Long Beach Health Department’s sanitation processes, Drinkwine said, “They do control their operation, provide custodial, waste management and all associated services with that operation. They have different tiers of plans and they will reach out to us for those tiers.”
The cost of testing clinic operations is being handled in a particular way.
Kuykendall said, “The Health Department is supporting some costs with a grant from the CDC (PHEP). Additional costs will be submitted to FEMA for reimbursement.”
National Guard members, and medical professionals from the Long Beach Medical Reserve Corps man the rapid assessment clinic and drive-thru testing site located at the PCC parking lot. It is free of charge and will remain open to ease the burden of an increased number of patients seeking care due to COVID-19. Photo by Veronica Huerta
“The FEMA Reimbursements could take up to three years to be paid back to LBCC,” Drinkwine said during the most recent Board of Trustees meeting conducted via Zoom on April 22.
Nevertheless, LBCC continues to aid in the city’s efforts to combat COVID-19.
Drinkwine said in the upcoming week, LBCC plans to house 2-3 personnel from the Long Beach Fire Department in order to reduce the number of personnel at their station.
“It’s a small thing, to provide space and access to facilities, but it does help ensure that they stay healthy so that they continue to service the community,” Drinkwine said.
“Every partnership we have with the city helps ensure safety of students, faculty, and staff because we’re all part of the same community. The more we do to support the city’s activities, the better we serve our students.”
Kuykendall spoke about what it means to be partnered with LBCC under the pandemic.
“The PCC location is easily accessible, somewhat central to Long Beach, and a well-known location to community members. LBCC were great partners from the beginning and very willing to support our needs.”
Whether the site has actually helped to combat the spread of the virus, Kuykendall said, “It’s difficult to say, but we can say it has helped provide access to residents who didn’t have insurance or had trouble reaching their doctors and kept them from having to go to the emergency room.”
Lt.Yasin said, “We have the means to see anyone right now, we have plenty of resources and equipment for anyone that comes in, and they are not subject to ID check.”
Lt.Yasin, members of the national guard, the Long Beach Medical Reserve Corps and Drinkwine are all eager to help as many members of the Long Beach community as possible during this pandemic.
“Everyone’s excited to be out here. It’s nice to do your role in the guard, to be out here in the community and making a positive impact during this pandemic. It’s refreshing and nice to see,” Yasin said.
The clinic and testing site will remain open and free of charge, in an effort to help those who might not have access to much needed medical care, those who have the virus get tested, and ease the burden on local hospitals feeling the pressure from the coronavirus.
With the Coronavirus pandemic raging across the world and the feeling of “apocalypse” looming on society, here is a list of 5 survival-themed games to wait out quarantine with.
5) The Long Dark
Screenshot from “The Long Dark,” by Daniel Rivera.
If you plan on going to or currently are staying in the mountains as far from the virus as possible, this one’s for you.
The Long Dark is a survival game about holding out against the animals, elements and your own body’s limitations.
A great lesson to take away from The Long Dark is the importance of fire even outside of basic survival.
If the avatar is in a cold place, keeping warm is the most important and fire is essential for most engines or reactions which is good to note.
Another note to keep in mind for this game is, mind your food.
Gamers play a hunter, similar to other animals in the mountains.
When players bring food back to their dwelling, the animals will track it and they are hungry, therefore, always be aware.
4) Subnautica
Screenshot from “Subnautica,” by Daniel Rivera.
Since we have mountain men covered, what about deep sea divers? What about those people smart enough to put 25,000 feet worth of water between them and the rest of humanity?
Subnautica is a game about surviving in the ocean, where you have to explore ever deeper if you hope to prosper in an ocean teeming with beautiful vistas and fascinating creatures.
Though one thing to note: it’s a pretty scary game.
A lesson to take away from Subnautica, even if you’re not an underwater survivor, is that the food chain is far bigger than you.
3) Dying Light
Screenshot from “Dying Light,” by Daniel Rivera.
Dying Light is a game about freerunning, crafting weapons and fighting zombies.
At night these scary zombies come out and chase players down relentlessly, so it is noteworthy to stay safe and inside at night in this game.
Players fight with all types of taped together weapons, guns, or bows, to explore and level their character.
The combat in Dying Light is the best on this list with physical reactions based on where you strike the zombie, occasionally resulting in a head explosion or flailing arm.
The best lessons to take away in order to survive in this game are: stay inside at night, practice your batting and keep running.
2) The Forest
Screenshot from “The Forest,” by Daniel Rivera.
If you don’t own a submarine, don’t want to freeze to death and happen to be allergic to flesh-bites on your body, what options are left?
Well, what about abandoned islands?
The Forest is a game about surviving on an island with cannibal mutants who act with a range of reactions, making them unpredictable neighbors.
These mutants aren’t suicidal or instantal hostile like in most games- they’re smarter than that.
Players’ initial days on the island might find cannibals curiously watching from a distance or catch them sneaking into your camp from time to time.
Conflict is inevitable, but keep in mind the cannibals self-preserve in this game, meaning if they know they will lose a fight, they retreat or call for help.
The lesson to surviving The Forest is, figure out whose out to eat your skin and the best way to bob and weave.
1) Minecraft
Screenshot from “Minecraft,” by Daniel Rivera.
I have to be honest with this one- this game teaches players absolutely nothing in terms of realism, but if they have no options and the door seems like it’ll hold out before apocalypse, Minecraft is a good way to kill time.
Minecraft is a block world where one can explore and build to their heart’s content.
The game is vast and will definitely outlast the apocalypse.
Playing Minecraft gives players a basic understanding of civilization and what it needs: food, water and protection.
Essentially, anyone who plays this will have a basic blueprint for society after the fallout.
Long Beach is offering parking relief like free off-street parking, complimentary meter times, and no street-sweeping citations until May 1 due to the stricter “safer at home” order for residents.
The “safer at home” order has been in place since late March and has prevented gatherings of any kind, enforced social distancing, and ordered residents to stay at home and not travel unless for essential trips, in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
In the press release issued March 21, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said, “We are looking at every way we can to make the inconveniences of this health emergency easier for residents.”
“The patterns of our daily lives will be different for the foreseeable future and it’s our hope that these parking measures will make one aspect of that less stressful,” Garcia said.
The street relief parking program beginning March 21 and, continuing through April 30, gives residents living in parking impacted neighborhoods the chance to apply for a free parking permit for one of the following local lots or garages:
Beach Lots
Granada, 5100 E. Ocean Blvd.
Junipero, 2100 E. Ocean Blvd
Belmont, 3998 E. Allin St.
Garages
City Place Garage A, 50 W. 6th St.
City Place Garage B, 50 E. 5th St.
City Place Garage C, 50 E. 3rd St.
Pike Garage, 65 Cedar Ave.
Aquarium Garage, 99 Aquarium Way
Terrace Theater Garage, 300 E. Ocean Blvd.
The press release read, “Interested residents can email longbeach@lazparking.com to receive an application. Once completed and returned, a permit providing access to the location of their choice (if not already full) will be mailed to their home. Passes will be available on a first-come first-served basis.”
The press release stated a deadline to apply for parking on April 20, and Kate Kuykendall, a spokesperson for the City of Long Beach, provided further information on the parking program.
Kuykendall clarified that “Not all lots are full yet. The deadline is not April 20, there is no deadline so applications are ongoing.”
As to how long the free off-site lots will stay open, Kuykendall said, “Parking lots are remaining open as long as need be, we’ll keep evaluating as this public health crisis evolves.”
“Ticketing for street-parking will resume on May 1. Currently, it’s optional to move your car for street sweeping, but move your car if you have the ability to do so, it helps with cleanliness” said Kuykendall.
Jennifer Carey, community relations officer for the All Hazards Incident Management Team of Long Beach, gave details about the impact of the street relief program on the public works department in an emailed statement.
“Public Works has continued to perform weekly street sweeping operations citywide throughout the citation suspension for both residential and arterial streets and bike lanes,” Carey said.
As to whether lack of vehicle movement is impairing the ability of public works to perform cleanups, Carey said,“Similar to normal operations, street sweepers will go around vehicles and sweep where they are able to.”
“Many residents have still been moving their vehicles to accommodate street sweeping operations even with the citation suspension,” said Carey.
Whether the public works department will also continue to clean up after those living on the streets, Carey said, “The Public Works Clean Team continues to perform debris cleanups and illegally dumped item pickups citywide.”
In addition to halting street sweeping citations until May 1 and providing permits to free parking lots, the street parking relief program is also adding 15 minutes of courtesy time on parking meters.
The press release stated, “All on-street parking meters will allow for 15 minutes of free parking to accommodate those picking-up food from our local restaurants, while still having parking meters in effect to allow for turnover of spaces serving essential businesses.”
To claim the free 15 minutes of parking, press the green button on the parking meter.
Kuykendall clarified that the free parking is available not just on meters in the downtown area, but meters citywide.
In addition, to those who might have received a street-sweeping citation after March 21, contesting a violation remains the same, and can be done so by visiting the website longbeach.gov/parking/citations.
Though street-sweeping citations are being withheld, all other violations and parking enforcement laws will continue to be enforced.
For more information, call the parking office of Long Beach at (562) 570-8055.
The world is currently under a lot of pressure and stress due to COVID-19, and with the number of cases in the United States growing at a rapid rate, the world is in complete chaos and it’s affecting everyone.
For many people, this pandemic can already increase anxiety, depression, and fear. Students are feeling all types of emotions. For some students, the cancellation of in-person classes and the move to online classes is causing a rise in anxiety.
The move to online classes is particularly challenging for computer-related majors or majors with lots of math or science, because the need for face to face learning and labs are even more necessary.
Current Cal State Fullerton student and computer science major Lauren Martinez said, “I did get anxiety over the sudden change to online courses due to the fact that mine is not made to be online. I’m sure other students are anxious about contracting the virus and that may affect their school work but personally, I don’t. It’s not really something I think is important to dwell on.”
There are students who are adapting to this very fast, but there are also students who are having a hard time adapting, which could possibly cause anxiety.
Isabella Peregrino, a current student attending Arizona State University said, “I do not think that I have anxiety due to the fact that class was moved to online. I think that I am managing well online so far and it is just like the regular class but just at home. I can only speak for myself that I am not facing anxiety by worrying about the virus and doing well in school. However, I do believe that there are other students out there who are struggling with both.”
Some students’ concerns with moving everything online were about teachers who aren’t very comfortable with technology adapting to this transition. Some professors rarely even use Canvas, which can worry students concerned about succeeding and passing their classes.
COVID-19 is the main topic on every media platform right now because of how many cases and deaths there are, creating added stress as well as a distraction for students trying to do their work.
Students are losing their jobs. Students are losing loved ones. Students are having anxiety attacks. Students don’t know when they are graduating. Students need that one-on-one talk with professors.
Current LBCC student Julian Javate said he believed students could face anxiety during the pandemic and the online transition, “potentially due to maybe suffering from lack of social interaction.”
Anxiety due to the pandemic is affecting students’ education. There are lots of students who are currently unemployed, and there may be students who currently have loved ones who are in the hospital due to the virus. It can be difficult to focus on schoolwork while experiencing these stressors.
To the students who are dealing with anxieties, turning off the media and going out for a run or watching a TV show are ways to get your mind off of things. If you are having trouble with classes or adapting to online, talk to your professors. We are all in this together and we all need to help each other out.
Born and raised in Long Beach, LBCC student Zoe Lindeman had an affinity for exploring new talents and traits as she immersed herself in art.
As a child, Lindeman would spend hours on her parent’s patio set reenacting scenes from her favorite movies and TV shows using dominos and eraser heads as her silent and obedient cast.
After a few calls from her parents, Zoe would begrudgingly end her stories to have dinner with her family.
“I just wanted to finish my episode,” said the 20-year-old theater arts major as she reflected on her adolescence.
“I grew up watching a lot of musicals, but it wasn’t until high school, after I took my first acting class, that I really fell in love with [performing].”
Acting was not the only performance art that Lindeman would explore.
She had nine class periods that were filled with extracurricular activities while attending Millikan High School.
Lindeman participated in acappella, show choirs and played upright and electric bass in a band.
During her spare time Zoe enjoyed painting and baking, having said “My hobbies are mostly artistic.”
She shared her love of the arts with underprivileged children at the Long Beach Comprehensive Child Developmental Center by bringing games, playing music and teaching arts and crafts.
“The soul connection with these little kids was a beautiful thing,” said Lindeman.
Raised in a practical and traditional household, Lindeman’s parents encouraged her to pick a safe, stable and financially comfortable career.
“My family are not very artistic thinkers,” said Lindeman.
She applied to colleges and universities with a plan to earn a degree in anthropology because she felt doubtful to start a career in performing arts.
“I thought that I couldn’t make it as an actor and I did not trust myself.” Lindeman said.
However, Lindeman’s passion was undeniable as she enrolled in LBCC where she auditioned for “The Crucible ” and earned her dream role as the vengeful and manipulative Abigale Williams.
The role was meaningful to Lindeman since her favorite actress, Winona Ryder, portrayed Abigail in the film adaptation of the Arthur Miller play.
“Someone said that I did Winona Ryder justice, and I knew this is what I needed to do with my life.”
Professor and performing arts department chair Anthony Carreiro believes that Lindeman is a more mature performer for her age.
“She is a grounding force for all the other actors and brings a gravitas to her roles.” Carreiro said.
Zoë Ríos, a theater major and assistant director of “De Dónde,” praised Lindeman for her quick understanding of her characters.
“She’s got such a natural instinct to her performance and is someone I do not have to worry about,” said Ríos.
“The Crucible” reignited Lindeman’s love of theater and validated her choice to study theater arts at LBCC.
Although the entertainment industry is an extremely competitive and difficult business, Lindeman is eager to begin her journey.
“If you have a backup plan, you are not fully focused.”
“¿De Dónde?,” written by Mary Gallagher, was the latest production to be performed at LBCC.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show has been indefinitely postponed due to LBCC’s decision to close both campuses in order to mitigate the spread of the disease.
Lindeman expressed her disappointment about the play being postponed.
“We tried to keep our hopes up and power-through as long as possible, but in the end we just had to cut it off and sacrifice the show for the safety of everyone involved.”
Although tremendous effort was sacrificed to craft and create the show, the most disappointing aspect was the important message that “De Dónde” was leaving behind.
The show is about the hardships of fleeing immigrants from South America being persecuted on the U.S. border during the early 90s.
“It was really disappointing especially because of the powerful message this show has. We had worked so hard and we all cared so deeply about the message and we needed to share it,” Lindeman said.
The transition to online classes has been difficult for Lindeman who relies on in-person and collaborative projects as a theater student.
“Classes are pushing forward and we’re making it work but it doesn’t fully feel like a theatre class without being surrounded and working off of other people and learning from them,” said Lindeman.
As recommended by the CDC, Lindeman has also been practicing self-isolation and is finding that the abrupt change of lifestyle is frustrating.
Nevertheless, Lindeman has found a way to cope through art.
“I began painting again, I used some skills I learned in my stagecraft class to build a wooden sword, I sang songs, learned choreography off of YouTube, did fun makeup, and learned some songs on the piano,” said Lindeman.
More than anything Lindeman wants things to return to their normal state.
“It’s still difficult at times not being able to hug my friends or go out with them, but I know I’m doing it to keep them safe, as well as flattening the curve in the grand scheme.”
Despite the many obstacles she had to overcome, LBCC student Zoë Rios continues to share her passion for the arts through her works in acting and directing the upcoming play “¿De Dónde?.”
Zoë Ríos was a senior at Fountain Valley High when she knew that she wanted to become an actor.
“I thought it would be a disservice to myself if I did not pursue [acting],” said the 20-year-old theater major.
Born in Newport Beach and raised in Fountain Valley, Ríos was extremely active as a child and participated in many activities including dance and soccer.
When she was in middle school, Ríos became heavily involved with musical theater which fueled her passion for performance art. “That was my jam,” said Ríos.
She was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a disorder that amplifies painful sensations throughout the body and her joints began to inflame and become sore.
“I have had four knee surgeries in high school and I had back surgery a year and a half ago,” said Ríos.
Doctors have contributed her aggressive dance style in her youth to be a factor to her back injury.
It was due to health issues that Ríos decided to primarily focus on dramatic acting rather than the rigors of musical theater.
“I want to see where my health takes me and so far, it has taken me to dramatic acting,” said Ríos.
Ríos has gathered support and strength from her family and gets her primary artistic influence from her father, Roger Ríos.
“My dad immersed me in art,” said Ríos. “We went to so many museums, concerts and theater shows, especially when I got interested in the craft.”
Mr. Ríos is a published poet and guitarist for The Mosleys, a popular local band in the 90s.
“Everything that Zoë does is on her own. She is driven and it is inspiring,” said Mr. Ríos.
Mr. Ríos is now an instructor at Downey High School where he teaches English and coaches the wrestling team.
Mr. Ríos has encouraged his daughter to follow her own path in life, even if her job outside of college is not theater-related.
“If you have to wait tables, then fuck it, that’s what you do,” said the English teacher.
Zoë’s ambition and passion has been seen on campus in her performances in “Macbeth,” “The Crucible” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and as the assistant director for the play, “¿De Dónde?.”
Performance Arts Department Chair Anthony Carreiro and director of “¿De Dónde?” considers Ríos a real asset to the production in her role as assistant director.
“She is very calm and kind, but also very focused and is not afraid to take the role of a leader,” said Carreiro.
Professor Carreiro also describes the pressure of directing actors in her age group.
“It’s a tricky thing to work with your peers when you have to step-up and critique their performance, but Zoë’s got it.”
Ellen Arroyo, nursing major and actor in “¿De Dónde?,” reiterated director Carreiro.
“Her input is excellent because not only does she see [professor Carreiro’s] side but she also sees the students’ side of the performance as well,” said Arroyo.
“¿De Dónde?” is written by Mary Gallagher and examines the trial and tribulations of undocumented immigrants as they try and escape oppression in Latina America, only to fight hostility on the U.S. Border.
“This definitely is a story that needs to be told,” Ríos said, “I really hope that this play encourages the audience to keep questioning our standards on how we treat people. It should make you uncomfortable because it’s wrong.”
Unfortunately, “¿De Dónde?,” has been postponed due to the abundance of caution in response to the Coronavirus Disease.
With the LBCC campuses being closed through the summer 2020 semester, Ríos would like to have the show rescheduled to open.
“I believe a lot of us are still in the mindset of the show must go on, and we will fight for the show to reopen,” said Ríos.
Ríos has been practicing self-isolation and has been accustomed to the lifestyle due to her many surgeries in the past.
She has been practicing yoga and reading monologues to keep busy, however, being away from friends and family has been the most difficult experience, but she reminds herself that this situation is only temporary.
With the cooperation of all who part-take in ridesharing, Lyft and Uber have maintained a part-time job for many contracted drivers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Coronavirus-19 has forced employers to take mandatory actions towards a cleaner environment and drivers and riders have kept each other responsible in accordance with CDC public health instructions and WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines.
The Lyft community has a rising level of anxiety about the updates on necessary precautions to take for people who utilize the service.
Riders have been informing their drivers about their own protective routines.
Yan, a Lyft rider who works at a College Medical Center in Long Beach said, “You have to get an N95 mask.”
He was wearing his own for employment sanitary precautions.
COVID-19 has decreased the rider frequency, forecasting slow weeks for many part-time and full-time workers.
During this pandemic, Lyft is teaming up with other companies to keep healthy people employed.
Lyft has offered some employees an option to transfer to Amazon to help with their high demand as COVID-19 keeps people in their homes.
Employees can benefit from this temporary employment opportunity.
LyftUp is a group of the Lyft rideshare community that focuses more on getting caretakers, grocers and hospital workers to work.
Express Drive, a weekly rental program, has waived driving requirements and lower rental costs.
Lyft urges its drivers to focus on their health keeping three important steps in mind:
“Please follow CDC guidance and stay home if you are sick.”
“Some drivers are putting plastic between front and back seats.”
“The CDC recommends opening windows during trips.”
Lyft drivers have immediately responsed to riders with symptoms of COVID-19 by cleaning interior car surfaces.
However, people should not take rideshare if showing symptoms of COVID-19.
Social distancing has been practiced by people that encounter each other during the day by standing farther than usual in a line or by keeping a six feet distance.
With this in mind, Lyft has eliminated the pool option for riders.
Each Lyft rider must use the whole car when getting a ride.
The lesson people can take from Lyft is to stay protected during this health crisis and to drive safely.
The Long Beach Health Department has deemed cannabis dispensaries as essential businesses, allowing them to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted the city since mid-March.
Modern Buds, The Circle Long Beach Dispensary, and Med Men Long Beach are just a few of the licensed medical cannabis dispensaries that are staying open. Many locals gathered in six-foot spaced lines to grab what the Long Beach Health Department deems medical necessities.
Joe Barnes, the purchasing manager of one of Long Beach’s highly rated dispensaries on Google, Modern Buds in Belmont Heights, spoke about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on sales and daily functions during a phone interview on April 6.
“Two weeks ago, we had a four to five day period where we had a 40-45 percent increase in sales, a huge jump, when they shut down the city,” Barnes said.
“Once they shut down the city, we had a lot of people coming in. Now people get that we’re here, we’re open, and staying open, they went back to their old purchasing habits,” he said.
“Since then, we mellowed out, and business is the same as it was in January and February. People stocked up on what they thought they needed, but now we’re keeping at the same consistency,” Barnes said.
Those who flocked to the dispensaries did so in hopes of stocking up on their usual products of CBD, wax and hash products, and above all, medical grade marijuana, according to Barnes.
Lara Turnbull, MPH, division manager for chronic disease and injury prevention for Long Beach Health and Human Services, gave details on the importance of dispensaries to the public as well as amended restrictions for the sale of cannabis in an email sent on April 8.
“Licensed Medical Cannabis Dispensaries are classified under ‘Healthcare Operations’ and are therefore identified as an ‘essential business,’” said Turnbull.
As to whether or not this classification will change and cause closures, Turnbull said, “At this time, the ‘Safer at Home’ order does not call for the closure of any business identified as an essential business.”
“I have no information regarding any plans to further extend the existing list of closures but that determination is made by our city health officer, Dr. Anissa Davis,” Turnbull said.
Following the instructions from the CDC, local dispensary King’s Crew has set place holders in line that are each separated by a six foot distance.
“The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services continues to closely monitor this outbreak and information regarding this data will be used to shape any revisions to the order moving forward,” she added.
Besides following already existing social distancing protocols, such as having budtenders wear masks and gloves, having tape on the floor to emphasize social distancing of six feet or more, and having no more than ten people within a dispensary, the Long Beach Health Department has also made amendments to cannabis pickup and delivery orders, according to Turnbull.
“On March 28 the City of Long Beach, in an effort to further reduce the spread of COVID-19, issued amendments to the ‘Safer at Home’ order,” Turnbull said.
Additional restrictions that resulted from this amendment regarding the sale of cannabis include the following: Licensed medical cannabis dispensaries can temporarily do curbside pickups, and payment for cannabis and/or cannabis products must be made in advance of the pickup.
Upon pickup, the medical dispensary must verify that the identification of the patient is the same person who ordered curbside pickup by presenting a valid government-issued identification.
In addition, proof of a valid government-issued identification and the patient’s medical identification card must be submitted prior to the curbside pickup.
To ensure safety, products must also be delivered to patients in opaque packaging, and uniformed and licensed security personnel must be present during all curbside pickup transactions.
The health department still mandates that all other local and state laws, regulations, and lawful orders are adhered to.
Barnes said Modern Buds, like other dispensaries, is also promoting curbside pickup delivery.
“We keep the doors propped open if people need to walk in and make a purchase, and we try to be pretty aware and health conscious. I haven’t had any problems and don’t see them happening at all,” Barnes said.
Though dispensaries remain open, Dan Kato, an outreach worker for GreenlightLB, a resource program for health and safety information related to cannabis for the Long Beach Health Department, spoke about the importance of safe cannabis use during a phone interview on April 6.
“We don’t recommend that people use cannabis to address stress or anxiety, oftentimes it can worsen anxiety and stress. If you need help for anxiety and stress, we recommend that you use a mental health professional and physician,” Kato said.
Certain methods of cannabis consumption should also be avoided, according to Kato.
“People shouldn’t be vaping or smoking, and should be avoiding inhalation methods. Sometimes you’re inhaling unclean air, and some of the cannabis smoke has the same carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Vaping cannabis can be problematic as well,” Kato said.
With the coronavirus specifically attacking the respiratory system, Kato also addressed whether or not smoking cannabis puts one at a higher risk for developing respiratory complications from the virus.
“No research is being done towards cannabis and COVID-19, but in earlier studies, tobacco smokers were more susceptible toward the COVID-19 virus, but that information is still evolving,” Kato said.
“If tobacco smokers are at risk, then cannabis smokers can be at risk, but there can be differences between tobacco and cannabis smokers. For example, usually tobacco smokers use and smoke more often,” Kato said.
Still, medical marijuana dispensaries remain busy, with locals continuing to buy various products that can be consumed without being inhaled, such as edible marijuana treats, soft-gels, and CBD products that provide no high but claim other popular health benefits.
One marijuana dispensary, King’s Crew Long Beach near CSULB, even continues to offer free tacos with a purchase on Tuesdays at the time of this writing.
Those who work in the dispensaries, such as Barnes, are confident that even with stricter guidelines in place due to the coronavirus, people will continue to buy from marijuana dispensaries.
According to Barnes, the evolving, once controversial marijuana industry is, if not an essential business in Long Beach, one that is an essential to the public and to the American economy.
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