There’s a certain amount of frustration that comes out of being locked inside for weeks. It’s that specific cluster of anxieties, boredom and just general malaise. It’s like you are disconnected from the world at large and nothing you do will make an impact. Without seeing anyone’s face regularly, you end up becoming merely a conduit for whatever labor you’re expected to commit to the cause while everyone is recovering or not. You probably ran out of coffee already.
On that happy note, have you heard that the ban on gay men donating blood was sort of lifted? The idea is that if you have been celibate for three months you should have no problems now donating. Previously, this was a one-year celibacy requirement. Opponents of the ban in general point to the problem inherent in defining one group by their epidemiological risk and note that no other group is so broadly defined as a complete risk.
Here’s one for you all: did you know that under this state’s current stay at home rules, you can still go outside and take a walk? Make sure it’s away from others, of course, but feel free to go out and meet up with nature. Find a squirrel and befriend it. Have it take you back to its family. Create a squirrel army. Take over Dayton, Ohio. Wash your hands.
Hey, Portland State students! Have you heard that you can check out laptops from the Office of Information Technology? If you lack a computer at home and rely on others with computers to get access to your classes, OIT has laptops they will graciously mail to your permanent address to assist you in your educational progress this term. This does not necessarily help if you have no internet, but there’s help there, too!
Hey, did you know that Governor Kate Brown has a robust COVID-19 assistance page already set up? Resources for workers, immigrants, the houseless and many others are located on this page, linking to a whole host of important websites to help you get through this. If you’ve been laid off, be sure to check the resources for employees to see if you’re eligible for unemployment.
Have you heard that there’s a great deal of need for personal protective equipment in hospitals out there? If you have a surplus of any, or have come across some in your daily life, please let a local hospital know. Also, if you can sew, ask if the closest hospital could utilize your handiwork in the form of a face mask. A pattern for those is found at CraftPassion.com.
Lastly, this is important news for you all if you hadn’t heard already: transit companies are severely scaling back their service. The latest for Portland’s Trimet is a limit for each bus to 10–15 simultaneous riders. What this means is you ought to be leaving early for your bus, just in case the limit is met before you can get on, allowing you time to wait for the next bus and still arrive at your destination in time.