Special Olympics NY goes virtual for 50th anniversary

One positive side effect of the encouraged social distancing due to the novel coronavirus outbreak is the shift to telemedicine, specifically the chance to have therapy sessions over phone and video calls. At one health center in the Houston area, about 90% of its typically 2,000 weekly appointments have made the transition to online.

Cuyahoga County enlists medical students and residents to help the overwhelmed city health staff tackle the coronavirus chaos. Among other administrative tasks, students interview patients who have tested positive for coronavirus, noting their symptoms and underlying health issues to provide data and patterns to county health officials.

Many flight attendants for Scandinavian Airlines have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic but are now being given the opportunity to retrain as healthcare providers. The laid-off crew members already have emergency medical training and are "trained in how to handle difficult interpersonal situation," which makes the move to nursing homes and hospitals an almost natural transition.

As meetings and social gatherings of all kinds have been postponed or canceled altogether, the support group Alcoholics Anonymous faced a particular challenge given the imperative and power of their in-person meetings. Fortunately, many chapters have moved their meetings online, to video conference services like Skype or Zoom.

Hong Kong and Singapore are being looked to as potential models of how to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but they also offer lessons about how to keep the frontline health care providers safe during an outbreak as well. From specific protocols about when the use of a N95 mask is necessary to a precise definition of what justifies "close contact," these two countries are showing that occupational exposure isn't necessarily a threat when dealt with properly and proactively.

In Delaware, doctors have turned to telehealth amidst the COVID19 pandemic to treat patients safely and remotely. Using systems called ChristianaCare and CarVio, doctors are monitoring more than 350 coronavirus-positive patients, reaching out to them up to four times daily. The platforms are also being used for individuals without COVID19, who need to see a doctor for other reasons, but don’t want to risk visiting in person.

Social connection and support are crucial for people in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, so the social distancing mandated by COVID-19 has been particularly stressful. To try to recreate the same atmosphere and safe space, AA groups are moving their meetings online with Zoom. Participants describe it as a "godsend" and say that it helps fill that void during the crisis-filled time of a pandemic.

Social distancing is as necessary to protect healthcare providers as it is anyone else, so primary care providers in the U.K. are begrudgingly making the move to telemedicine—meeting with and diagnosing patients over a video call. Neighborhood doctors say the new approach saves them time, and telemedicine companies say that demand and orders have increased over 70%. Doctors have also set up "dirty zones" to check possibly infected patients, and "safe zones" to see patients with other ailments.

As governments order lockdowns of cities and countries due to coronavirus concerns, many people are at risk for experiencing mental health issues such as loneliness and anxiety. To combat this, people are turning to telemedicine for counseling consultations and to keep in touch with loved ones, as well as activities such as exercise to improve moods.

With COVID19 putting the majority of us in self-isolation or quarantine, LA-based photographers have found unique ways to capture this moment. Without coming into contact with individuals – which is often a fundamental part of their job – they use peoples’ windows to frame the photo, capturing the glare of the outside world as well.