PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17 - 24, 2022

FREE | XXXXXX MARCH 17 XX-XX, - MARCH 202124, 2022

PhiladelphiaWeekly.com | @phillyweekly

13 PAGES OF PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS plus retrospectives!

xxx xxx BETWEEN Xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx US AND xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx CATASTROPHE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE CASSIDY

Three years on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic.

XXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX

2 PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

XXXXXXXXXXX

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE 06 07

Calendar Feature Covid-19 Timeline Begins

08

Feature Between Us and Catastrophe: Kyle Cassidy Intro

09

Feature Saving Stories

10

Feature No One Alone

11

Feature Between Us and Catastrophe

Image: JR Blackwell

Philadelphia, PA 215-543-3743 mail@philadelphiaweekly.com

Philadelphiaweekly.com @phillyweekly MARCH 17 - 24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Ian Moe Publisher Michael Chambers Director of Circulation

X

I’m a writer, so sacrificing almost every availed going to parties and hanging out with friends, able page meant for text in exchange for photocatching COVID. It just kept happening again and graphs isn’t something I want to do ever. Then again.” again, extraordinary times call for extraordinary It’s impossible not to think of Cassandra, the measures, so this issue, on the third anniversary of figure in Greek mythology who was bestowed by the so-called “lockdown,” we’re featuring a project Apollo the gift of prophecy. Yet, the gods being by award-winning photographer Kyle Cassidy, “Bepetty and Cassandra being willful, Apollo eventween Us and Catastrophe.” tually adds an important clause to her gift: while Regardless of how perfunctory, even boring, life accurate, her future-telling visions do nothing as might’ve seemed at first during the lockdown, the nobody believes them. fact is that the past few years have been extraorShe’s doomed to know in real time where everydinary. one is going wrong but is powerless to stop it.

Why does it sometimes feel so normal or boring?

When he interviewed the healthcare professionEven if you, like me, are a layperson, you unals, Cassidy says “it was like I was talking to 40 derstand that COVID-19 was anything but normal.

Cassandras every few weeks who were telling me Typically, flu kills 20,000-50,000 Americans annualexactly what was going to happen. And nobody was ly. In two years, now moving into its third, COVID listening.” has taken the lives of about one million Americans, The remarkable piece to this work is the folincluding groups never threatened low-through, Cassidy’s thoughtful, by flu. I’ve sometimes heard the sensitive shepherding of these stoAmerican death rate trotted out as ries and visions with a careful, steady

BY JOSH KRUGER being “only a little over 1 percent.” hand from the start of the lockdown to @JoshKrugerPHL Would you take your child onto a as recently as last week. subway car knowing that there was It’s a follow-through that society a 1 percent chance you both would be has yet to master, given we spent so killed every time you rode it? much time calling nurses heroes while doing next I’d argue it’s this banality that makes the time so to nothing to improve working conditions for them. insidious, because the loss of one million American Many of our lawmakers and leaders essentially calives and millions more globally is not boring. It is pitulated to anti-science, pro-COVID cultists out of traumatic. fear of political or even physical harm. These cowBeing well acquainted with such things, I can ardly implosions of character call into question promise you that sunken trauma resting far below why people run for political office in the first place. the surface will eventually rise, at first with a few The infections rose, the variants appeared, and almost whimsical bubbles acting as omens. They’ll the sickening cycle of false normalcy, alarm, rereach the surface, first one at a time and then tosponse, tragedy, recovery started to become our gether in pairs then dozens altogether, conveying normal. the growing agitation down below until finally the We could’ve stopped this. bubbles turn into an eruption, bursting forward Our abject failure to vaccinate enough Ameriand disturbing anything that was reliant on the cans and provide enough vaccines globally to tamp relative calm of the waters. What makes it through down COVID-19 is a failure we should never revise this choppiness - your job, your family, your marout of history. riage, your anything - depends on how anchored it To identify false prophets, some say “you will is and how well you prepared for the things below know them by their fruits.” the surface to rise.

Our half measures after lockdown have gotten For many people, this means that in the coming us many new infections, more deaths, and seemingmonths and years, lots of things will come to an ly nothing else to show for it. end.

Whether we’ll ever be able to listen to Cassan“I was talking to people who were at a breaking dra, today or tomorrow, is unknowable – at least for point,” Cassidy tells me, “and we had no idea that those who aren’t prophets. there was so much more breaking still to come. I Some, however, probably feel like Cassandra felt it was important to amplify these voices in part herself, and know the answer to that question. because I saw so many of my friends weren’t hearThey simply understand it’s pointless to say. ing them. They tired rapidly of lockdown and start-

Josh Kruger Editor-in-Chief

J.R. Blackwell Managing Editor

josh@philadelphiaweekly.com jrblackwell@philadelphiaweekly.com

Art & Design: Brittni Albright, Karl Michelfelder

To contact the news department: mail@philadelphiaweekly.com.

Len Webb Arts & Entertainment Editor len@philadelphiaweekly.com

Contributors: Kennedy Allen, A.D. Amorosi, Bobbi Booker, Kyle Cassidy, CJ Higgins, Josh Hitchens, Timaree Schmit, Eric Smith, Aubrie Williams

To purchase advertising in Philadelphia Weekly, contact Sales at 215-543-3743, ext. 104, or sales@philadelphiaweekly.com.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | XXXXXX XX-XX, 2021

X 3

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

NM-00488279

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 3-10, 2022

4

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

See Us About...

About...

SeeUs Us See See Us About...

About...

About...

Whether You’re Purchasing Whether You’re Purchasing a New Home or Refinancing You’re Purchasing aWhether New Home or Refinancing Your Existing Whether You’re Mortgage, Purchasing a New Home or Refinancing Whether You’re Purchasing Your Existing Mortgage, Turn us foror aRefinancing Great Deal a NewtoHome a New Home or Refinancing Your Existing Mortgage, Turn to Existing us for aMortgage, Great Deal Your and Personal Service.

Your Existing Turn us for aMortgage, Great Deal andtoto Personal Service.

Turn us for a Great Deal Turn to us for a Great Deal and Personal Service. and Personal Service. and PersonalLoans Service.

Mortgage to Meet all of Your Needs Mortgage Loans Mortgage Loans Mortgage Loans to Meet all of Your Needs Mortgage Loans Meet all of of Your Your toto Meet all Needs Conventional FixedNeeds and - to Meet all of Your Needs u Adjustable Rate Programs Conventional Fixed and

u Adjustable Conventional Fixed and Rate Programs Fixed and Various Terms Conventional Fixed and u Conventional u Adjustable Rate Programs u u Adjustable Programs Adjustable Rate Rate Programs Terms Low Down Payment Options u Various Terms uuVarious VariousTerms Terms uu Various Jumbo Mortgages Low Down Payment Options Low Down Payment Options u LowDown Down Payment uu Home Equity Loan Options u Low Payment Options u

A Home Mortgage Loan Home AA Home Customized Lending Programs Competitive Rates • Quality Service JumboMortgages Mortgages Jumbo Home Equity Line Of Credit

Jumbo Mortgages HomeEquity Equity Loan Jumbo Mortgages uu Home Loan Home Equity Loan HomeEquity Equity Loan Line Of Credit uuHome Home Equity Line OfCredit Credit Home Equity•Line Of Competitive Rates Quality Service

Home Equity Line Of Credit

A Home Mortgage Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan

Competitive Rates • Quality Service Competitive Rates • Quality Service Customized Lending Programs Competitive Rates • Quality Service Customized Lending Programs Customized Lending Programs Customized Lending Programs Our friendly mortgage experts will Our friendly will work with you mortgage to chooseexperts the financing Our friendly mortgage experts will work with you to choose the financing option that you meets your specific needs.

Our friendly mortgage experts will work with to choose the financing Our friendly mortgage experts will option that meets your specific needs. option that meets your specific needs. work with you to choose the financing work with you to choose the financing option your specific specificneeds. needs. option that that meets meets your

A Home Mortgage Loan

215-755-1500 215-755-1500 215-755-1500 215-755-1500 215-755-1500 215-755-1500 www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com 215-755-1500

www.psbanker.com

Notice of Non-Affiliation and Disclaimer: Prudential Bank is not affiliated, associated,

215-755-1500 215-755-1500 www.psbanker.com www.psbanker.com

Notice of Non-Affiliation and Disclaimer: Prudential Bank is The notPrudential affiliated, associated, authorized or endorsed by or in any way officially connected Insurance Notice of Non-Affiliation Disclaimer: Prudential Bank with is not affiliated, associated, authorized orofendorsed byany orand inin any way connected with The Prudential Insurance Company America or of its subsidiaries or affiliates. authorized or endorsed by or any way officially officially connected with The Prudential Insurance Company of America oror any ofofits oraffiliates. affiliates.

Company of America any itssubsidiaries subsidiaries or

Notice Prudential Bank Bank isis not notaffiliated, affiliated,associated, associated, NoticeofofNon-Affiliation Non-Affiliation and and Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Prudential authorizedor orendorsed endorsedby byor or in in any any way officially authorized officially connected connectedwith withThe ThePrudential PrudentialInsurance Insurance CompanyofofAmerica Americaor orany anyof of its its subsidiaries subsidiaries or Company or affiliates. affiliates.

215-755-1500 www.psbanker.com

MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Photo credit: from Marc Viscardi (Bond Theatrical)

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

OKLAHOMA!

HOW CAN YOU TELL WHICH REFUSAL YOU GIVE, HOWEVER KINDLY PHRASED, WILL BECOME A DANGEROUS ONE?

F

orgive me Dionysus, for I have sinned: This was my first time watching Oklahoma!. Any Oklahoma! Not even a charmingly-misguided high school production. No-klahoma.

a minimum of $100 per gun to Gun Neutral, an initiative calling for greater social responsibility surrounding the depiction of gun violence in entertainment.

Will I bestow the ironic title “Woke-lahoma” that the internet has so often placed I find myself in an ongoing coon this production? That would be a reducnundrum with Golden Age musicals, and I’m tive assessment for me to make, grading not alone in this debate: is it worth sitting an entire piece of work through what I as through the outdated material to get to what a white person perceive to be ”progressive it can show us about today? Especially for enough”. The most evidence to the contrary audience members in marginalized commuis that, in keeping the original text 100%, nities, the risk of watching oppression conthe g-slur used against the Romani people tinue unquestioned through song and dance did still make the cut. That said, the producoften outweighs the joy of seeing yet anothtion gracefully walks the tightrope over the er love triangle story. Watching original text’s more outdated humor this production, however, I was about women and relationships withamazed to discover that the origout plunging right back into misogyBY CJ HGGINS inal text (which this revival keeps ny, thanks in large part to the actors’ in its entirety) does not tell a conclever delivery. ventional love triangle. Instead, it As a transgender theatre artist and auditells a story of the burden placed on women ence member, it is a rare theater outing that to assess and bear the danger of refusing a I get to watch not one but two transgender man. I can’t imagine any production of this performers onstage, much less portraying a show bringing that fact to the forefront the couple in love and not the punchline of bigway this tour so effectively does. oted jokes. Seeing Sis, who plays Ado Annie Laurey, portrayed stunningly by Sasha with luminous gusto, belt the line “How can Hutchings, must choose between suitors I be what I ain’t?” and falling for Will Parker Curly and Jud, though it is clear to her and (Hennessy Winkler cracked me up several the town that she only considers Jud because times with his performance) was a breath she’s afraid of what he will do if she tells of fresh air during a time where Broadway him no. Ultimately, Laurey’s conflict is not seems insistent on producing unrelentingly between two hopeful husbands, but between transphobic narratives. what she wants and what will keep her safe.

All of the heavier topics of this tour aside, This dilemma is emphasized by bold lightwatching this show was pure and absolute ing choices, including moments in comfun. From the outstanding work of the enplete darkness, the spectacular chaos of Act semble to a corn and Bud Light splash zone 2’s opening dream ballet (my jaw dropped (yup, you read that right), this was a show watching Gabrielle Hamilton perform this), I would absolutely watch again despite my and the casting of a masterfully looming previous misgivings about the original text.

Christopher Bannow as Jud. Laurey’s choice If you find yourself hesitant to take a chance is unfortunately one that many women on an older show, I encourage you to give the face. Domestic abuse and toxic masculinity Oklahoma! tour a shot. If you have seen othhave not gone away since Rodgers & Hamer productions and feel like you can miss yet merstein’s time, and has worsened in many another version of the same story, I can asways with online subcultures such as “incel” sure you that this is not just another version. encouraging men to get what they want by As Twitter has been abuzz about since the whatever means necessary, including vio2019 Broadway revival debuted, this is not lence. How can you tell which refusal you your grandparents’ Oklahoma!, and you will give, however kindly phrased, will become a walk out of the Forrest Theatre with a new dangerous one? perspective on a toe-tapping classic.

The walls of the set serve as Chekhov’s Oklahoma! is running now until March 20th, more ambitious collection at a total of 114 2022. Tickets can be purchased by calling guns. This staggering display is one that be212-239-6200, visiting www.telecharge.com, gan conversations before the first note was or in-person at the Academy of Music box ofplayed; right before curtain, I overheard fice daily from 10am-6pm. All audience mema discussion between two fellow audience bers are required to show proof of vaccinamembers about the first time they had ever tion with valid photo ID, and must remain fired a gun. Certainly not a standard premasked while in the Forrest Theatre. show conversation, but a stark reminder that gun violence is a normalized foundation Learn more at www.kimmelculturalcampus. org. of both the world of Oklahoma! and our society today. The Oklahoma! team has donated

CLASSIFIED

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

EMPLOYMENT

REAL ESTATE Garages for Rent/Sale

Non-CDL Drivers

Wanted

NM-00487322

Immediate Positions Available Paid Training / Benefit Package Match of salary with experience!

Flexible Shifts Available Safety Bonus Incentives

APPLY IN PERSON Monday Through Friday • 9:00am to 3:00pm 4201 Tacony Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 | 215-992-8000 Apply Online: www.philly.totalbusco.com

General Employment GENERAL AND TREATMENT FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED Open your heart and home to children of all ages New Foundations, Inc. 215-203-8733 www.nfi4kids.org FLAGGER Traffic Plan seeks Flaggers to protect our clients and the motoring public by setting up work zones and controlling traffic. A valid driver’s license is a must. Good pay and benefits offered. If interested, please fill out an application online at www.trafficplan.com.

Career Opportunity

To purchase advertising in Philadelphia Weekly, contact: 215-543-3743, ext. 1, or ads@philadelphiaweekly.com.

$400

SIGN-ON BONUS!!!

$18/Hr. Starting Pay

Parking Spaces @ Old City Parkominium Vallet parking 365/day yr. 215-280-0264

NM-00486577

General Employment

Paratransit Operations

5

Carp., Masons, Painters & Laborors, Jack of all trades.

Exp. only 215-908-3241

Where ALL GUYS come together Visit www.squirt.org today to join the action PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022

CALENDAR jammin-funkgrass outfit.

A WEEK'S WORTH OF ADVENTURES A C R O S S P H I L LY ' S N E I G H B O R H O O D S THUR MARCH 17

COMEDY

RUSSELL HOWARD

One of the best-selling acts in British stand-up, and host of the critically acclaimed show “The Russell Howard Hour” (Sky) is back on stage where he belongs, making sense of a world that’s spinning out of control.

Russell Howard; Thurs March 17, 7:30 p.m., Punch Line Philly, 33 W. Laurel St., Philadelphia, PA 19123 MUSIC

AN EVENING WITH BRIAN McKNIGHT

True story #1 — A friend gifted me with Brian McKnight’s first album “Brian McKnight” on cassette back in ’92 (it’s a true old story). I played that album on repeat for a year; loved every word.

In 2001, he releases the single “The Love of My Life,” which far as I’m concerned is a love letter to my daughter, Olivia. So, Brian McKnight holds a special place in my life and this is the perfect venue to rekindle our distant, completely one-sided relationship.

An Evening with Brian McKnight; Thurs March 17, 6-9 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., Philadelphia, PA 19106

FRI MARCH 18

That’s it! I’m keeping a tab on the 10 best band names.

PFS Presents: Armchair Boogie; Fri March 18, 8 p.m., Philadelphia Folksong Society, 6156 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128 COMEDU

DANCE

RENNIE HARRIS: LIFTED A young man goes from trouble to triumph in the hip-hop theatre production, loosely based on Oliver Twist, that merges the rhythms of house music with the moving vocals of a live gospel choir, centered around Rennie Harris’ brilliant choreography.

Rennie Harris: LIFTED; Fri March 18, 8 p.m., Sat March 19, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Annenberg Center Zellerbach Theater, 3680 Walnut St., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 MUSIC

ARMCHAIR BOOGIE

Starting in 2015 from a front porch in a Wisconsin college town, Armchair Boogie can be defined by the pickin’ skills, infectious grooves, and driving rhythms that move this unique, up-tempo,

PAGE SIX • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

THE N CROWD The N Crowd — “Philadelphia’s premier improv comedy troupe” (“Philly Style Magazine”) — returns to their old home, Old City Philadelphia at the Bourse Food Hall, for audience suggestions and laughing digestions.

The N Crowd; Fri March 18, 7:30-9 p.m., The Bourse Food Hall, 111 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106

SAT MARCH 19

MUSIC

TAME IMPALA

Josh Terry of “VICE” says the music of Tame Impala “embodies the technologydriven sense of loneliness of this decade better than any of (its) peers.” Inspired by the experimentation of ’70s psychedelic rock, front man Kevin Parker promises “The Slow Rush” has a pace all its own.* Yeah, but how do you tame an impala?

Tame Impala; Sat March 19, 8 p.m., doors open 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148 MUSIC

ARNETTA JOHNSON, ‘THAT TRUMPET CHIC’

Arnetta Johnson and the trumpet began their relationship at age 13, and her prowess has taken her to the world’s largest stages, including headlining Beyoncé at Super Bowl 50.

And — now — Arnetta has come to Philly.* I played the trumpet for 3 days in elementary school. On the fourth day, the trumpet ran away.

Arnetta Johnson, “That Trumpet Chic”; Sat March 19, 8 p.m., Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 PARTY

A NIGHT OF 1000 KATES*

An annual evening of other-world-making using Kate Bush’s craft as source material for dance, costume, storytelling, theater and

song that ascends into shameless ecstatic lush revelry. * You had me at ‘shameless’.

8th Annual Night of 1000 Kates; Sat March 19, Doors: 7:30 p.m., Show: 8:30 p.m.; Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

SUN MARCH 20

BRUNCH

SOULCOMEDY: THE BRUNCH Designed to please your tastebuds and tickle your funny bone in a mature, safe and all-inclusive vibe, @ SoulComedy The Brunch is the brainchild of comedian/ writer TuRae @SoulComedy…The BRUNCH, featuring B Phlat; Sun March 20, Noon, Showtime 1 p.m., Xclusively Yours Events, 1614 S. 26th St., Philadelphia, PA 19145 FAMILY

FAMILY MATINÉE: INSIDE OUT

Spend Sunday afternoon with crafts, play and a day at the movies with Pixar’s “Inside Out,” screened by the Philadelphia Film Society. * This may be Pixar’s last original masterpiece; funny, tender, timeless stuff.

Family Matinée: “Inside Out”; Su March 20, 3-5 p.m., Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 CULTURE

PHILLY’S FIRST KANAVAL

BALL*

The festive Kanaval Ball will serve up all the grandeur, pageantry and fun of Haitian Carnival and Mardi Gras when it makes its premiere at the Fillmore Theater with performances

by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, RAM, Boukman Eksperyans and more; the capper to WXPN’s yearlong exploration of Haiti’s influence on the music and culture of New Orleans. * Yup! Kanaval Ball, presented

by WXPN; Sun March 20, 4 p.m., Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St., Philadelphia, PA 19123; All Ages

TUES MARCH 22

MUSIC

JOJO

True story #2 — JoJo doesn’t need me to hype her up to you; she’s been a chart-topping singersongwriter since 2016. But I was introduced to her music just last year when her single “...Anxiety (Burlinda’s Theme)” was playing in my friend’s background during a Zoom meeting. A short chat and Google search revealed the artist and her long fight with depression.

I was immediately touched and beguiled by the artist, her words and her song.

JoJo; Tues March 22, 8-11 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

WED MARCH 16

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS

I asked owner Frank Mitchell of Mitchell & Mitchell Wines for the recipe for a perfect Wine Down Wednesday experience — “The perfect Wine Down Wednesday must include food, friends and plenty of wine.”

Wine Down Wednesdays, sponsored by Mitchell & Mitchell Wines; Wed March 23, 5-6:30 p.m., Creekside Market and Tap, 7909 High School Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027 MUSIC

PHILLY BURLESQUE BATTLE ROYALE

Nine years strong, it’s Philly’s long-running graduate school/boot camp in burlesque and one performer will be crowned the winner of the season!

A cohort of saucy new performers get weekly challenges to create and perform a new act for you, the weekly Phillies in the house. * Would that be a kinky boot camp?... I’m sorry.

Philadelphia Burlesque Battle Royale; Wed March 23, 9 p.m.- 12 a.m., Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar, 254 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

HEY, WEEKLY PHILLIES: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BARTENDER IN THE CITY AND WHY? Email your answers to len@ philadelphiaweekly. com so we can tell them you sent us.

CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Timeline: Pandemic Throughout this issue is a timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia, covering two full years from March 2020-March 2022. While certain events in the state of Pennsylvania are mentioned, the following timeline is primarily focused on the pandemic as experienced in Philadelphia County and is not intended to be a summary of wider national and global events related to COVID-19.

MARCH 6TH 2020

MARCH 10TH 2020

MARCH 13TH 2020

MARCH 16TH 2020

First two reported cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania

First reported case of COVID-19 in Philadelphia

Governor Tom Wolf closes all schools in the state for at least two weeks

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney orders nonessential business and government offices to close for two weeks

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE SEVEN

BETWEEN US AND CATASTROPHE: AN INTRODUCTION “There are Plagues, and there are victims, and it is the duty of good people not to join forces with the plagues.” -- Albert Camus

BY KYLE CASSIDY

Inevitably, when everyday items we use now are looked at as relics, we’ll be asked, “What did you do during COVID?” I wanted to have an answer.

So in March of 2020 I started working on an oral history told by the people on the front lines, standing between me and SARS-CoV-2.

The grim reality of COVID-19’s plans for Philadelphia became obvious at that time.

Schools and businesses sent workers home, and hand sanitizer, toilet paper and surgical masks were gone from store shelves. On March 23, Mayor Jim Kenney issued a “Stay at Home” order, and we closed our doors and waited.

We waited and our hopes were with the people who were out beyond the walls, fighting the virus and keeping us alive. It became readily apparent who the essential workers were, and I wasn’t one of them.

The prospect of doing nothing – even though I knew, intellectually, that the most valuable thing I could do would be to sit at home, watch Netflix, and finally read that stack of books on my nightstand – weighed heavily on me. On top of feeling powerless I felt useless. So, in the first months of 2020, I was talking to people.

In retrospect, I was having a conversation with people who were at a breaking point – and we had no idea that there was still so much more breaking still to come.

For this project, I got a help from the Mayor’s Office, Streets and Health departments, and others who were as eager as I to collect stories. Many of the subjects, but not all, are healthcare workers in part because they were seeing this so closely and experiencing both the initial tragedy of the outbreak and, eventually, the tragedy of our careless behavior.

Margaret was the first nurse I photographed: three days after lockdown. I asked her to bring her mask because I wanted to show that the job she was doing was dangerous and required its own armor and also, at that point, most people hadn’t seen a real surgical mask yet. Margaret didn’t have a mask -- well, she had one, but it was at the hospital in a paper bag in her locker.

because she lived alone and she figured she’d be less of a risk to others if she got sick. She seemed like she was resigned to something long and terrible happening. Those were days of quiet panic.

Margaret was the first, and last, person I photographed where at least one of us wasn’t wearing a mask.

While I was doing these portraits, I was also collecting discarded surgical masks and photographing the inner non-woven layers – the extruded fabric that’s supposed to catch the things you don’t want in your lungs. I was fascinated in thinking that there might be a dead coronavirus in there. And I started printing the portraits through those mask layers, because that’s how we were all seeing one another.

After I photographed people, I checked in regularly with them. I’d just say “How have things been?” and sometimes they’d talk for an hour or more without me saying a word.

They told me things they didn’t tell other people. They told me things their families didn’t want to hear about or that their colleagues were tired of talking about. They told me things they were proud of, moments that fell by the wayside, things that hurt or were difficult, things that frustrated them, and things they were ashamed of.

I talked to nurses who were demoralized by watching people die all day long for months on end. I talked to nurses who got COVID themselves. I learned how difficult their jobs became. That it was a job people loved, a job that was now impossible.

Photographers, like writers, tell stories.

I felt it was important to amplify these voices in part because I saw so many of my friends weren’t hearing them. Instead, hey quickly tired rapidly of social distancing and started going to parties and hanging out with friends, catching COVID – again and again.

She said that she was taught to never reuse a mask. Now, she was being told to use the same one for a week.

I’m grateful that these people trusted me with their stories. And I’m grateful to the Philadelphia Weekly for sharing them with you. I hope you’ll put this issue in the trunk in your attic so that in 40 years, whoever’s looking through it will find the voices of these people who fought to keep us all safe and realize what they sacrificed because we demanded it of them.

How safe was it? Who knew?

And when someone asks what I did during COVID, I’ll say I listened.

Nobody knew a lot of things. At this point her hospital hadn’t gotten their first COVID patient, but they were getting ready, and Margaret volunteered for the assignment

MARCH 17TH 2020

MARCH 18TH 2020

MARCH 23RD 2020

MARCH 28TH 2020

96 cases in Pennsylvania, more than half of which are in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties

First COVID-19 death in Pennsylvania

Stay-at-home order goes into effect

2,751 cases in Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County has highest number

PAGE EIGHT • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

SAVING STORIES

BY DAVID J. CARUSO

An Oral History Primer

My grandfather, Frank Raggi, was born in New York City in 1914, the child of Italian immigrants. GPa, as we called him, often told us stories about what life was like when he was growing up: living through times of war; becoming a parent; life in “the city”; joys and sorrows; politics; culture; and how our family came to be. I remember many of his stories but have certainly forgotten more. GPa’s history now exists only in the memories of those who loved him. As a historian, I lament that no one sat down to record his life story before he passed away. Professional historians value these life stories for how they contribute to our understanding of the world, but these stories are often not captured or preserved. They are also the stories many of us wish we had to understand our pasts and to inform our futures.

Much has happened to all of us in the past few years with the first pandemic in over a century. We adjusted our lives to safeguard those around us, which brought hardship in innumerable ways. In the years to come we will all remember the pandemic, but as we make more memories, others will become blurred or forgotten altogether. So what can we do about that? How can we keep those memories vivid and alive? The answer to all those questions is the practice of oral history, a historical method for preserving life stories for future generations.

Recording an oral history isn’t as simple as sitting down with someone and hitting record; it requires forethought and planning. What follows are some tidbits to consider if you want to record an oral history interview with family and friends.

Map out the logistics. Figure out who you want to interview and what you want to interview them about. Do you want to conduct a full life history (from earliest memories to today) or do you want to focus on specific events, like the pandemic? What questions will you want to ask and what topics will you want to cover? (Hint: write all the questions and topics down.) Most oral history interviews last several hours. Do you and your family member or friend have large blocks of time to devote to the interview, or will you need to break things up into multiple shorter sessions? Will the interview be virtual or in person? If the former, are you and the interviewee comfortable using video conferencing services and do you both have reliable internet connections? If the latter, where will you conduct the interview (a little more on that below)? Think through as much as you can about what you’d like the interview experience to be before doing your first interview.

Don’t worry, though: we all make mistakes and we correct for them the next time we conduct an interview.

The interview setting. Regardless of whether you are conducting the interview virtually or in person, think about your surroundings (and the interviewee’s surroundings if virtual). Many audio recorders (whether a computer or a handheld device) do not distinguish among the sounds they pick up. If you are conducting an interview in the middle of a construction site, or if there is a woodpecker tapping on a tree outside a window, or if you are sitting in a squeaky chair, those background noises that we normally filter out when listening to someone speak will be captured on the recording device and may affect the quality of playback.

You don’t need to be in a soundproof room, but try to reduce noise as much as possible. Also, regardless of the type of device you are using to record the interview, practice with it as much as possible before you use it for your first interview.

Conducting the interview. First and foremost, remember to hit record (I know it seems silly to mention, but sometimes we get so wrapped up in hearing people’s stories that we forget!). Before the interview begins, state who you are, who you are interviewing, and the full date — do this to make sure that any future generations who listen to your interview know who is participating (digital files can accidentally be re-named, and physical labels can fade or fall off over time).

Ask your questions one at a time and avoid yes or no questions — you’ll get yes or no answers and will have to ask a follow-up question for clarity.

Preservation. Digital files (audio and video) take up a lot of space. Make sure you have enough storage for the recordings. And make a secure backup of all your files. If you save everything on one computer and that computer crashes, those stories will be gone forever.

Conducting oral history interviews is a wonderful way to capture the stories of family and friends for future generations. Sit back, listen, and enjoy being regaled with lived history (but only after you hit record!).

If your schedule permits, I highly recommend taking some time to participate in a training workshop on oral history (especially to learn more about the legal and ethical aspects of interviewing). If you’d like more information about oral history, consider checking out what the Science History Institute (sciencehistory.org/ OHTraining), Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region (ohmar.org), and the Oral History Association (oralhistory.org) have to offer.

MARCH 30TH 2020

APRIL 3RD 2020

APRIL 9TH 2020

APRIL 10TH 2020

Temple University’s Liacouras Center is transformed into a field hospital

Governor Wolf advises face masks to be worn in public

Governor Tom Wolf closes all schools in the state for at least two weeks

5,793 total cases and 137 total deaths in Philadelphia

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE NINE

“No One Does Anything Alone” An Oral History of “Between Us and Catastrophe”

When the City of Philadelphia declared a lockdown on March 16th, 2020, our museum — like all local museums — was immediately shuttered. We took our signboard inside and closed the doors. They wouldn’t reopen for more than a year.

What is a museum, without its visitors?

We asked ourselves that question over and over during our long closure. The everyday work that usually drove us — greeting visitors, hosting programs and tours, helping researchers, bringing people together — was suddenly impossible. Like many museums, we doubled down on the digital and launched a new web-based exhibit series. Our podcast, “Distillations,” interviewed biotech workers about the coming vaccines. But we felt disconnected, unfocused. In our personal lives, we were struggling with fear and uncertainty: we had children stuck at home, laid-off partners, vulnerable parents, friends and family working on the front lines. We wondered, does our work matter? And how do you do the work of history while you’re living through it?

What came out of these questions was “Between Us and Catastrophe,” an outdoor exhibit of Kyle Cassidy’s portraits of front-line pandemic workers, along with an audio tour and podcast series using these workers’ own words. Large-scale images of Kyle’s portraits were installed on our building’s Chestnut Street façade from October 2020 through August 2021. You can see a video tour of the exhibit, and listen to our interviews, here.

How did we get from uncertainty to a new exhibit? Well, in the spirit of “Between Us and Catastrophe,” here’s an oral history of the project, from the folks who worked on it.

How did this project begin?

Elisabeth Berry Drago (Curator and Podcast Co-Host): “One thing we asked was, ‘Who’s going to collect all the stuff?’ COVID-19 turned mundane things — like disposable surgical masks — into iconic symbols. We wondered, what will the museums of the future display, when they talk about the pandemic time? Will there be galleries filled with nurses’ shoes, 3-D printed ventilator valves, homemade masks? In museums we call this “material culture”: material things that carry with them human attitudes, human memories, human stories. Preserving material culture is a way to preserve history, so we asked ourselves what could — or should — we collect, and how could we display it?”

Erin McLeary (Museum Director): “I had seen Kyle’s project on Twitter in June 2020 and admired it.

I also knew we wanted to do COVID-related collecting but had very little bandwidth for it. I thought that maybe we could partner with Kyle and collect objects from his portrait subjects. I reached out to Kyle and he was excited. It then occurred to me that we could also use the outside of our building as an exhibition surface. I was pretty sure Kyle’s photos would map very well onto the building’s window grid.”

Berry Drago: “As soon as we saw the portraits, we said, we have to hear their stories. The images are so striking on their own, but hearing their real voices would be very powerful. This is where our podcast team came in. On “Distillations” we like to let people speak in their own words. The only question was, would the artist be open to the idea? Thankfully it was a yes!”

Mariel Carr (Senior Podcast Producer): “I was really moved by how open Kyle was about working with us, about us talking to the people he photographed, and just how enthusiastic he was about the whole thing. Artists can be protective of their work and not want anyone else to encroach. Kyle was the complete opposite.”

What was it like, collecting these stories?

BY ELISABETH BERRY DRAGO

Carr: “I interviewed a number of the people who were featured in the photographs, and the ones that have really stuck with me are Kishia Nixon (Instacart shopper) and Linda Ruggieri (nurse). Again, they were so open. They were so honest. Kishia was just so scared to go to work and described her panic attacks. In the photo she’s wearing a mask made out of paper towels and a rubber band. This was before we were all masking, and she did it, and she didn’t care if she looked crazy because she was terrified. Linda wasn’t as scared, but she was just so tired. I felt really honored to interview them. I remember I talked to Linda later at night, because she’s a nurse and has weird hours … the interview went really long and I remember thinking that she needed to talk, and that I would stay on the call for as long as she wanted.”

Rigoberto Hernandez (Podcast Producer): “What really stood out for me was how Kyle started out his project by just photographing masks that were littered around, and how he thought that was going to be a part of the landscape in the city from now on. He quickly shifted towards photographing people instead … but now I keep seeing masks in the trash on the street and I’m forced to think about how they might have ended up there. Another interesting part was that I had to gather city sounds for the audio tour. For example, the SEPTA voiceover you hear is from me getting on the train. When I stepped onto the Market Frankford line, that was the first time in a long time, because we were all working from home and I was no longer commuting. That was the moment when it hit me, how much of my daily life had changed.”

McLeary: “I very much wanted to lean into engaging audiences with stories that matter to them using the few tools we had when we were closed. And Kyle’s portraits offered an opportunity to portray ordinary people — sanitation workers, nurses — at a monumental scale on the outside of our building.

It felt right to focus on experiences that were familiar and urgent.”

What have you learned from this project?

Berry Drago: “I think museums are sometimes intimidated by tackling contemporary events, contemporary history. But I think what we found is that people needed to see their experiences reflected. I think it works because we didn’t try to have some authoritative single voice: we asked multiple voices to speak, and to speak honestly, even when what they were talking about was scary and challenging.”

McLeary: “I’ve always been interested in ways to present content outside of the gallery walls, as accessibly as possible. Being able to bring this exhibit directly out into the neighborhood felt deeply meaningful.”

Hernandez: “It’s made me think about how I spent my time during the pandemic. One thing that Kyle said during his interview was that he kept thinking about how in 40 years, what is he going to say to his family and friends about what he did to help? What kind of public service did he do? And to him, photographing and documenting, this was his public service. I guess you could say that this project was my public service, but the more I think about it the more I am okay with saying to my relatives 40 years later, “I didn’t do anything.” I survived, and that was and is enough for me.”

Alexis Pedrick (Director of Public Engagement and Podcast Co-Host): “We are a history podcast.

Usually, we’re talking about stuff that happened a long time ago, and even when we’re making a connection to something relevant, it’s not ‘breaking news’ level. But this was different. We were talking about something that was unfolding in real time. And we were trying to figure out what to do and how to stay safe right alongside our audience. Honestly, it was scary, but then the stories were really grounding. They remind you that there was something to hold on to — people who were actually on the front lines making a difference and doing it even though it was hard and they were scared. It’s like realizing how vulnerable you are and how much we truly depend on each other. No one does anything alone.”

APRIL 15TH 2020

APRIL 17TH 2020

APRIL 19TH 2020

APRIL 20TH 2020

603 cases reported in a single day

54 deaths in a single day

Hospitals and morgues lack enough space to store bodies of those who have died from COVID-19

A passenger is forced off a SEPTA bus for not wearing a mask

PAGE TEN • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Mental Health Resources Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from a secure online platform.

Text “HOME” to 741-741 | www.CrisisTextLine.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Philadelphia Chapter

NAMI offers understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and treatment.

NAMI Philadelphia Information Line 267-687-4381 | NAMI Philadelphia crisis line 215-686-4420 https://namiphilly.org

Uplift Philly

The HopeLine is staffed by Master’s-level clinicians who specialize in free grief and loss support, emotional support, and counseling for COVID-19 related losses.

1-833-PHL-HOPE (745-4673) | https://upliftphilly.org/

Healthy Minds Program

Committed to addressing trauma, achieving equity, and engaging community, they have gathered these wellness tips and mental health resources. https://healthymindsphilly.org/boost

The Livewell Foundation

All groups are free and confidential. No insurance, diagnosis or registration required.

267-530-3739 | https://www.livewell-foundation.org

Black Men Heal

To provide access to mental health treatment and community resources to men of color. https://blackmenheal.org

Unity Recovery

Staff certified recovery specialists facilitate individual, group, and family recovery support at the drop-in center, via video chat, and out in the community.

267-748-2454 | http://unityrecovery.org/our-services

Mango Tree Counseling and Consulting

Asian/Asian American mental health professionals and advocates who seek to improve mental health.

215-259-8491 | http://mangotreecc.com

The William Way Center

The Peer Counseling Program of the William Way LGBT Community Center offers one-to-one counseling that is confidential and free of charge. https://www.waygay.org/peer

Steven A Cohen Military Family Clinic

Providing provides high-quality mental health care for veterans, service members, and their families at no cost.

Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 | https://www.med.upenn.edu/mfc

Hispanic Community Counseling Services

HCCS is a multidisciplinary, multicultural, bilingual behavioral health care practice.

Crisis Line 215-685-6440 | https://www.hccsphila.org

MAY 7TH 2020

MAY 30 TO JUNE 23RD 2020

JUNE 5TH 2020

JUNE 12TH 2020

Stay-at-home order is extended through June 4.

Philadelphians come together to protest the murder of George Floyd. These protests do not lead to a significant spike in COVID-19 cases.

Stay at home order is lifted. Some businesses are allowed to reopen.

Philadelphia allows outdoor dining.

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE ELEVEN

Alexandra

is an Emergency Room nurse in the Greater Philadelphia area treating COVID-19 patients.

MAY 20TH, 2020

JANUARY 6, 2021

Back in February you heard about coronavirus, but it was far away, in Seattle or in China, I didn’t think about it much. I think everyone would agree. And then it got real. And by the end of March ... I’m trying to choose my words carefully ... I would say, personally, in my own opinion, it was like a clusterfuck nationally. There was no information. There were so many unknowns. Everybody’s flying by the seat of their pants, trying to make the best decisions they can with the information that they have, which is: nothing. And how good of a decision can you make about policies and institutional response when you have no information?

The ER is one of those places in our society where people come to die. And I think we all knew that before the pandemic — that was something we were used to. People die in the ER a lot. But what I think it’s very sad is that a lot of times we would send someone up to the ICU, who was very critical, and you always think about them because you’re talking to their family and later you think, “I wonder what happened to that person?” And it used to be, before COVID, that you’d look them up, and and see “going to rehab” or “getting better”. And you think, “Oh, that’s good!” Now you look them up and it’s just like dead, dead, dead, dead — everyone you took care of that you sent to the ICU ends up dead.

DAY 60 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER

288 DAYS AFTER THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER

JULY 1ST 2020

JULY 3RD 2020

JULY 14TH 2020

JULY 28TH 2020

Governor Wolf institutes mask mandate.

Most business are allowed to reopen.

Due to a rise in cases, Mayor Kenney places a moratorium on all large public events which is scheduled to last until February 28, 2021.

School District of Philadelphia announces classes will remain virtual through November 17.

PAGE TWELVE • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Elijah, Zack and Deloy work for the Philadelphia Streets Department

MARCH 27TH, 2020

DAY 6 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER

“Our day starts at 5 am.”

AUGUST 11TH 2020

AUGUST 30TH 2020

SEPTEMBER 14TH 2020

OCTOBER 13TH 2020

University of Pennsylvania announces that most undergraduate students will be asked to remain home.

Temple University reverts to virtual classes after 103 positive COVID-19 cases.

Judge William Stickman IV rules that Governor Wolf’s pandemic restrictions are unconstitutional.

Philadelphia raises gathering limits for indoor and outdoor venues.

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE THIRTEEN

Matthew

is a psychiatric nurse in the Greater Philadelphia area treating COVID-19 patients.

MAY 29TH, 2020

DAY 68 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER People are still getting sick. There’s a lot of sick people. Our patients are still coming in. There’s more testing, but people are still getting sick. You can still get sick, your family can still get sick and people are becoming less and less careful. At first we were super careful.

Now they’re just out of fucks. So when everyone’s out of fucks, that’s how people get sick. People don’t want to hear it, either. The people who don’t want to hear about wearing masks are just out of fucks.

NOVEMBER 16TH 2020

NOVEMBER 19TH 2020

DECEMBER 8TH 2020

DECEMBER 14TH 2020

Due to a surge in cases, the city announces new restrictions which are to remain in place until January 1, 2021.

Philadelphia’s COVID-19 total death toll is 1,942.

Governor Wolf tests positive for COVID-19.

First doses of the Pfizer vaccine are issued to Pennsylvania healthcare workers.

PAGE FOURTEEN • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Linda

is an ICU nurse in the Greater Philadelphia area treating COVID-19 patients.

MAY 29TH, 2020

DAY 68 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER The other day a patient of mine was dying and I kind of lost it at the end of my shift, and two of the other nurses took me in another room and hugged me and said, “It’s ok. We’ll wash our hands later.” Everyone is scared. We don’t want to get sick. We’re only as effective as we are healthy. If we’re not healthy we’re not helpful. And we don’t really know what’s coming.

They keep talking about us peaking and getting full, but we’re already full. Our beds are full — I don’t know how much more full we can get.

NOVEMBER 23RD, 2020

DAY 243 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER Not being able to breathe seems to me to be the worst.

I think I could have a fever, and I could be fatigued or whatever, but not being able to breathe seems traumatic.

Especially when you know you’re actually breathing, but it’s not doing anything. It feels like your mouth is covered — you’re actually breathing in and out of your nose and your mouth but it feels like no oxygen is like getting in.

A lot of them then develop pneumonia and it takes a while to come back from that. If they’re in the hospital, they get respiratory treatments that open the airways, and steroids. So it can pass, but if it gets worse they usually end up on a ventilator.

But these people who think they’re dying, they’ll just talk about their families, or sometimes they’ll just cry.

Sometimes I have to just sit on the bed with them or hold them and I’ll say, “Do you want to call your wife or someone?” or I’ll tell jokes.

But sometimes they *are* going to die and that’s not something I ever lie about. But if I’m pretty sure they’re not going to die I’ll always say something like “Look how calm I am. If you were actually dying, I would be running to get people.” Sometimes that helps.

And sometimes people say “I’m dying” — and they are.

And I just say, “I know. Do you want me to stay here or do you want to be alone?” If they have a family I’ll ask if they want me to call their family. Or I’ll say, “But you’re here right now and I’m going to take care of you.”

DECEMBER 22ND 2020

JANUARY 4TH 2021

JANUARY 25TH 2021

MARCH 2ND 2021

City extends restrictions until January 15, 2021.

The city eases restrictions as cases did not surge as expected.

The city health department cuts ties with the “Philly Fighting COVID” organization due to the unethical behavior of its CEO.

Philadelphia raises capacity limits for indoor and outdoor events.

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE FIFTEEN

Jose Caraballo Jr. APRIL 29TH, 2021

DAY 403 AFTER STAY-AT-HOME ORDER I strip down outside when I got home, I put my clothes in the wash, I run upstairs and clean myself thoroughly, and even with that I feel eerie about it and about being around my kids because a lot of my work is field work and I’m around people who might be positive.

But the fact is that as much as I was concerned about myself, at that moment I put myself last because I’m concerned about that person and making sure that they have a fighting chance. Making sure they are safe. Making sure they are not alone, and have someone there who cares when they wake up.

Jose Caraballo is a Harm Reduction Specialist with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, working with people experiencing homelessness

MARCH 3RD 2021

MARCH 8TH 2021

APRIL 27TH 2021

MAY 21ST 2021

FEMA opens its mass vaccination site at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, vaccinating 47,000 people per week.

School District of Philadelphia announces move toward hybrid learning.

Capacity for restaurants and other gathering places will increase May 7.

City lifts outdoor mask mandate for vaccinated individuals and reduces social distancing to 3 feet.

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PAGE SIXTEEN • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Carla

JANUARY 24TH, 2021

DAY 307 AFTER STAY-AT-HOME ORDER We were seeing people come in who were just so sick and we were using masks that were old. We were getting masks from the government that were breaking and weren’t protecting us, and we’re healthcare professionals who know what we’re supposed to do. We’re taught as nurses how often you change masks and when you need gowns, and we weren’t doing that.

We knew that not only could this make us sick, it could harm our families, our children, our parents ... So my mom, my aunts, I had to stay away from them just to keep them safe and to this day, I haven’t given my mom a hug in almost a year.

is an ICU nurse caring for COVID-19 patients in the Greater Philadelphia area.

MAY 31ST 2021

JUNE 11TH 2021

JUNE 22ND 2021

AUGUST 11TH 2021

The Delta variant is named.

Philadelphia lifts indoor mask mandate.

Philadelphia recommends people wear masks indoors again.

Masks are now required to be worn indoors.

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE SEVENTEEN

Kishia

is a shopper for the shopping and delivery service Instacart

MARCH 15TH, 2021

DAY 246 AFTER STAY-AT-HOME ORDER Doctors and nurses in hospitals, of course I’m scared for them.

That’s terrifying for everybody in the hospital. But at least they have equipment and stuff. At first Instacart didn’t give us anything, and then when they gave us masks it looked like they cut it from a sweatshirt.

AUGUST 13TH 2021

AUGUST 24TH 2021

SEPTEMBER 1ST 2021

NOVEMBER 26 2021

Healthcare workers and university students and staff will be required to get vaccinated.

School District of Philadelphia mandates teachers and staff to get vaccinated.

City employees will be required to get vaccinated.

The Omicron variant is named.

PAGE EIGHTEEN • MARCH 17-24, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MARCH 16TH • 2020

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKL

Jamie R.Gauthier is the Philadelphia City Councilmember representing the 3rd district.

MARCH 26TH, 2020

DAY 5 OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER

I feel that if I can learn to be a really good councilperson during this I can do just about anything. I’m trying to roll with the punches.

DECEMBER 13TH 2021

DECEMBER 22ND 2021

JANUARY 3RD 2022

FEBRUARY 16TH 2022

Proof of vaccination will be required for indoor dining beginning on January 3, 2022.

Due to the omicron variant, Temple University announces that the first three weeks of the spring semester will be virtual.

School District of Philadelphia announces that 81 schools will return to virtual learning temporarily due to staff shortages.

City drops vaccine mandate for indoor dining.

LY PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | MARCH 17-24, 2022 • PAGE NINETEEN

Anna

is an ICU nurse in the Greater Philadelphia area.

FEBRUARY 12TH, 2022

710 DAYS AFTER THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER It’s so easy to think about all the things that are making your life so difficult, not just inside the hospital, because you leave the hospital and then you have to deal with all the outside stuff that everybody else is dealing with also. You leave the hospital and every single one of those other stresses that are driving people to the brink are also there for you. And on top of it, you have people on the street and people in politics yelling about masks and public health procedures that they don’t know anything about.

MARCH 2ND 2022

MARCH 10TH 2022

Philadelphia ends indoor mask mandate. Federal mask mandates for healthcare workers, on public transit, and in government buildings and schools will remain in place.

Two years since the first reported case of COVID-19 in Philadelphia. So far, there have been 305,021 reported cases and 5,010 deaths in Philadelphia County alone.

The timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic continues.