Emptiness: An Urban Memory Catalog

CURATED BY

PRESENT

EUROPE

8 - 16

26 - 36

ASIA & PACIFIC

AM ERICA

18 - 24

38 - 46

N EW YOR K

48 - 106

FOREWORD.

ORD

MI D D L E E A S T & A F R IC A

FOR

cOntEnt content.

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis. At its core is a global public health emergency on a scale not seen for a century, requiring a global response with far-reaching consequences for our economic, social and political lives. The priority is to save lives.

when, more than ever, human rights are needed to navigate this crisis in a way that will allow us, as soon as possible, to focus again on achieving equitable sustain- able development and sustaining peace.

The pandemic has caused disruption around the world, but it could also be an opportunity to make some much needed social and environmental changes as countries try to adapt and recover from the crisis.

In the space of just a few months the world has seen drastic change. People who commuted to work and had vibrant social lives have found themselves confined to their homes. Entire industries have paused production and many businesses have shut their doors permanently.

The one-of-a-kind exhibition Emptiness: an urban memory is completely virtual inviting visitors from the 29th of September to 29th of November 2021 to see forty breath-taking photographs. These forty photographs are taken of twenty cities from 4 different continents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The exhibition Emptiness: an urban memory also features twenty photographs of photojournalist Tayfun Coskun (Anadolu Agency) in New York City at the epicentre of the pandemic in USA. This project is creating a unique record of our shared and individual experiences during this extraordinary period of history. Each of the photographs is accompanied by the story behind the picture told through the words of the entrants, offering a highly personal perspective on this unprecedented time.

These dramatic shifts have fuelled hope that a more lasting transformation may emerge from the disruption caused by the pandemic. By harnessing the momentum of changes occurring and the will to take action, some experts believe it may be possible for European countries to shape fairer, more sustainable societies and economies as they recover from the coronavirus crisis. it is a time

Patrice Vallette Curator

IntRO I NT RODU CT I ON.

Busy sidewalks, crowded cafes and packed offices. A city filled with many thoughts and smiles of others. An image that quickly turned into a memory. A memory of a city with empty sidewalks, crowded hospitals and new homeoffices. This happened to almost every city in the world.

It all started with the outbreak of Covid-19 in the city of Wuhan in China. From there the virus was spreading like wildfire. Two factors have influenced the global expansion of the disease. On one hand it is very contagious and on the other hand the way we use transport in our globalised world. This had led to 118 000 cease and 4291 deaths counted in 114 countries on the 11th of March 2020.

The devastating consequences were predicted by scientists, virologists and writers but the world wasn’t still prepared for a possible pandemic. We discovered that we didn’t have the scientific or technical capacity on a global level to deal with a situation such as the one we are still experiencing today. That’s why a majority of governments have been taking preventive measures. Words such as social distancing, curfew, quarantine and confinement were suddenly used on a daily basis.

These restrictions had disruptive socio-economical effects.

The moment Covid-19 had entered our lives from China in early January 2020, the global pandemic has inflicted severe loss of lives and continues to cause damage to the global economy. While all countries have been affected by the pandemic, the responses to the crisis have differed markedly. Sweden, for instance, has issued very few social restrictions, while many other countries have

issued varying levels of mandatory lockdowns and social distancing. Many stock markets have seen declines in excess of 30% from their while virtually all countries have been affected by the pandemic, the responses to the crisis have differed markedly. Sweden, for instance, has issued very few social restrictions, while many other countries have issued varying levels of mandatory lockdowns and social distancing. The drastic reduction in economic activity gave rise to the unemployment rates and the world economy went into a recession. The initial economic growth for 2020 was 2,5% but reduced to 5%. Some of the most affected sectors are the culture, transport and tourism sector. This economic crisis wasn’t a loss for some of the top earners but the income gap between rich and poor only widened.

The cultural sector has seen almost all of its events postponed or cancelled. Museums have been closed and in some countries are still not opening their borders. The film industry had to close their cinemas and theaters. Many films and artworks have been moved to future dates or postponed indefinitely. This has meant massive losses for the cultural sector and it’s expected that many exhibition venues will not be able to overcome a long period of inactivity. However, some artists and art institutions have turned to the digital world to reclaim the sector in providing cultural content for the enjoyment of society.

The curators, art lovers and museums have been dealing with a new challenge with the arrival of the pandemic. The closing of all events and expositions meant a decline of face-

to- face interaction. It has placed a strain on each corner of the art industry. The absence of physical interaction with the artwork and art world has made participants struggle with evaluating and appreciating artworks. The social interaction had to be shifted and the fear of losing the sense of pleasure was immense. The transition to online communication had made it possible for many to regain this social interaction.

The pandemic made an impact on physical and mental health for any spectator. The pandemic as we have experienced it had an impact on people’s jobs, income, social skills and trust in institutions. It became our main source for the increase of anxiety and depression. The personal and institutional reactions that came from these mental traumas reshaped many aspects of culture. We are entering the era of an afterlife or a memory in which we try to triumph from our pandemic past.

For the spectator to navigate through the absence of faceto-face interaction is to maintain an emotional connection with the artists’ work. The forty pictures in the emptiness exhibition capture these emotions we have felt through the pandemic. Experience with an artwork is still aesthetically unique because the message behind each of these photographs remains unique even when it’s fully online.

Now only more people can enjoy the connections they feel with an artwork from the comfort of their home.

Another result of the shift for exhibitions to the online world is that a viewer can perhaps create a more free interaction with the photographs. There are no pre-existing sociale ties demanded with a space such as in a museum. It allows us to reconstruct intimacy. This goes hand in hand with the change in social boundaries made by the pandemic within cities. A social place like a city has turned into emptiness in

which the citizens can reflect about the social boundaries.

Boundaries once made by experience and interaction have been totally shifted during the pandemic. It has resulted in empty sidewalks, crowded hospitals and new home-offices.

An important shift shown in the images is the growing appreciation for the many care workers that had to work over hours in order to save human lives. An appreciation for healthcare workers that took over all of our thoughts in a way we have never experienced before.

This all shows that the pandemic caused by Covid-19 is not only a health crisis, but also a social, cultural, economic and artistic crisis.

The time we spent locked up and confined was a time for us to reflect. A virus like Covid-19 didn’t have the power to extinguish humanity. It only taught us that the human being is invincible and that we always will find ways to socially interact with on and other. We also had time to see the underappreciating we had towards one and other especially for care workers. The silence and tranquility made us more grateful for the care we can give each other.

Viewing the world from not only restricted by its own culture or society but belonging to the world as a whole with all its intricacies when it comes to culture and other aspects.

We should challenge and question the boundaries we put on class, gender and a nation. A ‘’citizen of the world’’ as Martha Nussbaum calls it should advocate for a society where we strive for universal values and make a greater sense of belonging. Universal values that can be found across borders of nationality and culture in which we find common morality and can strive to be more connected to one another.

n i ge ria

In Nigeria, preventive measures were already taken one month before the official confirmation of the first case of Covid-19 on 27 February 2020. The federal government stepped up their surveillance at five international airports in the country and established a Coronavirus Preparedness Group. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control established another coronavirus group to track future cases. Shortly thereafter in the beginning of March, President Muhammadu Buhari formed a Presidential Task Force to control the virus in the country.

As the number of infected cases increased, social distancing and virus containment measures were taken individually and jointly by the different states and the federal government. Among the measures implemented nationwide were the postponement and/or suspension of mass events, the progressive ban on air travel – from travel to countries with high cases of the virus, to the closure of international airports and the suspension of all flights in the country, the suspension of passenger services of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the closure of the country’s land borders and of educational institutions. Meanwhile, the Actors Guild of Nigeria banned film sets across Nigeria and the National Examinations Council announced the postponement of the university entrance examination. In addition, states took measures to combat covid-19 according to the needs of their territories. Thus, non-essential establishments were closed, public gatherings of more than 50-20 people were banned, and some states even suspended all gatherings and closed their borders – air, sea, and land – in order to restrict movement between them. Moreover, some state governments

Lagos

Va n e s s a Ad e , Va n e s s a A d e , A p r i l 2 n d , 2 0 2 0

such as those of Oyo and Ekiti went on to decree a curfew, while others such as those of Delta, Abia, and Akwa Ibom ordered all residents (except essential workers) to remain indoors. However, despite the autonomy of the states, the federal government had to intervene in the closure and confinement of some states such as Lagos and Ogun and in early May imposed a nationwide curfew.

We have found no information on the possible consequences of the covid-19 pandemic on the country’s economy, health system, or education in Nigeria unlike the research for other countries. What we do know is that Nigeria is often referred to as the “Giant of Africa” due to its large population and economy. Its economy is strongly linked to the oil industry but also to petrochemicals, automobiles, refineries, and chocolate. However, these resources are generally in the hands of foreign companies and in reality, most Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day which makes it the 158th country on the global Human Development Index. Thus, the severe social inequalities that exist among its population suggest that many people may have experienced economic and social hardship. The government stated that unfortunately at least 18 people were killed by security forces during the implementation of measures to stop the spread of the virus by the 17th of April 2020.

ARAB SA UDI

The first case of COVID-19 in Saudi-Arabia was on March 2, 2020.

Some actions were taken as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first action taken was the suspension of Umrah pilgrimage on March 4. Furthermore, they suspended all schools, universities and all international flights. The absence of a vaccine and medication globally, made the government impose nationwide partial lockdown from 7 PM to 6 AM. On April 6, a full lockdown was imposed. On May 28, the lockdown was partially lifted in all cities except Mecca where the movement between regions was eased, and shopping malls were opened. Following this, prayers were allowed in mosques except for the Great Mosque of Mecca, and the restrictions on domestic flights, restaurants and cafes, and parks were eased on May 31. On June 21, the partial lockdown was lifted in all regions. However, international flights remain suspended except repatriation flights for residents.

Environmentally, there were reports of a mitigation of air pollution compared to the period before COVID-19 lockdown. CO concentrations have dropped between 5.8% and 55% considering most emissions were coming from transportation activities. This shows that the pandemic has given an unique opportunity to reduce the emission rates and pollutants from various sources on the air quality.

The closure of many schools and institutions has caused a massive transformation in the mental health for many students. To maintain the learning wheel running during COVID-19 circumstances, many universities diverted the teaching method via online lectures, video

Hare m - i Sh a ri f

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conferences, and online exams. During the quarantine, one-quarter of the participants had anxiety, while one-third had depression with almost 7% having a severe psychological disturbance. Age and gender were the main factors associated with higher anxiety and depression levels. One of the reasons can be that “Face-to-Face” teaching creates a more engaging environment resembling eminent concentration and meaningful discussion.

In December of 2020, Saudi-Arabia was the first country to distribute the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The first step was to distribute this vaccine to the healthcare workers in the country because of their higher infection risk. The underlying issue was the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 that affected the uptake of the vaccine. This misinformation can have severe implications for worsening the spread of the virus and only change in trust towards medical information of Saudi-Arabia can change that.

The oil industry is essential for Saudi-Arabia’s economy. The pandemic caused a decrease in energy demand and prices, particularly of oil.

This decline might interfere with financial uncertainty, investments and growth in producing and growth in producing and exporting oil.

The economic activity and transport are accounting for two-thirds of the oil demand and have seriously affected the oil market in SaudiArabia. A relief for nature has also a darker side because of the fallen economies that solely depend on oil such as Saudi-Arabia

iran

Iran has been the country with the first COVID-19 outbreak in the Middle-east. The first confirmed case was reported on February 19, 2020 and soon reached 593 confirmed cases and 43 deaths on February 29. As a response, the government has announced the cancelation of all cultural and religious events. Also schools and universities were closing on March 4. The government decided to not impose complete lockdowns or quarantines in affected areas of the country. On March 21, a ban on travel between cities was announced in the hope of reducing the rising numbers in confirmed COVID-19 cases. It also ordered a closure of shopping centres and bazaars with expectations for pharmacies and grocery stores. On April 5, the cases slowly started to fall and some restrictions were lifted. The government allowed low-risk activities open all over the country except Tehran which still had a lot of cases. Gradually, restaurants and shopping malls were opened but resulted in a rise in numbers again in May with a new peak in the number of deaths reported in July.

Iran’s infection rate was different in every region and these regions have different types of climate. Many factors play a role that can influence the infection rate such as: population density, intra-provincial movement, days of infection, average temperature, average rain, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation with the infection rate.

The population density and intra-provincial movement have a direct relation with the infection outbreak. The wind, humidity and solar radiation have an indirect correlation with the infection rate. Areas like Tehran are more exposed to the spread of the virus because of its high population and it’s the destination for many people coming from other provinces.

A Z A DI SQU A RE

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The response to the virus has been impacted after sanctions were imposed by the US Administration in March 2020. Before COVID-19, Iran’s health system was feeling the effects of the sanctions. The impact has been only more severe because the government is restricted to raise funds or import essential goods. From the countries that were the most affected by COVID-19, Iran was one with the lowest rate of economic growth. This financial situation makes funding, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 only more difficult. Iran can also not take the same measures or use the same prevention techniques like other countries. Essential medicines and medical equipment are almost not available and the health-care workers cannot treat patients because of shortages of test kits, protective equipment, and ventilators. WHO has provided for the essential supplies in the hope the shortages can be filled. The only way the government can fight the virus is by putting more stringent measures to significantly limit travel, advising citizens to stay at home but also hoping that there are going to be enough supplies in order to fight the virus on a medical level.

l e banon

The arrival of covid-19 in Lebanon was confirmed on 21 February 2020. Shortly after the closure of schools was announced on the 28th of February. By early March, the government went from taking containment measures to urging the population to avoid public places and ordering the closure of gyms, cinemas, theatres, bars, and restaurants. A declaration of a state of medical emergency followed on 15 March. Mosques and churches were closed along with certain airports, seaports, and land entrances, and the population was asked to implement a “self-imposed curfew”. The government even took further steps with the introduction of a night-time curfew and confinement.

In early August, the health situation in the country, which at that time was already experiencing an increase in Covid-19 cases, was worsened by the explosion in the port of Beirut on the 4th of August.

This incident cost more than 200 people’s lives and filled hospitals with casualties leading to a rapid spread of the virus. Cases have skyrocketed from mid-August onwards which led to the re-imposition of a lockdown. In the following months, new curfews, isolations, and confinements have been imposed because of the health situation.

The pandemic has had a mixed impact. Lebanon has suffered from shortages of material and equipment because of the huge explosion during which three hospitals were destroyed and others were damaged. The aid given by neighboring countries didn’t alleviate the number of supplies including testing kits. It has been reported and criticized that undocumented migrants have not had access, aggravating their vulnerability. As a result, the situation in Lebanon is considered extremely serious and dangerous.

b e i ru t

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In addition, the implementation of health measures against the virus has led to a socio-economic crisis. The lira has lost more than 80% of its value and many employees have not been paid their salaries. This resulted in 75% of the population needing some form of assistance according to the UN. Political reforms were requested to provide access to electricity, food, health, and education for the entire population.

The Lebanese government has been criticized for its response to the pandemic. Human Rights Watch reported that in around twenty municipalities Syrian refugees have been discriminated against and have been subject to worse “health” restrictions than the rest of the population. Suspicions that members of parliament benefited from favoritism that allowed them to be inoculated with the covid-19 vaccine without prior approval have been investigated after the World Bank threatened to stop funding vaccines in Lebanon.

m orocc o

The first case of covid-19 was on the 2nd of March 2020 in Morocco.

The authorities put a series of measurements in place to contain the spread of the virus. These measurements include the closure of educational establishments, the suspension of maritime and rail transport, international air transport, and the closure of several public spaces and facilities. A state of a medical emergency was declared just shortly afterwards. On the 20th of March, a national lockdown was imposed and has been extended twice until the 10th of June. The government has made the restrictions more flexible after a declining number of Covid-19 cases. This resulted in a rise of Covid-19 cases and more restive measures were implemented in some areas. Certain cities were even undergoing a quarantine. The only solution in the battle against Covid-19 had to be the arrival of vaccination in order to avoid further re-implementation of ‘’general containment measures too costly for the country’s economy.’’

The Covid-19 pandemic caused serious economic, health and social damage. The unemployment rate rose to 12.3 percent and this was more than four percent higher compared to the previous year. Around 1.9 million people are officially unemployed and including the informal sector, it is even close to 5 million people. The implementation of social distancing and confinement was even causing its first recession since 1995. The agriculture sector was affected during this economic recession. Often the sanitary protocols were not applied due to a lack of knowledge, financial resources or simply corporate greed, leading to daily infections among the workers. Another factor which even made the agricultural sector suffer more was the lasting drought during 2020.

This environmental crisis was estimated to reduce the wheat harvest by 42% compared to the previous year. Despite some measures to alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic – the announcement

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of the emergency fund to support the affected economic sectors, the wage subsidies for the unemployed and households without resources, the financial aid or the postponement of bank loans and taxes – many economic experts agree that the country’s financial situation, the worst since 1999, demonstrates the failure of neoliberal theories and the regime and proclaim the need for a return to the social state.

The pandemic made people also question the healthcare system and social services situation. The head of government indicated that Morocco had only 250 intensive care beds in the whole country, although later, after the controversy caused by his statements, he rectified them to say that the total number of intensive care beds was in fact 1,600. In order to deal with the country’s delicate sanitary situation, the emergency fund was announced in March 2020, which, in addition to supporting the national economy, also envisaged improving the sanitary infrastructures and equipment necessary to deal with the pandemic.

From mid-March until September 2020, educational establishments were closed, and classes were taught remotely via an online platform or television programs. Disinformation has been the order of the day since the government suspended the publication of newspapers and magazines on paper as early as March 2020. He alone has had access to the country’s coronavirus figures, which no non-governmental organization has been able to verify. The lethality and contamination rates are therefore believed to be potentially erroneous and may reflect only the political view of the pandemic, which nevertheless includes in the list those from occupied Western Sahara, although MINURSO maintains a separate count.

I N DONE S IA

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In Indonesia, the first confirmed case was reported on March 2, 2020.

Jakarta, West Java, and East Java are the three provinces with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The strategies implemented by the government were social and physical distancing, medical masks, and other nonpharmaceutical interventions. The implementation of strategies such as social distancing and medical mask use can be more effective if there is a high level of individual awareness. The Indonesian government has been criticised for not quickly responding to the pandemic. During February, when neighbouring countries Singapore and Malaysia reported having many COVID-19 cases, Indonesia claimed it had zero cases of COVID-19. Indonesia’s neighbours have already started with the testing and mobility restrictions before Indonesia started introducing their measures. On 2 April, Indonesia closed its international borders and barred foreigners from entering the country. A key factor for these decisions was the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe and America, which made it possible for Indonesia to strengthen their policies in regulating the entry of foreigners. Restrictions on commercial travel by air, sea and land were also brought into effect as an attempt to control the annual pilgrimage home (mudik) from Jakarta and other major cities.

In June, more than 60% of the reported COVID-19 cases were from Java. Jakarta, West Java and Central Java showed less growth in confirmed daily cases in May. East Java, on the other hand, recorded a surge in cases from early May to rank second behind Jakarta, with 483 deaths at the end of the first week of June.

The health system was already fragile before the outbreak of COVID-19 because of its overall adequacy and interregional inequality on the supply side. The number of hospital beds and physicians in Indonesia

are lower than in countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. The health system is divided in two parts: public and private. This division makes a difference in accessibility and quality of health services between different groups of people and regions. Especially, the eastern provinces of the country have poor living conditions which makes the containment of the virus more difficult. The health system is also highly decentralised, making it harder for the government to coordinate a national response to COVID-19.

The Indonesian economy has been significantly disrupted by the end of the first quarter of 2020. The government has responded with a series of packages to soften the impact on the economy, living standards and jobs. The negative impact on the economy has increased by the second quarter of 2020, as social distancing and lockdowns have been in effect since mid-March. A positive aspect was the remaining prices that stayed stable during the trying economic times. The slowdown was mostly driven by a fall in consumption, which accounts for more than half of GDP. On the production side, the big falls in activity were in agriculture and mining, transport and storage, and accommodation and restaurants.

The social impact on the poverty level of slower economic growth has resulted in a rise in poverty from 9.2% to 12.4%, with the number of poor rising by 8.5 million. Thus, some of the progress in reducing poverty over the past decade could be undone. These projected increases in poverty emphasise the importance of comprehensive, well-managed, targeted and adaptable social protection systems. A social assistance program needs to be able to cover all the different groups of society that have been affected by a shock such as the pandemic and can be protected in times of need.

M ALAY S IA

Malaysia started a screening process at all airports after the first case was reported in Thailand on January 13, 2020. As at April 11 the same year, Malaysia had reported a total of 4346 cases and a total of 1830 recovered. One major benefit for Malaysia is that it is a tropical country with temperatures of up to 40 °C; this climate may have helped to limit the spread of this deadly virus, which cannot survive long at such temperatures. Malaysia can be divided into three waves. The first wave was successfully handled by February 27, 2020 with all 22 reported cases at the time being discharged from the hospital. Most of the reports in the first wave were imported cases from China and their contacts. A sudden significant increase in the number of positive cases was reported on March 4, 2020. The situation became worse on March 11, 2020 after the International Health Regulations (IHR) Malaysia was informed by IHR Brunei, that one positive case in Brunei was found to have attended a religious gathering in Seri Petaling Mosque, Selangor, Malaysia from February 27 to March 1, 2020.

This gathering was attended by more than 10,000 participants from different countries. The consequences from this religious gathering in terms of COVID-19 cases were notable. New reports of more than a 100 COVID-19 cases were received from IHR Brunei.

Malaysians were not well prepared to fight the pandemic, mainly because of the political crisis that was happening at the same time.

However, with the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Malaysia increasing in less than a week from 99 on March 8 to 200, with the first two deaths reported in mid-March, Malaysians began to panic .

Consequently, the government took many steps to alleviate the mass

p u tr a j a y a squ a re

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panic and protect the health of Malaysian citizens. One of the first steps was the health screening at all points of entry in Malaysia. The next step was to screen, identify, and isolate people returning from high-risk areas such as China. To keep the spread and mortality under control, a Movement Control Order was established to restrict people from their area and a 14 day quarantine. Another measure was the setting up of a special fund known as the COVID-19 Fund, to raise money to patients or ones who were affected financially due to the measures taken by the government. Besides, many local authorities have arranged various disinfection activities.

The media has also influenced the public by promoting the hastastag #stayhome. This message was widely used in the hope to influence citizens to stay at home or maintain the social distancing measures in reaching all parts of society.

Educational institutions and schools had to close as well due to COVID-19 but didn’t stop the higher education institutions from doing their research in the hopes of finding pharmaceutical solutions in combating the virus. Universities and colleges have also raised funds in order to help students that were affected by the closure of their institution. The opportunities that were created for Malaysian researches has resulted in the development of different technologies such as a COVID-19 rapid test kit, creation of face schields using 3D printing, laser cutting, and the manufacture of sanitizing tunnels. Many institutions in Malaysia have come together in the hope of combatting the virus all together.

r ussia

While cases started to rise in many countries in Europe, was Russia denying the virus for a long time and playing down its possible impact. Putin exercised a prominent public role in the policymaking of measures taken against Covid-19. This reflects the more centralized political power in Russia. Eventually, Putin became preoccupied with the COVID-19 crisis, but in a seemingly irregular way. Firstly, the Kremlin closed its borders with China after reporting three cases of two Chinese citizens and one Russian that had returned from Italy.

Many of the restrictions that came after were made on a regional level. On March 29, Mayor Sobyanin introduced a strict quarantine on Moscow City with only four hours’ notice. Many of the restrictions that came after were made on a regional level. The regions started to close their borders as well, which undermined the state’s cohesion.

The federal and regional authorities have been issuing contradictory orders which turned out to confuse a lot of citizens.

A major feature of the public discourse about the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia has been competing for claims between the authorities and civil society about the number of cases. Early on, it was reported that Moscow suffered from an abnormal number of pneumonia deaths, which were naturally interpreted as COVID-19 cases. As early as February 5, Putin warned that pharmacies profiting from high prices of face masks would be closed down but Russians were already hoarding masks awaiting a serious epidemic. Moscow became its predominant center. Meanwhile, In the regions of Komi, Bashkortostan, and Dagestan, local hospitals were flooded with COVID-19 victims, while the authorities tried to restrict information. There has been a steady stream of particularly negative reports about hospitals that have been overrun with patients, ambulances that have been stuck in long lines

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outside hospitals for many hours, and nurses that complained about poor working conditions. Russian authorities even detained the leader of an independent doctors’ union, who claimed that the country’s low official numbers for COVID-19 infections were incorrect.

Furthermore, Russia’s financial crisis was greatly aggravated.

Especially the oil industry on which Russia relies the most collapsed with the global demand for oil. The consequence of the lower oil price will be a significant decline in GDP on top of the COVID-19 fall. In September 2019, the Central Bank of Russia assessed that the oil price would be 25 USD per barrel rather than 65 USD per barrel in 2020. Russia adopted two economic anti-crisis packages to save its economy. The first anti-crisis package offered a mixture of social benefits, increased unemployment benefits, credit subsidies for people, tax concessions for small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate subsidies. The second anti-crisis package offered more of the same.

Soon, physicians started complaining about a major shortage of equipment (masks and gloves) and a large share of the infected were the medical staff. They were particularly enraged that Russia exported PPE to Italy, Serbia, and the United States when it did not have sufficient supplies for its own medical staff. Several provincial hospitals have become hearths of infection and have been closed.

Positively, by mid-May Russia had developed a large testing capacity and even the development of its own vaccination called Sputnik. This vaccination can give the citizen hope in being cured of Covid-19.

s o u t h kor ea

The first case of coronavirus disease in South Korea was identified on January 20, 2020 and the outbreak in a church hastened the spread of the virus. Many conservative Christian churches continued having Sunday congregational services despite the governmental request for transforming them into online services to reduce the risk of infections because of personal contact. On February 23, the government of South Korea raised the infectious disease alert to the highest level and initiated certain infection control measures such as: establishing widespread diagnostic capacity, initiating local contact tracing, mandating physical distancing, and redesigning triage and treatment system. The Korean government, different from many other countries, did not close the international borders. In late March, the domestic situations started to stabilize compared to the rising cases in Europe, which made positive perceptions prevail.

The Korean government started to introduce a universal transfer schema to help boost the economy. They wanted to promote consumption and small business as well as their employees. The government even distributed vouchers to all households and small businesses located in their neighbourhoods in August 2020. The amount of the voucher was depending on the number of household members and their residence.

At the time when there was no pharmaceutical solution against Covid-19, Korea had developed an effective isolation strategy of infected individuals during the initial stage of the pandemic. This followed by social distancing and some lock-down policies. South Korea has been successfully testing its population and has less examples of unreported cases. Furthermore it is an example of a country that has decreased its infection curve. Rapid preventive measures such as extentensive drive-thru testing has been strongly encouraged

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together with nationwide social distancing. This rapid response of the South Korean government came from the policy failures made during a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015.

After this, the government has established new policies and brought institutional changes in combating future infectious diseases. The reasons the Korean system worked were the many tests done by the government. The technology for the PCR test-kit to test MERS had already been developed by the South Korean industry. Testing has been an essential process that enables tracking the virus and is an important component in one of the steps (tracing, testing, treatment) in fighting COVID-19.

Moreover, social distancing has accelerated ‘’untact’’ consumption which means to minimize direct contact with people while shopping.

Examples of untact consumption include self-service counters, online purchasing and payment, and unattended kiosks based on technological innovation and the individualist tendency of modern people. This ‘’untact’’ culture was also visible with the increase of videoconferencing and online lectures. Traveling has also changed during the pandemic. Many people left for isolated places to minimize the possible risks from COVID-19. Local tourism governments have even promoted regional hiking trails, forests, and parks as their safe tourist destinations and have also offered information for local scenic driving routes for untact leisure. Hotels have done their part when it came to safe local tourism by offering services such as private dining rooms, buffet room service, and live chat concierge service.

South-Korea had to endure many of the same effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on countries, economically, socially and mentally. But the government quickly responded with many non-pharmaceutical measures when the first case of COVID-19 arrived

turke y

In January 2020, the Turkish Ministry of Health implemented measures to contain the virus by creating the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board. This board has more than thirty members that are specialized in virology and the medical treatment against Covid-19. The first case of Covid-19 was officially confirmed on the 11 of March 2020.

The Turkish Ministry of Health directly urged people to stay at home and announced the closure of schools, libraries, and non-essential businesses like restaurants. The government also postponed activities and events that attract big crowds and put restrictions on gatherings in mosques. Like other countries, they canceled foreign flights, free public transport, and announced a curfew. The curfew was for people over 65 or for people under 20 that are chronically ill. some regions and localities were quarantined, among other measures.

In addition, in response to the pandemic effects, the government implemented a number of socio-economic measures. These include the distribution of pensions to pensioners over 76 years old at their homes, free weekly distribution of masks, and a ₺100 billion package of economic measures to combat the financial problems of some businesses and low-income households, including the deferral of tax obligations, payments, and debts.

However, despite some of the measures taken by the government, the pandemic has had terrible economic and social consequences for Turkey’s population. Some experts believe that social distancing measures have been insufficient and that the reason for voluntary rather than compulsory confinement was most likely the country’s economic inability to cope with the economic consequences. Thus,

Ju l y 1 5 M a r t y rs’ B ri dg e

Mu h a m m e d E n e s Y ı l d ı r ı m , I s t a n b u l , A p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 2 0

the economic measures implemented by the government have also been criticized as deficient by specialists such as Ergün Atalay, leader of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Turkey (TÜRK-İŞ). Some of the measures that were asked to be incorporated were a ban on dismissals during the epidemic, support for small traders and the hardest-hit sectors, as well as emphasizing the need for the problem of loss of income due to unemployment. On the one hand, despite the organization of a distance learning program and educational support, via the internet and a television channel created for this purpose, the closure of educational centers has affected many students. In addition, many humanitarian associations have warned about the situation of refugees in Turkey, especially Syrians, as around half of them live below the poverty line in precarious situations of overcrowding, without access to drinking water and sometimes not even access to a hospital or primary care, all of which contributes to their extreme vulnerability.

In addition to all this, there was a lack of a detailed pandemic action plan, as well as the promotion of tourism at a time when Turks were encouraged to stay at home and the repression of anyone opposed to the government’s ideas about the pandemic. Turkish police have arrested hundreds of people, including journalists and government opponents, “suspected” of spreading rumors about the virus or criticizing the government’s handling of the epidemic. For all this, the Turkish government has been heavily criticised.

However, it should also be noted that Turkey has provided equipment and medical assistance to 150 countries and 6 international organizations to combat the coronavirus, making it one of the world’s largest providers of medical assistance to third countries.

belgium

eu r o p ea n p a r l i me n t b u i l di n g Dursun Aydemir, March 11, 2020

The Belgian federal government, like other countries, has a Public Health risk plan which consists of three phases: containment, prevention against spread, and mitigation. Before the confirmation of the first official case of covid-19 in Belgium on 4 February 2020.

Immediately after, the first phase was launched which was advising against non-essential flights to areas with a high number of cases. Later at the beginning of March, phase two was activated, recommending teleworking and flexible working hours to facilitate the use of public transport, ordering the closure of schools and entertainment venues, as well as the cancellation of meetings and public events. From the 18th of March, due to the spread of the virus, the National Security Council and the federal government decided to extend the social distancing measures – closure of borders and non-essential shops and banned non-essential travels and meetings and the confinement of the population was implemented. Over the following months, depending on the evolution of the pandemic, some of these measures have been gradually lifted or new social distancing measures have been implemented.

Hospitals and nursing homes have had to face a shortage of medical equipment and material, especially masks at a time of rising global demand. This has caused controversy as a strategic stock of face masks should have been available but was destroyed after expiry without being renewed. The lack of equipment and mismanagement has caused a mixture of fear, anguish, and anger among health workers, leading some to suffer from acute stress and depression. In gratitude for the extraordinary effort, citizens have organized a public clap and multiple psychologists have created a platform to provide care workers with psychological support. The Belgian government has even studied the possibility of giving them a financial bonus.

The social distancing measures and the confinements of the Pandemic have had a direct impact on the health system and its workers, on the country’s economy, and even on the mental health of its population.

Many companies had to close temporarily or reduce the number of employees resulting in an increase of unemployment by more than one million people and in an economical loss of more than 10 billion.

In order to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, some trade unions have demanded a moratorium on dismissals in some sectors as well as the generalization of remote work and a 75% wage guarantee. In addition, the Belgian Labour Party also defended the idea of an “exceptional crown tax” on large fortunes.

Furthermore, Brussels is the seat of several European Union’s institutions including the secondary chamber of the European Parliament. These institutions have tried to mitigate the effects caused by the covid-19 pandemic. The European Central Bank issued a securities purchase program to prevent the collapse of the debt markets to help stabilize the financial situation. And the European Commission provided medical supplies to the EU countries most affected by the pandemic in creating the international action called “Global Coronavirus Response” which “aims for universal access to affordable vaccines, treatment, and testing for coronaviruses.

Not only care workers were mentally affected by the Pandemic but also many citizens who feared economical losses because of the many losses of income and closure of many establishments. This rising demand for psychological help caused many people who were already under the care of psychologists to not receive adequate care anymore.

i taly

Venice

Federico Vespignani, April 5, 2020

The first cases of Covid-19 in Italy were officially confirmed at the end of January 2020. This was also the time where the Italian government took the first measures to contain the virus. In the weeks that followed, other cases emerged and affected northern Italy to a greater extent.

Some doctors, immunologists, and virologists point to a football match that took place on 19 February in Milan that attracted thousands of supporters. It was an event that quickened the spread of the virus in this geographical area. Northern Italy was the most affected region in Europe between the end of February and the beginning of March.

Around the end of February, several municipalities and regions in northern Italy already took the first confinement measures in the country and of Europe putting approximately 14 million people under quarantine.

intensive care beds, so these had to be adapted and expanded, and large numbers of respirators, masks, and other medical supplies had to be purchased. On 19 March, the number of deaths in Italy which was 3,405 had surpassed China’s death toll of 3,245, making it the country with the highest number of confirmed deaths in March.

The Italian government requested international assistance from the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism in response to the high death toll. However, European assistance was initially delayed and some European countries even banned the export of medical supplies outside their borders. Thus, Italy received medical support from countries such as China, Cuba, and Russia. Later that month, German hospitals began to treat Italian patients, among others, infected with covid-19.

The outbreak of Covid-19 hit Italy harder than anywhere else in Europe. Following the enactment of quarantine in several areas of northern Italy on 9 March, by which time the number of infected people had risen to 9 172 with 463 deaths. Consequently, the government announced the extension of quarantine to the entire national territory starting the following day. Travel and all sorts of gatherings were banned. Italians had to stay at home and justify all their movements by downloading a receipt from the internet. Even further measurements were taken by the government in limiting movement only to necessary situations, shops, industries, non-essential economic activities, schools and universities were closed, as cultural, sporting and events were canceled, outdoor sports were banned, except on an individual basis and at a close distance from the residence, and even children’s parks and public green areas were closed.

On the other hand, the pandemic had strong political, educational, and economic consequences. As we have seen above, schools and universities had to close for long periods of time. The constitutional referendum on the reduction of the number of parliamentarians was postponed until September 2020. Economic sectors such as tourism collapsed, causing a significant drop in GDP and aggravating Italy’s difficulties in repaying its debt.

The numbers continued to rise rapidly despite the measures that have been taken. This was partly due to the pressure the pandemic put on the Italian health system. Initially, Italy had only around 5,000

Even so, the Italian confinement created a social connection that would later spread to other countries. Italy, a country where music has always played an important role, took over the balconies and windows where its citizens sang and played music to enjoy together in creating social connections that were paralyzed by the pandemic.

F R A NCE

France prepared a Coronavirus response plan divided into four phases to contain the virus. The first phase was activated the day before the first cases were confirmed in the country, on the 24th of January 2020. Subsequently, between late February and early March, measures were taken in the most affected areas to contain the spread of the virus, including a ban on gatherings, invitations to limit mobility, and the closure of schools. Nationwide, the visits to retirement homes and large gatherings of people were banned but this did not include the first round of municipal elections on 15 March. However, these initial measures did not prevent the spread of the virus and on 17 March 2020.

Immediately after a national lockdown began and the banning of meetings and movement except for necessary reasons. In addition, non-essential sites were closed, and cultural and sporting events were canceled. Among the cultural institutions that had to close were the Louvre, the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Musée d’Orsay, the Château de Versailles, the Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art, the CAPC - Museum of Contemporary Art in Bordeaux, and the MUCEM in Marseille, among others. The government imposed more restrictive measures which resulted in the announcement of a curfew on the 14th of October because of the ongoing growth of infections.

The economy has been severely affected. At the beginning of 2020, the stock market plummeted and experienced its worst sessions since 2008, and GDP underwent large swings throughout the year, falling by a total of 8. 3%. Although many jobs could be done telematically, others related to the service, industry, commerce, and other sectors had to partially or completely paralyze their activities, leading to a large loss of employment. It is estimated that around 300,000 jobs were lost in 2020. Many companies, especially small and medium-sized ones, have found themselves in difficulties, leading some of them to close permanently. In response to this situation, the State implemented various economic support measures such as social security contributions and partial unemployment compensation. In April 2021, Minister

C ha m ps- E l y sé e s

Julien Mattia, France, March 31, 2020

Olivier Dussopt estimated that the crisis will cost 424 billion euros over the course of three years. This economic downturn affects the poor and the richest unequally. While one million French people, including students, temporary workers, unemployed, self-employed, and artisans, fell into poverty and had to rely on food aid, which increased by 25%, the luxury market has not only been unaffected by the crisis but has benefited from it. The four French giants Kering, L’Oréal, Hermès, and LVMH have seen their market valuation rise from 513.7 billion euros on 31 December 2019 to 711 billion on 22 April 2021. Thus, an increase in social inequalities can be observed.

On the other hand, the French health system, as in other countries, had to cope with a large influx of sick people, which was aggravated by a shortage of personnel, equipment, and material. This has been criticized as the government should have been able to rely on the strategic stock of medical masks that was organized after the 2009-2010 flu epidemic, but it was almost non-existent. So, in the face of the global lack of masks, President Macron seized all the masks produced and stockpiled in the country, seizing medical equipment destined for other nations that were also coping with the virus. Later, France also received donations and international help from countries such as China, which provided large quantities of medical equipment. Germany and Switzerland helped France by transporting French patients to their hospitals. However, the number of deaths increased considerably, especially in old people’s homes and many health workers contracted the virus, leading some to death. Many health care workers and associations have lamented and protested about working conditions and lodged complaints against the State for its health care management of the pandemic. In appreciation of the efforts of health workers, daily applause was organized in April and May 2020, and El Ségur de la santé was organized to increase their salaries.

g ermany

Germany prepared and planned a permanent surveillance committee before their first case of Covid-19 on the 27th of January 2020. This made them more prepared for the pandemic. The German state and the Robert Koch institute (research institute of the German Federal Administration) has managed the containment, protection and mitigation of the virus with the aim of reducing morbidity and lethality in ensuring the treatment of infected persons, maintaining essential public services and providing accurate information. This made Germany handle the pandemic more efficiently compared to other countries.

Initially, Germany opted to implement social distancing measures at a national level such as banning meetings of more than two people not living together and visits to old people’s homes, requiring a minimum distance of 1.5 metres, closing non-essential shops and educational establishments, etc. The different ‘’Bundesländer’’ (states) in Germany maintain a certain kind of sovereignty to decide their own rules like the different states in the US. This resulted in a difference of restrictive measures in every ‘’Bundesland’’ such as the closure of public places, the declaration of a state of emergency, the restriction of people’s movement, the imposition of curfews and closure of certain borders if the medical situation in these states required it. However, in midMarch and December 2020, the sanitary situation in the country made it necessary to impose a stricter “partial confinement”, similar to the already previously taken measurement of some ‘’Bundesländer’’.

Germany estimated a decrease of its GDP by 5 - 6%. This made them announce a €750 billion package of recovery measures, including increasing their debt for the first time since 2013.

C ha m p s- E l y sé e s

Julien Mattia, Berlin, March 31, 2020

As for the covid-19 research in Germany, the BioNTech laboratory is one of the producers behind the covid vaccination ‘’Pfizer’’ which is currently being used against the spread of Covid. BioNTech signed a collaboration agreement with US-based Pfizer to increase the capacity for vaccine development. This was partially made possible because of the investments made for scientific research in Germany. BioNTech received more than 9 million euros of EU research funding over the previous decade as well as benefiting from a 100-million-euro loan from the European Investment Bank.

Germany had a low case fatality rate regarding the number of Covid-19 infection cases and fatality rate in other countries. The difference can be explained by the way Germany has been dealing with the Pandemic right from the beginning. Germany carried out a high number of diagnostic tests on the population which increased the number of positive cases, allowing early detection especially of asymptomatic cases that reduced the possibility of contagion. At the same time, this made it possible to reduce the number of patients in hospitals and prevent their collapse. Besides, German hospitals already had a higher capacity of equipment and material in intensive care before the pandemic than in other countries, which made it possible to respond to the influx of patients and thus to reduce the fatality rate. On the other hand, the absence of post-mortem Covid-19 testing is another reason for the low mortality rate.

S P AIN

The Spanish government implemented different levels of measures to contain the virus following the first diagnosed case of Covid-19 on the 31st of January. Subsequently, cases increased until early March when the autonomous governments of the most affected regions began to take stricter measures, such as canceling school classes, closing certain establishments, and even isolating certain localities, to prevent the spread of the virus. Following the rapid progression of the virus, the central government implemented measures at the national level: a ban on flights from certain countries, holding sporting events behind closed doors, cancellation of events, congresses and seminars for more than a thousand people, as well as the closure of museums and cultural centers such as El Prado, the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen and the National Library, among others.

Despite all the measures, the national government announced a state of alarm throughout the territory that started on the 14th of March 2020.

Initially, this was planned to last for fifteen days but the Congress of Deputies has made six extensions until the 21 of June 2020. Among the imposed measures was the confinement of the entire population, limiting movement only for essential acts, the suspension of face-toface educational activity, the closure of non-essential establishments, and the re-establishment of border controls.

As a result, the economic, social, health, and other situations have been affected. According to information from the Ministry of Labour, more than one million jobs disappeared and more than three million workers were affected by an ERTE (temporary lay-off measure) during the first three months of the pandemic. Spain is believed to be one of the countries in the world that suffered the greatest recession as a result of the pandemic. Among the most affected sectors are tourism, production, and culture. The Spanish government responded by

N o va I c a ri a B e a c h

Adria Puig, Barcelona, April 3rd, 2020

banning layoffs and approving the Minimum Living Income for families who do not reach minimum income thresholds due to the coronavirus crisis.

On the other hand, the health system, as in other countries, had to cope with a lack of resources and equipment. In Spain, this situation was aggravated by years of budget cuts. Thus, the government had to reinforce the number of healthcare professionals and equipment, for which hospitals were built and medicalized hotels were set up despite these measures, the intensive care units were stretched to capacity and the pandemic led to a significant percentage of infections among healthcare personnel, leading some to death. The postponement of many consultations and medical operations for people suffering from diseases other than covid-19 led to an increased mortality rate in especially retirement homes. The gratitude and recognition for care workers were shown by the citizens by the simultaneous applause at different windows and balconies between March and June.

In addition, the social distancing measures have also had an impact on society. Nearly 10 million students were forced to continue their education through online classes. Parents and especially mothers had to take care of their homes and children in addition to their jobs causing an overload of work in women’s lives. There is still a great difference in gender roles, which during the pandemic has led to an increase in psychological distress - anxiety, depression - to a greater degree in women than in men. Many reports have shown an increase in gender-based violence and child abuse during confinement which has been reflected in an increase in calls, consultations, and requests for help from services dedicated to these issues.

USA

The first case of Covid-19 was reported on the first of April 2020.

After 72 days of the first reported covid-19 case, 33 states and dozens of localities had issued stay-at-home orders, and a handful more had simply instructed nonessential businesses to close. The constitutional structure in America is resting on responsibility with the states and, through delegated authority, cities and counties. In extraordinary times, states and the federal government can activate emergency powers to expand their ability to act in order to protect human life and health. Many jurisdictions, however, continue to permit widespread noncompliance with CDC-issued social distancing. This is a social distancing recommendation and not an obligation which made the virus only spread more at crowded spring-break-beaches, discretionary travel, open schools, and daycare centers, busy stores selling nonessential goods, contact sports among young adults, and children congregating in public parks.

However, during March, national, state, and local public health responded more intensified and started to adapt in detecting, tracing, and putting different quarantine measures in place. Quarantine measures were firstly implemented for arriving international travelers with known exposure to locations of concern.

The United States had one of the largest numbers of COVID-19 cases to date and one of the highest per-capita case fatality rates in the world, the US has experienced greater consequences from COVID-19

u s a c o n g r e ss b u i l di n g

Yasin Öztürk, Washington Dc, April 1st, 2020

than many other countries. The US accounts for less than 5% of the world’s population but more than 25% of total COVID-19 cases reported across the globe, and it currently ranks among the top 10 countries in COVID-19–related deaths per capita. New York City was within the US the area with the highest number of cases and death toll. The first COVID-19 case in the city was reported on March 1, but community transmission was firmly established on March 7. As of April 14, New York State has tested nearly half a million people, among whom 195 031 have tested positive. In New York City alone, 106 763 people have tested positive and 7349 have died. The reason for this high death toll can be the density of a metropolitan area like New York. The United States as a whole was still well poised to respond to Covid-19 but it lacked strength in areas like supplies and the often criticized healthcare system.

During the years to come, the US undoubtedly will undergo nationallevel reviews to understand how its strong capabilities were a matter of time when mistakes had to be detected. In the meantime, the country’s health and economic security will continue to be affected until national leaders change course.

ch ile

The Chilean government implemented a series of measures to contain and to be protected against the virus on the 3rd of March 2020. The increase in cases during the month of March resulted in the extension of several preventive measures and reinforcement of border controls. This was followed by the postponement and cancellation of public events, the allowance of working from home for government employees over 75 years old or belonging to a risk group, the strengthening collaboration with Pros countries, the creation of a fund to finance sanitary material, and the enhancement of hospital capacity. On March 18, the country’s borders were closed and President Sebastián Piñera established a nationwide state of emergency with the help of the national army. However, there was no nationwide quarantine but it was solely on a regional level. It was announced later that the sanitary measures progressively would relax according to the situation of each zone.

The pandemic’s arrival and the health measures have had various consequences in Chili. The health situation led to protests against the policies of the government and the postponement of the plebiscite to create a new Constitution. The majority of Chilean society demanded to reinforce the presence of the state in areas of health, education, pensions, and water resources which have been almost completely privatized since the Pinochet dictatorship. The unequal access to water has worsened due to an unforeseen drought in 2019 and this has led to a situation of water shortages and lack of protection for communities in Chili.

The inequality in Chilean society is also visible in the health system.

In Chile, there is one health system for the rich (private health system) and another for the low-paid (public health system). The problem is that the public health system is largely underfunded. Patients have

P l a za d e l a C i u da da n í a

Cristobal Saavedra Voge, Santiago, March 27, 2020

already turned away due to a lack of beds or staff before the arrival of Covid-19. There have been attempts to create a fund to finance health supplies and equipment and the strengthening of hospital capacity through the provision of additional beds, the use of Armed Forces hospitals, and the construction of field hospitals. However, the differences between the two healthcare systems are still visible. This resulted in criticism towards the Chilean government and the given official figures on Covid-19 cases. Most of the medical information is confidential by law and it’s the only information available for organizations to use and consult on.

The economy also has been affected by a loss of employment which resulted in an increase in the informal sector. More than 30% of employees work in the informal sector in Chili leaving only more in a very vulnerable situation. In addition, the global stock market crash resulted in enormous losses to private pension funds in which many Chileans invest. The estimated loss was around 25 million dollars.

The government announced an economic plan to safeguard the chain of production and distribution of essential goods and services, protect employment and boost the economy. However, some of these actions have been criticized for being slow, insufficient, and randomly distributed, which has led to protests in some of the capital’s poorest communes. This lack of consideration and economic measures for the poorest has been widely criticized.

The National Plebiscite 2020 was held on 25 October. The national plebiscite is a referendum asking its citizens if a new constitution should be drafted. The votes resulted in 78.28% in favor of drafting a new Constitution in the form of a constitutional convention for which elections were held again on 11 April 2021. It can be said that Chilean society is currently undergoing a process of profound change.

ARGE NT IN A

Fi g u er o a A l c o r ta A v e n u e a n d Sch o o l o f L a w o f the U n i v e rsi t y o f Muhammed Emin Canik, Buenos Aires, March 20, 2020 B u e n o s A i re s

Since the end of January, the Argentine Ministry of Health has already provided a list of recommendations to travelers coming from countries with high covid-19 infection rates. Unfortunately, one month later, the first case of an Argentinean infected with covid-19 was confirmed because he came from a cruise in Japan. The first measures to contain the virus started to be implemented such as a quarantine for people who had traveled to affected areas, flights from countries at risk were canceled, events with foreign public and participants were suspended and later all large-scale public events were canceled. In addition, some provinces such as Misiones, Jujuy, and Buenos Aires suspended classes, and others such as Tierra del Fuego and the South Atlantic Islands imposed a quarantine on their territories. On 12 March 2020, the government signed the DNU 260/2020 (decree of Necessity and Urgency), which allowed the closure of borders and the suspension of classes, non-essential activities, and agglomerations at a national level. In addition, a general lockdown began on 20 March until 26 April. The management of the pandemic was characterized by the early implementation of health measures in Argentina. From the end of April onwards, social isolation measures were established according to the health situation in each territory, while maintaining the social distancing protocols.

The consequences of the pandemic have been reflected in the health, economic, educational, and social spheres. In terms of health, the Argentine sanitary system had to deal with the covid-19 pandemic at the same time as the dengue epidemic. Moreover, some specialists, such as the physician Ignacio Kats, criticized the non-application of WHO advice in 2016. This made it difficult to cope with an epidemic because only one of its hospitals had an isolation ward in 2020. The health system in Argentina has not collapsed. It can be explained by the strengthening measures taken by the government such as the construction of eight emergency hospitals.

The socio-economic impact of the pandemic has been considerable.

Argentina suffered a socio-economic crisis between 2018 and 2019, which throughout 2020 has been aggravated by job losses and wage reductions caused by the implementation of sanitary measures. As a result, it is expected to be one of the worst economic recessions in years. The IMF estimated a 9.9% fall in GDP in 2020. The government responded to this by implementing socio-economic measures including subsidies to individuals and companies, price limits on medicines and some essential products, the distribution of food handouts and food cards, the granting of loans, moratoriums, exemptions from paying some taxes and a ban on layoffs and cuts in public services. The quarantine has raised fears of a growing gap between rich and poor in a country where more than a third of jobs are informal and almost 4 million people live in poor housing, the quarantine has raised fears of an increase in poverty. It already resulted in a situation where many families have been unable to pay their rent and are forced to leave their homes to move into improvised camps.

The social consequences have also had an impact on other population groups. Students had to continue their education remotely via an online and TV platform with the closure of educational institutions.

Moreover, the pandemic saw an increase in violence. The conditions of isolation and social distancing worsened the situation of many women suffering from domestic violence. In the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, reports of gender violence increased by 48% . This is known as the “other pandemic”, as confinement led to the isolation of many women along with their aggressors. The pandemic had a different impact on everybody within Argentina and the differences are often not always clearly visible.

m e xico

Mexico has been one of the most affected countries in the world by the COVID-19 pandemic. The true impact of the pandemic has probably been underestimated, and President López Obrador, as well as the Ministry of Health, has struggled to contain COVID-19. Recently, ​​ the World Health Organization declared Latin America as the new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Mexico, the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed by the government on February 28. As of July 12, Mexico had one of the highest numbers of confirmed cases and deaths (299 759 and 35 006, respectively) in the region, and these are probably highly underestimated as Mexico has one of the lowest testing rates compared to other countries. A response strategy was taken two months after the first Covid-19 case.

Mexico has implemented a surveillance system, instead of following a massive testing strategy, to count and report cases. In the beginning of May, the Ministry of Health estimated that approximately 104 562 people have had COVID-19, but the actual number of confirmed reported cases was 23 471. Mexico has been criticized for its lack of transparency when it came to the actual infection rate of COVID-19 .

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in February, the government has been keeping the actual danger down to the potential impact of COVID-19. Things such as mass-gatherings and traveling were still allowed which made the virus only spread faster.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the following lockdown had an impact on people’s mental health, criminal rate and the environment. The pandemic has caused physical and mental effects on the people

G u a d a l u pe B a si l i c a

Manuel Velasquez, April 11, 2020

worldwide and also in Mexico. With the introduction of public restrictions and mass quarantine, many people experienced an overwhelming pressure on their mental health. Especially the stress-level for pregnant women was significantly higher during quarantine which argues for an urgent need to provide psychosocial support for this population during the pandemic. Furthermore, there was a disruption of routine activities and this changed the crime patterns. Many crimes are underreported in Mexico city. Especially sexual and domestic violence numbers tend to suffer from particularly high underreporting rates. This makes it difficult to detect whether the numbers have risen during the quarantine. Besides, the routine activities associated with the pandemic which makes the question rise if the crime rates have also differed? Analyses suggest that all crime, both of the robbery types, and serious violent crimes experienced declines after the Pandemic began in Mexico in the month of February. The downward trend began to show two weeks after the first cases were detected and stabilised during the first weeks after the lockdown. However, the amount of people calling in regards to sexual and domestic violence started to rise according to the VAW helpline. Sexual and domestic violence peake especially in late February and the first half of March.

Millions of Mexicans, including health care professionals working with the limited resources, have shown strong resilience and solidarity because of the impact of the pandemic. However, stronger leadership from the highest level of government is crucially needed to avoid more cases and deaths from COVID-19. Mexicans, as well as local, state, and federal governments, must work together in order to drastically change the course of this pandemic, which has already taken thousands of vulnerable lives.

bolivia

Prior to the detection of the first two cases of covid-19 in Bolivia on 10 March 2020, some containment measures were implemented in early February, such as the formation of an Operational Emergency Committee for the detection of possible cases and the application of measures recommended by the Pan American Health Organization.

In order to slow down the spread of the virus, certain restrictive measures were progressively implemented, including the suspension of educational activities, restrictions on travel and international flights, the adjustment and redefinition of working hours, and restrictions on meetings and social gatherings, among others. In addition, some municipalities, such as those of Oruro, Potosí, and Cochabamba, approved a municipal quarantine. After a National Health Emergency was decreed on 22 March, a nationwide quarantine was imposed, which lasted until 10 May. During this period, people were only allowed to leave their homes to buy food, to go to essential jobs, or to some factories. On the 25th of the same month, a state of sanitary emergency was declared, which further restricted the previously imposed measures. From 11 May, although quarantine continued, it became “dynamic” and the measures applied depended on the health situation in each area, with three types of quarantine: medium, moderate and rigid.

The consequences of the pandemic have been numerous. On the one hand, as in other countries, the health system was stretched to its limits. If the health system was already considered precarious before the arrival of the pandemic, due to a lack of staff, equipment, and material. In Bolivia, there was also a dengue epidemic at the same time as the covid-19 pandemic. In addition to all this was the scandal of the arrest of the then Minister of Health of the interim government Marcelo Navajas. He is allegedly involved in a corruption case for the purchase of respirators for more than double their value. As a result, many health workers have protested and even threatened to resign.

The economic impact of the pandemic has led to a 2,9% decline in

P l a z a M u ri l l o

Marcelo Perez Del Carpio, La Paz, April 2nd, 2020

Bolivia’s GDP of 2020. Some of the worst affected sectors are mining and hydrocarbons. Unemployment increased considerably and many companies went bankrupt. The economic recession is expected to last another two to three years. The interim government proposed an economic reactivation plan of 600 million dollars of public funds to pay off the debts of big private companies.

All of this has also led to an increase in social inequalities with the aim of alleviating the economy of individuals and companies. The government implemented social and economic measures, such as lowering electricity rates, banning gas, water, and internet cuts, postponing the payment of loans and taxes, as well as the economic aid offered through the family and basket of goods voucher and the universal voucher. However, this aid has not reached all groups, including indigenous peoples who, despite having been severely affected by the pandemic, have received limited interest from the authorities. It is also important to note that the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network has denounced that the quarantine measures have left the field available for landowners, who have continued to burn the Amazon rainforest for later use for cattle and agricultural sites.

In addition, the interim government’s management of the pandemic has been heavily criticized. In addition to cases of corruption, such as some of those mentioned above, the government has been accused of spreading disinformation. The number of confirmed cases of covid-19 by the government has been criticized as unrealistic because only people with confirmed symptoms are tested. Finally, in October 2020, following the suspension of the general elections in March due to the sanitary conditions, the elections have been postponed which could have changed the current political climate of Bolivia.

ş o S ku n CH APT E R 5 : new yo r k, Ta yfu n C

One city that transformed the most during the Pandemic was New York city. The numbers of the people who have passed away or survived can easily be looked up on the internet but dont show the full picture of all the circumstances the city has been through. The famous saying ‘’a picture is worth a thousand words’’ has been proven by Tayfun Coskun. His own home that he calls New York city was struggling like he has never seen it before. Many spots in vibrant Manhattan and attractive Brooklyn made place for hospital beds or even graveyards.

With his pictures he is trying to capture New York’s transformation and especially wants to shed light on the impact this pandemic had on its city’s healthcare workers.

Tayfun Coskun who is a photojournalist for nearly ten years has a special approach in capturing not only emotions but everything behind it. He didn’t want to only focus on the emptiness of the streets of the city but give a special focus on the healthcare workers who have been the central aspect in this pandemic. Care workers who have been working day and night to keep our society alive. The complete lockdown that happened in the month of March 2020 meant for a lot of people to stay instead. It meant working from home or following your classes through a screen instead of a classroom. But for care workers it was not a time to stay at home but to work over hours and having to see so many people losing their lives. There is the complete overwhelming sensation of a healthcare worker. But Tayfun Coskun did not only want to show the misery and agony the health care workers are going through. Their efforts were not completely unseen by the citizens of New York. Many of us realised that without these workers we couldn’t have survived this pandemic. This resulted in a shift in our social awareness which resulted in moments of applause during the night to make us remember who are the ones that are keeping this society actually running.

n ew y or k, us a

Sanitizer products out of stock in US NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 4: Sold out sign is seen on a shelve of a supermarket. Sanitary gels and antibacterial hand wash products become out of stock in several supermarkets as the fear of coronavirus outbreak grows in New York, United States on March 4, 2020.

Coronavirus-related cleanings of New York subway stations NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 11: New York City subway staff disinfect a train station in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading in New York, United States on March 11, 2020.

New coronavirus drive-through testing center opens in New York NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 19: A healthcare professional works in a new coronavirus drive-through testing center in Bear Mountain, New York, United States on March 19, 2020. Almost a hundred healthcare workers and uniformed national guards are on duty for helping people to get Covid-19 testing done.

The ‘’New York State on PAUSE’’ NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 22: Empty streets are seen in New York City, United States on March 22, 2020. The “New York State on PAUSE” that executive order is in effect at 8 p.m. Sunday night, March 22nd. All citizens are required to stay home except to buy their needs as medical or necessary supplies. New York has reached to 17,000 Covid19 cases as of today.

The ‘’New York State on PAUSE’’ NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 22: Empty streets are seen in New York City, United States on March 22, 2020. The “New York State on PAUSE” that executive order is in effect at 8 p.m. Sunday night, March 22nd. All citizens are required to stay home except to buy their needs as medical or necessary supplies. New York has reached to 17,000 Covid19 cases as of today.

The ‘’New York State on PAUSE’’ NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 22: Empty streets are seen in New York City, United States on March 22, 2020. The “New York State on PAUSE” that executive order is in effect at 8 p.m. Sunday night, March 22nd. All citizens are required to stay home except to buy their needs as medical or necessary supplies. New York has reached to 17,000 Covid19 cases as of today.

The ‘’New York State on PAUSE’’ NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 22: Grand Central Terminal is seen empty in New York City, United States on March 22, 2020. The “New York State on PAUSE” that executive order is in effect at 8 p.m. Sunday night, March 22nd.All citizens are required to stay home except to buy their needs as medical or necessary supplies. New York has reached to 17,000 Covid19 cases as of today.

Army Corps turn the NY Jacob Javits Center into emergency hospital NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 23: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks on Covid-19 cases that outreach in the state at the Javits Center in New York City, United States on March 23, 2020. Gov. Cuomo announced that the state was ready for Army Corps to start emergency hospital construction at Westchester County Center, Suny Stony Brook, Suny Westbur and Jacob K. Javits Center.

Wall Street seen quite due to Coronavirus pandemic NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 29: Charging Bull Statue is seen lonely at the Financial District in New York City, United States on March 29, 2020.

The U.S coronavirus death toll reaches to 2,200 NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 29: The streets are seen empty in New York City, United States due to Covid-19 pandemic on March 29, 2020.

New York City seems emptier than ever NEW YORK, USA - MARCH 29: Time Square is seen empty in New York, United States on March 29, 2020. New York’s famous Times Square has been on sleep due to Covid-19 pandemic.

New York coronavirus deaths hit 1,941 as state struggles NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 1: A sad and tired healthcare worker is seen by the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, United States on April 1, 2020. New York is the U.S. state worst-hit by the pandemic. As New York state grapples with the novel coronavirus outbreak, 1,941 people have died and 83,712 have tested positive for the virus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

New York coronavirus deaths hit 1,941 as state struggles NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 1: A sad and tired healthcare worker is seen by the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, United States on April 1, 2020. New York is the U.S. state worst-hit by the pandemic. As New York state grapples with the novel coronavirus outbreak, 1,941 people have died and 83,712 have tested positive for the virus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

New York records highest daily coronavirus deaths NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 3: A healthcare worker holds the fence of morgue entrance at the back of the Brooklyn Hospital Center as Covid-19 pandemic in New York, United States on April 3, 2020. The death toll of the novel coronavirus in New York state is reaching a staggering 3,000 fatalities, according to a tally released Friday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Liberty State Park seen quite due to Covid-19 pandemic NEW JERSEY, USA - APRIL 5: Liberty State Park is seen quite due to the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in New Jersey, United States on April 5, 2020.

Healthcare workers honored by Empire State Building NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 7: Empire State Building lights up like an ambulance to honor emergency healthcare workers responding to the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City, United States on April 7, 2020.

New Yorkers make noise for healthcare workers NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 8: New Yorkers make some noise to show appreciation to healthcare workers due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, in Manhattan, New York City, United States on April 8, 2020.

Streets remain quite in New York City NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 12: A cyclist crosses a street on Park Avenue, remaining nearly empty due to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City, United States, on April 12, 2020.

Firefighters and neighbors greet to healthcare workers in NYC NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 12: Firefighters and New Yorkers cheered for healthcare workers who risk their lives to serve for new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in New York City, United States on April 12, 2020.

Firefighters and neighbors greet to healthcare workers in NYC NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 12: Healthcare workers are seen next to the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, United States on April 12, 2020. Firefighters and New Yorkers cheered for healthcare workers who risk their lives to serve for new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.

Americans line up for supermarkets due to Covid19 pandemic NEW JERSEY, USA - APRIL 18: Americans lined up to buy goods at supermarkets like Costco Wholesale and Walmart as fears over COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey, United States on April 18, 2020.

New Yorkers left flowers for Covid-19 victims NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 21: New Yorkers left flowers for the people who lost their lives from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, next to container morgues by the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City, United States on April 21, 2020.

New Yorkers left flowers for Covid-19 victims NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 21: New Yorkers left flowers for Covid-19 victims April 21

US coronavirus death toll surpasses 42,000 NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 21: Healthcare workers carrying a coronavirus patient at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York City, United States on April 21, 2020. The death toll in the U.S. from the novel coronavirus has surpassed the 42,000 mark on Tuesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. New York is the worst-hit state by the pandemic with 18,653 deaths and more than 253,000 cases, followed by New Jersey with 4,520 deaths and 88,800 cases.

US coronavirus surpasses 42,000

death

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NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 21: US coronavirus death toll surpasses 42,000 April 21.

Muslims in New Jersey to watch Ramadan events in virtual environment NEW JERSEY, USA - APRIL 24: Food packages are being loaded on vehicles to be delivered to students and needy people in the region, as part of aid program organized by The Turkish American Religious Foundation, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities and Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC), at Diyanet Mosque of Bergen in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, United States on April 24, 2020.

USNS Comfort hospital ship leaves New York City NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 30: USNS Comfort, the hospital ship leaves from New York City, United States on APRIL 30, 2020.

International Nurses Day amid Covid19 pandemic in NYC NEW YORK, USA - MAY 12: Greeting cards for healthcare workers are seen inside the Elmhurst Hospital amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Queens, New York, United States on May 12. 2020.

International Nurses Day amid Covid19 pandemic in NYC NEW YORK, USA - MAY 12: A patient shows a victory sign while he is getting into an ambulance by the healthcare workers at the Elmhurst Hospital on the day of International Nurses Day as Covid-19 pandemic in Queens, New York, United States on May 12. 2020.

DIRECTORATE GENERAL ANKARA Eti Mah. GMK Bul. No:132 Maltepe - Çankaya / ANKARA T: +90 312 999 20 00 (pbx) F: +90 312 231 21 74 E - Mail: kurumsaliletisim@aa.com.tr ISTANBUL OFFICE Merkez Efendi Mah. Mevlana Cad. No:140/A Toya Plaza K:2 Cevizlibağ - Zeytinburnu / İSTANBUL T: +90 212 513 10 90 F: +90 212 511 60 39 E - Mail: istanbul@aa.com.tr

CURATED BY

VISIONCY OFFICE 14 Jalan Langgak Tunku, Taman Tunku, Kuala Lumpur 50480 T:+60 19 301 2569 E:project.visionsy@gmail.com

Director & curator : Patrice Vallette Assistance Curator : Jasone Arrausi Graphic design: Arif Hassan This book is published in conjunction with the “EMPTINESS: AN URBAN MEMORY” photography exhibition organised by Visioncy.

All the photos that are used in the book were taken by the global news agency Anadolu Agency, photojournalists around the world with all health measures taken, in March, April, May 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic conditions. © Photographs Tayfun Coşkun © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without prior permission in writing of the publisher the global news agency Anadolu Agency and © editor Visioncy.

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