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Who Helps Out in a Crisis? Who Helps Out in a Crisis?
(32 minutes later)
— Kathleen Tierney, a co-author of “Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization”— Kathleen Tierney, a co-author of “Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization”
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When Heidi Hotmer, 48, first heard about the pandemic, she wasn’t sure how she’d get through it. But within days after her city’s shelter-in-place order was issued, she figured out a plan. Hotmer closed her business, an online handicrafting shop, took out her sewing machine and began making masks. “I decided that rather than try to sell stuff to people who were desperately hurting,” she said, “I would try to give back.” She began transforming bolts of fabric from her shop into masks she would give to others free.When Heidi Hotmer, 48, first heard about the pandemic, she wasn’t sure how she’d get through it. But within days after her city’s shelter-in-place order was issued, she figured out a plan. Hotmer closed her business, an online handicrafting shop, took out her sewing machine and began making masks. “I decided that rather than try to sell stuff to people who were desperately hurting,” she said, “I would try to give back.” She began transforming bolts of fabric from her shop into masks she would give to others free.
Sometimes she sews all day. Sometimes she is only able to squeeze in a few hours while also spending time with her 11-year-old daughter. But what is certain is that each time she turns over masks to their new owners — 758 masks and counting — she feels a sense of purpose that she hasn’t felt before. “This has definitely helped me cope,” she said of helping people. “It’s just the best feeling.”Sometimes she sews all day. Sometimes she is only able to squeeze in a few hours while also spending time with her 11-year-old daughter. But what is certain is that each time she turns over masks to their new owners — 758 masks and counting — she feels a sense of purpose that she hasn’t felt before. “This has definitely helped me cope,” she said of helping people. “It’s just the best feeling.”
During this pandemic, in a pattern that echoes other major crises, people across the world have stepped up to donate their time, skills, knowledge and resources, and have even risked their lives, for nothing material in return. But while men and women are equally likely to help, they tend to do it in different ways.During this pandemic, in a pattern that echoes other major crises, people across the world have stepped up to donate their time, skills, knowledge and resources, and have even risked their lives, for nothing material in return. But while men and women are equally likely to help, they tend to do it in different ways.
The evolutionary origins behind the human drive to cooperate and aid strangers is debated among academics, but what is certain is that our civilization depends on it. “Without it, the whole place would fall apart instantly,” said Robert Boyd, a professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University.The evolutionary origins behind the human drive to cooperate and aid strangers is debated among academics, but what is certain is that our civilization depends on it. “Without it, the whole place would fall apart instantly,” said Robert Boyd, a professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University.
The desire to help others is so strong, in fact, that Japan has implored its population to think selfishly during tsunamis, because the window to escape is so short. The guidance, called tendenko, directs people to run to safety instead of rescuing others but runs so contrary to human nature that it has had limited success.The desire to help others is so strong, in fact, that Japan has implored its population to think selfishly during tsunamis, because the window to escape is so short. The guidance, called tendenko, directs people to run to safety instead of rescuing others but runs so contrary to human nature that it has had limited success.
The reason for this selflessness, says Kathleen Tierney, a co-author of “Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization,” is that crises bring out an aching need in humans to be part of something bigger. “We feel this pressure to care more than we do on the day to day,” she said.The reason for this selflessness, says Kathleen Tierney, a co-author of “Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization,” is that crises bring out an aching need in humans to be part of something bigger. “We feel this pressure to care more than we do on the day to day,” she said.
It is no surprise, she notes, that the current anti-racist protests are taking place during one of the largest health crises of our time. “Covid-19 really increased people’s feeling of civic-mindedness,” she said, “and of caring for the larger community.”It is no surprise, she notes, that the current anti-racist protests are taking place during one of the largest health crises of our time. “Covid-19 really increased people’s feeling of civic-mindedness,” she said, “and of caring for the larger community.”
As for how women and men help in high-risk situations, Alice Eagly, emeritus professor of psychology at Northwestern University and a co-author of “The Psychology of Gender,” found that men partake in spontaneous and public acts of altruism like rescuing a drowning person or running into a burning building, while women tend toward more subtle acts that include nurturing and social interaction.As for how women and men help in high-risk situations, Alice Eagly, emeritus professor of psychology at Northwestern University and a co-author of “The Psychology of Gender,” found that men partake in spontaneous and public acts of altruism like rescuing a drowning person or running into a burning building, while women tend toward more subtle acts that include nurturing and social interaction.
For example, Eagly found that during World War II, women were more likely to provide refuge to Jewish families. “It’s no less dangerous,” Eagly said, “but what distinguishes it is it engages a lot of one-on-one time with potential victims.”For example, Eagly found that during World War II, women were more likely to provide refuge to Jewish families. “It’s no less dangerous,” Eagly said, “but what distinguishes it is it engages a lot of one-on-one time with potential victims.”
To say that women are the more nurturing and caring of the sexes is a deep-seated stereotype, but Eagly said that makes it no less real. “Stereotypes do have the power to create the realities they call for,” she said, “but they are also based on observation, and what we see is women doing a lot of the caring in our everyday lives.”To say that women are the more nurturing and caring of the sexes is a deep-seated stereotype, but Eagly said that makes it no less real. “Stereotypes do have the power to create the realities they call for,” she said, “but they are also based on observation, and what we see is women doing a lot of the caring in our everyday lives.”
Debra Mesch, a professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University, concurs: Men help too, of course, but it is women who are more likely to satisfy the needs of communities in more informal ways.Debra Mesch, a professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University, concurs: Men help too, of course, but it is women who are more likely to satisfy the needs of communities in more informal ways.
In the Covid-19 era, that looks like making masks, grocery shopping for neighbors, tutoring on Zoom and checking in with lonely older neighbors. “These are not things you could write off as a charitable deduction,” Mesch said, “but this is really where women are stepping up.”In the Covid-19 era, that looks like making masks, grocery shopping for neighbors, tutoring on Zoom and checking in with lonely older neighbors. “These are not things you could write off as a charitable deduction,” Mesch said, “but this is really where women are stepping up.”
Women seem to be playing similar roles in the anti-racist protests currently playing out against the backdrop of the pandemic. One example: The many women who are initiating bail funds and GoFundMe campaigns to ensure that fellow Black Lives Matter activists are able to eat and make rent, said Keisha N. Blain, an associate professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and author of “Set The World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom.” “Women make sure people are taken care of, not just as an activist, but as a person,” she said. “Connecting the personal with the political — that is where women’s activism is unique.”Women seem to be playing similar roles in the anti-racist protests currently playing out against the backdrop of the pandemic. One example: The many women who are initiating bail funds and GoFundMe campaigns to ensure that fellow Black Lives Matter activists are able to eat and make rent, said Keisha N. Blain, an associate professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and author of “Set The World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom.” “Women make sure people are taken care of, not just as an activist, but as a person,” she said. “Connecting the personal with the political — that is where women’s activism is unique.”
Updated July 15, 2020Updated July 15, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
There are physiological benefits to helping as well.There are physiological benefits to helping as well.
“Disasters disrupt our sense of control and normalcy in the world,” said Lori Peek, director of the Natural Hazard Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, “so anything that can help us restore a sense of normalcy and purpose is so important for our emotional and psychological well-being.”“Disasters disrupt our sense of control and normalcy in the world,” said Lori Peek, director of the Natural Hazard Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, “so anything that can help us restore a sense of normalcy and purpose is so important for our emotional and psychological well-being.”
And beyond the positive emotions we get from giving, which economists refer to as warm glow, Femida Handy, professor of nonprofit studies at the University of Pennsylvania, found that when she and colleagues controlled for factors such as initial health, wealth and education, there was one big difference between people who volunteered and their less giving counterparts. “They live longer,” she said of the first group.And beyond the positive emotions we get from giving, which economists refer to as warm glow, Femida Handy, professor of nonprofit studies at the University of Pennsylvania, found that when she and colleagues controlled for factors such as initial health, wealth and education, there was one big difference between people who volunteered and their less giving counterparts. “They live longer,” she said of the first group.
She explained that helping others improves mental and physical health, reduces inflammation and stress and lights up the same part of the brain as when we eat a lot of chocolate. “Who knew doing good benefits the person doing it?” she said.She explained that helping others improves mental and physical health, reduces inflammation and stress and lights up the same part of the brain as when we eat a lot of chocolate. “Who knew doing good benefits the person doing it?” she said.
In research they just completed, Handy and her co-author, Sara Konrath, found that giving seems to have such a profound impact on the body that people who do good are even rated as more attractive by strangers than their less-charitable peers. “People who do good actually look good,” she said.In research they just completed, Handy and her co-author, Sara Konrath, found that giving seems to have such a profound impact on the body that people who do good are even rated as more attractive by strangers than their less-charitable peers. “People who do good actually look good,” she said.
Because there are so many benefits to helping, it can be detrimental when we can’t satisfy the urge. But women’s efforts in particular can be thwarted by having to take care of household demands first, like looking after children and older relatives.Because there are so many benefits to helping, it can be detrimental when we can’t satisfy the urge. But women’s efforts in particular can be thwarted by having to take care of household demands first, like looking after children and older relatives.
That’s why Peek, who has studied disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks, says it’s essential in this environment to expand the definition of altruism. She referred to a colleague who stepped down from leading a working group because she was overwhelmed at home with her three children. The colleague, she said, was guilt-stricken and distraught about not contributing. “We carry all this burden and constantly feel like we aren’t doing enough,” Peek said. “But we need to reframe what it means to be helping our community right now, because whatever we are doing, every piece of it matters.”That’s why Peek, who has studied disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks, says it’s essential in this environment to expand the definition of altruism. She referred to a colleague who stepped down from leading a working group because she was overwhelmed at home with her three children. The colleague, she said, was guilt-stricken and distraught about not contributing. “We carry all this burden and constantly feel like we aren’t doing enough,” Peek said. “But we need to reframe what it means to be helping our community right now, because whatever we are doing, every piece of it matters.”
She emphasized that in this fraught time, even our daily tasks — caring for our families, teaching our children and making them feel safe — are important contributions. “The invisible labor of holding a crying child at night — that doesn’t get seen, so that doesn’t get counted, but it’s so important,” she said. “Every little thing helps our community get up on its feet.”She emphasized that in this fraught time, even our daily tasks — caring for our families, teaching our children and making them feel safe — are important contributions. “The invisible labor of holding a crying child at night — that doesn’t get seen, so that doesn’t get counted, but it’s so important,” she said. “Every little thing helps our community get up on its feet.”
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