Solutions Journalism Network is responding to the COVID-19 crisis by supporting, finding, and sharing journalism on efforts to contain the virus, cope with its social and economic impacts, and help communities recover. With the whole world focused on the same urgent challenges, we have an extraordinary opportunity to get smarter together. This is the homepage with stories about how communities are responding to this global pandemic and its effects on daily life. We encourage you to explore our more in-depth topics pages with organized COVID-19 solutions coverage on CONTAINMENT, COPING & ADAPTING, and CARE & COMPASSION.
With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rising by the day in the United States and around the...
Solutions Journalism Network
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csz7xs
Ed Butler
BBC
22 October 2020
Podcast / Over 15 Minutes
Contact tracing apps have received a lot of attention since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, but researchers caution they should be used in conjunction with other tactics and not be relied on to help on their own. However, an early study has indicated that even when only fifteen percent of the population downloads a contact tracing app, infection rates are reduced by eight percent and deaths are reduced by six percent.
https://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/news/20201020/how-mit-harvard-are-managing-to-keep-covid-19-numbers-low
Maya Jones
Wicked Local Cambridge
20 October 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
East Coast universities, MIT and Harvard mitigated the spread of COVID-19 on its campuses during the onset of the fall semester and have been able to maintain low transmission numbers. "Harvard, which invited just 40% of its undergraduates to campus this fall, had a .08% positivity rate." Meanwhile, MIT had students start the first two weeks of school entirely remote and keep quarantine until administrators could determine there were no sick students on campus.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/nyregion/schools-coronavirus.html
J. David Goodman
Dana Rubinstein
The New York Times
19 October 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Schools in New York City have, so far, been able to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic with suprisngly few cases reported and no sign yet of an outbreak. The model, which some are saying could be used at other schools across the U.S., includes random testing for students and staff, and introducing mobile testing units in neighborhoods where tests have come back positive.
http://nycreopens.com/drag-queens-and-restaurateurs-an-unlikely-partnership-amid-the-pandemic
Eli Rallo
NYC Reopens
25 September 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
In New York, restaurateurs who have struggled to stay open amid the coronavirus pandemic are partnering with drag performers who have lost work due to the pandemic to offer patrons a new dining experience while also trying to increase business. The dining performances are offered outdoors and some restaurant owners are hoping to continue the partnership even after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/16/coronavirus-covid-economic-impact-recession-south-korea-success
Morten Soendergaard Larsen
Foreign Policy
16 September 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
South Korea's economic growth is one of the few that have not stagnated or declined during the coronavirus pandemic. Although much of this is due to how effectively the country handled containment protocols from the start, the overall fiscal response – which included encouraging residents to reinvest government payouts in local businesses – also played a significant role. In one province, this included using non-cash payments "that could only be spent in shops inside the region, rather than as cash that could be hoarded."
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3099745/coronavirus-work-obsessed-japanese-learn-take-things
Julian Ryall
South China Morning Post
2 September 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
The Japanese government is embracing the idea of "workation" trips for employees across industries as a means to "help the travel industry and keep the economy ticking" as the country moves forward in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Discounts for various travel resources have encouraged 4.2 million people to try out the idea which has been made even more feasible due to the widespread adoption of remote teleworking.
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/21401242/andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-covid-pandemic-new-york
German Lopez
Vox
2 September 2020
Text / Over 3000 Words
Although public health experts agree that New York was initially slow to implement protocols to protect citizens from COVID-19, they also agree that the state was able to gain control over the virus due to the actions the governor and the public eventually took. Protocols that have proved successful for the state include a mask mandate, a stay-at-home order and a delay in reopeneing businesses despite a decrease in cases.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/16/nation/beating-back-covid-19-new-york-emerges-leader
Dasia Moore
Kay Lazar
The Boston Globe
16 August 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
New York's success in eventually controlling the spread of coronavirus can be attributed to a few key factors. Unlike Massachusetts, which experienced fluctuating COVID-19 infections on its way to recovery, New York has had a steady decline. Strict social distancing guidelines and tough enforcement of businesses that did not adhere to the rules, proved effective in keeping infection rates low. NY also banned indoor dining which was allowed as early as June in MA.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/13/opinion/beating-coronavirus-with-knives-forks-moving-tables
Mary Ann Sorrentino
The Boston Globe
13 August 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island are "repurposing parking lots, waterfronts, and any adjacent land where an al fresco meal can be savored, public health preserved, and restaurant profits protected" during the coronavirus pandemic. Collaborative efforts by various elected officials, health officials, and emergency responders are making the idea to repurpose outdoor areas feasible, and some restaurants have already projected a significant success in profits.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/10/900882499/in-new-zealand-life-is-ordinary-again-after-101-days-with-no-community-spread
Laurel Wamsley
NPR
10 August 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
New Zealand has been able to nearly eradicate Covid-19 due to rapid intervention strategies taken by the government that were predicated on quickly identifying clusters of cases and implementing rigorous contact tracing. Although the country went 101 days without a single case reported, a few cases have once again surfaced. However, because residents had already been using a contact tracing smartphone app and were "encouraged to add masks to their emergency kits," many were prepared for the onset of any new cases.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/dartmouth-is-the-blueprint-for-nfl-success-in-2020-yes-dartmouth-11596628811
Andrew Beaton
Wall Street Journal
5 August 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Dartmouth College's football team reduced injuries and began winning more games after the coaching staff implemented non-contact tactics into practices, such as using robotic tackling dummies in place of the players themselves. The practice was already gaining recognition from other schools, but amid the coronavirus, the NFL is now trying out similar protocols too.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/renters-unions
Andrew Kersley
Wired
9 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Renters' unions in the United Kingdom have provided more aide recently because the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated problems facing renters. The Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now is one of the largest renters’ unions in the UK and has been helping members fight illegal evictions and stop landlords from breaking lockdown rules. The group fears a “glut of evictions” when the government lifts restrictions. There are many renters’ unions in the UK, which might dilute their effectiveness, and the combined membership in the thousands is just a small fraction of Britain’s 4.5 million renters.
https://montanafreepress.org/2020/06/11/outside-of-the-boxes
Alex Sakariassen
Montana Free Press
11 June 2020
Text / Over 3000 Words
Throughout the United States, health care professionals are beginning to prescribe "time outdoors" as a remedy for physical and mental illnesses in place of pharmaceuticals. Due to the stressors caused by Covid-19, this prescription – which is already being used in 32 states – could begin to play an even larger role in "the health care industry’s approach to treatment."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-06-05/netherlands-coronavirus-lockdown-dutch-followed-the-rules
Paul Tullis
Bloomberg Businessweek
5 June 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
The Netherlands approach of balancing the potential for future economic hardship with the current risk of Covid-19 spreading has appeared to have helped the country to flatten the curve of cases faster than other areas that implemented mandatory lockdown measures. Although critics of this "controlled distribution" approach point out that the country has still seen thousands of deaths and could see future waves of outbreaks, at this point in time, "the Netherlands has both flattened the curve and kept life tolerable."
https://montanafreepress.org/2020/06/02/where-do-we-grow-from-here
Emily Stifler Wolfe
Montana Free Press
2 June 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In Montana, a group of professionals were brought together to collaborate on the pandemic recovery effort underway in Bozeman, with the economic development director at the helm. Known as the Bozeman Economic Recovery and Resiliency Team, the group is comprised of 25 members including business leaders, local and state government officials, education leadership, and representatives from tourism and childcare industries, among others. The group was formed at the outset of the pandemic to efficiently communicate constantly-shifting information, ascertain needs, and manage local recovery efforts.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/asia/coronavirus-vietnam-intl-hnk/index.html
Nectar Gan
CNN
30 May 2020
Multi-Media / 800-1500 Words
Thanks to a speedy early containment effort, rigorous contact tracing and quarantine policies, and effective public communications, Vietnam suffered zero COVID-19 deaths through the first four-plus months of the crisis and a relatively low infection rate overall. The country’s success, notable especially in light of its modest economic and healthcare conditions, began with a strict three-week national lockdown. Since then, businesses and schools reopened, under social-distancing rules. Throughout, the country's elaborate propaganda network spread hygiene messages to a public accustomed to viral outbreaks.
https://www.paginasiete.bo/gente/2020/5/27/campo-verde-la-cuarentena-con-canasta-de-alimentos-una-agencia-de-empleo-virtual-256648.html#
Ivone Juárez
Página Siete
27 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
En un suburbio al sur de La Paz, una comunidad de vecinos creó Campo Verde, una iniciativa para ayudar a las familias pobres a tener la comida necesaria cada mes durante la pandemia. A través de un nuevo grupo de Facebook, se coordinan para ayudar a tantas familias como sea posible, mientras que los últimos todavía esperan una ayuda prometida del Gobierno que dura demasiado. Este artículo explica cómo se creó Campo Verde y cómo funciona.
https://www.redaccion.com.ar/ensenar-a-leer-y-escribir-en-casa-como-se-las-ingenian-las-familias-de-un-millon-y-medio-de-ninos-y-ninas
Stella Bin
Red/Acción
27 May 2020
Multi-Media / 1500-3000 Words
Este informe muestra cómo los maestros de educación temprana se ocupan de cuidar a sus alumnos a través de Internet en el año en que sus estudiantes aprenden a leer. Las madres se convierten en maestras y las maestras guían todo digitalmente.
https://www.nacion.com/blogs/el-explicador/que-es-el-plasma-convaleciente-que-costa-rica-ya/HULPD2QUARHXNMSRX7CK4QE6GU/story
Fabrice Le Lous
La Nación (Costa Rica)
27 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
El artículo explica cómo funciona la plasmaféresis para el tratamiento de pacientes con COVID-19, desde un punto de vista científico e inmunológico, y por qué podría ayudar a la recuperación de pacientes críticos. Este tratamiento ya ha ayudado a pacientes en Austria, Reino Unido y Chile.
https://www.redaccion.com.ar/una-red-de-emprendedores-de-la-villa-31-se-organizo-para-seguir-produciendo-y-hacer-envios-a-toda-la-ciudad
Florencia Tuchin
Red/Acción
25 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Este artículo explica cómo una red de 13 empresarios y empresarias unieron esfuerzos para desarrollar un sistema de entrega de sus productos en Villa 31 en Buenos Aires, una zona particularmente afectada por la pandemia.
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/countries-defeating-coronavirus-finland-croatia-new-zealand-vietnam-canada
Will Doig
Reasons to be Cheerful
22 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
During the onset of the pandemic, countries around the world took a variety of different measures to protect its citizens and economies. While some countries continue to be negatively affected by the coronavirus, places like Vietnam, Canada, Croatia, Finland, and New Zealand reacted by taking restrictive measures from the start and have successfully contained the virus. Responses include distributing funds to individuals and businesses on the honors system, closing down everything except grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies, as well as rapid implementation of widespread testing.
https://www.mediacites.fr/solutions/national/2020/05/20/poureux-cuisiner-un-bon-petit-plat-pour-les-sdf-de-sa-ville
Marie Tranchant
Médiacités
20 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Né au début du confinement à Lyon, Lille et Paris, le mouvement #PourEux s’est étendu petit à petit dans plusieurs villes de France et d’ailleurs. Le principe est simple et sans engagement : des bénévoles cuisinent une part de plus, des livreurs viennent chercher le panier repas et l’offrent à un sans-abri ou une personne précaire.
https://www.historiasquelaten.com/sanar-en-la-distancia
Carla Contreras
Historias que laten
19 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Tres iniciativas digitales de "telemedicina" han brindado atención médica gratuita a más de 70,000 venezolanos durante la crisis de COVID-19, en un país donde el 70% de los hospitales reciben servicio de agua solo dos veces por semana, y donde el 96% de la población informa que tiene problemas con el servicio de agua. El artículo explora cómo funcionan como una solución digital en medio de la pandemia.
https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/salud/armas-de-costa-rica-ante-la-pandemia/6DTFBBZPORHA7NREHXCBUI7CPI/story
Ángela Ávalos
La Nación (Costa Rica)
17 May 2020
Multi-Media / 1500-3000 Words
Costa Rica ha demostrado un manejo ejemplar de la pandemia: menos de 900 casos, más del 65% se recuperaron y solo 10 fallecieron (1,1%). Un sistema de salud centralizado y universal, más de 1,000 clínicas satélites coordinadas dentro del sistema de salud, las acciones tempranas y la disciplina de los habitantes han sido clave. Este reportaje incluye todas las medidas y las explica.
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/deportes-52695058
Emlyn Begley
BBC
17 May 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
El fútbol de élite alemán volvió a la acción el 16 de mayo. Es el primer país en reiniciar los deportes de élite en el hemisferio occidental, y la NBA, la MLB y más ligas deportivas profesionales de todo el mundo están estudiando sus 50 páginas de "protocolo de coronavirus". Este artículo explica cómo funciona.
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