Tag: pandemic

Embracing digital in the age of COVID-19

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date April 2, 2020
1 Comment on Embracing digital in the age of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered many illusions and exposed the weaknesses of human society. It has also destroyed all our excuses for not embracing digital.

Our world has changed. And in the weeks since governments implemented physical distancing and lockdowns, millions have learned to adapt to a new digital lifestyle.

Some of us have been working from home for years. Well, from anywhere, actually, in my case. So we may not realize just how disruptive this has been for many people. I’ve been advocating and trying to live a digital lifestyle since the late 90s. Nicholas Negroponte’s “Being Digital“, which was published in 1995, made a big impact on me when I read it. And yet even I’m amazed by how quickly society ended up embracing digital when it was forced to do so.

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Gaming

Game companies, WHO unveil #PlayApartTogether

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 30, 2020
1 Comment on Game companies, WHO unveil #PlayApartTogether

Pocket Gems is one of the game companies supporting the #PlayApartTogether campaign. Image credit: Pocket Gems via Business Wire

Time for gamers to become real-life heroes. Game companies have joined forces with the World Health Organization to launch the #PlayApartTogether campaign. By disseminating WHO’s health guidelines to their vast network of players, they hope to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re at a crucial moment in defining outcomes of this pandemic. Games industry companies have a global audience - we encourage all to #PlayApartTogether. More physical distancing + other measures will help to flatten the curve + save lives,” WHO Ambassador for Global Strategy Ray Chambers tweeted.

Through games, the #PlayApartTogether campaign will promote preventive measures such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.

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Tags #PlayApartTogether, computer games, coronavirus, covid-19, game companies, game industry, games, gaming industry, mobile games, novel coronavirus, pandemic, video games, WHO, World Health Organization

Science Technology

Coronavirus denial and the new normal

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 27, 2020
4 Comments on Coronavirus denial and the new normal

Photo credit: Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com

Many of us are still in denial about the coronavirus pandemic. And this coronavirus denial is the deadlier disease.

The world has changed. This is the new normal. This isn’t something that will blow over in a few weeks or months. This is actually the World War III that nations never planned for, because we were so complacent despite previous outbreaks.

Yes, we should remain hopeful, live one day at a time, and encourage and help each other so that we can overcome this crisis. But we can only fix a problem if we stop denying that it exists. It’s better to face the bitter truth than to tell ourselves comforting lies.

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Tags coronavirus, coronavirus denial, covid-19, denial, novel coronavirus, pandemic, quarantine, social distancing

A Life Less Analog Science Technology

How to practice mindfulness amid the coronavirus crisis

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 26, 2020
2 Comments on How to practice mindfulness amid the coronavirus crisis

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to take better care of our mental health. Now, more than ever, we need to learn how to practice mindfulness.

Thankfully, online community Mindful Manila is helping people deal with the stress of living in this urban jungle. Coping with anxiety has become even important in the age of social distancing and the enhanced community quarantine.

“I love the idea of being able to gather like-minded people and kindred spirits in a single space, even if it’s online. And now we’re proving that we can converge, converse, and connect even if we’re physically miles apart,” Niña Terol, the creator of Mindful Manila, shared via email.

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Tags anxiety, Cathy Babao, coronavirus, covid-19, Facebook event, how to practice mindfulness, live chat, live stream, mental health, Mindful Manila, Mindful Monday, mindfulness, Nina Terol, novel coronavirus, online communities, pandemic, Robert Buenaventura

Technology

Online giving: 5 simple ways to use technology for good

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 23, 2020
5 Comments on Online giving: 5 simple ways to use technology for good

(Editor’s note: A different version of this article on online giving was originally published on TessDrive.com. Reposted with permission.)

Online giving allows us to make a difference—sometimes, with the simplest of acts.

That’s how powerful technology is. And that’s how connected we all are.

Here are five simple ways you can take advantage of online giving to help people even while staying home because of the enhanced community quarantine.

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Tags AmazonSmile, charity, coronavirus, covid-19, donations, Ecosia, Facebook, Facebook Fundraisers, Folding@home, fundraisers, Gava, novel coronavirus, online giving, pandemic, search engine, technology, technology for good

Technology

Tech startups helping Filipinos cope with quarantine

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 20, 2020
1 Comment on Tech startups helping Filipinos cope with quarantine

With the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon forcing us to stay home, these eight tech startups can be a godsend.

More and more Filipinos have been embracing ecommerce over the years. Expect online services to become even more popular in the age of social distancing and quarantines due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Need to buy groceries? Have food delivered? Or have someone run errands, or make repairs? Find out how foodpanda, Gawin.ph, GrabFood/GrabExpress, LalaFood/Lalamove, Lazada (LazMart), MEDIFI, MetroMart, and MyKuya can make life a bit easier for you in these unusual times.

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Science Technology

Mental health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 17, 2020
4 Comments on Mental health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic

Apart from our physical health, it is important to protect our mental health in the face of the novel coronavirus crisis.

Anxiety is on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s easy to become sad, overwhelmed, frustrated, fearful, or angry. The problem, however, is even more compounded for those with existing mental health conditions.

Recognizing the stress that this crisis is generating, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for supporting mental and psychological well-being.

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Tags anxiety, anxiety disorders, coronavirus, covid-19, depression, mental health, mental health conditions, mental health issues, mental health problems, novel coronavirus, pandemic, stress

Science Technology

Coronavirus: The end of the world as we know it?

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 16, 2020
12 Comments on Coronavirus: The end of the world as we know it?

Photo credit: Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com

I firmly believe that how humanity responds to the novel coronavirus will change the course of history.

No, the world won’t end because of this pandemic. But we have to face the fact that COVID-19 is already changing the world as we know it.

Things may never be the same.

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Tags anti-science, coronavirus, covid-19, fact-resistant humans, novel coronavirus, pandemic, science

A Life Less Analog Technology

Social distancing in the time of coronavirus

Post author By Joey Alarilla
Post date March 12, 2020
2 Comments on Social distancing in the time of coronavirus

Social distancing is one of our best weapons these days as the world battles the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing, cancellation of events, working from home. These can help stop or slow down the spread of COVID-19, which is now a global pandemic. The World Health Organization has advised us to maintain social distancing. We are supposed to keep a one-meter (three feet) distance between ourselves and someone who is coughing or sneezing.

Today, March 12, we are celebrating the 31st birthday of the World Wide Web. We certainly should be thankful to Sir Tim Berners-Lee for inventing the World Wide Web. Imagine how much worse the situation would be if we weren’t able to keep working or communicating online.

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Tags coronavirus, covid-19, flattening the curve, novel coronavirus, pandemic, social distancing, WHO, World Health Organization