The short writings below are ordered starting from the most recent.
            
                                          Our actions can save lives. To protect ourselves and others,
                                          please wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance.


                                  WHO Declares an E End to COVID-19 as a Global Health Emergency 
                            On 5/5/2023, WHO declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency.
                                "However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat."
                        Appreciate this moment together with deep gratitude, continuous reflection, and learning.

                                                End of COVID-19 State of Emergency in California                                        
                     On 2/28/2023, three years into the pandemic, California's COVID-19 state of emergency ended.
                 Nationally, this is also moving in the same direction with the pandemic emergency to end on May 11, 2023.
                                        However, this does not mean the virus is gone completely.
                       Individual precautions in high-risk situations are still recommended by health experts.
                                            San Diego Moved Out from COVID-10 High Risk Level
        As the BA.5 surge recedes, both the COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases in San Diego have decreased.
                      On August 17, 2022, the county has moved from the highest risk tier down to the medium tier.       
    Hopefully, the downward trend will continue and San Diego can move down to the low tier in the near future.

                                              San Diego Has Moved to COVID-19 High-Risk Level
On July 14, 2022, San Diego has been moved to COVID-19 high-risk level by the CDC due to a continued increase
                                                         of confirmed cases and hospitalizations.
                        To protect ourselves and the people around us, we should continue taking precautions
                                                                to slow the spread of the virus.

                                          BA.4 and BA.5 Subvariants Become Dominant in the U.S.
      As of June 2022, there has been an increasing number of cases in the US caused by the Omicron subvariants,
                                                                            BA.4 and BA.5.
   BA.4 and BA.5 were originally detected in South Africa, and have now been detected throughout the entire world.
     BA.4 and BA.5 have appeared to escape antibodies from both previous COVID-19 infections and vaccinations,
                                                   and are thus especially stealthy and dangerous.

                                           San Diego Moves up to Medium Community Risk Level                                   
                                    On 5/25/2022, there were 1,897 confirmed cases reported in San Diego.                      
                          As cases continue to increase, the county has moved up to a medium community risk level.
                 The medium risk level means that the county should consider higher levels of protective measures.
   
                                                                COVID-19 Cases on the Rise in San Diego  
COVID-19 cases are now rising in San Diego with thousands of cases reported in the county the first week of May 2022.
                                 In order to help detect and prevent the virus as the number of cases rise,
                                                      doctors share tools to aid these endeavors.

                                                       Immune Protection Against COVID-19
                   Researchers have been studying how well our immunity can protect us against COVID-19.
       These studies have been made from different perspectives, such as how protection holds up against infection
        if a person has received a different vaccine, protection against hospitalization with low immune functioning,
                                                       immune protection after the infection, etc.

                                                               New COVID-19 Variant XE                              
                               A new COVID-19 variant has now been found in U.K., India, and Thailand.
                                     As of April, 2022, there has been 600+ XE cases detected in U.K.
      XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2, and researchers are now monitoring this new variant closely.
                                                How to Prepare for the New Wave of COVID-19                            
                                Due to BA.2, the next wave of COVID-19 is spreading through parts of U.S.
               Though the virus is unpredictable, there are important approaches to protect ourselves and others.
     

                                                            New Potential COVID-19 Wave                 
                  Due to the new BA.2 variant, COVID-19 cases are now surging in some European countries.
                          Like before, there could be similar waves in the U.S, following those in Europe.
                              Meanwhile, scientists are researching key questions about the new variant..                                                            
                                               During these times, let's be proactive and keep safe.

                                                                Two Years into Pandemic
                                     On March 11, 2020, WHO had declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
                                                Now, it's March 2022, two years into the pandemic.
         Over the past two years, there have been 6 million deaths globally. This is not just a number, but represents
                                                    tragic losses to families and other individuals.
        Over past the two years, healthcare workers have worked days and nights, risking their own lives to others.
     Over the past two years, scientists have raced against time and COVID-19 by producing vaccines, treatments,
                                                                    and valuable research.
    As WHO director said, the pandemic is not over yet — "it will not be over anywhere until it's over everywhere."

                                               Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children                 
                    Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) is a condition associated with COVID-19.
                          MIS is rare but serious, affecting both adults (MIS-A) and children (MIS-C)
                                                       with MIS-C more common than MIS-A.
           As of 3/1/2022, there has been 7459 MIS-C patients in the U.S. with the median age being 9 years.
      MIS-C could be life-threatening, so parents need to be especially vigilant and watch out for their children.

                                                        Be Careful about the BA.2 Variant 
 BA.2, a strain of the Omicron variant, is about 30% more transmissible than BA.1, the original Omicron variant.         
                 The cases caused by BA.2 have been increasing, and new studies have been conducted on it.                 
                     It's important to pay  attention to BA.2 and to continue keeping our guards up.                                  
    
                                                                        Mask Wearing
                       Wearing masks have been proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.
          Although some mask regulations are loosening, the CDC still recommends to wear masks in areas
                                  of substantial or high transmission, as well as in educational settings.
                                                                    Stay safe, everyone!
                                   
                                             Masks Provide Best Protection Against Covid-19         
           As we all know, wearing masks while indoors can serve as great protection against COVID-19.     
       On 2/4/2022, the CDC said that based on a study that was conducted by the California Department of
                 Public Health, high-quality N95 and KN95 masks are proven to provide the highest and
                                                           best protection against the virus.
                                                           
                                                      The Stealthy Omicron Variant, BA.2      
    As of 1/28/2022, there have been at least 120+ cases of BA.2 (a version of Omicron variant) detected
       in almost half of the U.S states. BA.2 is considered to be a stealthier version of Omicron because it's
                                              harder to detect due to its particular genetic traits.
                               Health experts have now been keeping BA.2 under close observation.

           As we all know, masks are integral in protecting ourselves and others from the COVID-19 virus,
especially with the highly transmissible Omicron variant that has been spurring high infections and hospitalizations.
                                  On 1/14/2022, CDC updated their masks guidance for the public.
   In the updated guidelines, the highly-protective N95 or KN95 masks are recommended for highest effectiveness.
                          High quality masks are extra layers of protection for us. Stay safe, everyone!

                                                    Step Up and re-dedicate to the Precautions
     As of 1/11/2022, there were 145,982 COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide, surpassing last winter's peak. 
    In San Diego county, there were also a record number of daily new cases with more than 19k on January 9th and
                            17k on January 10th, as well as an increasing number of hospitalizations.
             As the county public health officer said, "We must all step up now and re-dedicate ourselves
                                                    to the precautions that we know work."

                                                County Daily COVID-19 Cases Passed 8000
                  The U.S. reported over 1 million new daily COVID-19 cases this Monday (1/3/2022).
                  In San Diego county, the daily cases passed 8000 this week as well on January 1 and 4.
                              The COVID-19 total hospitals has passed 700 this week in the county.
           We have to be very careful about this, especially as hospitals are becoming more strained and stressed.
                                                                Stay safe, everyone!

                                                Pfizer High Efficacy of COVID Antiviral Pill
           On 12/14/2021, Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 Antiviral pills (Paxlovid) reduced the risk of
            hospitalization and death by 89% for adults with high-risk severe COVID-19. This was done from
                                                         the final analysis of its clinical trial.
           It is also likely to work against the Omicron variant as shown from the recent lab data results.

                If the FDA authorizes the drug, it could be available in the U.S. by the end of the year.

                                                           Omicron Cases in San Diego                 
        As of 12/10/2021, there have been two Omicron cases identified in San Diego county.
        The first local case had recently traveled abroad, while the second didn't have travel history.
As the county public health officer warned: "This case confirmed that the Omicron variant is now
     spreading in the community." We should continue to take the recommended precautions.

                                                  20+ Omicron Confirmed Cases in the U.S.
        The first U.S. cases of Omicron were detected in California's San Francisco area on 12/1/2021.       
                  As of 12/4/2021, there have been 20+ confirmed Omicron cases in 12 U.S. states.
      Intense research of this new variant has begun, and we will know more about it in the near future.

                                                                      Omicron Variant    
On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new variant of concern: Omicron.
              Omicron was first identified by South Africa and has since been detected in Czech Republic,
           United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Hong Kong; it adds new peril to this holiday season.
                Researchers are now following this new heavily mutated variant more closely as it spreads.

                                                                    Thanksgiving, 2021                 
    Thanksgiving 2021 is coming. I've always kept gratitude in my heart, but especially more so these past couple
of years. I appreciate all those who are helping each other, helping their community, and helping our nation as well
     as the world. During this holiday season, we should show our appreciation and gratitude with our hearts and
                                          with what we can do to celebrate Thanksgiving safely.
                                                        
                                                             Stay Safe During the Holidays
Holidays are coming, so when we celebrate the holidays and get together with our friends and family, please stay safe.
      According to the CDC, "By working together, we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health
                                                  as well as the health of our family and friends.

                                                COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5-11 Years Old
           The CDC has officially endorsed the Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11 years old on November 2, 2021.
                       The Pfizer vaccine for children is one-third of the dose that's used for teens and adults
                                               and will be in bottles with orange labels and tops.
In San Diego as of 11/3/2021, the Rady Children's Hospital has already started to vaccinate children in this age group.

                      Pfizer's COVID-19 Oral Pill Significantly Reduced Risk of Hospitalization or Death
              On Friday (11/5/2021), Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate demonstrated a
  significant reduction in hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk adults through its interim analysis of a phase 2/3 study.
          Pfizer will ask the FDA to authorize its pill as soon as possible. Most COVID-19 treatments currently need
               injection or IV, so it will be important advancement to have oral pills treating COVID-19 early on and
                                                      speeding up recovery, thus saving lives!

                                            U.S. FDA Authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 for Young Kids
On 10/29/2021, FDA authorized the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.
                                      This makes the vaccine available to 28 million children in the U.S.
                        The vaccine for children is a smaller dose than the one for those that are 12 and older.
                                              The series also consists of two doses given 3 weeks apart.

                                           CDC Released New Guidelines for Winter Holiday Season
                               On 10/15/21, the CDC released a new guideline for this winter holiday season.
                                According to CDC, by working together to wear masks and get vaccinated,
                      we can enjoy safer vacations and protect our own health, as well as our family and friends.
                                                     
                                                      Merck Antiviral Pill to Fight COVID-19 
                                 
                                                         San Diego COVID-19 Deaths Exceed 4,000    
                         As of 9/17/2021, San Diego County marked a grim marker of 4,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Since March 1, more than 96% of hospitalizations and 89% of deaths have occurred in people who are not fully vaccinated.
        By this Friday, 77% of San Diegans 12 years or older had fully vaccinated, and 87% had at least one dose.
                            
                                        COVID-19 Hospitalizations Reach an Eight-Month High in U.S.
               U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations have more than doubled in August 2021. Every hour on average
           over the past week, 500+ people who were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 were hospitalized.
               At the end of August 2021, U.S. COVID-19 hospitalization hit eight-month high over 100,000.
  Again, we really need to take the current situation seriously and commit ourselves to what has been proven to work.
                                                                           Stay safe everyone!
                                                Electronic Vaccine Cards are Coming to CA Residents
      California launches a "Digital COVID-19 Vaccine" system, a new approach for people to keep track of the
                vaccination status online.The electronic vaccine card could be used as a convenient alternative
                                                             and backup for the paper vaccine card.
                                      
                                           
                                                                         Vaccine For Adolescents
           Earlier in May, Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine became available for adolescents. Recently,
on 5/25/2021, Moderna said that its "COVID-19 vaccine [is now] safe and effective for 12-17 year adolescents".
                        The findings will be submitted to the FDA for emergency approval in early June.
                   Both Pfizer and Moderna have also started trials in young children (6-month to 11 year)
                                                       which will hopefully see results in the near future.

                                                          Another New COVID-19 Variant Detected
             There have been four COVID-19 variants identified of global concern, including those that have
          emerged in Britain, Indian, South Africa, and Brazil. On May 29, 2021, health officials confirmed that
              Vietnam has detected a new COVID-19 variant that is a hybrid of the Indian and UK variants.
           This new variant spreads quickly in air and is more transmissible than previously detected variants.


                                                  Vaccine is Now Available to Children 12 to 15
           FDA has authorized the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 12 to 15 year old children.
                                     The first shot for children 12+ will be on Thursday (5/13/2021).
        As a pediatric infectious disease expert said, "This is really important piece of coronavirus prevention.
       When we vaccinate children, we don't just protect them. We protect their parents and their grandparents."
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Global scientists and researchers have been continuing to work on ways to stop the pandemic, and a Pfizer antiviral
treatment pill for COVID-19 is under clinical trial now. As the chief scientific officer of the company said, "Tracking
           COVID-19 requires both prevention via vaccine and targeted treatment for those who contract the virus."
                      Depending on the success of the clinical trials and approval of FDA, the oral antiviral pill
                                                     could be available to the public by the end of 2021.

                                                  Moved Down to the Red Tier, but Continue to Do Our Part
      On 3/17/2021, our county has been moved into less restrictive Red Tier after staying in the most restrict Purple Tier for
                             four months! Business and schools will be opening with capacity limits and precautions.
                                                 However, we will still need to do our parts to protect each other.
As the county public health officer said, "the relaxing of restrictions should not encourage San Diegans to let their guard down.
  We are urging community members to continue to do their part, get vaccinated once they are eligible and take the necessary
           vaccinated once they are eligible and take the necessary precautions to avoid getting and spreading COVID-19."                 
                                             
                                                    Google Doodle Celebrates Surgical Face Mask Pioneer
     Over a century ago, Dr. Wu Lien-teh invented the surgical face mask that was used to fight off the Manchurian plaque
  and is the precursor to the N95 mask we have today. One hundred years later, surgical face coverings are still widely used
                in our battle against COVID-19. On 3/10/2021, Google doodle celebrated Dr. Wu's 142nd birthday
                                    to commemorate him for saving so many lives, both back then and now.
                          We are so grateful for Dr. Wu, and he "remains as much of a hero now as he was then."
                                                 In the Right Direction on the Path to the Lower Tier
                                        As of Tuesday's (3/2/2021), San Diego will stay in the Purple Tier
                        due to 10.8 case rate, which is higher than the required case rate of 7 to switch to the Red tier.
                 However, our community is heading in the right direction and we are now on the path to the lower tier.
         We can see the COVID-19 cases are dropping in our community as more and more people are receiving vaccines.
Again, "it is vital we continue to do everything we can to slow the spread and continue our forward progress and momentum."


                                               Federal Transportation Mask Mandate Issued by CDC
  The CDC issued on 1/29/2021 that a federal transportation mask mandate will effective starting next week (Feb. 1, 2021).
    "People traveling within or out of the United States must wear face masks while on conveyances and at transportation
hubs to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares,
                                          as well as subway stations, airports and other transportation hubs."
                                                   The key objective is the "preservation of human life."

                                              COVID-19 Deaths Hit Record-High in San Diego County
               On January 22, 2021, there was a record-high of 79 COVID-19 deaths in San Diego county. As of this
     Friday, there have been 222,578 total cases and 2300+ deaths in the county. Furthermore, "these record numbers could
      are from people who were initially infected around the Christmas and New Years Day holidays." In the near future,
              we will see more vaccination sites available locally, and more people could potentially obtain vaccines.
          However, we should not completely rely on the vaccines. We still need to do everything we can do to protect
                                        ourselves and others, continuing to social distance and wear a mask.

                                                               Lingering Symptoms of COVID-19    
           Researchers that followed COVOD-19 hospital patients after their acute infection for six months found that
75% of patients still have at least one symptom. The research paper was published on January 08, 2021 on The Lancet.      
           The researches are worried about the unknown future for these patients who still have lingering physical and
      psychological problems due to COVID-19, and they are not sure how long it will take them to fully recover.
    COVID-19 is much more dangerous than many think. and I hope everyone realizes this. Stay very cautious and safe!

                                                                         Another Record High
                      During the first week of 2021, there has been several days that have witnessed more than
         4000 daily new confirmed cases. On January 8th, there was a record high of 4550 cases in San Diego alone.
       There are 185,000+ COVID-19 total confirmed cases and 1700+ deaths in the country now. Hospitalizations are
                                  increasing dramatically, and the numbers of ICU beds are almost exhausted.
                                      We really need to take the virus and the current situation seriously and
                                     commit ourselves to what has been proven to work. Stay safe everyone!

                                                              New COVID-19 Variant Affects Locally
             As told, the new and even more infectious variant of COVID-19, which was first identified in the U.K,
        is spreading around the world very fast. It has spread to dozens of countries already. Now, at the end of 2020,
                                                        this variant has been detected in San Diego County.
     The health experts say that "it is already spreading in the community," and emphasized that "we need to continue
       the social distancing, we need to continue to wear the face mask to protect ourselves, to protect others as well, and
                                                                            we need to it better."


                                                        COVID-19's Mysterious Long-Term Effects
  COVID-19 has had long-term effects on many people, even including those who had no or mild symptoms and are young.
                     It affects not only the lung, but also many other organs such as the heart, digestive system, kidneys,
   and the nervous system. Post-acute COVID-19, also called "long COVID," is a multi-organ system disease that could
last for a long period of time. Scientists and doctors are trying to crack down on long COVID's devastating second effects
     and finding explanations for its symptoms. They found that the "immune-system activity and ensuing inflammation
                                  continue to affect organs or the nervous system even after the virus is gone."           
                     
                                                                        The Pleads of a Doctor
               On Thanksgiving, a doctor from Texas who had worked for 256 days non-stop cradled an elderly
    patient who, on top of feeling the horrible effects of the virus, was combating isolation as well. The doctor pleaded
                                             with people to just "do the basic things" to avoid infection.
           This doctor is only one of hardworking healthcare workers who are risking their lives everyday. This elderly
    patient is only one of the elderly people who have been infected by COVID-19, which is even more deadly to them.
Please DON'T think that COVID-19 is only a "mild flu." Some people may even be asymptomatic, but can still rapidly
spread the virus to other people around them. Please think about thousands, and even millions of other people like this
            elderly patient, this doctor, as well as their families as you follow health and safety guidelines.
As the doctor put it, "'it's very simple. If people can do that health care workers like me will be able to -- hopefully rest.'"                      
                                                                A Quarter-million COVID-19 Lost
                As of November 18, 2020, there has been a quarter-million COVID-19 deaths in the United States alone.
                   The number of deaths may even be an underestimate of the total impact of the pandemic on mortality.
         CDC researchers have done studies on the excess deaths that have occurred from late January through the beginning
       of October. According to the research, at least 2 out of 3 of the excess deaths in the US during that period of time were
        caused by COVID-19. "CDC continues to recommend to use masks, frequent handwashing and maintenance of social
                                                                  distancing to prevent COVID-19."


                                                                         Coronavirus Antibody Decline
                                Can people build immunity against COVID-19? Will the herd immunity strategy work?
                  There have been people around the world who have gotten reinfected by COVID-19 within a few months.
                   According to a U.K. study, antibodies against the coronavirus may actually decline after people recover.

                                                                        COVID-19 Collides with Flu Season
                                        San Diego's total confirmed cases has reached above 50,000 on 10/11/2020.
                                       Fall is here, and winter is approaching quickly, and flu season is coming soon.
                                    When COVID-19 collides with flu season, there will be many more uncertainties.
                          Though we don't know exactly what will happen, all the preventive measures, such as wearing
                a mask, washing your hands frequently, social distancing, etc., will continue to be of utmost importance.
  
                                                                    Never Downplay or Dismiss the Virus
                            The COVID-19 virus is both cruel and cunning. People's lives, families, and countries
                          will be at a huge risk if we downplay or dismiss it. No matter who we are, our actions will
                     affect not only ourselves, but also the people, the community, and the country around us. Hope all
                    of those infected will recover soon. Hope all those who've lost family and friends will also recover.

                                                                        COVID-19 Digital Head-up
                In September 2020, UCSD launched a pilot smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification program.
            It will be used to "help rapidly control COVID-19 outbreaks." This is definitely a great example how technology
    can help society, especially during the pandemic. It is very important to be aware and keep track of the COVID-19 status
  around you, so this will be very helpful in preventing and controlling the spread of the virus. There have been no outbreaks
          at UCSD so far. "If UC San Diego’s program is successful, the state may decide to offer similar notifications to
                                                                        residents across the state."

                                                                                    200,000 Lost
   As of 9/22/2020, there have been 200,000 people in U.S. who've lost their lives due to COVID-19 (since February, 2020).
     "It's an enormous and tragic loss of life." A global health and epidemiology expert said, "Many of the U.S. COVID-19 deaths
               likely would have been prevented by widespread use of face masks, social distancing and other measures."
             Let's all do our part in combating the pandemic: wear a mask when going out, social distance, and keep safe!
       
                                                            Closing, Opening, Re-closing,  Re-Opening...
                                                                           Where are we going next?
           Since March 2020, San Diego has gone through a lot - constant closings, openings, re-closings, and re-openings.
       Now, it is September 20th, 2020, and the rate of the county's cases is still pretty high. It is believed that San Diego may
                     backslide to the Purple Substantial Tier 1. On Sept. 22, the county's case rate was re-evaluated.
                  "The county reported 6.9 new daily cases per 100,000 population, just 0.1 away from the dreaded
         “purple” tier, the state’s most restrictive." So, San Diego will stay in the Red Tier for at least one more week.