The impact of COVID 19
Identify the impact of COVID 19 on your city. Identify, explain, and show how
the spread of this virus, and efforts to thwart it, have altered the experience of urban life in your community, no
matter where it is you live. Choose ONE or ALL of the following research paths:
1. COVID 19 has impacted my community in regards to how space is being used.
2. COVID 19 has impacted how people interact with each other.
3. COVID 19 makes the inequality of the urban landscape more pronounced.
4. COVID 19 has encouraged new strategies and efforts that reshape how we use our communities.
After you’ve chosen one of the four categories above, you must safely go into the field and make your
observations. Wear a mask and maintain social distancing or observe repeatedly from a safe location. I’m not
asking you to do anything unsafe. Take photos and detailed notes. Meticulously document what is going on. Be
thorough. Don’t just drive through an area quickly or write about what you think you already know. That is not
what we’re looking for. I want a detailed explanation, approximately 1,500 words, telling me exactly what you
see, what is happening, who is involved, etc. How has COVID 19 changed urban space as you see/use it? For
example, if you choose #1, (how COVID19 has impacted your community in regards to how space is being
used)
Explain how space was being used before and how it is being used now. Write
about what you carefully observed. Describe. Describe. Describe. Don’t be vague. Convince me of what is
taking place. Just how is urban space being used differently? Look closely. Focus in on a block, a storefront, an
intersection, a school, a street vendor, a bus stop, the bus itself, or anything that you deem important to your
study.
Sample Solution
The impact of COVID 19
Cities are home to most of the world population and are centers of economic growth and innovation. However, the high concentration of people and activities in cities make them vulnerable to various stressors such as natural and man-made disasters. Since the first case of the Coronavirus disease identified in the late 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, it has become a fully-fledged pandemic that has rapidly swept through many countries (Lu et al., 2020). Given the high concentration of population and economic activities in cities, they are often hotspots of COVID-19 infections. COVID-19 has impacted how people interact with each other. Effective communication has always been the key to all healthy relationships. During the mandatory quarantine, many individuals are working from home with little to no face-to-face interactions, except with their families.
