“I am concerned that one of my children or husband will become infected and die with Coronavirus,” says Maria Oseguera. She is a housewife, mother and owner of a house cleaning business in the city of Madison, Wisconsin. Like her and other matriarchs in the community, they are very anxious about the uncertainty and the many doubts this pandemic has created using fear to totally immobilize this city, state and the rest of the country.
Maria Oseguera
María Oseguera married to José González. Children, Dayelin González, Andy González and Zoé González.
After the pandemic will you go back to work?
Yes, of course I will work, with the necessary measures.
How has life changed since the quarantine began?
Uuuffff has changed a lot, has changed the way I work and my normal life, well it’s not normal anymore.
What lesson have I learned?
Rather I have not learned. I think we should take care of what we have. And to appreciate everything around us.
How should I prepare to receive another coronavirus pandemic?
Well I think we already have the experience, we already know what is coming, we should have the essential things.
Is the Latino community ready for another pandemic?
Well, I don’t know if we will be financially prepared. I don’t think we can recover from all this. But I think that if we have to reflect and put the hard work in because it is not easy.
What worries me?
What worries me most is losing my family, my children, my husband, or even losing my life.
What question do I have?
In case of contagion, what kind of help do we Latinos have taking into account that with the president we don’t count or matter who we should ask for help.
What are the key tabs of the desktop and mobile app? COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect (CWC) desktop and mobile apps was developed by the Center for Health Enhancement System Studies (CHESS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The app consists of seven sections or tabs:
● Discussion Rooms
● All About COVID-19
● COVID-19 Fact Checker
● Prevent & Protect
● Calming – by Healthy Minds Innovations
● Resource Center
● Coping (coming soon)
What is unique about this app? COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect is different from other COVID-19 apps and programs in that it provides a holistic collection of local support from Wisconsin friends, family and neighbors, along with vetted information and resources for best practices from trusted government and health experts.
Most widely available apps only track symptoms, outbreaks and death toll data. COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect provides tools to help Wisconsinites cope with physical distancing and isolation by connecting them with other Wisconsinites in a localized discussion board. It debunks myths circulating on social media in Wisconsin and provides streamlined access to vetted information so Wisconsinites can stay informed. In addition, meditations allow users to stay ‘in app’ to get free, vital relaxation exercises.
Topline Summary COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect Features
● Discussion Rooms: a live, open, yet anonymous, chat group which allows Wisconsinites to both get help and help others, and ask and answer questions. It is moderated by experts in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, public health, and communications.
● COVID-19 Fact Checker: a digest of information, in both English and Spanish, that separates COVID facts from fiction, as provided by communication experts who identify misinformation on social media, specifically in Wisconsin, and provide facts to address it.
● Calming – by Healthy Minds Innovations: audio meditations to teach the skills of stress reduction, resilience, and social connectedness.
● Prevent & Protect: at-a-glance tutorials for prevention techniques, which will include some Spanish language features.
● Resource Center: additional resources, such as health statistics, sobriety support and help for victims of domestic violence (also offered in Spanish and Hmong languages).
● All About COVID-19: From symptoms to recovery, this offers step-by-step instructions, a screening tool and symptom tracking logs. Information is provided through a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (also offered in Spanish, Hmong and Chinese Mandarin languages).
“Behind-the-Scenes” Details
COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect Features
Discussion Rooms:
In the Discussion Rooms section, Wisconsinites can connect with and support each other. Users can anonymously ask questions and provide answers, share experiences and voice concerns in real time. Based on previous studies conducted by CHESS, this unique mutual support feature provides significant quality of life and health outcomes. Even writing simple messages, expressing friendship and asking questions can make a difference, according to CHESS researchers.
The Discussion Rooms section is a safe space moderated by experts in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, public health, social work and communications. The moderators can help answer questions, point users to information and resources, ensure proper online etiquette, correct misinformation and work to keep the atmosphere inclusive. The moderators receive frequent updates from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to best respond to new questions that arise.
To learn more about the moderators, visit the About section of COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect to view more details.
COVID-19 Fact Checker: This ‘misinformation’ section of the app debunks COVID-19 myths to ensure the safety of Wisconsin communities. Misinformation is any information that has been proven to be factually incorrect. This is a unique and powerful feature, offered in both English and Spanish, tailored to accurately inform Wisconsinites about COVID-19.
A team of communication experts from the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal at the University of Wisconsin-Madison conduct research to identify key COVID-19 questions and misinformation circulating on social media in the state. The team then corrects the misinformation, using vetted content from experts at leading health and government sources. The goal is to debunk COVID-19 myths circulating in Wisconsin and provide information from credible organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DHS. There will be weekly updates to this section.
Calming: provided by the Healthy Minds Innovations This section features guided meditations, provided by Healthy Minds Innovations. These guided practices are backed by decades of research from the Center for Healthy Minds at University of Wisconsin-Madison, led by world-renowned neuroscientist and New York Times Best Seller Dr. Richard Davidson.
The goal is to teach the skills of stress reduction, resilience, and social connectedness to Wisconsinites during this challenging time. There are six featured audio relaxation practices, five to 12 minutes in length, specifically developed for the COVID-19 pandemic:
· Compassion in Challenging Times
· Calm in the Midst of Chaos
· Clarity in Uncertain Times
· Lean on Your Values
· A True Break
· Checking in With Yourself
All About COVID-19: Designed to give Wisconsinites everything they need to know about COVID-19, this section is provided in partnership with DHS in English, Spanish and Hmong. It features step-by-step instructions for proper health practices recommended by government officials and a screening tool with logs for tracking symptoms. In addition, users can find helpful articles, such as:
● What Are the Symptoms?
● Health Screener: Do you Think You’re Sick?
● Getting Tested
● What to do While Waiting For Test Results
● If You Are Diagnosed with COVID-19
● Contact Tracing: What It Is, Why It Matters
● If Someone You Live With Has COVID-19
● If You’ve Had Close Contact with a Sick Person
● Quarantine Timeline
Prevent & Protect: The Prevent & Protect section provides at-a-glance tutorials for COVID-19 prevention techniques, recommended by leading health and government officials to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep Wisconsinites healthy and safe. Some elements are offered in Spanish. This section section also covers “how to” information and tips, such as how to:
● properly wash one’s hands
● wear a mask
● cover coughs and sneezes
● stay safe while shopping
● stay safe at work
● keep things clean at home
Resource Center: The Resource Center section is a hub of additional resources that are specific and highly relevant for Wisconsinites, such as health statistics, sobriety support and help for victims of domestic violence. Some features are in Spanish and Hmong. Due to the sheer amount of COVID-19 information on the internet, the Resource Center section of this program is a navigator to best
external sources of information, such as American Psychological Association guidance on managing stress, Alcoholics Anonymous connections to online support meetings and Medicare coverage for COVID-19.