Quick Take:
EVENT RECAP: Watch Lookout’s event chronicling pandemic life — and read our key takeaways from the panelists.
Has pandemic life taken its toll on you and yours? Lookout has an antidote of sorts.
On Wednesday, Feb. 24, our news organization hosted its “People in the Pandemic” forum featuring Yoso Wellness Spa owner Jennalee Dahlen, Santa Cruz County EMS medical director Dr. David Ghilarducci, comedian and events producer DNA, Watsonville High School counselor and Hospice of Santa Cruz County board member Daisy Nuñez, and Rabbi Paula Marcus of Temple Beth El in Aptos — have seen their ups and downs because of COVID-19.
If missed the event, you can watch it below:
Our panelists offered up pearls of wisdom and information on various topics. Here’s a snapshot:
Dr. David Ghilarducci, Santa Cruz County EMS Medical Director
“Some people have been dissatisfied with the vaccine rollout, as have I, but we have a pathwork health care system so why would we expect the vaccine rollout to be any different? It’s been tough and I know it’s getting better, and I’m really encouraged that people are anxious to get vaccinated.”
Read more of Lookout’s virus and vaccine coverage here.
Daisy Nuñez, Watsonville High School counsellor
“We’re all wired for connection, and school closures have created a barrier (between students and their peers and teachers). What I would recommend for parents is to establish healthy self-care routines because while motivation can come and go, having those routines in place provide predictability.”
Read Lookout’s profile of Daisy here.
DNA, comedian
“I’ve had so many friends I’ve lost in the last six months. It’s crazy. (Some) to COVID, and I’ve also lost people to QAnon who went down that rabbit hole and they’re gone. That is the crux of this pandemic. It’s loss.”
Read Lookout’s past coverage of DNA and his comedy lab.
Jennalee Dahlen, owner of Yoso Wellness Spa
“(Business owners) are finding a challenge in this time and a need for a life pivot, a personal pivot, a professional pivot, and turning it into an evolution. So I chose with Yoso that instead of taking a complete pivot … let’s evolve.”
Read Lookout’s past coverage of Jennalee and Yoso Wellness Spa here.
Rabbi Paula Marcus, Temple Beth El
“What I’ve noticed is that there’s some ways in which the vulnerability is more accessible on a screen than in person. People can sometimes share more when they’re not having to look at the whole person … I think that’s something that we also have to acknowledge when we’re talking about hope and gratitude.”
Read Lookout’s ‘21 for 21’ profile of Rabbi Paula here.
Lookout also wants to thank our media partners, all community-supporting organizations who helped to make this event possible:
Event Santa Cruz, DigitalNEST, Miller Maxfield Inc., Visit Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Bank, Allterra Solar, Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Choose Santa Cruz, Think Local First, K&D Landscaping, Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce, Santa Cruz County Business Council, Capitola Soquel Chamber of Commerce, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership