ABSTRACT
This article examines theatre as a creative journalistic media deployed by theatre practitioners to map experiences of Zimbabweans during the COVID-19-induced lockdown. When the first positive case of COVID-19 was reported in March 2020, the Zimbabwe government, like many other countries, responded by introducing restrictions for public gatherings and ultimately a lockdown including arts events. Yet, theatricality has refused to capitulate. Artists re-invented their theatre productions into theatrical comic and satirical works posted on various social media platforms, in an effort to make sense of the pandemic, bring laughter and address a serious complex situation. We examine how artists deployed theatre to journal, capture and document the citizen’s collective experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, for both the present and posterity. We are specifically interested in analysing the different ways art is deployed to provide entertainment, a broader understanding and awareness of the social, psychological and economic impact of COVID-19 for the present and future generations. © 2022 Intellect Ltd.
ABSTRACT
This is a critical appraisal of a manuscript outlining additional indicators used in the United States to augment traditional disease surveillance tools. The article went through the peer-review process. Therefore, it may be considered as objective and unbiased. The structure of the article is coherent, and it was published in a journal for digital medicine, health, and health care in the internet age. The article has contributed to the literature and provides a basis for strengthening existing surveillance systems to improve public health outcomes. However, it is suggested that whenever new indicators are being developed, their essential components must be fully defined.