Socioeconomic and Political Dimensions of Covid-19 Dispersion

This study aims to provide an understanding of how certain factors lead to the formation of clusters of areas of COVID-19 dispersion to guide policy decisions and government actions. It utilized an ecological study design that analyzes data at the population or group level. The units of observation are the barangays in Cebu City. These barangays are the nodes in the network and the edge considered is the presence of areas of convergence. In order to identify the nodes for this study, data mining was done to get the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Cebu City from the Cebu City Health Office as of May23, 2020. Only thirty-nine (39) barangays with COVID-19 cases were included in the study. Results revealed that although public and private transportation is controlled during the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine, it is assumed that the spread started prior to the implementation of strict prohibitions which led to the rise of cases later on. Even at the time of the strict community quarantine restrictions, economic activities related to basic necessities were still allowed. For instance, public markets were open with prohibitions related to schedules only. This implies that people are still mobile at certain times despite the presence of restrictions. People still converge in areas where economic activities are present.

"I Use YouTube Now in COVID": Understanding Technology Adoption of Indigenous Communities during COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

Indigenous communities in Bangladesh are comparatively disadvantaged and face several barriers regarding rights. Access to technology and ICT can help indigenous communities open new economic, political, and social dimensions. The recent COVID-19 pandemic necessitated technology adoption for routine use, which is equally important for indigenous communities, but their technology adoption scenario remains unexplored in HCI research. Considering the research gap, we interviewed n=36 (Female 26 and Male 10) indigenous people from six different indigenous communities in Chattogarm and Sylhet divisions in Bangladesh. We found that they are strongly connected in communities, have independent technology access, and have no gender differences. They have a strong interest and eagerness to learn available technologies that help them in their professions, enrich their technical skills, communication, social participation, and expand the business. The study also revealed some challenges while using technology, but that did not negatively impact their usage. The study also discussed the community-centric strengths that helped them fight against the COVID-19 crisis and work for their development. This research impacts HCI literature, revealing the technology adoption scenarios of Indigenous communities in Bangladesh. © 2022 ACM.