About the Project
As the urgency of the Covid pandemic recedes, the world is reckoning with the scars the virus has left on public health. In “1,374 Days: My Life with Long Covid,” designer Giorgia Lupi used symptom-brushstrokes to visualize over three years of obsessive journaling of her long Covid experience, viscerally illuminating what life is like for those suddenly struck by a mysterious, post-viral chronic illness.
As an information visualization expert, Ms. Lupi turned to data as her chosen tool to understand the contours of her new life. She kept meticulous records in a massive, multi-column Google spreadsheet, which were transformed for this piece into brushstrokes rendered by custom WebGL shaders onto a massive interactive calendar of her symptoms and medical procedures over three years. This innovative use of data visualization enlightened readers about the complexities of a novel chronic illness.
The guest essay incorporates medical records from Ms. Lupi’s tests and procedures, interviews with her doctors, magnified imagery of her bloodwork demonstrating anomalies in her body’s immune response, as well as an interactive chorus of patient voices from Ms. Lupi’s long Covid community. These voices, sharing their hopes for their own lives, given the prompt: “I hope I will be able to ______ again,” made the urgency of the issue palpable.
Judges Comments
It’s best in class for online commentary, using data visualization and illustrations in the best possible way. The more artistic charts really helped frame the concept so readers could understand the story better, adding texture. In a vast continuum of coverage of COVID, it stands out above the rest.
My Life With Long Covid
Organization
The New York Times
Award
Online Commentary, Personal Narrative
Program
2024
Entry Links
View EntryLink 1
About the Project
As the urgency of the Covid pandemic recedes, the world is reckoning with the scars the virus has left on public health. In “1,374 Days: My Life with Long Covid,” designer Giorgia Lupi used symptom-brushstrokes to visualize over three years of obsessive journaling of her long Covid experience, viscerally illuminating what life is like for those suddenly struck by a mysterious, post-viral chronic illness.
As an information visualization expert, Ms. Lupi turned to data as her chosen tool to understand the contours of her new life. She kept meticulous records in a massive, multi-column Google spreadsheet, which were transformed for this piece into brushstrokes rendered by custom WebGL shaders onto a massive interactive calendar of her symptoms and medical procedures over three years. This innovative use of data visualization enlightened readers about the complexities of a novel chronic illness.
The guest essay incorporates medical records from Ms. Lupi’s tests and procedures, interviews with her doctors, magnified imagery of her bloodwork demonstrating anomalies in her body’s immune response, as well as an interactive chorus of patient voices from Ms. Lupi’s long Covid community. These voices, sharing their hopes for their own lives, given the prompt: “I hope I will be able to ______ again,” made the urgency of the issue palpable.
Judges Comments
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