While the worldwide pandemic has been affecting almost every layer of society, it has also given rise to a new type of pandemic-based street art. Creative and touching art pieces have been spotted all around the globe, showing messages of hope, frustration, and respect. Such artwork can be seen on large walls, empty public spaces, and on the side of buildings in most countries affected by the pandemic.

Artist Corie Mattie Created Her Street Art in Less Than 48 Hours

One art piece is nothing more than a bright yellow wall with black words in a bold font, shouting for attention. Another represents a figure wearing a face mask and sunglasses, with an open coat that reveals the word “HOPE.” A mural by artist Corie Mattie has been spotted on a wall in West Hollywood, California. Mattie actually painted her masterpiece in less than 48 hours. Artists like her continue looking for suitable walls to deliver their messages.

It’s noteworthy that throughout human history, artists have often reacted to times of great turmoil by depicting their emotions on public edifices, walls, and buildings. Such street art can be found on both the walls of ancient Pompeii and the subways cars of New York. The current pandemic has given rise to a unique trend with many of the artwork featuring masks, grimaced viruses, and messages of solidarity.

Many Unique Trends Can Be Spotted in the Pandemic-Based Street Art

It’s uplifting to see creative artists around the world expressing themselves publicly through their street art, and some of the pieces are truly stunning and thought-inspiring. The artwork often depicts the feelings of the people, including their love for the healthcare workers, frustration at the crisis, and cynicism for the politicians, while other pieces are simply focused on encouragement.

Despite how long the current pandemic might last, one thing is certain — the direct, witty, and poignant messages of these mostly unknown street artists will remain timeless, showing that while the streets may have been devoid of people and traffic, they were not devoid of humanity.

In 2015, Amtrak changed its pet policy, and all the adventurous pet lovers breathed a sigh of relief. Not only could dogs and cats legally join a scenic train ride through the USA, but taking the train is also the better option for the environment because of the fewer CO2 emissions.

Amtrak Expanded Its Onboard Pet Program Even More

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation is looking for all the new passengers it can get with ridership still down to about 75% and yes, this means more dogs and cats. The company has expanded its onboard pet program to include weekday Acela trains.

Up until now, small pets in carriers were only allowed on weekend Acela trains, but as of March 2021, pets are allowed seven days a week on regular Northwest Corridor trains.

Pet Fare Options & More Details

Only dogs and cats under 20 pounds are allowed during the trip, and the pets must be in their carriers at all times. The one-way trip for each animal costs $26 or 800 Amtrak reward points.

An important thing to mention is that pets are not allowed in first-class or cafe cars even if they’re in carriers. Also, onboard pets are currently limited to eight per departure and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.

Before traveling, pet owners are required to sign a pet release and indemnification agreement that includes agreeing to pay for cleaning up any messes a pet makes. Also, the pet owners should confirm that their pets are not aggressive and are fully vaccinated.

Since the first onboard pet program launched on the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak has registered over 174,300 pets traveling with their human companions, generating more than $4.4 million in fare revenue.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, Amtrak has a safety protocol including its new standard of travel developed with Georgetown University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health that covers sanitation and other safety procedures.