I get it. We are sick and tired of this pandemic. “Six feet apart.” “Don’t get too close.” “Socially distance.” We are social creatures who long for interaction and connection with others. Quarantining ourselves from others has been frustrating, especially when it seems like there is no end to this outbreak.
But as vaccines are rolling out and the COVID-19 cases in America are declining, it is as if we can finally see the finish line. On February 19, analysis from Johns Hopkins University revealed the US as having a 29% decrease in cases from the week prior: the most significant decline the US had seen in the prior seven days. With the addition of administering almost 60 million vaccines throughout the country, we seem to be near the last stretch of recovering from this contagion. At Columbus Academy, most of our teachers received their second vaccine shot during the last week of February.
As spring break approaches, I am certain that you want to hangout with all your friends, escape Ohio to go to vacation places that may be COVID hotspots, and live life as you did pre-pandemic. But these actions are irresponsible and will only harm you in the future when you hear that cases have gone up after break. Although we personally may not be at high risk if we contract the coronavirus, we have to think of the millions of Americans that are–from our classmates’ parents to our staff and teachers. Our actions affect more people than we may think, and we should not let all the progress we have made individually as a school, and as a country go to waste when we are so close to the end.
Ask yourself if it’s worth it to be the reason someone’s parents or grandparents become attached to a ventilator and trying to breathe as you were sunkissed on the beach.
Our simple actions can either increase or delay our progress towards not only a recovered, healthy country, but also the atmosphere of a fun, social environment at school.
But if we want to have Friday night football games, Prom, Homecoming, pep rallies and musicals, and even sitting together in a crowded lounge filled with friends and classmates, we must stay vigilant and to be safe.
