This country has been in quarantine for almost an entire year, and it’s crazy to think about how long we’ve gone without that in-person socialization. Whether you live at home or on campus, your actions are not only affecting yourself. Just because COVID-19 has been known to affect young people less than the older generations, that is no reason to be going out. If you are still one of those people that thinks they’re an exception to the rule, I need you to take a step back and rethink.
Many Colleges and Universities made the decision to require quarantine and Covid testing at the start of this Spring Semester. In response to Connecticut College’s COVID-19 regulations, the dean of students, Victor Arcelus, states, “All of that is to help minimize the amount of COVID-19 that’s going to come onto campus.” The fall semester was a trial run to see what worked well and what didn’t. Schools are hoping by making proper adjustments they can slow the spread of the Coronavirus on their own campus. The administration can do everything in their power to keep everyone healthy and safe, but if the students don’t follow their rules, then it won’t even matter.
According to the New York Times, the average amount of COVID-related deaths in America per day is 3,156. About 441,000 people have died from the coronavirus in this country. No one is saying you will singlehandedly stop the spread of the virus, but limiting your exposure to those outside your pod will for sure go a long way. We all need to collectively stop going out while there is still a pandemic actively spreading around. You may think you’re not putting anyone in harm’s way by hanging out with friends, but in reality, it’s doing a lot more harm than you may think.
Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you test negative, that does not mean there’s a 100% chance you don’t have COVID-19 in your system. According to UC health, it is possible to receive a false negative when you have a very low viral load. This refers to the amount of the virus that was obtained in the testing sample. This normally happens in the first few days of infection or near the end of the infectious period. Although these results are not common, they are possible and therefore could happen to you.
Quarantine is not putting an end to your social calendar. It’s merely just requiring you to adjust your plans and consider virtual or socially distant options. Instead of a movie night out with friends, opt for a movie night over facetime or a Netflix party. Instead of grabbing dinner with people that aren’t in your immediate circle, try ordering take out and have a zoom call. There are plenty of ways you can both be safe and have fun. I know it’s not the ideal situation to spend your “prime years”, but it’s not going to last forever. If everyone starts being safe, then it won’t be too long until we can all be out there having fun again.
Going to a party, a bar, or anywhere there’s a chance you could catch COVID-19 is a huge risk for you, your housemates, and anyone you encounter. There is now a new variant spreading like wildfire that originated in the United Kingdom. Bloomberg reports that this new strain affects a higher proportion of people under 20. Children and young adults seem to be more susceptible to this new variant, which means it will spread a lot faster through schools if a student catches it. It is also more transmissible than the first variant. It is spreading around much faster than before.
Day after day we are all reminded to take proper COVID precautions every single time we leave our room. Some people tend to just brush these reminders off as suggestions. I urge you to please reconsider your actions. We are in a global pandemic and partying is not worth risking someone’s life over.