We are all aware of the worldwide pandemic that is taking over our 2020. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is very real and very dangerous. Most young people, even kids at our high school in DeForest, think that since we are young Coronavirus isn’t detrimental to us and schools don’t even need to be closed. But in fact, that’s an ignorant statement.  

According to US News “Many people can get the coronavirus and not display symptoms or only have mild cases. These people – including those who are younger – can unknowingly spread it to others.” This means that if you are at school with your friends and one of them had COVID-19 without realizing because either symptoms haven’t shown yet. Or it’s a mild case, they could infect you and who knows how many others.

 Then you would take that home and infect the people in your household – which can include your parents,  who have a higher risk of death because they are older. And what if they visit your grandparents, who have an even higher risk of death? According to the CDC, “Older people and people with underlying health conditions appear to be about twice as likely to develop serious outcomes versus otherwise younger”. That all could happen if schools were still open. 

This virus is prone to affecting people with a preexisting health condition, and according to American progress ¨about 51 percent of the non-elderly population had at least one pre-existing condition in 2014.¨ So if we reopen schools too soon, kids with preexisting health conditions will be forced to put their lives on the line.  

On the other hand, I understand how some students, especially the senior class of 2020, would want the schools to still be open. Because of the Coronavirus, they are missing major milestones in their life including a formal graduation. Last sports events, prom, and most importantly having time with all their friends before they go separate ways. Not to mention working 12 years to get to senior year only to have it ripped away from them in the cruelest way.

But in all reality, it’s safer this way. With schools closed, practicing social distancing and quarantining, we have a higher chance of protecting the ones we love, not to mention ourselves as well. The sooner we all take this seriously the sooner life can get back to normal.