Non-Fiction Writing

How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected US Citizens?

By: Sami Friedman-Wellisch

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the lives of people all around the world, affecting individuals in myriad ways. COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, it is highly contagious, and can be transmitted from person to person. Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking, extreme fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell. In the United States, the government has sent out regulations and recommendations, while researchers are making new discoveries almost daily. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s lives because it has forced people to stay home, to make decisions about how they, as an individual, are going to help, and society is filled with uncertainty.

Because COVID-19 is incredibly contagious, governments have ordered that their constituents isolate in order to maintain safety. Because of this, people are working from home and are instructed to practice social distancing. According to the New York Times, social distancing means putting space between you and other people. In terms of the virus, it means a minimum of six feet should be maintained at all times. It also implies that people have to limit the time they spend with others, and make sure not to go to places where there are big social gatherings.

Government recommendations and regulations, such as social distancing, have affected people differently based on their jobs and ages. Most jobs have altered their work so that it can be done virtually, and schools are closed until the fall. Nora Malone, a freshman at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School expressed that, “My education is obviously not as good…The things I’m learning right now are the things I’m never going to fully understand because it’s really hard to teach yourself things.” Maia Feik Reinhart, a freshman at the same school, agreed, “I’m worried because all of these classes build on each other and I’m worried I’m not going to have as strong a foundation… I feel like my education is being compromised.” Teachers did not expect to be out of school for such a long time, and because of that, it has been difficult for them to plan work for their students and also make time for their personal lives. Teachers cannot hold discussions with their students, nor see raised hands or have individual conferences. Students often have a shorter attention span when learning online because it is impossible to get a change of scenery or take a break. They are not used to virtual classes, and have experienced a lack of motivation and difficulty understanding new material. Some students face the added struggle of not having access to learning necessities when forced to remain in their homes. These inequities include lack of wifi access, language barriers, and special education obstacles``. Students whose parents are essential workers may have younger siblings to take care of. When school is closed, students do not have ways of accessing the help they normally get during the school year. Students cannot learn or work as productively as they are used to, and therefore will fall behind the curriculum.

Adults who are retired are experiencing the worldwide closure in a very different way, in which they are unable to maintain exercise, yet can connect with the people around them in new ways. Randy Freedman, who is retired in Pennsylvania, has found positive aspects of being in isolation, “We’ve really felt a sense of community because when someone’s going to the grocery store, they’ll say you know I’m going, do you need anything…We’re sharing as community in a way we haven’t before.” She explained that she and her husband, Howard, only leave the house to go to the grocery store, and even then, they prefer to get their food delivered. Barbara Friedman, a 91 year old retired lawyer, provides a fourth perspective. As a senior, she liked to find ways to get out of the house, and had spent time volunteering. Since quarantine began, it has been difficult for her to find ways to get out of the house while still staying safe. She is stuck in the house all day every day, and the only means of connection with friends or family is via technology that she is not used to. On the bright side, Ms. Friedman is grateful that her family has gotten closer together by talking more often and maintaining connections. Each person is responding to government regulations in their own way and experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic uniquely. Regardless of age, everyone is struggling with something during this closure, however isolation has forced some people to look for the positive aspects and bond with the people in their communities.

As the pandemic evolves, people are trying to find the best ways to maintain a lifestyle close to normal, but are unable to prevent changes in their daily lifestyle as well as the way they act and think. It is difficult for people to find means of motivation without seeing other people, and therefore it is nearly impossible to stay physically active while keeping up with school or work. Jeremy Friedman-Wellisch, a 7th grader in Cambridge, expressed, “I’m super out of shape and my sleep schedule is ruined. I go to sleep at 12:15 and wake up at 9…” He also said that he has been “making sure to do a workout everyday because I can’t get my energy out by running.” His twin sister, Maggie Friedman-Wellisch, added, “I think I’ve gained weight because I haven’t had the motivation to do workouts.” Both siblings agreed that, although they are both very athletic during the school year, they have had trouble finding ways to motivate themselves to stay in shape and on top of their school work without a set schedule for each day. In a separate interview, Maia Feik Reinhart noted, “it’s weird not getting up at the same time every day.” Since students do not have school, many have stopped setting alarms, are staying up later, and are sleeping later than usual. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing students to change the way they live their lives by making it difficult to maintain a productive routine.

A positive aspect of isolation is that families have had more time to spend all together. Maggie and Jeremy Friedman-Wellisch spoke about having more time for family games and movie nights as well as having more time to bond and make memories, with the family as a whole and with their siblings. Another way that people have changed in the way they think is that they are more grateful for the people around them. Carolyn Bloomberg-O’Brien, a teacher in Cambridge, realized that, as much as she loves and cares for her friends, “the people I really need are living in my house.” In contrast, Nora Malone noted that the people she’s been more grateful for are “the people that I see everyday that I’m not friends with, who I don’t have contact with. I get to see them, you get to talk to them.” She recalled walking through the hallways at school, and talking with people who she is no longer in contact with now that school is closed. Everyone is experiencing isolation differently, with many shared difficulties such as a lack of contact with friends. Isolation is reminding individuals of the important people in their lives, and making them more appreciative of daily life, as well as connecting them with their families.

For many people, one of the hardest parts of being in isolation is the uncertainty. No one knows when they will be allowed out of isolation, when schools will begin, and work will reopen. Additionally, no one knows what it will be like when the pandemic is over. When asked when she thought the isolation would conclude, Carolyn Bloomberg-O’Brien responded, “I don’t know. I don’t think until June or July at the very earliest.” In contrast, Jeremy Friedman-Wellisch hoped it would end closer to May or June. Interviewees were then asked if they thought life would go back to normal once quarantine was over. Barbara Friedman explained, “I think there’s going to be new normals. Something like this changes people too much…Something like this scars you inside.” She assumed that people might get used to being in solitude and would be less communicative. Although no one really knows, most people agreed with Maggie Friedman-Wellisch that, “I don’t think everything will go back to normal, I think we all will change from this virus. I think it’ll be over soon.” Bloomberg-O’Brien elaborated, “I think it’ll either be that people quickly forget everything we learned about our society…or nothing will ever be the same again…I think this will change us like the way 9/11 changed us.” Most people agreed that the isolation will last a long time, and people will be more appreciative of things they used to take for granted. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge of confusion and uncertainty that affects people’s daily lives by altering society.

Doctors and other healthcare workers are experiencing some of the most drastic, and difficult changes, by isolating from their families and loved ones while working to keep everyone else safe. At Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, doctors are being deployed to the hospital in one week shifts. Each shift is from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm for seven days, and then the doctor gets a week off, which they spend in isolation to make sure they did not contract the virus. On April 20, Rick Wellisch, a primary care doctor, started his week at the hospital. He took notes about his experience, both in the hospital and after work. After his first day, Dr. Wellisch recalled his emotions, “Anxious enough that I barely slept. Managing very ill patients with a disease that is virtually unknown to me despite 25 years of training.” As a doctor, he has been attending virtual sessions of “COVID school” for an hour three times a week, to make sure he stays up to date with the new research. Like all other doctors and scientists, there is still so much about the disease that he does not know. When working directly with COVID patients, doctors have to wear personal protective equipment, or PPE, to make sure they do not contract the illness. The PPE included “Booties to cover my shoes, a net to cover my hair (the little [I] have left!); a pair of gloves that would become my second pair of hands, a N-95 respirator mask, a head shield with a large plastic frame around my head, and a plexiglass visor that covered the entirety of my face to my chest. A gown, a second pair of gloves, and I was ready.” The protective equipment would ensure he did not get sick, but was not comfortable. Dr. Wellisch explained that the mask made it difficult to breathe and the shield was heavy around his head. Although uncomfortable, the PPE was the only thing keeping him from contracting the virus, and therefore was potentially saving his life.

Health care workers are being isolated from their families for weeks to keep them safe while working to keep patients alive. On the evening of April 20th, Dr. Wellisch arrived home from work, and for the first time was unable to hug his family, as they were safely inside the house and he had to stay outside the glass doors to talk to them before entering through the basement where he was staying. He explained that, “I feel so proud of them [my kids] for rising to the challenge of compensating for the absence of the usual chef at home, and for the absence of a parent. It is hard also not being to share my day with my husband in the usual way… Being apart, despite the FaceTime and telephone, is probably the hardest of all.” Like many other doctors, Dr. Wellisch felt that the hardest part about working in the hospital is the isolation and not being able to share his day with his family. Despite the equipment and safety precautions doctors take, they still have to remain isolated after working with COVID patients as an added precaution. Like many other healthcare providers, Dr. Wellisch decided to take it one day at a time, do the right thing, and fight the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the lives of almost all people in the United States and the world. It has caused schools and work to shut down, and people are forced to work from home. People cannot go outside as much, and it is harder to find ways to get exercise. Students have lost motivation and have trouble staying in shape. No one knows when the pandemic will end, and people are filled with uncertainty. Doctors and patients are separated from their families, and are staying in isolation. Everyone must work together to stop this global pandemic. Whether by staying home, practicing social distancing, or helping others get daily necessities, everyone must pitch in. By causing mandatory isolation, loss of motivation, unpredictability and uneasiness, and pressuring people to make difficult decisions, the COVID-19 pandemic has already changed society in so many ways.

Covid-19 Statement

By: Stachine Nael-Fleurimond

Covid-19 is a very dangerous contagious virus and people do not seem to care nor take it seriously because they think it does not have an affect on them when it does. At first, I did not care because it was not that bad, but people are not staying inside because staying inside is weird when we are used to going out everyday. People are losing jobs because of this and are not able to even pay their rent. Lives are being put on the line for nurses and doctors and others who are forced to work during this pandemic. No one is taking this seriously and no one is realizing the effect it has on our society until someone they know has it. There are only cons to this topic because it is so deadly and upsetting.

If people stay home and follow the rules we would have been going back to our regular daily routine, but no one is listening. What do we have to do to make people stay inside during this pandemic? Nothing is stopping these people from going out. Literally nothing. When this is over no one is going to be the same. People won’t be the same because either they lost loved ones to corona or they are still paranoid it will be hard for us to adjust to the outside world again. If we all follow the rules and stay in we will be out in no time. Grocery stores are barely restocking. It is hard for all of us but we have to work together during this time.

The Developing World Coronavirus Paradox

By: Shirine Daghmouri

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, many people, including myself, were particularly worried about how developing countries would handle this pandemic. Because they have fewer resources accessible, less funding in hospitals, and struggling economies, how could these countries be expected to deal with overcrowded hospitals, a staggering loss of jobs, ensuring that people stay home, and ordering civilians to take precautions? When I saw how Italy was handling this situation and the chaos that they were dealing with, I was worried about Tunisia, since most of my family lives there. The fact that Tunisia and Italy are so close geographically added to this stress, as well.

I remember one particular phone call with my grandfather that shocked me. This was when we were still in school (early March), and Massachusetts had not announced anything other than “wash your hands, keep your distance” guidelines, despite the US having over 100 cases at the time. In Tunisia, on the other hand, my grandfather told me that schools and restaurants were closed. This worried me. So I asked him how many cases Tunisia had and he said something like only eight. In the entire country. Tunisia is a somewhat small country, but still I found his answer shocking. And here I was, still going to school while there were probably eight cases in Cambridge alone. I remember even thinking, “the Tunisian government is being a little dramatic…” But I also felt a huge sense of relief hearing that the Tunisian government had taken what, at the time, seemed like extreme precautions. Looking back at this, it was not extreme. Tunisia acted out of necessity and looking back, it helped them avoid many casualties.

Personally, I think that the US is handling this situation far worse than Tunisia, which is funny considering that people were worried for African countries. Of course, Tunisia is only one country, but it can be used as an example of how a small, developing country can use their past experiences and economic disadvantages to their favor. Knowing that they would not be able to control their nation if there was a huge outbreak of the coronavirus, the Tunisian government took action as soon as possible. The United States, on the other hand, waited until the situation was already extreme to actually treat it with the proper attention.

I interviewed Sara Liman Masmoudi, the CEO of a group in the Health field (Killani Group), more specifically in the pharmaceutical industry and president of the National Pharmaceutical Industry Chamber, which works as a union for manufacturers in Tunisia. Since she is an expert regarding the pharmaceutical industry. She used the example of drug production in Tunisia to demonstrate the importance of industrial independence in poorer nations. When asked what the access to medications and what the industry looks like in Tunisia she responded that, “ …if you consider that 75% of the drugs sold here are manufactured here, it is a high rate. We have autonomy in that field. In terms of availability of the products that independance saved us from facing the logistic issues that many other countries fighting against this epidemic are facing right now.” By being independent with the production of these drugs, Tunisia is able to rely on themselves and not other countries which is crucial in a time like this.

A country that isn't very powerful or wealthy can't really push other nations to do things. Tunisia has a population of almost 11 million people. As Masmoudi said, “We [Tunisia] cannot play this game and in a crisis like this one, I cannot imagine, if we did not have this pharmaceutical industry autonomy, how difficult our situation would have been and the problems we would face.” This “game” that she refers to is the process of relying on other countries such as India and China for resources such as the ones used in medicine that many countries including the United States rely on them for. She continued by explaining that other countries such as France have leverage on others because of their economic and political power. Tunisia does not have this luxury. Or as she says it, “We, as a small country, do not have that power on other international actors. They [France and other European nations] can afford this choice, which is an even more rational choice for them knowing the extremely high cost of production in Europe.” Masmoudi explains that sometimes this political power goes to their heads and “then they start to let the production be made outside. I have to check the numbers but roughly 10% of the drugs sold in France are manufactured in France, which is absolutely crazy.” She ended by saying: “It starts slowly and one day you realize that you are relying almost totally on other countries.”

Although globalization is often praised and used to measure the importance of a nation; in a global crisis such as the COVID 19 pandemic; globalization comes with a price. By relying on their internal production, the Tunisian government and industries were able to handle this crisis more effectively than the US. The United States and many European countries trade and import products and resources with others, in my eyes, when it gets to an extreme amount; it compromises their economic independence and ability to weather a global crisis.

The Pandemic and the Environment

By: Lara Artigas

Since the mid-1800’s, toxic emissions coming from factories, vehicles, and power plants have been noticeably rising, ruining the air and water quality of countless cities and towns. Ecosystems began to deteriorate under the pressure of the rising quantity of CO2 in the atmosphere. The oceans acidity increased due to chemical runoffs and oil being dumped into the ocean. Even though all of these things were known effects of rising amounts of air pollutants piling up and suffocating our planet, humans still decided that making profit was more important than preserving our own oceans, forests, and even the lives of people and animals. For years, there have been many examples of people putting making money over the well-being of others. Corrupt minds have always had the most power and money, and it is taking a toll on our Earth.

Coronavirus has offered our world a moment of peace while the population shelters in place in their own homes. Factories have closed, flights have been cancelled, and oil and coal mines have stopped working. Although this is starting to negatively impact the economy, our planet is finally being given the chance to recuperate from the years of abuse it has withstood. The virus has shown humanity that our planet thrives when we aren’t around. An example of how Earth is recovering is the huge difference in the air quality around the world. Places that have been hit harder by the virus are experiencing a much cleaner environment as the air pollution has drastically decreased. In places like Italy and China, air pollution levels have been able to have been photographed by a satellite, and have shown the levels of toxic emissions have gone down, leaving these countries much cleaner and safer.

Another example of how Corona is having a positive effect on the environment is that bodies of water are clearing up and becoming more clean now that there aren’t gas fueled boats or as much trash being thrown in them. The Venice canals are crystal clear, and residents have taken photos that show you can see all the way to the bottom. In addition to cleaner water, the canals have been left vacant of boats, leaving room for animals like swans and jellyfish to feel comfortable swimming in them. This shows how humans living the way we are is getting in the way of other species living.

Despite Coronavirus’s threat to humans directly, it is doing the rest of the planet a favor. Putting humans and society away for a while has allowed the restoration of habitats and more breathable air. This is just the beginning of the research being done about how this pandemic is affecting the planet, and so far, it has only helped improve its well-being.

Covid-19 and Education

By: Minnah Hemet

How did it all begin? One minute, we were all enjoying life--going out with friends and family. The next minute, we were stuck at home for weeks. What is to blame? Coronavirus. In December 2019, the first case was found in China. It was said to have started because of a person eating a bat. But it wasn’t a big deal in the USA until March 2020. The cases started going up every day and so were the deaths. Because of that, this meant closing schools and moving them online. That decision impacted lots of people’s education.

Online school to some has gotten way more stressful than attending regular school. I have interviewed a few people to see how the corona has impacted their lives. My friend named Ayatt said online school has gotten stressful because when she needs help she would have to email teachers only during their office hours, and some teachers' office hours are really early. I also interviewed my sister and she said that she is also stressed out about having all these assignments and making sure they are all done by their due date. My sister said “online school takes the majority of my time and gets really stressful.”

Furthermore, I have done research and found an article on the New York Times talking about schools moving online. There was this one paragraph that caught my eyes. It said, “low-income students, whose access to home computers and internet connections can be spotty. Some teachers report that fewer than half of their students are regularly participating.” Since not everyone is able to participate that affects their grade and how well they do. But it is not their fault since they don’t have a good connection.

In conclusion, this pandemic has put an impact on lot’s of people's lives and has affected many people’s education.

How is the Environment Coping with the Coronavirus?

By: Aasiyah Kamthewala

The Coronavirus has taken a massive toll on the way we, humans, live life currently. We are required to stay at home no matter what, however, if we have to go out we must protect ourself by wearing masks and gloves. Even if we are just staying home, we constantly use hand sanitizer and perform proper hand washing to take care of ourself during this time. Besides discussing how humans are facing the Coronavirus, it is important to consider how the environment is coping with this pandemic.

Due to the Coronavirus, there are positive outcomes for the environment. Based on the article called, “6 ways coronavirus is changing the environment,” it illustrated, “A study by specialist outlet Carbon Brief found that in China, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by around 25 percent” (Politico 1). Carbon dioxide emission is the release of carbon into the atmosphere. This isn’t good because the more Carbon dioxide we have in the atmosphere, it will result in the earth getting hotter, which changes the Earth's climate. If the earth gets hotter this means people will die as they struggle with the increasing temperature, mountain glaciers and rivers will start to fade away, and plants will have a difficult time growing. In conclusion, this decrease of Carbon dioxide emission in China, is super beneficial for the Earth.

Another reason why the Coronavirus has a positive impact on the environment is because the water of Venice has been cleaned once again. When the water of Venice is spotless, it’s a huge accomplishment because this doesn’t happen quite often. According to the website named, “The water in Venice, Italy’s canals is running clear amid the COVID-19 lockdown — take a look,” it noted, “The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom” (Catherine Clifford 1). This shows that since most countries are in lockdown/can’t travel, the water of Venice is clean. The cause for the water of Venice to be so dirty, is because of the tourists. When tourists visit Venice, they obviously want to ride on a gondolas, also known as a boat, through the canals in Venice. Throughout the ride, this brings in dirt causing the water to be dirty. Not only is the water dirty, it’s not healthy for the fishes. This can cause fishes to have a hard time breathing because the dirt damages their gills . Although, with the Coronavirus in play, the water is crystal clear and finally the fishes can live in an environment where they feel safe and healthy.

My Take

By: Yoni Tecleberhan

The Coronavirus pandemic has been the most controversial pandemic of the 21st century. No one had expected 2020 to go down this path, despite there being signs in the middle of December, but I'll explain that later. So many people just said that it won’t do much, but by this case count, it has caused many people to worry. Many people have also lost their lives, the unemployment rates are getting closer to the Great Depression, and there have been 1.06 million confirmed cases of the Coronavirus. By what I've shown you, you can see that the Coronavirus is a big problem. But, in reality, the Coronavirus could have been handled far better than it did. There are two culprits. First, Trump’s constant downplay of the virus. Second, the clumsiness of the medical department. But first, let's start at the origin.

Now, the Coronavirus isn’t the only Coronavirus. There is actually a whole family of Coronaviruses, four to be exact, and this started way back with the year 2003 SARS “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome” in China. SARS had taken more lives then COVID-19, but COVID-19 was spreading more quickly. This happened again in 2012 in Saudi Arabia with MERS “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.” MERS took more lives but spread slower then COVID-19. Before the pandemic went public, the Chinese government notified the World Health Organization or W.H.O, of an outbreak due to a strain of the virus being loose. It was later named “SARS-CoV-2.” After the pandemic broke out, scientists discovered that human contact with one another has been increasing cases of the virus, which is why I’m writing this in the first place. Now, there are two possible reasons for the origin of COVID-19. One: The virus mutated to jump on a human host. This is how the previous Coronavirus started, with animals like camels and civets having direct connections with MERS and SARS. This option becomes more convincing when COVID-19 is also related to bats as COVID-19 is very similar to bat coronavirus. Though there have been no documented cases of a human having direct transmission from a bat, it’s far more likely that a bat infected an animal which then infected a human. Two: The virus jumped from animal to human and then mutated into its current version. For example, animals like pangolins, and armadillo-like mammals have very similar structure to COVID-19. This means the Coronavirus could possibly transfer to a human, either directly, or through a host like a civet or pangolins. Now, it’s important to know that it’s difficult or maybe impossible to know when it exactly started. But these are the two theories that make logical sense. This will be very important further on.

As of right now, there have been 2.95 million cases of the virus worldwide. 205,000 of them have resulted in death. Considering that it only took a month and eight days to become what it is now, it’s safe to say that this was inevitable. Or was it? You see, I have collected data over this pandemic and it is my belief that the whole pandemic could have avoided this path. Starting with my first argument, how the whole situation was dealt with. In short, President Trump did not handle this well at the beginning. When the pandemic started to become a reality, medical supplies were going out of stock, and the cases kept getting bigger. So, what do you think Trump did? He lied, and kept downplaying the virus by saying “They got it under control,” or that “They shut it down.” His predictions that the virus will “go away” in April were completely wrong since as I’m writing, it is April 26, 4:12pm. He said on multiple accounts that it’s just like the flu and should be viewed as such which shows how little he knows. He also said that there’s no need for ventilators which considering that we have a shortage of them, feels like karma. He said that testing is easy and that anyone can do it. While this seems true, in reality, the county’s capabilities are severely limiting. If you or anyone you know wanted to get tested, it’s pretty much up to luck if your hospital has the supplies. The part that still gets me, is that the day before Trump said this. His own vice president, Mike Pence, even admitted it that “we don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward.” And I can go on for a whole other paragraph but you can see the pattern. Trump has now stated that the virus is a problem now but the fact it took almost a month to realize this really says something about our president. Trump was the first problem that causes this pandemic, but the second problem solidifies it.

This problem is the sole reason why the Coronavirus is still here. To put it simply, the medical department was horribly unprepared. For starters, the U.S didn’t even stock enough up in the first place. This has resulted in a shortage of medical supplies like masks, gloves, ventilators, etc. This snowballs, even more, when you realize that medical workers are not safely protected and could get infected for doing their job. This gets even worse since these workers are either being forced to work or are being laid off, while others are receiving significantly lower pay. Some workers are rightfully protesting against this, this in itself starts a debate of what should workers do? Should they just work despite the environment, or should they do what feels right for them? Keep in mind, this is only one problem, there are many more. Testing was horribly inconsistent. For starters, many states lack testing kits resulting in many people having to self-quarantine themselves. There’s also strong evidence that there’s an inequality between higher class citizens or celebrities receiving testing compared to everyday citizens. For example, the Brooklyn Nets basketball team said that their entire team was getting tested. They went to a private lab and in less of a week they got their test back. Now, the important part isn’t what they got back, it’s how they got tested so fast in the first place, which caused a controversy of why they got tested but other people didn’t. But I think New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said it best, “An entire NBA team should NOT get tested for COVID-19 while there are critically ill patients waiting to be tested. Tests should not be for the wealthy, but for the sick.” I think I showed as to why our medical department was not only unprepared, but very skewed to a very dangerous direction that hopefully will not be true.

My closing point is to say this, I wish this cycle would just end already. The U.S is the only home I knew my whole life and I hate it when problems are swept in the rug until later. I’ve seen this annoying cycle where a problem arises → to the U.S doing nothing about this → to the problem getting worse → to people complaining about it → to the U.S finally trying to fix the problem which takes way too long to fix → repeat. Which is funny since they will usually lie or make excuses to prolong the problem. The greatest example of this cycle would-be school shooters. There have been 180 school shootings in the past 10 years and it only came into discussion in 2016. It is not that hard to just tell what you're planning to do truthfully. But by the look of things, the cycle is still here, as the pandemic seems to be the product of this everlasting cycle.

Sleep

By: Jonah Neiman

Coronavirus has affected us all in many ways. One way I decided to research is sleep deprivation. This has affected many people because their sleep schedules have been changed due to the fact that they don't have to wake up at a certain time now. For example, when school was open I had to wake up at 7:20, but now, if my parents don't wake me up, I usually wake up at 12. One good way to have better sleep is to have a certain time in which you go to bed and a certain time that you wake up. Another way to help your sleep as stated by the Sleep Review staff is “Get out of the house for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day. Daylight helps set your circadian rhythm, or body clock.” This helps set your internal clock which will make you tired when you are supposed to and not at 2:00 am. On days where it’s rainy or I just don’t go outside, I tend to fall asleep a lot later. Clearly if people don't keep a schedule they might become sleep deprived which could cause them to go to a hospital and nobody would want to go to a hospital during Corona.

Coronavirus Thoughts

By: Orit Hineshim

The coronavirus is a very big issue but a lot of people seem to not take it seriously and that’s a problem. When I first found out about this virus I really did not think it was big, then they cancelled school. Every kid was happy at the time not really knowing what this was going to turn into. So the info started spreading, people were dying, getting sick, the stores were also closed, and we had to stay inside. When I found out about all that I was surprised. So far over three million people have it in the USA and that’s a lot. But yet, even with all this info, people are still deciding to go inside which is crazy!!! Even kids from our school are going outside, people from NYC are protesting, which shows such ignorance.

Being able to not see friends was hard but I learned to deal with it. I realized not being able to do little things is such a little problem compared to what’s happening to others who have the virus. If people would just stay home then, this would be over so soon, but a lot of people are not listening. But I really do wonder what will happen in the future, will everything go back to normal soon? But I guess no one knows yet. I also wish there was some type of way we could thank these nurses that are helping us. Risking their health for ours!

Politics and the Pandemic

By: Gaby Traynor

With the presence of a pandemic upon us, we look to our political leaders for guidance and reassurance to ease our stress. The coronavirus has been an issue since early January of 2020 and the spread of the virus has yet to decline. While getting into the facts and evidence regarding the virus, you can’t help but feel hopeless and confused. Donald Trump, who has been given the responsibility to share advice and information to the nation, has effortlessly spread false, and, at times, deadly advice. He has taken this opportunity to create more chaos in a situation which has already taken a physical and mental toll on people around the world.

During a press conference on April 23, 2020, Donald Trump raised the idea of the possibility of injecting disinfectants into the human body as a “cleaning” method. This is one of the many times that the self-proclaimed “genius” has used his power to speak and spread harmful, idiotic information. He stated, “... by injection inside it'd’ be almost a cleaning because you see that it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that.” While he doesn’t blatantly give advice for people to “inject disinfectant” into themselves, he seems to imply this would serve as a cure. He was able to make these statements without any consideration of the numerous warnings that all disinfectants have, saying to not inhale or inject products.

This is not the first time that he put lives at risk with his “corona-cure” advice. On March 19th, 2020, Trump first suggested that the use of an anti-malarial drug would be a cure for corona. Completely dismissing suggestions by doctors and scientists, he believed he was in a place to bring up using hydroxychloroquine without any evidence or data to back up its effectiveness. His words seemed to move people in such a manner that a man and his wife in Arizona decided to put his words to the test. They both ingested the chloroquine phosphate which resulted in the man passing away and the woman being left in critical condition. While most would be confused as to how someone would believe such insane information, it just goes to show how some people truly believe this man is intelligent which stems from his role as president.

It is alarming and upsetting the amount of control that this man has over the country and the citizens living in it. The number of people who look up to Trump is confusing yet real and without any change, it might result in a worse and more ill-informed statement or action against the coronavirus.

First-Person Perspective

By: Dayanara Cordero

COVID-19 has changed our society very quickly. A big part of this is because people aren't staying indoors when being told to. People need to take this situation more seriously because it is getting worse not better. More lives are being taken or put at risk everyday and we could easily stop that if we all follow the rules. There are a lot of cons about this situation like stores running low on supplies, having to work from home can be difficult for some of us, keeping a distance from friends and family, and putting yourself at risk every time you leave the house. The only thing everybody has to do is stay indoors! Then the number of people being affected from the virus wouldn't be as high and hopefully would go down and soon go away. There aren't too many pros about this situation, but we have to stay positive and keep safe and follow the rules.

I feel like this situation is worse than most people think. Not only are people getting sick and dying, but some people are being forced to work in a public space. The news was saying that very few black/hispanic workers are being given the opportunity to work from home. I find that very sad and upsetting because they have no other choice. They have to work in order to take care of themselves and family. They were also saying how white/Asians have a higher chance of being able to work from home. This is very unfair, nobody should have to put their life at risk and the fact that it is connected to race is a problem.

THE TRANSITION TO QUARANTINE

By: Julia Shaw

Everyone knows about the coronavirus, and what it is doing to impact our lives. Schools are closed, offices are shut down, events are canceled. But what exactly has been impacted? How have people been reacting to these many changes?

There are many ways this transition into quarantine has been difficult for everyone. According to Lila Valaskovic ‘23, this has been difficult because “I’m not going to school every day, I don’t have a set routine, and therefore am going crazy.” It seems as if almost every student feels that way at the moment. Even with the new schedule for the fourth quarter, most people still do not have a structured daily routine in any way similar to before quarantine.

Another difficulty is not knowing when this is going to end. All we know, for now, is that the rest of the school year is canceled. Cancelations and rules surrounding social distancing and quarantine have been changing relatively frequently, meaning there is no way to be sure of anything. John Anthony Capello ‘23, stated, “I don't think this will end until we have a vaccine, which I'm guessing is not going to be for a year or so, and then it will take another year to distribute the vaccine.” At the moment, there is nowhere near enough information surrounding this virus to be sure of anything.

This uncertainty can cause worry about health risks. Although most people have been social distancing and mostly staying inside, it is still likely that most people will contract Corona at some point. When asked if she was concerned about this, Valalskovic responded, “No, I’m a healthy person and don’t have any underlying health risks. But you never know with this virus.” Although getting the coronavirus may not have a large impact on healthy teens, the problem is how fast it can be passed onto others. Furthermore, the large percentage of teenagers who regularly vape, and therefore may have lung problems, will be greatly affected, since the virus greatly impairs the respiratory system.

This has also had consequences for families’ incomes, depending on their situation. James Shaw ‘21, said, “The Coronavirus has had negative impacts on the employment of both of our parents, but has brought us closer as a family (for the better and for the worse).” This is especially significant to families and people who have been fired because of this and could be struggling to make enough money with unemployment. Shaw continued, “The transition back to school in the fall may be somewhat normal, however, the financial and social implications of the virus will linger throughout every society for decades.”

Although being in quarantine is best for everyone’s health, it is still difficult to go through. Schoolwork is done entirely differently, we barely have any information on the virus, everyone’s health is at risk, and people have become unemployed. But none of this matters. Although quarantine has many negative impacts, getting through this virus is what matters most right now.

Florida vs. Massachusetts

By: Alex Alcime

Have you ever been in a situation where you are not the only person in it?

Well, the virus called Covid-19, also known as Corona, put a lot of people in situations where they might and might not be exactly the same.

I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My best friends live in Florida. My sister and I have special times when we can go outside of the house like for example going to my Nana’s house.

My best friends, on the other hand, can get out of their house anytimes they want to. According to my friends, a lot of the beaches in Florida are beginning to reopen. Something that my friends and I observed is that in Cambridge there are a lot of people that are staying in their houses and they only leave if they need something outside or if their jobs aren't closing. In Florida, with the beaches reopening, people leave their house just for fun.

I would say in Florida people do things a little differently. The only thing that could probably hold Floridians in their houses are maybe hurricanes and tsunamis. Sometimes even those can't even hold us in the house for too long.

My Life in Quarantine

By: Stella Blank

My day to day life has changed significantly since there was a stay at home order put into place. There are the basic things that have changed such as, I cant see my friends anymore, I don't go to school everyday, I spend most of my days at home, and whenever I leave the house I have to wear a mask and be a lot more conscious about small things.When those things changed it messed up my daily schedule a lot so, and for some reason, that means sleeping all day and staying up all night for me. I haven't been eating the things I usually do and feel no motivation to go outside even if it's just for a walk. I think the reason I'm so unmotivated to leave the house is because it is a vivid reminder of what the world is going through right now. When I'm in the house all day, I find things to do to occupy my time and not think about the fact that we are living through a global pandemic. However,when I go for a walk and see everyone wearing masks or when I go to the grocery store and see everyone keeping their distance and that people no longer engage in cheerful random conversation as strangers, it makes me sad.

Something I also think about a lot is how different my days would be if I still lived in Zurich right now. Since I still talk to my friends everyday that live there and see what they post on social media it makes me wonder if this would be a more enjoyable time if I was in Zurich and not America. The stay at home orders seem to be less strict there because all my friends go to the lake everyday and go swimming, which is something I also used to do with them around this time. And barber shops, nail salons and etc. have reopened already which means that things are slowly starting to go back to normal. This whole Pandemic has really just put things into perspective for me and made me think about a lot of different things that in my usual day to day life would never cross my mind. In the future, I think I will be able to look back at this time and think about how crazy it was and tell my kids about it, but then there is also a part of me that is scared I am missing out on things and making even better memories than I am right now.

Bringing Out Our Demons

By: Cidra Fraley

I think that all of us were/still are underprepared. The last pandemic we had was about 100 years ago, the Spanish Flu, and even with the Spanish Flu we weren’t even hit too hard by that. So I feel as if most of the country is in denial of how hard we are being hit, what 2.5% of the population dead really means. People still go outside and don’t bat an eye when they bump into somebody at the store. The worst part about all of this is how we are supposed to look up to our leaders when all they do is sit in their bubble of safety and privilege not even trying to understand how dire the situation really is.

The time of COVID-19, is full of lies, racism, classism, illness, and greed. Instead of taking care of ourselves and others, people still go visit friends, go on road trips, hoard necessary items, and raise prices for their own advantage. It feels as if no matter how many people die, some will never understand how dire this situation is, and the worst part is, those people are always the ones to live, along with the wealthy. Many can argue against me, saying that many are putting others before themselves, which is true, but I am speaking from my personal experiences. For me when I hear what kind people have been doing during this time, it’s hard to believe because of the way I have seen people treat other people.

Surviving the Pandemic

By: Matias Stringa

Before school closed, I started hanging out with my friends more. Also started associating with a lot of different people and I enjoyed being around so many different people with different cultures. So I started making goals for myself to hang out with more people and for longer, but also not forgetting about doing my homework but it seemed that that last one went a little bit out of hand because I always used to do all my homework. When I missed some homework, I did not know what was going on and I tried to focus on school again.

Then I got the news that schools would close and I got happy at first because I thought it was just one week and then we would go back to our normal lives. I never thought there would be a possibility for schools to close for so long or at least not for the next three months. Then I started being a little bit lazy again and I did not do all my homework. I only did the things that did not take that long for me so I only did my biotech and my math homework because I learned that it wouldn't affect my grade. Then the fourth quarter came around I missed a couple assignments and now the second week of the fourth quarter I’ve came to a realization how this can effect me and the way I learn so I started doing some homework and some Khan Academy and I think I am about to find the balance between having fun and learning.

Now I realized that making a schedule for myself makes me more organized. So I started making a schedule to find the balance between socializing, talking to my friends on the phone, playing video games, watching movies, doing homework, learning new stuff on my own, and working out. So I have started being more organized about everything. I also never thought that I would miss school as much as I am right now. I am also looking forward to next year with my new classes also trying to learn a lot more before my sophomore year starts.

Perspective Matters

By: Niecy Uwagbe

A lot of changes have been made and a lot of new/different rules are being applied in how we live our day to day lives during this pandemic. Although one thing that really stands out to me is the amount of people that are wearing masks. Everywhere I go, almost every single person I see is wearing a mask. I see that there are new restrictions and regulations that come into that, as well. For example, the public buses have the words “face mask required” written on it’s destination sign. I have also been in a lot of grocery stores that have signs that say “no mask, no service.” A lot of restaurants and clothing stores have temporarily closed. It’s almost like the rules are becoming more strict instead of more lenient and that is really challenging for me because it puts me in a bad state of mind.

My perspective on the Coronavirus is always optimistic because I don’t really ever go anywhere and I am at home most of the time. Since I am always quarantined, I think things are getting better and the amount of cases/deaths will begin to decrease. When I begin to watch the news for the first time in weeks, I see that things are only getting worse. The reality and my perspective on things are completely different.

Racism During the Pandemic

By: Eyan Vang

I went to the store with my mask and gloves. I went to Costco thinking it was okay to be an Asian person. Little did I know I was discriminated against by others for the way I look. I went to Costco with my family, my two little brothers, mom, and dad. We went to gather some food and water, however, as soon as we entered the building with our gloves and mask, everyone looked at us weird. Their eyes were wide open and they stood as far away as possible. I could feel that they were scared of something but I didn’t know what. My family and I just went on and didn’t think about what they were thinking. I went to the snack section with my two little brothers and little did we know there was a grown white man. We made eye contact and he whispered to me, “You started this.” I was creeped out. I didn’t know what he was talking about. Then it hit me. I knew he was talking about the pandemic. I still don’t understand why people accuse a whole race for something one person did who looked like them. I was afraid and asked my father if we could leave the store immediately. I just froze. I couldn’t move anything, my vision was blurred. How can one person hurt me so much? I didn’t know how much it would hurt if someone just said something like that. We left the store with no food or water. I felt if we stayed longer others would say the samething or even worse, they could even beat my family up for starting the coronavirus.

Coronavirus and the NBA

By: Mustafa Gudal

My own personal experience with this whole pandemic going around is very different. It's different because now we are doing online school and that I've never felt more bored in my entire 14 years of living, but I can convey that this virus has destroyed sports and how how they function. An example of this is my favorite thing, the NBA. On March 11, the NBA suspended the regular season due to the Jazz center Rudy Gobert attracting the virus. When I first heard this, I was shocked because that same day the Warriors were playing without any fans and I would’ve loved to see that happen because that’s never happened in NBA history and it would have been very interesting. This sucks to see the NBA being suspended because one I’m a huge fan of basketball and two, we miss the playoffs. To me, the playoffs are more important because this was an amazing year for the NBA. We had the Battle for LA in between the Lakers and the Clippers, we had Luka Doncic play like a MVP and help the Mavericks to become a good team, we had the all star weekend and the dunk contest was amazing but Aaron Gordon got robbed because he jumped over Tacko Fall, the tallest player in the NBA at 7’5” and they didn’t give him a perfect score. The 3 point contest came to the last shot, which never really happens and the All Star game was probably the best one of all time because they made it based around the sad passing of Kobe Bryant. We also had the no center Rockets and Russell Westbrook was playing amazing. You can clearly see lots of things happen and for it to all go away just like that, makes me sad.