How COVID-19 and Remote Learning Has Affected the Health of Students

In March of 2020 where the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic began, students were up for major change in their environment that has changed their perspective on everyday life for the long run.

Following the closure of schools due to the pandemic families and students had a new obstacle to overcome, the start of virtual learning. Now with remote learning being implemented into the everyday lives of students, having the intentions to benefit the educational system, the plan came with many faults. Students were exposed to new methods and routines that may be hard to adjust to.

“Now that schools are closed, some lock themselves up inside their rooms for weeks, refusing to take showers, eat, or leave their beds.” - Children with special education needs, such as those with autism spectrum disorder, are also at risk. They can become frustrated and short-tempered when their daily routines are disrupted,¨ says psychiatrist Chi-Huang Au (from the university of Hong Kong), explaining how the change in routine may affect the student.

With virtual learning starting involving no longer than six hours of “interactive learning”, many students have noticed their change in behavior and work ethic, having polls gather that over seventy percent have become less inclined to school.

Backing this claim, junior Sanaiya Moore says, “After a while you begin to lose motivation to do your work, staring at a computer screen for hours is tiring.

This closing of in person school caused an arise of many other problems for students, for example the delay and or cancellation of standardized tests and exams, which many students are concerned will affect their next steps in their academic careers.