As soon as we thought that the worst was behind us Covid-19 decided to rear its ugly head as we entered into this year’s flu season. Plenty of cases have sprung up in the last week around school and it has caused many students and even some teachers to be stuck at home with the virus. Even as I write this article, I’m stuck at home with a positive test missing an entire week of school due to the five day quarantine requirement.
Though no one wants to hear about the resurgence of covid after all these years, it seems that the virus is here to stay and that autumn may soon regularly be known as covid-flu season. In this article I shall be covering some basics on how to stay healthy, some tips and tricks on how to keep on top of school work when you find out that you caught the virus, as well as hearing some opinions of folks who have caught it already who may provide some insight as to what catching covid is like in 2023.
Of course we all had these tips drilled into us back in the original covid year of 2020, but since it seems the virus is here to stay here is a reminder. These apply to situations both before or after you may get sick. Make sure to wash your hands regularly, wear a mask in public places if you feel you need extra protection, stand 6 feet away from others, if you begin to feel sick stay home and get a test from a local drugstore, do not cough or sneeze openly, instead cover your mouth, and avoid contact with those who have suspected or confirmed cases of covid.
Being a student who has fallen ill this early in the year, and who has a sibling in school who is sick as well, there are many tips I can give to those who may find themselves in a similar situation currently or in the future. If you do manage to catch the virus and have to do work from home, there are a few things you can do to keep on top of your work. The number one biggest thing, and the easiest thing, is to contact your teachers! Shoot your teachers a quick email explaining your situation and to send you any work instructions and assignments you may be missing from class. Your teachers will be more than happy to help you because that is their job! Lots of students may feel slightly overwhelmed and intimidated when going to teachers for help, but really that is what they are there to do. The second big tip is to keep on top of due dates on google classroom. From what I understand, most if not all teachers in our school use google classroom to keep track of their assignments, so due dates are visible to all students. As long as you keep track of your due assignments and get them done then you should be on pace with the rest of your classmates.
It’s not easy being a sick staff member either, Mr. Shea, the school librarian had this to say about his absence, “It’s tough going home sick because you become hyper-aware of all the extra things that your colleagues are going to have to do while you leave them in the lurch, and also you imagine the weeping and gnashing of teeth that will take place when the students in your after-school club realize you aren’t going to be there for them, and it’s completely heartbreaking. But then you get home, sleep for 8 hours, eat a humongous bowl of pho, and go back to bed for another 9 hours, and you wake up feeling like you’re made of pure sunlight and all that other stuff doesn’t matter as much.”
The Coronavirus has been creating problems for everyone around the world for almost four years at this point, and it doesn’t seem like it will be going away anytime soon. Though it is a nuisance, there are things we can do to alleviate the stress of getting sick. Remember to wash your hands, and stay home if you start to sniffle.
