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Wearing masks takes precedence over comfort

As+school+reopens%2C+students+are+allowed+to+eat+off-campus+in+an+effort+to+spread+out+the+student+body+during+lunchtimes.+However%2C+students+should+only+be+granted+this+privilege+if+they+follow+COVID-19+rules+and+regulations.
Photo used with permission from RoadLight/Pixabay.
As school reopens, students are allowed to eat off-campus in an effort to spread out the student body during lunchtimes. However, students should only be granted this privilege if they follow COVID-19 rules and regulations.

As the clock inches closer to 12:45 p.m., the entire tone of the classroom changes. The tension in the room rises each second that the clock ticks. Everyone is urgently waiting for Ms. Moola’s voice to go through the intercom. As I hear the nostalgic “ding-dong” of the announcements, everyone swiftly packs up and leaves for lunch. 

When I leave school grounds, I almost immediately take off my mask. The fresh air that I have been yearning for all day fills my lungs. However, my stomach instantly drops when I look around. My COVID-19 radar goes off the charts, as I see countless students, myself included, not wearing masks. I put my mask back on and go to the High Street.

My COVID-19 radar goes off the charts, as I see countless students, myself included, not wearing masks.

Although being able to take off your mask is a privilege to have during lunchtime, we still need to be more mindful of how we socially distance. Within the U.K., there is an estimated 515,000 cases and rising; as a community, we need to consider the risks of transmitting the virus throughout the High School, both for student safety and so that we can remain in-person for as long as possible.

The school community has reached eight coronavirus cases throughout the six weeks that the school has been open. Although the school has done an adequate job of switching possibly infected students to the CLP, it is impossible to tell how many students are asymptomatic. 

It is the students’ responsibility to ensure their own and others’ wellbeing by effectively socially distancing. This means wearing your mask, respecting the six-person rule and placing adequate space between you and your friends when not on school grounds. By not following these guidelines outside of school, it is completely disregarding all of the carefully planned measures that the school has put in place to prevent outbreaks and stay in-person.

Although the school has done an adequate job of switching possibly infected students to the CLP, it is impossible to tell how many students are asymptomatic. 

When the magnitude of this virus is so great, we must consider the possible cost of going to crowded areas, such as parties. Although parties can serve as a celebratory activity and escape from school-related subjects, going to parties or large gatherings jeopardizes the safety of both students and faculty within the school.

According to Forbes, a study conducted by public broadcasting organization NHK used a fluorescent substance to show how viruses can spread amongst people. 

10 people entered a restaurant, one being the “infected” person. In 30 minutes, the substance was found on everyone’s’ faces, food and utensils. This study shows how easily the virus can spread among each other and the severity of the precautions necessary to stop the coronavirus spread.

Preventing the spread can save lives.  Just because going to a crowded area didn’t affect you or others the first time, it doesn’t mean it won’t impact you in the future. Masks are a powerful tool which can allow us to return to life before COVID-19 while still protecting yourself and others. Not utilizing this aid can negatively affect everyone’s lives.

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About the Contributor
Daniel De Beer, Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online
Daniel de Beer (’23) is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online of The Standard. Having grown up in Brazil and lived in four different countries, de Beer is a citizen of the world. De Beer began his journalistic career in Grade 9, when he joined The Standard as a Staff Writer. His hobbies include playing backgammon, swimming, and competitive chair spinning.

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    GabrielOct 30, 2020 at 12:42 am

    Great article Daniel! I think it’s fascinating to see how the COVID-19 pandemic and mask wearing rules at ASL are affecting students. It’s great to hear that people like you, with an active ‘COVID-19 radar’, are consciously trying to do their part in preventing the spread of this virus.

    For me, the NHK experiment video was particularly insightful in seeing how viruses can spread in everyday environments; and upon further reading I found out that the researchers conducting the experiment found that simple measures like frequently replacing tongs and encouraging hand washing could vastly decrease the infection rate. In the case of the (2019) novel Coronavirus, I think that mask-wearing is one of those simple measures. At ASL, I personally think it’s pretty interesting how the contrast between school’s indoor mask wearing rules and London’s outdoor mask wearing rules presents some students with an interesting choice between their own physical comfort and the known benefits of mask-wearing at this time.

    Also, just to clarify for any future readers: I personally don’t think the mentioned experiment conducted by the NHK and other researchers is classified as ‘study’ — the primary source article written in Japanese instead classifies it as a ‘verification experiment’ (translated to English). I personally wasn’t able to find any published research (at least on the university JSTOR subscription I’m using) specifically mentioning the results of the NHK experiment.

    Anyway, I enjoyed reading this article, and I’m looking forward to reading more content and coverage from you soon!

    — Gabriel

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