COVID-19... Let's Take it Seriously
Over the last six months, the deadly, contagious virus, COVID-19, has continued to infect more and more Americans every single day. As of October 1, there are 7,262,630 cases of COVID-19 and there have been 206,852 fatalities. With the news and social media constantly updating us, it’s been scary to see how many Americans have contracted the virus over time. Thus, with people continuing to disregard safety guidelines, step out without a mask, and avoid social distancing, I believe our country won’t make much progress and will continue to suffer the burden of Coronavirus.
As I have kept up with the news reports and social media posts regarding COVID-19, I’ve seen that a myriad of Americans - young and old - have seriously undermined the severity of the virus. Hence, these Americans believe it is okay to step out in public without a mask, attend large social gatherings, and even advise other individuals to not wear masks. With this, I believe it is unacceptable for us to belittle the severity of COVID-19. The global pandemic has affected the lives of millions across the country and the globe. Too many individuals have contracted this virus, and without a vaccine, there is nothing we can do but protect ourselves and our loved-ones from the pandemic.
Almost every day there are new articles and updates about partygoers and other, typically young Americans attending large social gatherings, partying, anti-masking and so on. As a young American, it’s saddened me to see how individuals can be so inconsiderate and unconcerned toward others. I’ve thought, due to the growing number of cases, others would be more inclined to wear a mask and protect themselves. However, after seeing my fellow Americans continue to undermine the severity of the virus, I can no longer believe that. Day by day, the amount of infections continue to increase and, instead of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, it seems that we are doing everything we can to stay where we are.
During the quarantine, I tried to pay attention to how our government leaders addressed the spread of Coronavirus. Several governors, including our own Governor Murphy, managed COVID-19 by implementing state legislations and strict safety guidelines. However, upon seeing how different government officials managed the spread of the virus, it vexed me to see how other prominent government leaders belittled the seriousness of the pandemic. Initially, I believed that due to the fact that our country had never experienced a global pandemic, we would handle the situation with the utmost seriousness and respect.
As time went on, I realized that instead of remaining united and working together to beat the virus, we have become more divided and split as a nation. We have endangered the lives of our brothers and sisters by choosing not to wear a mask. Many have become inconsiderate, thoughtless and disconnected. Thus, I personally believe we have not only spread COVID-19, but we have also spread mass division and disagreement amongst our own people.
As the number of infections continue to increase, we must try our best to remain united, take the pandemic seriously, and do what we can to protect ourselves, our neighbors, our friends and our families. Without news of a vaccine or a treatment to cure the virus, who knows how long it will be until we return to our normal? Who knows how long it will be until we defeat the virus? We must ask ourselves what we need to do differently, how we can move forward as a country, and how we can remain united through these tumultuous times. I sincerely hope that we do come together as a nation, do what we can to beat the virus, and look forward to better times.
