Two Perspectives on COVID-19

            Well, here I am, sitting at my kitchen table writing this while simultaneously wondering when I’ll be back in school and how weird it’ll be over the next month. After all, this is uncharted territory for all of us. It seems as if every time I turn on the news, the media has more seemingly terrifying information to throw at us. The problem is, however, that they’re contributing to what could potentially turn into mass hysteria. Stores are left ransacked and are unable to keep up with consumer demand. Hospitals are running out of face masks. People are literally stealing toilet paper from public restrooms. This, everybody, is officially insane. 

            Switching to a different lens, which my health education has graciously given me the opportunity to speak through, is the medical perspective. Yes, there is a lot of panic, and yes, a lot of people are sick but truly, if you strip this pandemic down to its core, it’s nothing more than an over-hyped strain of the common cold. In fact, a coronavirus is virtually any virus that infects the upper respiratory tract. If you’ve ever had a cold, chances are, the virus itself was a coronavirus. Now, I’m not here to tell you what you already know- such as the importance of washing hands and disinfecting commonly used surfaces- but it really is important. Over the next month, think about how different people see things very differently. And, most importantly, stay healthy!