Highbridge, junior/senior, jobs, internships, half a semester, graduations, the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and almost everything else about the summer — these are just a few of the things that COVID-19 either changed or took away entirely. Now, we’re back. It’s very different now, no one is denying that, but at least we get to be here. There’s no simple way to solve the intricacies of attending college in the middle of a global pandemic, right? Not entirely. One very simple thing we can all do to “Stay Healthy, Stay Here” is put on a mask.
Yes, you read that right. By just wearing a mask, a person reduces the risk of transmission significantly. According to the CDC website, “Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.” I don’t know about you, but I would consider the student body of Asbury University all reconvening on campus to be a public setting.
No matter where you stand on the issue of #MaskMode, it is now an irrefutable and enforced part of life. Masks are not just a simple piece of cloth that covers your mouth and nose (reread BOTH parts of your face that it needs to cover if you’re still confused) — they are an indication of a deeper intent to protect yourself and those around you as life slowly starts to resemble some sort of normal.
People seem to have many varying beliefs about the effectiveness of masks. Scientists and health professionals say they work, while some people from my high school say they are a hoax and an infringement on their rights as a free American. I’m not here to make an argument about their effectiveness, though. The point I’m making is that a willingness to put on a mask, despite how convinced you are of their ability to stop the spread or the small inconvenience they bring with them, is a sign of a person’s concern about the health of those they might come into contact with.
No matter where you stand on the issue, this is life now. I have no doubt that anyone on either side of the mask discussion would end the pandemic if they could. We cannot do that though. Instead, if we want to rid the world of this, we must take it upon ourselves to do what we can to limit the spread. One of the easiest and arguably least intrusive ways to do this is to wear a mask in public. There is no need to self-isolate in your home or avoid safe social gatherings if you simply wear a face covering (notice I did not say chin covering; it goes over your mouth and nose).
In the midst of the constant losses that seem to come at the hands of COVID-19, one of the good things is a raised awareness of the health of others. People are looking out for their neighbors and getting educated on the various health complications that can affect themselves and their loved ones.
So, I implore you, no matter your personal belief, put a mask on (final reminder, over your mouth AND nose). You may not agree with the effectiveness, but you did agree to follow some unprecedented guidelines when returning to college in the middle of a global pandemic, the easiest of which is wearing a simple piece of cloth. For the sake of health and enjoyment in this admittedly weird school year, please set complaints aside and wear a mask. I would be much more upset to spend the rest of my semester stuck in my house without a mask than I would spend it on campus with a mask on.
