COVID at Airport, again; students, teachers talk about their concerns

by Kaylah W.

After this new strain of COVID, students and staff are concerned after multiple students allegedly got sick from the first semester at AHS. Shortly after more students and staff start to mask up to prevent their chances of getting it too.

Students and teachers at AHS are starting to question this new strain of COVID after hearing at least three students have already gotten sick. Now people who attend AHS are starting to protect themselves with the use of mask wearing and sanitizing. After interviewing a teacher and student here is what they had to say about COVID at Airport again.

While some people believe that this new strain of COVID is something serious many believe that the school will remain the same.

Many teachers believe that the way the school is now with the masks policy will not changed. ”I don’t see the need for them [mask] again,” said Mrs. White, one of the librarians at AHS, however the students are worrying about getting sick.

When interviewing a student at AHS she informs that she feels unsafe when she thinks about COVID. Especially since one of her friends got infected by COVID already this semester.

While interviewing her she talks more about her concerns, and the people she’s around at school. “Why would I feel safe attending a school, if there people are walking around not knowing if they’ve been infected,” said Morgan M., a sophomore student at AHS.

Although this new strain of COVID is probably not too concerning, “ I don’t see the school changing in anyway, other than taking necessary precautions to better equip us,” also said by Mrs. White librarian at AHS.

When talking about the topic of masks many students don’t want to start wearing them again.

Students feel as though wearing the mask will take them back to a time many people would like to move on from, “Wearing these masks gone make it seem like COVID is back, and I hated wearing them anyways, Morgan M. said.

However many of the faculty workers and staff won’t find wearing these masks a problem, “Better than being online again,” Mrs. White said.

According to research, this new strain of COVID is not more serious than the others, however the latest variant is being closely observed. “It’s a concern that it’s increasing, but it doesn’t look like something that’s vastly different from what’s already been circulating in the U.S. for the past three to four months,” said by Andrew Pekosz in The New York Times in the “What to Know About the New Covid Variants” article.

To learn more about current COVID statistics, visit the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.