It is no new news that the COVID-19 is more dangerous to people over the age of 50— and while young people are much more likely to completely recover from the virus, there are still many complications that could occur.
Social distancing, a term now commonly known, is one of the most effective and important measures to eliminating this virus. Staying at least 6 feet apart from others and avoiding mass groups of people will limit the transmission of the virus as it is transferred from person-to-person. Not only will this protect you, but those around you.
With this information, many young people have overlooked the true dangers of this virus and its potential impact on our communities, country and world. We need to be cautious—regardless of age, this is something that is dangerous and detrimental to the lives of many and the economic stability of the world. At this point, there are only a limited number of tests available, and we shouldn’t wait for the virus to get to the point where we need mass testing before we start taking this pandemic more seriously.
The virus hit the U.S. the hardest right around the time of spring break for students. With spring break being one of the most anticipated times of the year for college students, many still went on with their plans, flocking to beaches and warm destinations to party and meet in mass groups—which is the exact opposite of what the CDC and other medical professionals have been advising people to do.
CBS News interviewed a number of students on spring break in Florida—many of them complained about the virus messing with their spring break plans while failing to recognize the true impact the virus has had on our community.
Brady Sluder, a spring breaker in Miami, said, “If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I’m not gonna let it stop me from partying. You know, I’ve been waiting, we’ve been waiting for Miami spring break for a while.”
Another Florida spring breaker, Brianna Leeder, said she thought the country-wide measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus have been an overreaction.
“It’s really messing up with my spring break,” Leeder said. “What is there to do here other than go to the bars or the beach? And they’re closing all of it. I think they’re blowing it out of proportion, I think it’s way too much.”
This behavior is exactly what is going to perpetuate the duration of the virus and cause many more to lose their lives. This virus has inconvenienced the daily lives of everyone, and we can’t take it personally. Everyone has and needs to continue to make sacrifices for the greater good and think bigger than spring break plans.
While the situation is far from ideal, young people like us need to be more considerate and aware of the dangers COVID-19 poses even though it may not be immediately life-threatening to us. Not only are we endangering our elders or those who have compromised immune systems, but we are creating a social divide between our community. As a generation, we are being looked down upon based on the actions of those who have chosen to ignore the warnings and pleas from the CDC and doctors around the world. Be selfless and honor the duty to protect and help those in our community who are at-risk during these hard times.
