Monkeypox vs. Covid

Covid-19 first hit our schools in March 2020, leading to a global pandemic that locked down schools and public gatherings. The virus spread quickly from person to person, forcing learning online and causing a nationwide quarantine that lasted nearly two years. Many students and staff remember joining Zoom meetings from home. Now, some students are worried about a new virus, Monkeypox, and how it might impact schools once again. Monkeypox poses a new threat, but how similar will it be compared to Covid? Monkeypox spreads through physical contact or items that have not been disinfected. It isn’t airborne like Covid. Monkeypox spreads by close contact and results in large itchy bumps. There are two different clades, Clade I is more severe and is more deadly to people compared to Clade II. Clade II has already spread to America and many people wonder whether this is the new covid. Some students are not worried, they enjoyed the self-paced environment, appreciating the independence that came with it. As Falyn DeBord, a junior, put it, “My sister, who is the same age as me, being twins, also had classes, so we kept each other accountable.” She suggests that online learning can be helpful and while some found it hard to manage, it could help people learn to keep themselves motivated. She also thought that the resources provided by the school enabled her to push herself.  Her sister helped her manage to be social and responsible during this time.

Going on to explain that the only way we could connect with others was through our technology. It may have been hard not to feel alone. We couldn’t see our friends or teachers consistently and many felt they had been isolated from others. Emme Baugh Van Zee, a sophomore, expresses this by saying, “I was anxious that school wasn’t going to continue. At home, it felt lonely sometimes.” It took effort to stay in contact with others. We relied on technology to communicate with friends and family we had to social distance from. Mandates were being put in place to prevent the spreading of the airborne virus. However, experts say it isn’t something we should worry too much about.

The school counselor adds her perspective by saying “Hygiene is critical to stopping the spread of illness. Students and staff need to stay home when they are sick, wash their hands, not share food/drinks, and get plenty of rest.” She knows that Monkeypox is not as contagious so students and staff should not worry about another lockdown. However, maintaining hygiene and health is needed not only to prevent the spread of Monkeypox but other diseases as well. Schools are better prepared now to handle potential health crises like monkeypox, given their experience with COVID-19. She says, “Yes. They learned a lot about what to do and what not to do in the case of a health crisis.” We all need to be aware of diseases to stay safe while protecting others from the virus spreading. Stick to some of the habits we learned from 2020 such as washing your hands, covering your mouth when sneezing, and helping inform others to be aware of the importance of practicing habits of hygiene in order to keep everyone safe.