Is Covid Really That Bad?

Idaho novel Covid-19 resources

Idaho novel Covid-19 resources

Isadora Goad, News Writer

Is COVID-19 really a problem at Lakeland High School? 

COVID-19 is a deadly virus that caused us to not go to school for the rest of the 2020 school year. 

It is reported that as of Feb 16, 2021 there have been 27.7 million cases in the United States and they are rising by the hour. There have been 2.41 million deaths in the world since the first case in 2019.

To stop the spread of COVID-19 most schools near Lakeland take extra safety precautions. At Shadle Park highschool in Spokane, the students must stay 6 feet away from each other and are required to wear masks. This school year at Shadle Park High School there have been 8 confirmed cases.

At Lakeland High School there are very few precautions taken and few students wear masks. This has resulted in over 130 COVID-19 cases this year. There has most likely been more than that because the school district does not count them all due to privacy issues.

Masks can help stop the spread of COVID-19. The CDC guidelines state, “When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself.” It goes on to say how masks are not a replacement for social distancing and they should be worn when in close proximity with others.

At Lakeland High School there is a 2 to 23 ratio of students who wear masks and those who don’t. So, as proven, not many students wear masks during school.

At Lakeland High School I interviewed a student who doesn’t wear a mask to school. 

She says, “ I feel like I would get judged if I wore a mask at school. I would be judged because I heard someone say that people who wear masks are stupid. A mask will definitely help stop the spread of COVID and a mask mandate would help stop COVID”. That student did not want to be named.  

We have had many COVID-19 cases in Lakeland High School but, COVID is not as deadly for most students in high school unless you have some sort of underlying condition. 

That is one of the reasons there is little to no precautions taken by Lakeland high school. But, if the students go to their older family members’ houses not knowing they have COVID, they can give their grandparents COVID-19. 

So, is COVID-19 actually a problem for Lakeland High School students?