It has now been about ten months since the first cases of COVID-19 started being reported in Wuhan, China. I remember being in class and discussing that situation like the virus was something so far away from us that we would not be affected by it. I remember how hopeful everyone was that the virus would be taken care of in a matter of weeks or months and therefore would never reach the United States.

A couple of months later, the first cases started spreading in the United States and we were all forced to quarantine in an attempt to prevent spreading. Before we knew it, our own friends and family members started contracting the virus, bringing COVID-19 closer to home than we were comfortable with.

The period of time since the spread of COVID-19 really exposed people’s true morals. Some people have spent all their time holed up at home to protect themselves and the people around them from the virus. Others have chosen to go about life as if the virus never happened, not wearing masks, attending large gatherings, and simply choosing to partake in activities that spread COVID-19.

Months and months later, and it feels like we have all collectively decided to live with the virus. The people who never cared about the virus in the first place have continued partying like we are in “The Great Gatsby.” Even the people who have tried to do their part have been forced to go to work and school in this new normal.

It is evident that we have been so wrapped up in our day-to-day lives that we forget we are in the middle of a pandemic.

This is your reminder that we all need to do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not only so we get back some sense of normalcy, but because people are losing their lives to this horrible virus every day. It is our job to make sure we do not spread the virus to our friends, our family, our professors, and everyone in our communities.

Continue wearing your mask. Continue sanitizing. Continue socially distancing. Continue doing everything in your power to make sure we protect ourselves and one another. We can beat this virus, but it is going to take work on everybody’s part. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect each other. Let’s do this together.

Kyara Morales-Rodriguez is a junior English major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].