The Bruin community has voiced varied opinions addressing the recent COVID-19 spike that has reintroduced the strict, sudden rush of safety precautions along with the delaying and closing of events once again.
Sophomore Robert Maple expressed his unease at the sudden increase in COVID cases over the past few weeks, but also saw predictability in this future.
“At this point, I would be concerned because at this point about 3% of Americans have COVID, but that number is probably much higher because not everyone has been tested. But on the other hand I can’t say that this wasn’t completely predictable,” he said. “Much of this outbreak was very predictable and it was obvious that cases would go up in winter. I can’t say that I’m scared about this spike because it doesn’t pose that large of a threat to me, but it is angering me that COVID is getting worse.”
Junior Grayson Scheda shared similar worries but is particularly nervous about people’s lack of concern regarding the virus.
“It honestly worries me because it shows that people aren’t taking the virus seriously and that people are choosing to go out and not wear masks instead of staying home,” said Scheda.
The sudden spike in the virus pushed Nevada County into the purple tier and forced schools to be shut down again. The closing of Bear River ensues controversy among the students.
Freshman Blake Simning felt that closing the school will create more problems than it fixes.
“It’s gonna affect people’s mental and social health and is gonna make a lot of students fail because they can’t learn over a video screen and then it’s gonna make the school look bad,” Simning said.
Scheda and Maple have similar opinions on the matter of the school closing.
“Honestly… it sucks to have school closed down even though I know it’s for the greater good of the area,” said Scheda.
“I do think that closing school is the right thing to do,” said Maple. “It really sucks but school would cause many opportunities for virus spreading.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to slow the spread of COVID by enforcing a curfew.
According to ABC News, the curfew, which the state is calling a “limited stay-at-home order,” will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Saturday, November 21 until December 21. The restrictions between those hours will be similar to the stay-at-home order that was in effect in March, meaning that all non-essential work, movement and gatherings will be obligated to stop in all purple tier counties.
“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic, and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge,” Gov. Newsom said in a statement. “We are sounding the alarm.”
Opinions on the curfew vary greatly among students.
Simning felt that the curfews are a violation of the rights of the people.
“I think the curfews are destroying people’s rights of being free and are going against what America stands for,” Simning said.
Scheda took the opposite view in respect to the curfews.
“Honestly, I think they are a good thing to have in place even though people will still break them, however, it will discourage people from going out,” he said.
The COVID spike has the potential to set sports conditioning and events back to square one. Simning reflected on his football conditioning and notes that their forward progress has been stalled.
“[The spike] will definitely affect my sport and it already has as we haven’t been able to pad up,” Simning said. “ … We just got the right [to run] football plays but two weeks later it was taken from us because we moved to the purple tier, and now we don’t even know if we can have a season.”
Despite the negativity, the Bruin community hopes to push through the challenges.
“Wear your masks, social distance, and be safe!” Scheda said.
