The months of the year in which students prepare for temperatures to drop and holidays to begin have been dubbed the “ber” months. During these spectacular months, we bake cookies, go to holiday parties with friends, and come into contact with our loved ones more frequently than before. Autumn and Winter are about community, but they bring with them the ominous promise of illness.
As the nights get longer, viruses like the flu, the common cold, and now COVID-19 run rampant. At our very own school we have seen cases skyrocket, with students and staff being sent home.
Despite the influx of cases, compared to numbers from previous years “we’re nowhere close to that right now,” MV Principal Dr. Ahern said.
While it is true that we are a far stretch from the number of COVID cases during 2020-2022, the threat of another unexpected pandemic lurks. We were vastly unprepared for COVID, and during the height of the pandemic there were many who thought it may have been preventable had we set in place better health and safety guidelines. Schools are a cesspit for germs, and implementing rules like mandating masks on campus during colder months, or making sure students are up to date with vaccines may help prevent another crisis. Many might see this act as extreme, but I would argue that it is merely precautionary.
Officially, the administration has made no decisions regarding the wearing of masks on campus.
“It’s a personal choice,” said Dr. Ahern, “I remember that pre-pandemic we’d always have a handful of students wearing masks throughout the winter”.
Ahern also ensured that should the County Board of Health indicate a mask mandate was necessary, he would follow through.
“We’re a school district and not a health organization. We’re always going to lean into what the County Board of Health has to say about what we need to be doing,” Ahern said.
Although no official actions have been taken by administration, I believe it would be best to implement small measures of safety around campus again. This may include handing out masks to students or requiring hand sanitizer before entering classes. As of now, it is unclear as to what direction Monte Vista should head in, but in the meantime it is best that all students and staff take care of themselves. Ahern encourages students to rest, exercise, and take time for themselves if they are feeling under the weather.
