by Sam Schutte, 04/08/2020, Traverse City, MI

Middle School 6-8 Category

Almost everyone worldwide knows what the coronavirus is, but does everyone know the major impact that it has had on the world, and how contagious and lethal it is? Students (such as myself) have learned a lot about COVID-19 through discussions in class (before it was cancelled) and discussions with friends. At first nobody really took it seriously, but then things started picking up rapidly and spreading worldwide, which started the pandemic we are currently living in.
My take on the whole thing so far has been that the coronavirus is very dangerous, and that it is also very unpredictable. I say this because when it first started spreading in China and Europe, it was spreading very fast and people thought it killed mostly people in their 70s (since they had a weakened immune system). It seemed very logical that the virus would attack people with weaker immune systems and pre-existing health conditions. Everyone believed this to be true until it spread to the U.S and then people from ages 20-40 ran a higher risk of dying. That’s why I think the virus is so unpredictable.
I also think that the virus is very contagious because if someone infected touches another surface then it will stay infected for a few hours or even a couple of days (though we are not certain). If you really think about it you’ll realize that if someone infected touches a surface and then you touch the same surface after them, then chances are you probably have it. It can also be transferred by shaking hands or touching people with it or even just by someone coughing in the air, then it can transfer by being airborne.
Another reason I think COVID-19 is scary is because it takes up to two weeks to show symptoms of you or another person actually having it. This is so scary because if someone is affected and nobody knows, then think about everywhere that one person has been, everything he has touched, and everyone else he has infected. This may seem frightening but not too scary, but then multiply it by the millions of people each day going around and touching the same surfaces as someone else or coughing in the same building as someone else. When I think about that, I realize that this happens every day and it just multiplies every day and gets worse.
After research and discussion, I can conclude that COVID-19 is a very dangerous disease that should not be taken lightly. I think it was smart to close places down (like schools and businesses) and I think that if this were to ever happen again I would tell my grandchildren to be careful about what they touch and to not be dumb and think it’s not going to affect them so they don’t have to worry about it. I would also tell them to stay inside because it would be over sooner if people just stay inside and don’t let it spread.