Summer this year is a dangling question to many individuals because of the current pandemic that is still very much present in the world today. The pandemic has caused many strains in our lives since its first appearance in December of 2019.

Despite many varying opinions on what is acceptable to do or not to do this summer, this pandemic is far from over. With the chaos and change that society has gone through, it is best to avoid events that are higher in risks due to the consequences that are still presented by Covid-19. 

“We have just lived through one of the most devastating years of anyone’s lives.  Some have lost loved ones, or access to good education.  Some people have lost jobs and many relationships have crumbled, both professional and personal,” said Michael Perez-Guerra, geometry teacher. 

With so much grief and stress over the course of the pandemic, this year has brought many people to a point of exasperation, choosing abruptly to start going on trips and traveling again. 

“I think traveling in big groups isn’t a great idea because not only are you risking yourself and your friends, you’re risking more people around you,” said Anna Elliot, 10. 

Traveling during this pandemic has become a controversial topic due to the potential consequences that could happen.

“I understand that people want to get back to normal life and go on vacations or see their friends and families that they haven’t seen in a long time, but I think of it this way:  If somebody gets surgery for a knee ligament, the doctor gives that person guidelines to be able to recover in the shortest time possible. But if that person ignores the doctor, they will end up back in the hospital because they overdid it,” Perez-Guerra said. 

With new ways to control the virus and the probability of the vaccine decreasing the number of cases, other individuals look at traveling in another light. 

“As long as there is precaution and not too many people, it should be fine,” said Clare Owen, 10. 

Based on the newest research that is surfacing and what we have learned about Covid-19 in the past year, people’s summer in 2021 may be much different compared to when the lockdown was first put into place. 

This summer, one student said she will be outdoors more, due to sports and the fact that studies show that the outdoors are safer, said Esmeralda Sandoval, 10. 

If people continue to maintain proper social distancing, making smart decisions and taking precautions,  the risk for Covid-19 will continue to decrease However, this cannot happen overnight; we must continue to be  constant and remind ourselves and others that this is for the greater good. We also have to consider the tragedies that may occur if we do not persist in these efforts.

“Change is the only constant in life,” Perez-Guerra said. “With that in mind, I look forward to seeing people’s faces again, not recognizing people who I only know through their eyes and being blown away by it, although I plan to stay vigilant by setting a good example of how to stay safe in these times while being patient and flexible.”