On this Veteran’s Day, now is as good a time as ever to honor the people making sacrifices for this country. But after seeing the COVID-19 numbers spike from 19 to 47 student cases this week, it looks like UNK is losing the battle against this pandemic.
What happened?
It is a common theme for friends to study together, play cards in a dorm room or go on road trips without their face masks.
Here is the supposed logic behind these actions: The friend group already spends so much time together, so if one person has COVID-19, then they would all have it anyway. It is unrealistic to expect humans to wear face coverings 24/7, but this way of thinking is worrisome.
A person is protecting others by wearing a mask, but the masked individual is not protected in return if others do not show the same courtesy. We need to defend our fellow soldiers in this war against COVID-19.
Also, the contact tracers at UNK ask two questions: How far apart were they and were masks worn? Masks lessen the risk of the entire friend group being quarantined.
One good thing that is happening is how masks are being worn on campus. For example, masks were enforced at the home football game this past weekend. It is promising to see Loper fans who are willing to wear masks in the stands and around the field. But at the same time, social distancing was scarce in those packed bleachers.
Meanwhile, a prime example of being cautious on campus is the theatre program. We miss seeing young artists thrive on stage, but at the same time, they decided to assess the first semester before diving straight into in-person, or even livestreamed, performances.
The students and faculty in these fields developed a battle plan and are so meticulous in conducting classes. They should be commended for their patience. Shows are expected to return next semester, but hopefully, we can keep these cases under control.
Until then, please give those students a pat on the back for refraining from doing what they love to keep others safe. The Antelope urges students to make similar sacrifices for those around them.
We can also look to military members as people who know the true extent of sacrifice. Perhaps one of those rights is choosing whether or not to wear a mask or follow COVID-19 guidelines, but a pandemic is a different battlefield. Please help prevent Americans and UNK from suffering on our home turf.
Thank you, veterans, for giving up everything for the country you love so dearly. Hopefully, we can learn to do the same in this time of national crisis.
