The Corona Chronicles: Chapter 18: They're Trying To Kill Us, Aren't They?

 

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So our school district offered summer classes during July and early August. I helped out a few times. One day, during lunch (on a picnic blanket on the pavement under a basket-less hoop) a kiddo called me over and asked, "Ms. Patton? Is the Coronavirus over?"

"No," I told her.

"SEE?!" she cried, giving another kid a LOOK.

"It's still out there," I said. "But a lot of people are getting vaccinated, so we're... yeah...." I trailed off. 

What can I say?

Kids under 12 can't get the vaccine yet, but we're bringing them back to school....

Despite the fact that our schools are already crowded.

Despite the fact that cloth masks may be useless against the Delta variant.

Not long ago, the masks requirement was dropped here in Oregon. Then, last week, the governor mandated masks again. I, for one, am a fan of people wearing masks, but this did create a lot of confusion. No wonder kids thought "Coronavirus is over." No more masks indoors = No more virus, right? 

We've been back in the school buildings in some form or another since April, and the following things are abundantly clear:

*Kids don't know how to/don't like to socially distance. Six feet? Never. Three feet? Unlikely. One foot? Maybe. One millimeter? THERE it is.

*Kids can't keep the darn masks over their noses.

*Kids don't have to wear the masks outdoors. Meanwhile, they lose them.

*Kids still bring toys & fidgets to school and pass them around. Everyone touches everything.

*We still don't have consistent warm water in our sinks, so whatever to handwashing.

*Desks spread apart? That's nice. Because students always stay in their seats HAHAHA.

*Kids still share food, despite this being against the rules since forever.

...

There are certain things I think we'll not see again for a long time, such as...

*Quiet lines in the hallway. (Nope. What's the point? I do know ONE teacher who will protest this, but she's on her own.)

*Assemblies (Sorry, Captain YoYo, I hope your Youtube channel is bringing you an income.)

*Door-to-Door Fundraisers (online all the way... as it should be.)

*Field Trips (though at best, kids got to go on 1-2 a year as it was, THANKS EMBEZZLING PTA MOM, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.)

...

Is Coronavirus over?

It is not.

But judging by the maskless faces around town....

The push to return to normalcy....

The banshee-esque screams of the mask-haters and Covid-deniers and anti-vaxxers...

Sometimes it seems like it is. It must be. It can't STILL be going. It can't STILL be so serious.

We go back in three weeks.

If this is my last update, it's been nice knowing y'all.