STLCC, the United States, and the world at large are in uncharted waters.
By: Jacob Politte, Online Editor
There is no sense in sugarcoating the situation at hand. There’s no point and no time for a witty introduction for this college newspaper opinions piece. So let’s just get right to the point.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has paralyzed the entire United States, and the world at large.
I’ve never seen anything like this in my lifetime. That’s not an exaggeration. It’s not hyperbole. I’ve never seen an entire country be effected to an extent like we’re currently seeing now.
I was very young on September 11, 2001; I have virtually no memory of its aftermath. But I do know that even after that tragedy, things did not take this long to get back to normal. And the thing to be very blunt about is that things will not be back to normal for a very long time. This is not going to blow over in a few weeks. It might not even blow over in a few months.
Coronavirus has been around for years. But this particular strain is without question the most advanced and dangerous strain of the virus, and that is being continually blown-off by many people in this country.
This isn’t “just the flu.” This isn’t “advanced pneumonia.” This is an infectious disease that can kill you if you don’t take necessary precautions. Stop being ignorant.
It’s worth noting that as of press time, at least one STLCC student, based out of the Florissant Valley campus, has tested positive for COVID-19. More will surely follow as the weeks progress. That’s not me inciting fear, that’s just a fact.
If this wasn’t a big deal, STLCC and other colleges around not just St. Louis, but the entire nation, wouldn’t have restricted campus access. Graduations wouldn’t be canceled, sports wouldn’t be canceled, life would’ve gone on as normal.
Clearly this is not normal.
And let me make another thing clear: I don’t blame President Donald Trump for this virus. But I do blame him for the lack of immediate response to the virus. He was briefed about this months ago, and he actively chose to do nothing.
Even now, he seems to think that we’ll be getting back to normal by Easter Sunday. That’s not going to happen. The President is delusional.
When this does all end, however, how will the world look? Will we go back to exactly the way things were? Or will we have learned from this, and do everything in our power to make sure that it never happens again?
