With students currently back at school, it may be hard to be sure you are doing the right thing amidst the pandemic. Students and staff nationwide need to be sure they are taking the necessary safety precautions for both themselves and others. Schools can become crowded, but there are many strategies to help eliminate germs and raise safety awareness. The ultimate goal is to lower cases and do what we can to stay safe in school. . 

Some of the simplest ways to cease the spread of germs is to thoroughly wash your hands often, and use  hand sanitizer. It should go without saying, but if you feel symptoms, it is best to stay home until you are in good condition to return to school. In classrooms, be sure to social distance when possible and wear a face covering to protect yourself and others. The last easy task to do while in school is to make sure you disinfect your workspace before you leave for the day. This way, the next person to use the area will not have to worry about germs being left     behind. One last thing to be cautious of that not all students think of is what they are touching. For example, in the library, try to refrain from touching things if you do not need to, because many people use things in this area of the school. This way, no one has to worry about sanitation or germs lingering. 

Scientists at UCSC have provided statistics about how long the virus can live on different surfaces. For example, it is able to last up to 72 hours on a plastic surface. In order to stay ahead of the curve, we must keep disinfecting everything so we do not have to worry about the virus lingering. The University of Washington Research Center has shared how Norway and Denmark have followed guidelines like social distancing in classrooms and wearing masks. The University shared how these countries are “Good examples, and neither have seen a significant increase in cases”. Johns Hopkins University tells readers how Denmark and Norway have a combined total number of deaths/100k population of 16.64, compared to the US` 65.03.

 Our own school, Timberlane Regional, has been holding up pretty well itself. With being back to school for over a month now, we have only seen one case within students and faculty. This number is much less than others we’ve seen in the area, such as Windham who has had to go fully remote.

There has been much controversy and disagreement about the virus this year, but to keep our communities safe for teachers and students, it is best we follow what scientists recommend and make these simple changes to our daily routines. We all have to work together to bring this virus to an end.