COVID-19: What Happens Next?
Riverdale has instituted safety precautions while students are on campus, including temperature checks, social distancing, and mask-wearing.
Lucia Zambetti/The Riverdale Review
We have all been reminded by Riverdale administrators, government officials and celebrities alike about the importance of social distancing and how the simple act of staying indoors can save millions of lives. Of course, much has changed since March; businesses have started to cautiously reopen, some countries have declared that they no longer have any coronavirus cases, and perhaps most importantly, schools have started to reopen. However, as the months get colder, schools will have to adapt to new circumstances. What does this mean for Riverdale? Will we be able to continue going to school in person, or will we have to shut down once again? I believe we will inevitably shut down in the winter, and here is why.
Let us start with the facts. Because viruses like the flu, stomach viruses, and the common cold are spread at higher rates during the winter months, it is reasonable to predict the same of COV- ID-19. Some states, like Texas and Florida, are already seeing a spike in cases in September; however, it is still unknown if colder weather leads to a rise in cases.
COVID-19 can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets released into the air through sneezing, coughing, and talking. The CDC has long recommended that all public gatherings take place in outdoor settings, as greater airflow disperses these droplets and decreases the chances of breathing in droplets that contain COVID-19.
Riverdale has responded accordingly to the data released by the CDC; all classes are strongly encouraged to be outside (weather permitting) and everyone must wear masks and maintain six feet of social distance at all times. However, when the winter months come and the temperature begins to drop, Riverdale will have to move classes indoors due to the cold. Granted, there still will be safety measures in place: all desks will be positioned six feet apart, class sizes will be limited, ventilation systems will be installed in every classroom, and desks will be cleaned regularly. But is this enough to stop River- dale from closing down again?
Unfortunately, I do not think this will be the case. Moving indoors increases individual and collective accountability. As students, we are expected to do what we can to protect ourselves and others by remaining six feet apart, keeping our masks on at all times, and holding each other accountable if we see fellow students not following these guidelines.
But what does accountability have to do with anything? Well, the added individual accountability does not seem to be a problem. Multiple administration members have praised students for their diligence in adhering to these guidelines. However, we must factor in communal accountability as well, which becomes difficult to uphold when we add factors like peer pressure. We are all still either in high school or middle school, and we have all felt pressured to do something that we may not think is right for the sake of being cool in the eyes of others. This means that some students may feel reluctant to follow these guidelines and consequently will put others at risk in their efforts to fit in and feel popular. Perhaps there was a group of students who took their masks off whenever they weren’t around teachers and other faculty members. A student who wants to fit into this group may also take their mask off when around these people to be liked by the members of the group.
It is also worth mentioning that Riverdale is not in a bubble. The other Hill schools have different guidelines than we do, and this could lead to new cases in the community, causing Riverdale to shut down.
If we expand our scope to all of New York City and New York State, it becomes apparent that public schools and other small private schools may not have the funds or the space to do what we are doing at Riverdale. This leads to a higher risk of people getting the virus, and in the worst-case scenario, the governor may have to order another statewide shutdown.
There are many factors to consider when discussing the future of in-person schooling at Riverdale. We cannot just look at the River- dale community and its actions. We have to look at the larger community as well. Remember, it only takes one person doing the wrong thing to shut down the school.
Even if we are careful and follow the rules, Riverdale may still have to close due to actions outside our school community. Though it is highly unlikely that we will be able to continue in-person classes once winter rolls around, and even more unlikely that things will return to normal by this year’s end, I, like all of you, remain hopeful.
