Homecoming, etc. under COVID It is indeed a tough time to be a high school senior. Last year sports bit the dust midway through March, proms were cancelled, school itself was cancelled and graduation ceremonies took a less traditional approach as did many of the customary grad parties that pepper the late spring landscape. And now a new batch of seniors are able to compete in sports and attend school in person if desired but the guidelines limit social activities to be sure and thus, annual happenings like a homecoming dance are not taking place. At least not officially. There have been parent sponsored gatherings held in lieu of school sanctioned activities and the participants, of course, have shared photos of these events on social media causing some concern among many in the community. Others feel these young people are missing out on so much already and fail to see the harm in having these get togethers. We reached out to District Health Department #10 to get some feedback on the issue from their perspective. DHD#10 Medical Director Dr. Jennifer Morse, provided the following statement: “We understand this is a very difficult year for everyone and we have all had to sacrifice a lot of our usual activities. This is especially true for high school seniors who won’t get another senior year. However, COVID-19 is extremely contagious, and until we have an effective vaccine and treatment, we have no other way to protect ourselves than by following the prevention methods available to us, such as avoiding crowded activities, keeping distanced from each other, using face covering, and practicing good hygiene. "The risks from COVID-19 are real. While many young people do not end up seriously ill, some do. Some will end up with months of difficulty breathing, heart damage, or other serious effects. Many that get infected will spread it to their family members, including parents and grandparents at risk for more serious illness. We have seen this happen and seen hospitalizations and deaths result from this spread. Having a party, dance, or other high-risk event can easily lead to the serious illness or death of a student or their family member. It is not worth the risk.”
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October 2024
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