BAYSIDE STUDENTS COMMENT
ON THE NYC MASK MANDATE
By Anika Tabassum
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In late 2019 a new virus emerged in the world. It was first reported in Wuhan, China and it spread worldwide quickly. The name of the new virus was Covid-19, which causes acute respiratory syndrome; a syndrome that damages the lungs. Through a series of epidemics the virus quickly became a pandemic.
Wearing a mask is the most important precaution because when you wear a mask you protect yourself and others. Masks should be worn three feet apart, especially when indoors and around people who don't live in your household. Masks cover your nose and mouth from germs. New York City mandates masks for everyone in school buildings.
Mask mandates affect people's daily lives. Bayside High School junior Suneha Aery shared, “Well, the mask mandate affected my daily life. I have to wear masks everywhere in public spaces, something I did not do before. However, I also feel like it was definitely needed due to the current situation.”
Similarly, Bayside High School sophomore Areeba Ali commented, “The mask mandate has affected my life by giving me a new routine when I’m getting ready to head outside. It also made me less social, as I couldn’t see somebody’s face as much as I could before.”
Correspondingly, Bayside High School junior Hongjun Wang stated, “It affected my daily life because every time I go outside I have to wear a mask. It's just a massive hassle because sometimes I leave my house forgetting to wear a mask and I have to go back and put on a mask.”
On other hand, the mandate does not affect some people. Bayside High School junior, Johnson Zhang said, “A mask does not affect my daily life because it's just a piece of cloth on your mouth that only hinders exercise.”
Whether we are vaccinated or not, NYC school mask mandates are here to stay for now.
VACCINE MANDATE SPARKS DEBATE ACROSS TEACHERS AND PSAL ATHLETES
By Russell Vines
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On December 11th 2020, the Food and Drug Admini- stration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Americans aged 16 and older. The following week, the FDA approved the Moderna COVID vaccine for emergency use. According to an article from Our World in Data titled “Statistics and Research: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations”, “By August of 2021, 58.1% of Americans had received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine and 50% had received all recommended doses.”
As in-person schooling returned throughout the United States, the New York City Department of Education issued an ultimatum for its staff: either get the vaccine by September 27, 2021, or be removed from payroll. This controversial decision has left New Yorkers divided as to whether the government is overstepping its bounds or if mandating the COVID-19 vaccination is a necessary public health measure.
After previously contracting COVID-19, Bayside High School Physics teacher Mr. Gandjian believes that the mandate is unnecessary and disruptive. “The vaccine mandate has disturbed the educational process of many incredible and capable students, and caused unneeded pressure and stress on teachers. My body has naturally produced antibodies, which is what the vaccine does for an individual. Medically speaking, it is not clear to me why an individual like myself is not allowed to come and teach my students in person.”
However, Bayside High School junior Adham Mustafa felt the COVID-19 vaccine mandate had no effect on students such as himself since the vaccine mandate is only directed towards students who are involved in the Public School Athletic League and for unvaccinated teachers. But when discussing how to deal with unvaccinated teachers and PSAL students, Mustafa stated, “I honestly don't know but [they] should at least wear masks. If they really don't want to get vaccinated and things get worse then they should stay home.”
Others, such as Bayside High School senior Nicole Meselsohn, believe that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is exactly what we need to implement in order to ensure safety in our schools. “Staff members who refuse to get vaccinated do not only affect themselves and their ability to return to work [in-person], but also negatively affect the students who need to learn and have a harder time doing so virtually.”
Similarly, Bayside High School junior Catelyn van Sertima agrees that mandatory vaccination is an unfortunate necessity. “I think the vaccine mandate is a little extreme but it’s essential for a staff member to get it. What kind of a message would it send to parents and students if a staff member didn’t get it? It gives lots of worried parents and kids peace of mind knowing their teachers are vaccinated.”
It is clear that the issue of vaccine mandates has left many people with strong and unwavering opinions. Although some say that getting vaccinated should be a personal choice, others believe it is a matter of public health and should be required in order to continue to participate in society. As shown by the past two years, until we can come together and compromise with one another, we will not be returning to a maskless world any time soon.