At school, we are experiencing a lot more kids showing COVID-19 symptoms. Some kids are coming to school with them and some are staying home. Kids are coming to school because they don’t want to miss out on activities with their friends. 

 It is important to stay home to protect others from being exposed to the virus. I know it is difficult sometimes because there is a 48 window where people are most contagious. However, Galena High School needs to come together as a community and help keep each other safe from COVID 19. When students are exposed to a person with symptoms, they are expected to stay home for 10 days. 

My senior year has already been weird with masks, shorter days, and no sports. Due to COVID-19, I have been quarantined one time, and a lot of other people have been quarantined multiple times. Kylie Brown experienced being quarantined and sent home the day before her 18th birthday.

Kylie had two choices when she was flagged- she could go ahead with the plans she already  made to celebrate her birthday Halloween weekend, or she could stay home and actually quarantine herself. She decided to play it safe and stay home, and let me tell you it wasn’t something she actually wanted to do. “Being quarantined the day before my 18th birthday seemed like the end of the world at first,” Kylie explained. “I was so mad because I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing yet I was facing consequences for other people being irresponsible. While it was still a great day, it wasn’t what I was expecting, so if you are sick, stay home!”

Kylie’s friends put together a drive-by for her birthday to make it a birthday to remember. Her boyfriend, Payton LuGrain said, ”I knew how upset she was. She was bummed that she had to cancel all of her plans with her family and friends, so we all decided this would be the safest and the best way to celebrate her 18th birthday.” All of her friends and family showed up to drive by her house to celebrate. Kylie explained, “I was surprised and my heart felt so full just seeing how many people showed up. I have so many great friends and them just driving by and honking their horns made my day so much better!” 

Showing up to school with a sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, body aches, or even just a headache is not smart. These are all COVID 19 symptoms, and while you think it might just be a cold or the flu – there is no way to know for sure. Staying home might seem like an inconvenience, you may miss school, you may miss some fun things that are happening with your friends. However, GHS has done a great job setting up remote learning, and we can attend school online. Either way you have to do the work so you might as well just stay home and keep everyone safe.