The world is suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic and unfortunately, flu cases are on the rise as well. Things are no different from the rest of the world here in Tallahassee. The COVID-19 vaccination program is speeding up, but there are still many people who are roaming around unvaccinated and, in many cases, unmasked. Flu cases on our college campuses are simultaneously spiking during this seasonal change.
Both of these crises have serious health risks and consequences. Students are suffering the most.
Under these circumstances, the best approach is to revert back to Zoom classes so that safety for all the students is ensured. This approach must continue until the vaccination program is completed – it that is in fact possible.
Tallahassee higher education campuses and hospitals are seeing large numbers of students and others suffering from influenza. Experts, many of whom have warned for months about a severe flu season, say this is the result of a return to normalcy and lessening of safety precautions taken while COVID-19 numbers were at its highest.
At Florida State University, the school’s health center is full of sick students. Case numbers have skyrocketed and the University Health Center is overwhelmed caring for ill students.
At FAMU, 100 plus flu cases are being reported on a single day; it is a very alarming situation as the burden on the hospitals is also increasing. Hospitals also have increased their capacity of treating people in a single day from 120 to 150.
Of course there are a lot of hurdles in online teaching. It’s safe to say that in the beginning, some students are not always comfortable with it. Most of us find it difficult to understand the subjects.
With time, adjustments have become easier for all. The online teaching methodology is also improving, which helps the students to understand better, and perform better.
Brutal or not, the only solution is to move back to remote classes, because the pandemic is in full swing and we do not wnt to risk our lives. Iif no steps are taken to reduce the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we may put the lives of the entire community in danger. Classes must shift back over to Zoom until the vaccination drive is completed in Leon County. And we aren’t that close at this point.