As I watch the coronavirus death count reach an all-time high, it’s hard for me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The vaccine we’ve all been waiting for is being distributed at a snail’s pace and Americans are running out patience. Regardless, every American, especially now, should continue to follow the  recommended precautions put out by scientists and the CDC. 

However, many  people seem to be doing the opposite, loosening up and foregoing these precautions. It’s safe to say that everyone wants life to go back to normal, but now is not the time. Everyone needs to buckle down and continue being safe as if we  were at the beginning of the outbreak. 

Especially on social media, I have seen too many of my peers going out to public places with large groups of people, often without masks or a care in the world. With that attitude, they might as well flash a middle finger to the millions being affected by COVID. Yes, I understand that a lot of people my age want to meet up with their friends, but , at the very least, they should do so safely.  

Everyone should at least be doing the bare minimum: wearing a mask and avoiding large groups. As simple as these actions may seem, they are the most effective ways to prevent an increase in cases. 

According to a UC Davis report, wearing a mask can cut down your own risk of catching the virus by 65 percent. However, you are only protected  if the people around you are wearing a mask as well. 

Many who are not wearing masks are citing this decision to be a political one. Being a Republican or a Democrat should not be an excuse for pretending the pandemic exists or not. The pandemic is a health crisis affecting everyone and the only way for it to get better is if every party cooperates. 

 When the virus arrived in  the U.S., everyone and their mothers were staying inside. Airlines were suffering from how few people were traveling and many started getting groceries delivered to their homes. I’m not saying that we should return to those extremes, but what we are doing now is not enough to stop the spread. 

If everyone would just act half  as cautious as we all were at the beginning of the pandemic, this virus  will fade away much sooner than what the numbers are currently telling us.