By Andrew Amaya
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:36 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26 to correct the author.
In March 2020, COVID-19 hit the United States and triggered nationwide panic.
People were confined to their homes for months, doing everything they could to avoid the virus.
A simple cough in public invited anxious stares. Seeing empty store shelves stripped of essentials like food, water and cleaning supplies only fueled the sense of unease.
COVID-19 robbed people of major events like birthdays, holidays and graduations that were all canceled or postponed.
In response to the virus, international health policies were enacted to curb its spread, with “social distancing” becoming one of the most-recognized terms of the pandemic.
The World Health Organization advised the public to maintain physical distance, recommending people stay at least one meter apart to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Floor markers indicating where to stand to maintain a safe distance in line in stores remain as reminders of pandemic safety measures.
Another key policy was the use of masks. In 2020, masks were encouraged and frequently mandated, with businesses often refusing service to those who did not comply.
Signs requiring masks became a common sight on the doors and windows of nearly every store and restaurant.
It was striking to watch viral videos of workers refusing service to customers who declined to wear masks in stores and restaurants.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many schools and universities to be shut down for the rest of the year. The closure of schools left a noticeable impact on student’s social skills when they returned to the classroom.
“Students couldn’t talk in class,” said Markus Muller, professor and former department chairman of the German Department. “They didn’t know what an in-class environment was. They didn’t engage because all they did was stare at a Zoom page.”
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical flaws in the global healthcare system, particularly the severe understaffing of hospitals that left many healthcare workers mentally and physically exhausted.
According to a Harvard Gazette study of 43,026 healthcare workers conducted between April and December 2020, 50% reported feeling burnout.
As of August 2024, WHO reports that 7.05 million people have died from COVID-19.
WHO indicated that between January 2020 and May 2021, an estimated 116,000 healthcare workers lost their lives due to COVID-19.
Despite the evident shortcomings in the global healthcare system, I continue to see healthcare workers posting on social media about their hospitals’ understaffing and demanding work hours.
Monkeypox has now gained attention in recent months.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that, as per their data, monkeypox cases in the U.S. peaked in the summer of 2022, with an average of 450 cases reported nationally.
“I am not fully alarmed of another possible pandemic, however, I am fully aware that another pandemic is possible,” said Ashley Duran, a fourth-year hospitality management major. “I feel as though many students, including myself, work best physically in class.”
Whether or not CSULB is prepared for another possible global pandemic comes into question.
For students, this could be taxing if the university is unprepared for another pandemic. Reliving the chaos of 2020 can leave students frustrated and reopen trauma that was experienced years ago.
Being forced back home, slouching in a seat and having to look at a computer screen all day can leave students fatigued.
From being surrounded by your classmates and experiencing the campus life to being put into awkward breakout rooms on Zoom and stuck at home can take a psychological toll on a student’s mental health.
“I would be worried about having to complete my degree online,” said Daira Corona, a fourth-year fashion design student.
“It was a lot more difficult for me to learn how to manage classes over Zoom,” Corona said. “For degrees that need a more hands-on experience, it’s harder to learn it over the computer.”
After having to plan out an entire year of lectures to be done over zoom in a week, faculty seems better prepared to tackle another pandemic if one were to hit.
“In 2020, we were given, ultimately, a little more than a week to become zoom-ready,” Muller said. “Bottomline, I think we’re better prepared. Of course, that depends on what that pandemic looks like.”
Learning from past mistakes is crucial for potential global health emergencies, as it can help us prevent future tragedies.
