With spring break right around the corner, college students can’t wait to take a break from academia and enjoy some (hopefully warm) weather. Many have made plans to travel to places in warmer climates or with diverse cultures. Unfortunately, the coronavirus is an issue growing every single day, and traveling or congregating in large crowds can and will contribute to its spread. As fun as these plans might seem, the risks that they pose are far greater than any memories one might make on vacation.
Many college students are insisting on continuing their travel plans for understandable reasons. Maybe they’ve already shelled out money on plane tickets and accommodations and want to get their money’s worth, or maybe they’ve just been looking forward to it for a while and can’t bear to cancel it now. Of course, these current circumstances are upsetting, and most people would rather be sunbathing in the tropics than cooped up in their hometown, but one must consider all the repercussions of their vacation.
First and foremost, traveling will expose you to an untraceable amount of people, and it’s possible that one of them might have the coronavirus and not even know it. Whether it be in the airport or the resort you’re staying in, coming into contact with someone who has also come into contact with the coronavirus is not as unlikely as you’d think.
Perhaps you’ve already considered this but believe that the coronavirus isn’t fatal to you. Hopefully this is true but seeing as this strain of the virus is still new to our society, its full effects on people are unknown, so it’s best to be cautious. Additionally, you might contract the virus and pass it on to others who are elderly, immunocompromised or otherwise at-risk when you return from your vacation. Having the mindset that you’ll be fine if you get the coronavirus is selfish, since you put everyone in your community at risk of infection, and they won’t all have a strong immune system.
Please reconsider any travel plans during this global issue. Although you’ll initially be disappointed, hopefully you can understand the severity of the coronavirus outbreak and you’ll be grateful for the health of you and your community. This can only be maintained if we all do our part in limiting travel and contact with others.