The  COVID-19 pandemic, started in 2019, has developed into the delta variant, a much more dangerous and contagious mutation of the coronavirus.  Both COVID-19 and its delta variant are most contractible through aerosolized particles, which means you are most likely to get it through inhaling the particles. If you are with someone for fifteen minutes or more with no mask on, and less than 6 feet away from them, you could be in danger of catching the virus.  This is where masks come in.  

              Yes, masks are uncomfortable, and they can stink, but there are solutions for both. And if they keep you safe, I think it’s worthwhile. If your mask smells bad, you can just suck on a mint or something that smells good, and if your mask is uncomfortable, you can just find one that’s more comfortable, or you can wear two masks, a medical mask and something better over it.   While most people wear it only on their nose or mouth, they can still catch the virus by inhaling it through the other uncovered body part. 

                If you care about what happens to you and other people around you, you should wear a mask. Wearing a mask doesn’t just protect yourself, it protects the people around you. 

               “The masks irritate my face. Partially, yes I do think they help stop the spread. Yes, I would still wear a mask if the mask mandate was not ordered. Mostly, yes I mostly think masks keep us safe, because if social distance worked then we wouldn’t have to wear a mask, but if masks worked we wouldn’t have to social distance. I do think they help, but masked people are still getting sick, so they don’t fully prevent you from getting the virus,” Kendall Climo, seventh grader, stated. 

COVID-19 is very serious, and it is good to keep you and your family (and others!) safe, but there are some downsides to having to wear a mask. For instance, they are uncomfortable and they can make it hard for you to breathe. For all you asthmatic kids out there, gym class must be torture, with how hard it is to breathe. And for kids that don’t have asthma, it’s still just as bad. 

Masks can also partially block your vision, so when you are in class it can be hard to see the board or even the paper you’re writing on. You also can’t see anyone’s face, or if you made them laugh, mad, or sad. It’s quite hard to talk in masks, as they just keep slipping down. Sometimes the wires poke your face, and get in your eyes.  On a summer day, when it’s hot and humid, your mask can be extra uncomfortable. The masks can cause you to squint, and they aren’t exactly a fashion trend. 

  “Masks make my nose itch, and it’s really annoying. I don’t think they help stop the spread because it’s basically like breathing through  the mask. If I could, I would not wear a mask because it’s annoying. It makes my glasses fog up, and it rubs against my nose,” Jeremi Kanneg, seventh grader, said. 

Masks  aren’t exactly the most comfortable things to wear,  and hopefully we won’t have to wear them anymore.