The COVID-19 pandemic not only changed the way we look at sickness in the United States, but physically mandated taking time to heal and recover (a move rarely seen in corporate, consumerist America). Now that case numbers have dropped and vaccines are available, the subject of sickness is at a crossroads– how are we expected to handle illnesses? Especially in college, it can be a struggle for students to stay home when they are not given the proper academic resources to do so.
Discussions range from continued COVID-19 testing to wearing masks when ill to attendance policies. Questions remain as to what social norms developed over the pandemic we should be keeping up with, and it seems our professors have the same issue.
Attendance policies across GVSU are vastly different, with some instructors being lenient and allowing for multiple excused absences, while others allow only one– excused or unexcused. These policies are often reflected in participation grades for a course, which can all too quickly tank if a student’s absences go beyond the policy’s outline. This situation poses a struggle for students (us included) as they prioritize the difficult decision of whether to protect their health or their grades.
As cold and flu season begins, many students and faculty members are struggling with expectations of how to navigate illness. The majority of classrooms seem to be running without the anticipation of sickness or positive COVID-19 tests that can interrupt academics. Despite the lack of current discourse surrounding illness, we still find the subject to be prevalent. As of this past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 2.4% rate of deaths in Michigan are due to COVID-19. Here at the Lanthorn, we believe it’s important for GVSU to remember that health should always be your main priority.
It’s easy to get caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities like work, classes and homework. These responsibilities are still looming, despite the difficulty in completing these tasks when ill. This is why we think society should allow for more flexibility when it comes to school and work when someone is ill. An article by American River Healthcare notes that resting can assist in recovery in a number of ways, including the minimization of stress present on a daily basis. The article says stress “can make even something as traditionally light as a cold worse,” and can “increase the negative perceptions of illness, so you also feel sicker.”
Let’s not forget that during the lockdown in 2020, we incorporated resources into our lives that allowed us to continue functioning from home when facing sicknesses. For GVSU, this included virtual meeting sites like Zoom and asynchronous online learning via Blackboard. While these resources aren’t needed on such a large basis anymore, we feel it is a waste to not acknowledge these resources’ availability. We still have the virtual capacity as a University to allow students to keep up with school work, and take the time needed to focus on their bodily health. Students shouldn’t forget about this just because we aren’t facing a lockdown.
In addition to this, we should also maintain the use and access to resources that help to prevent the spread of illness. During the height of the pandemic, it was essential to “mask up,” regularly wash and disinfect your hands and be mindful of the spread of germs in close quarters. While these are practices we associate with COVID-19, they are generally effective measures to prevent the spread of sickness and disease.
The CDC states that proper hand hygiene can lower the risk of spread for respiratory diseases in the general population by 16-21%, making staying healthy (and remaining healthy) almost as easy as just washing your hands.
Post-pandemic, we feel that it’s more necessary now than ever to maintain self-care and compassion during times of sickness, despite the constant expectations in such a forward-racing work and academic world. There still needs to be grace for human needs. COVID-19, as well as other illnesses, still exist– even after the pandemic. We shouldn’t throw away the emphasis placed on health that was established through COVID-19, as well as the cognizance for the immunocompromised. We feel that as members of the GVSU community, we have a responsibility to be considerate to our fellow students and staff members. Students must do their best to maintain a healthy and safe environment for all individuals.
