As the spring and summer months marked by fear, concern, and safety drew to a close, many individuals are starting to risk the dangers of Covid-19 solely due to exhaustion of the pandemic. The summer did not eradicate the virus, and this fall, cases are beginning to surge once again. Searching for effective methods to tackle this fatigue and reinvigorate public vigilance is a growing challenge as the crisis continues.
So what are some things you can do to ease this challenge? 1. Make a promise to yourself. It is no surprise that people were going to be tired of staying locked up inside their houses. Therefore, if you plan on going somewhere, commit to staying the safest you can. Wear a mask at all times and ensure that you are socially distancing yourself from others. Do the proper thing to ensure that you and your loved ones remain safe, even if it is a slight inconvenience. 2. Read about Covid-19 stories For some individuals, especially on Long Island, getting the virus is an abstract idea. We think it's something that happens to other people in other parts of the country. However, this is not true. Covid-19 can affect anyone, including you and your family. When you read stories about other people’s coronavirus journeys, it becomes personal to you, motivating you to stay safe. 3. Make precautions a second nature to you You shower every single day and brush your teeth to make sure you practice good hygiene. The key is to have the same outlook on the virus. Take precautions like disinfecting your groceries and mail and make them second nature. No matter how much it seems like a chore, know that it's the safe thing to do. Eventually, putting a mask on or washing your hands often will become routine. The good news is that there are vaccinations in the works that have boasted high treatment rates. As of right now, there is no set release date for these vaccinations, but sit tight as they will reach us soon! Stay safe, everyone! Reported by Tarunika Sasikumar As the Covid cases continue to rise in our area, new ideas on how testing can be made more available are being introduced. Starting at the end of the month, there will be “pop up” labs in mall parking lots. You can find them at Roosevelt Field, Smithhaven, and Walt Whitman malls. These collection sites will offer two kinds of tests. They will be able to test for the current presence of Covid and antibodies. A rapid antibody test (where you get the results within a day) will cost $59. The more invasive, yet more accurate test for Covid will cost $179. The temporary sites will accept insurance.
Now holiday shoppers can pick up gifts and a Covid test at the same location. These temporary sites will remain open until the pandemic is over. They may be transformed into vaccination sites once that is available to the general public. We can only hope that the convenience and additional testing will limit the spread. A vaccination is in the works and hopefully, as we do our spring shopping, this will all be part of our history. Stay safe everyone! Reported by Alison Chertoff For the first Issue of the 2020-2021 school year, the Hawkeye Newspaper club has organized a fundraiser towards promoting reading literacy. In New York State, there are over 3.4 million individuals who lack English language proficiency, and this number is only rising due to the onset of the obstacles associated with Covid-19.
With schools reopening during a difficult time, we decided to partner with Book Fairies, an organization that collects reading materials for people in need throughout metropolitan New York. These reading materials foster literacy and academic success and nurture a love for reading/writing. I am proud to report that the club will be donating $800+ towards this worthy cause. Reported by Jake Feldman |