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Brady Nestle
Mrs. Krepp
Composition
27 February 2024
The Impact of COVID-19
Imagine a world where a smile is hidden behind a mask and a handshake is
replaced by a wave from six feet away. Welcome to 2020. The year 2020 will forever be
etched in history as the year a microscopic virus brought the entire world to a standstill.
The impact of COVID-19 in 2020 was significant and affecting because when we went
into lockdown people had to adapt to wearing masks, social distancing, and virtual
learning.
One major effect of the COVID pandemic is that wearing masks has become an
essential and widely adopted practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks
were everywhere, from grocery stores to just walking outside. People got creative and
started rocking various designs. “During the pandemic, you might have noticed how
creatively designed masks became a new form of self-expression while serving as a
crucial barrier against the virus.” Additionally, the reliance on eye expressions over full
facial cues became a new norm in communication. The widespread adoption of masks,
including those with unique designs you've seen, underscores their importance in
curbing the pandemic's spread. Plus, adapting to communicate with just our eyes while
our mouths are covered highlights how crucial mask-wearing has been for our safety.
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We all learned how to smile with our eyes because no one could see the rest of our
faces. In this study from Cerda, Arcadio A., and Leidy Y. García. “Face Masks During
the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Simple Protection Tool With Many Meanings.” Frontiers,
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.606635/
full. Accessed 12 February 2024. They aimed to address three aspects of face mask-
wearing public policies, individual behaviors and attitudes, and the collective
experiences of the affected communities. “The study of attitude is the same thing as
smiling under a mask, they both are expressions of how the person feels.” The phrase,
“Can you hear me now?” It got a new meaning because talking through a mask could
be a muffled adventure. Different, mandatory or voluntary, practices and contradictory
indications about the utility of face mask wearing were introduced across affected
countries. The phrase “can you hear me?” It takes effect because wearing a mask
affects the way people talk. Wearing a mask became an everyday thing.
Social distancing became a key strategy in reducing the transmission of
COVID-19, reshaping how we interact in public and private spaces. “People would stay
at least 6 feet apart when standing in line at the grocery store or talking to others.” The
recommendation is based on the fact that COVID-19 seems to spread mainly among
people who are within about six feet of each other (and more vulnerable to coming into
contact with those droplets) for extended periods. Social distancing is a
recommendation and key strategy in reducing the travel of COVID-19. People also
avoided large gatherings like parties or concerts where there could be many people
nearby. The farther you are, though, the less likely you are to come in contact with
infectious respiratory droplets. The farther you are the better your going to be. If you're
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further than 6 feet you're not going to get COVID-19. Many people worked from home
instead of going to the office to limit contact with others, it's all about keeping ourselves
and others safe. Exposure to droplets that are dispersed into the air when an infected
person coughs, sneezes, or talks is thought to be the main driver of the virus spread. If
you don't keep your distance if an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks that is said
to be the way you get COVID-19. Social distancing became a big key to stopping
COVID-19.
During the pandemic, virtual learning became an essential alternative, allowing
students to continue their education from the safety of their homes. Virtual learning
during the pandemic was quite a shift. Students attended classes online using video
conferencing platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. Virtual learning has emerged as a
powerful platform for students and academicians in the “new normal” owing to the
availability of advanced technological tools and platforms. Recently, considerable
literature has grown around the role of digital and remote technologies in learning and
teaching during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “Virtual learning has emerged as the
new way of school, or even work.” The impact that virtual learning has on people is big.
Students had to adapt to learning from home, using laptops, or tablets to access their
lessons and submit assignments digitally. Technology adoption has diverse applications,
such as online shopping, e-banking, remote education, and telehealth, for users.
Adapting to virtual learning has been hard for some people, but with virtual learning,
people have learned to shop online and all sorts of other things. Teachers also had to
get creative by using interactive tools and virtual whiteboards to engage students, it was
a new way of learning. Several studies have documented the conflicting views regarding
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virtual learning and implementing online teaching pedagogies. There have been
problems with virtual learning but you have to realize it's life-saving. It truly did stop the
spread of COVID-19. Virtual learning was a big shift for students still in school.
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our lives,
from the way we work and learn to the way we interact with others. It has taught us the
importance of adaptability, resilience, and the power of technology in keeping us
connected even in the face of adversity. As we move forward, let us remember the
lessons learned and prioritize the health and well-being of ourselves and our
communities. Together, we can overcome any challenge that comes our way. Stay safe,
and stay strong.
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Work Cited
• Cerda, Arcadio A., and Leidy Y. García. “Face Masks During the COVID-19
Pandemic: A Simple Protection Tool With Many Meanings.” Frontiers, https://
www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.606635/
full. Accessed 12 February 2024.
• “Understanding Social Distancing: How Far is Enough?” Pfizer, https://
www.pfizer.com/news/articles/
understanding_social_distancing_how_far_is_enough. Accessed 12 February
2024.
• “Virtual learning during COVID-19 pandemic | RMHP.” Dove Medical Press, 17
July 2022, https://www.dovepress.com/virtual-learning-during-the-covid-19-
pandemic-a-bibliometric-review-an-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP.
Accessed 12 February 2024.
