Sharon says…

“Yay! A vaccine! That’s what we have all been waiting for right??”

Yay! A vaccine! That’s what we have all been waiting for right?? (except for the anti-vaxxers, poor souls, I can already hear them screaming). Now that the news of major companies showing extremely hopeful results of a vaccine are out, we should all go back to normal, forget the rules, start travelling and forget this whole year even happened.

WRONG!

“As a history student I know one thing and that is: history is here to teach us not to make the same mistakes again”

Please, don’t mistake me, I would LOVE to forget this year and pretend that everything was fine, and these 12 months totally didn’t ruin my life but by doing so, what was even the point? As a history student I know one thing and that is: history is here to teach us not to make the same mistakes again and to learn from them. This is why I am not afraid to say that coronavirus was a good test for humanity. Don’t attack me just yet! Hear me out, are you telling me that, without the experience of the COVID-19 lockdown, if a zombie apocalypse broke out right now, you would still know what to do?? Exactly, no, you wouldn’t. This is because the coronavirus has taught us how to survive, as a society, if something bad happened! Toilet paper stacking, hand washing, hand gel squeezing, face mask wearing, all useful things that would help us survive a zombie apocalypse. Well, kind of, basic combat skills would be useful too but one thing at a time, I guess. Not only that, but some things should just remain and become a normal part of society. Such as using hand gel before entering any building or any form of public transport. This might be unpopular but wearing a mask on public transport should just become normal, you are in close proximity of a lot of people and I believe the annual flu rates would just go down so quick! Also, COVID-19 might have just brought out the importance of hygiene again which I believe many people would agree with me by saying that this was a good thing and should definitely be kept in mind in the future.

I hear people talk about the vaccine and what will happen if it’s not 100% effective and I say that whatever happens, it is still a step forward. Even if the vaccine turns out to be only 90% effective or something around that, to me that would still be unbelievable, and I would still be immensely grateful. And if I was wrong and the vaccine turns us all into monsters, then so be it! It’s 2020, nothing scares me anymore.

“I guess the question is, will I get vaccinated? And my answer is yes.”

I guess the question is, will I get vaccinated? And my answer is yes. If the vaccine means I can go back and live my life to the fullest by travelling again and experience moments that only happen once in a lifetime without restrictions, then I would be a fool by rejecting it. I want to experience everything life has to offer because ‘you only live once’ and there is no going back once it’s over.

Now I know how to stack toilet paper, like the Great Pyramid of Giza (cheers Corona!), should we go back to normal after a vaccine? In theory, yes, but WILL we? Most likely not and I don’t believe that is a bad thing, not for a second!

Sharon, 16, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea

 

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Beth says…

“Having the vaccine will not mean that everything immediately goes back to ‘normal’”

Having the vaccine will not mean that everything immediately goes back to ‘normal’.

We are trying to live through the biggest global pandemic in over 100 years and the world has had to face up to the fact that there is a real and terrifying risk of death to everyone. For some people, this will be the first time that they have ever had to think in such a way and this will have longer term effects on the mental health of many; the way that people see their future will change.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are anti-vaccine. Which means that life will take much longer to return to ‘normal’ because the virus will still be out there, being spread. Personally, I would much rather take my chances with a vaccine than with Covid 19.

“Personally, I would much rather take my chances with a vaccine than with Covid 19”

However, people who do have the vaccine will help to reduce the spread, meaning that life, for the vaccinated can return to more normality. Despite this, for many months, it is likely that the safest thing, even for the vaccinated, will be to socially distance and wear a mask still, as the vaccine is not 100% effective and there will still be many out there, who may spread the virus, who haven’t had the vaccine or who refuse to have the vaccine.

‘Normal’ does not mean ‘the way things were’, because I don’t think that things will ever return to the way things were. In my opinion, these things will change long-term:

  • People will feel more comfortable wearing masks in future, even after Covid-19 is less, or much less, of a threat. So, we may see people wearing masks on planes to protect themselves from picking up a virus from other passengers.
  • People will work from home more as some companies and employees have realised the benefits of this, and that they can communicate by Zoom and Teams, and don’t have to meet in person. Some people don’t like working at home but for many, it gives a lot of flexibility.
  • People will shop online more and are more likely to buy their groceries over the internet.
  • Our health system will be more prepared in future for pandemics.

“For some, life will never be the same… I really hope that people in this situation can still find a way forward”

For some, life will never be the same, vaccine or no vaccine, because, for example, they have long haul symptoms from Covid-19, or family and friends have died of this virus. I really hope that people in this situation can still find a way forward.

We have all had a near-death experience and this will change society forever.

Beth, 17, Leicester

 

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