Everything you need to know about COVID-19

Matilde Martinez-Navarrete, Staff Writer

It is difficult to tell what is in store for everyone in the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the previous weeks, new measures have been taken to further protect the population, and genetic changes in the virus itself have proven a challenge to the recovery of countries. As such, the Samo student body might find itself directly affected by new vaccination edicts and variants. 

On Oct 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom decreed that all students in the state would be required to be inoculated against COVID-19, with the vaccine to be included in the list of immunizations students need to be allowed on campus. This mandate applies to students in all schools, as well as the school staff. Students may opt-out of receiving the vaccine for medical reasons or based on their parents’ personal beliefs, which include religious and political reasons. The decree is set to go into effect the term following the FDA’s full approval of the vaccine for ages 12 and above; the vaccine is currently on emergency authorization, so students may have to be vaccinated by Jan. 2022 at the earliest. California became the first state in the U.S. to establish such a mandate, and Newsom is hopeful it will protect students’ learning environment and experience. Rhian Bruce (’25) is glad Newsom took the initiative with this decree.

“I support Governor Newsom’s decision because vaccines are essential to ensuring students and school workers are safe. Vaccines are the most important safeguard to preventing people from getting very ill from COVID-19. Also, students who come in contact with COVID and are asymptomatic and vaccinated don’t have to miss school,” Bruce said.

Dr. Ben Drati, SMMUSD’s superintendent, has also stated his support and appreciation for the mandate. He and the School Board discussed the topic during the Sept. 22 meeting, concluding that it would be discussed further once the mandate goes into effect, and drafted a resolution.

“Vaccines are a major component in the multilayered defense against the spread of COVID-19. By doing all we can to prevent the spread of this disease, we are helping to ensure our schools remain open to teaching and learning,” the draft resolution said.

Drati also released a statement on Nov. 5 warning of unofficial surveys circulating among the community. These surveys, unapproved by the PTA and the district, were distributed at schools and on email lists and social media. They sought parents’ opinions on Newsom’s mandate and spread misleading information. Drati assured an official survey would be sent in the following weeks, and indeed, parents, secondary students and staff received one via email on Nov. 19. The survey asked for their feedback on current COVID-19 protocols at school and their opinion on enforcing Newsom’s mandate at school. Overall, it is not definite how and when the mandate will be implemented, but it seems to have received a positive response from the public.

Following Newsom’s edict, LA County imposed one of the strictest vaccination mandates in the U.S. on Nov. 15. Proof of vaccination is now required when entering indoor public venues, while people unvaccinated because of medical or religious reasons only must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours. This mandate was set in preparation for the holiday season, which dealt a hard blow to LA County last year; there were 500 daily deaths across California by January. Officials hope that this mandate will encourage undecided individuals to get vaccinated.

In addition, on Oct. 29, the FDA approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages five through 11. It was found to be 90.7 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 between the age range, and no serious side effects were recorded in the testing of 3,100 children. The two-dose vaccine is given three weeks apart and contains a smaller dose than those 12 and above receive (10 micrograms compared to 30 micrograms). Lucas Milk (’24) has two younger brothers set to get the vaccine soon and is more at ease now that they will have the extra protection.

“I’m happy my brothers are getting the COVID vaccine since they usually forget to keep their masks on and they love to touch everything, while also often forgetting to wash their hands. While the risk for their age is relatively low, we have people in our house who are more at risk, so having them get the vaccine is reassuring and helps keep them and us safe,” Milk said.

Now that children can get vaccinated, and if more unvaccinated people decide to do so because of the mandates, communities in LA County will be closer to gaining herd immunity from the virus. At Samo, old opportunities might open up to students, as Principal Antonio Shelton explains.

“We think around 70 to 80 percent of our population is vaccinated. We hope more and more will get vaccinated so we can do normal things again like trips,” Shelton said.

Shelton also notes how Samo has handled COVID-19 cases well when compared to other schools in the district. With 3000 students tested between Wednesdays and Fridays and efficient contact tracing, Samo has avoided large outbreaks. According to the SMMUSD COVID-19 Dashboard, there are currently two Samo students in isolation for a positive case and 27 quarantined for exposure. 

“As far as when the county health department came in to look at our protocols, they said they work… Do we still have positive cases? Absolutely… But most contact tracing leads to infection outside of school,” Shelton said.

Even with these protocols, uncertainty — and new COVID-19 variants — fill the air. When viruses reproduce, there is a chance they might inherit a different genetic makeup, resulting in a mutation. These mutations can be beneficial to a virus, giving it a higher rate of spread and resistance to vaccines. A new SARS-CoV-2 variant, AY.4.2. or Delta Plus, has emerged in the U.K., causing a surge of cases that account for six percent of the total cases there. Delta Plus has also spread to some U.S states, but experts say it is too early to know if it will cause the same upsurge as it did across the sea. This variant is more contagious than the Delta variant by around 10 percent, but scientists reassure that the vaccine is just as effective in treating it. In South Africa, the new Omicron variant has also caused a case upsurge and has spread to countries in Europe and the Middle East. Omicron is the most mutated variant to date, with 10 mutations compared to Delta’s two, and early studies show it has a higher reinfection rate. Scientists don’t yet know if the vaccine will be as effective in treating it. Jessica Wade, Samo’s school nurse, advises that students continue to adhere to safety guidelines.

“Please continue to properly wear your mask on and off of campus… Maintain a distance of at least six feet from others when possible… Wash your hands before and after eating or touching your face… Talk to your doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine to determine if it is right for you,” Wade said. 

The symptoms of both Delta Plus and the COVID-19 disease may cause extreme sickness and hospitalizations, but they might find their match with newly developed treatments. Merck and Co., a pharmaceutical company based in the U.S., developed molnupiravir, the first pill against COVID-19 symptoms. In the conducted studies, molnupiravir reduced hospitalizations and deaths by 50 percent in mild and moderate cases. Pfizer, one of the leading companies in providing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines, soon followed with their pill paxlovid. Paxlovid is shown to be more effective than molnupiravir, reducing about 90 percent of hospitalizations and deaths when taken within the first three days of symptom onset. These orally administered medicines target the virus’ ability to reproduce and spread to the rest of the body, and could be game-changers in the treatment of COVID-19. If released, not only would these pills reduce life-threatening symptoms in infected individuals, but they may also help to not overload hospitals in strong case surges.

While  COVID-19 has thrown many curveballs, the fight against it continues. The new measures implemented by California and groundbreaking advancements in treatments make the reality of a post-COVID-19 world all the closer, but the road ahead remains a long one. 

Riya Khatod / The Samohi

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