Students explore option to mask Students debate on wearing masks at school

By Clarence Capunitan

The mask mandate at Arroyo has been lifted. Some of the school has decided to keep wearing masks. How do the people who wear masks decide when they wear a mask and with the new Omicron variant of COVID-19? , How do people stay safe from the new variant and what do they do to stay safe?

The school administration has decided to lift the mask mandate at school at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. Many of the students still wear masks even though the requirement to wear masks at this is not necessary or in effect.

Junior Victor San Yeap wears a mask even though there is no mask mandate.

San Yaep wears a mask everyday to school but when he goes out in public things are different.

“I frequently put on masks in public and also apply hand sanitizer for safety, but on occasion I don’t wear a mask when I go out in public sometimes.” San Yeap said

Senior Damon Li also explained when he decides to mask.

“It depends on where you are going and who you are going with. If you are going out with a bunch of strangers, you do it because you don’t know what illnesses they have. With friends, you have been with them for a while so you would know if they are sick”

“I mask and socially distance from people I don’t know as much as possible for the foreseeable future.” San Yeap said Being a part of the track team he wears a mask before he runs but doesn’t wear a mask when he is running

“I wear my mask all the time until I run because running with a mask is uncomfortable and it cannot be good for you.” Li said Li wears a mask very often when he goes out in public but said he doesn’t wear a mask at family gatherings.

“Wearing masks at family get togethers are different because I am around people I am comfortable being around, but going out in public is a completely different story because I don’t know the people around me in public and who already had COVID-19 and who hasn’t yet in public spaces.” said Li

San Yeap says that he uses gloves and hand sanitizer to stay safe from COVID-19 and the other COVID-19 variants.

“Yes I will continue to do what I am doing now because I have not caught COVID once. As long as COVID-19 is around I will wear a mask and socially distance from people I don’t know as much as possible for the foreseeable future.” San Yeap said.