Holidays During COVID Time: Other Theories of COVID:

I went to India in February 2020 for a wedding, which was immediately before we went into the first lockdown and after strictly following all the COVID guidelines, my family and I were finally able to travel to India in April 2022.

While we had no issues related to COVID, I found sleeping in a mask on the aeroplane particularly unpleasant. However, it was all worth it in the end because I managed to visit my family and have a lovely time.

Lydia

In such a strange time, bizarre theories of what was going on abounded!

Warning, some are totally ridiculous!

“It escaped from a Chinese lab.”

“The pandemic is being manipulated by the ‘deep state’.”

“Just let it spread and get it over and done with.”

“We NEED to be more cautious.”

“It’s Bill Gates’ fault.”

“COVID was created as a biological weapon.”

“COVID is a plot by Big Pharma.”

(basically a conspiracy to make people pay lots for pills etc.)

“It’s all a hoax.”

“Just a cold.”

“The media have inflated the death tolls.”

I went to Austria in February 2022 for skiing for the first time in three years.

We planned to go in 2021 but it was postponed, for obvious reasons! The rules in Austria were slightly different than in the UK, though, as COVID was

‘ending’, or the cases were decreasing, the restrictions in Austria were scheduled to be lifted while we were on holiday there.

One of the main rules was that the masks were to be worn at all times (this was very difficult when skiing!). However, the masks HAD to be special masks called FFP2 masks that were thicker (and in my mind actually worked!

Unlike the flimsy imitation NHS masks in the UK).

When the rules changed in Britain most people were keen to take the masks off. However, in

Austria the attitudes to COVID barely changed, despite the fact the law had changed, most Austrians still wore masks. Even though COVID was still around, my holiday gave my family hope that normality would return.Emily

“The US military imported COVID into China.”

“COVID-19 doesn’t actually exist.”

“Its God’s way of decreasing the population.”

“5G is to blame.” (believed by many anti-vaxxers)

“Genetically modified crops are somehow to blame.”

COVID Headlines:

Assembly:

Two Years on and we were back in assembly…

The first Hymers College whole school assembly since the pandemic began as taken by Mr Wright!

It was started in the lockdown of 2020 by Miss Robinson to document events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appendix 1

Oscar makes our club famous!

Around three school years later, the club is still running, as none of us expected the effects of the virus to linger round for this long! I really enjoy going to Time Capsule Club as I get to discuss an important time period in history and also get to discuss a wide variety of topics and events that have occurred during the COVID period. We are literally recording history, which is exciting!

I would encourage every student to join at least one club as it allows you to socialise and meet new people you may never have talked to otherwise (I can honestly say I have

Appendix 2 made some lifelong friendships in both the Drama and Time Capsule Club) plus you have the chance to find a new hobby that you will have a passion for, for the rest of your life!

Assembly, September 2022.

Date 19/5/2021