The Marquette Tribune
Opinions
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
PAGE 10
Editorial Board
Alexandra Garner, Executive Opinions Editor Hope Moses, Assistant Opinions Editor Aimee Galaszewski, Executive Director Benjamin Wells, Managing Editor of The Marquette Tribune Skyler Chun, Managing Editor of The Marquette Journal
Megan Woolard, News Executive John Leuzzi, Sports Executive Randi Haseman, A&E Executive Lelah Byron, Projects Editor
Eleanor McCaughey, Copy Chief Grace Pionek, Design Chief Izzy Bonebrake, Executive Photo Editor Kate Hyland, Social Media Executive
Andrew Amouzou, Station Manager of MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager of MURadio Alex Rivera Grant, Editor of Diversity and Inclusion
STAFF EDITORIAL
University must take COVID-19 conscious action
While 94% of Marquette University students and 93% of faculty and staff have submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as of Nov. 24, it is necessary that the university continues to be flexible with the future uncertainty of COVID-19. Although the majority of students have submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination, the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and the virus is still spreading. Between Oct. 18 and Nov. 24, there were 79 reported cases of COVID-19 on campus, according to the Marquette University COVID-19 Dashboard. The university announced Aug. 16 that it would require all individuals to wear face masks in public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 starting Aug. 17. However, now that COVID-19 vaccinations are more readily accessible and the majority of the Marquette community has submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination, many of the safety protocols on campus have been relaxed or removed altogether. Unfortunately, there is often
little to no enforcement of these requirements across campus buildings; sometimes students are seen improperly wearing masks or not wearing masks at all when they’re walking around campus buildings. Additionally, the university is not requiring social distancing protocols in classrooms and indoor spaces that were put in place last year. In spaces like residence halls, dining halls and classrooms where there is high foot traffic, there are no longer social distancing requirements, despite the risk of spreading COVID-19 being much higher. Additionally, dining halls also no longer provide to-go containers for students like they did last school year, causing a greater possibility of spreading COVID-19. Not having more socially distanced spaces and stricter face mask enforcement may likely increase the spread of COVID-19 among students. Being more mindful of COVID-19 safety measures on campus is especially important as the World Health Organization labeled the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, as a “cause for concern” Nov. 29, in addition to four other variants:
Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. Although no Omicron variant cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the U.S. yet, there needs to be safety measures in place as it is likely to spread. Having some reported COVID-19 cases on campus is likely because not all members of the Marquette community have submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination; but Marquette needs to make sure it is taking necessary action to protect everyone’s health and well-being. This could include improving the enforcement of properly wearing face masks in indoor public spaces, as well as implementing more social distancing spaces. Another way to respond to the changing COVID-19 pandemic is to improve the availability of on-campus COVID-19 testing. As of now, the Medical Clinic only offers COVID-19 testing appointments Monday through Thursday between 7:10 am and 11:00 am in the Helfaer Recreation Center, according to the Medical Clinic patient portal. Providing COVID-19 testing on
campus is a necessary resource for students to monitor their health, and the testing time slots offered may not be accessible for all students. Students with conflicting classes or extracurricular activities may not be able to make the four-hour window. This may leave them to try and find COVID-19 testing elsewhere near campus. However, if students don’t have accessible transportation, they may not be able to get tested for COVID-19 near or off campus. The goal should be monitoring COVID-19 cases on campus, which means increasing the availability of testing times. Marquette should also consider offering COVID-19 booster shots for students. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Nov. 19 that it expanded the eligibility of COVID-19 booster shots to people who are 18 years of age and have completed the primary COVID-19 vaccination series for Pfizer or Moderna at least six months ago. Before its recent announcement, the FDA only approved COVID-19 booster shots for individuals who are at least 65
years old, as well as individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 who are at “high risk of severe COVID-19” or “frequent institutional or occupational exposure” to COVID-19. The Marquette University Medical Clinic currently distributes the primary COVID-19 vaccine series. The university recently announced that the Marquette University Medical Clinic would not be distributing COVID-19 booster shots. However, it said that those who were interested in getting the booster shot could register through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to receive it at a nearby health department or pharmacy. Taking action with the most recent information regarding COVID-19 is necessary to provide the most adequate resources and care for the Marquette community. Although the Marquette community is adjusting to a “new normal,” it is imperative that the university continues to make decisions regarding COVID-19 safety that will benefit and protect the health of students, faculty and staff.
Considering structures may prevent further mass tragedies Krisha Patel CONTENT WARNING: This story contains sensitive content related to the recent Waukesha parade tragedy and mass shootings. People should have the freedom to live their lives and do things they enjoy without the possibility that their lives could be in danger. Senseless tragedies occur more frequently across the United States in public spaces where people shouldn’t feel afraid for their lives. While concerts, movie theaters, grocery stores, schools and now parades seem to be more high-risk areas, they shouldn’t be places people have to avoid, and oftentimes they can’t. There should be a societal mind shift from viewing these events in isolation to treating them as related results of failing justice and social services systems. Recently near Milwaukee, a man drove an SUV into the annual Waukesha Christmas parade, harming over 60 people and killing six people, the youngest being an
eight-year-old. The man was charged with a dozen criminal charges over the past 22 years, the most recent because he allegedly drove over a woman three weeks ago Nov. 2. He was charged with obstructing an officer, second-degree recklessly endangering safety with domestic abuse assessments, disorderly conduct with domestic abuse assessments and misdemeanor battery with domestic abuse assessments. While he was arrested and charged Nov. 5 for the alleged incident of running over the mother of his child, he was released from the Milwaukee County Jail on Nov. 16 after posting the $1,000 bail Nov. 11. The low bail has come under scrutiny by the Milwaukee County district attorney’s office, which is now conducting an internal review of the decision. The individual was also charged with bail jumping from a previous incident from July 2020. He also currently has two open court felony cases in Milwaukee County. The Waukesha parade tragedy may have been prevented if the individual was not allowed to make
bond for the incident earlier this month, as he was a clear threat to the safety of the community. The justice system severely failed the Waukesha community by not looking more into the individual’s history and criminal record. Another tragic event was the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida in February 2018. The shooter intentionally killed 17 people and injured 17 others. The Parkland shooter had a history of mental health issues, which he received treatment for at Henderson Behavioral Health. However, the facility was accused of failing to give the individual a proper diagnosis and the necessary care, as well as notify police that he was a threat to others. Additionally, the police failed to follow up on several reported incidents that were red flags leading up to the shooting Feb. 14, such as the shooter posting in an Instagram groupchat that he “planned to shoot up the school” and making comments about buying a gun. If social services and police enforcement had been more diligent
with providing care and treating every incident as a legitimate threat, the Parkland tragedy may have been prevented. The perpetrators of these crimes should not take away from these tragedies, and the people who lost their lives and were affected. Their voices cannot be lost when talking about these incidents. But unless we take a closer look at the possibly influential systems behind these individuals that may have led them to make these decisions, we won’t get the whole picture of these violent tragedies. In incidents where police officers do address and communicate safety concerns, it is imperative that people heed their warnings. At the Travis Scott festival in Houston, Texas Nov. 10, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people due to a crowd surge, officers warned Scott before the concert that the crowd of people may have been difficult to control, especially since it was coming out of the height of COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, officials made comments that Scott should have stopped the concert sooner. While there has not been a
singular perpetrator identified for the crowd surge at the Scott concert, many individuals followed others as they pushed forward toward the crowd, engaging in a type of mob mentality; people were “willing to do whatever to be in line for merch, food, shows, you name it. A lot of fights broke out throughout the day,” a witness at the event said to Variety Magazine. It seems that every week, there is another tragedy in a city across the U.S circulating in the news, resulting in a mass death. It is important that we recognize the lives that are taken at these events; it is also important that we take a closer look at the institutions and structures in place, like the justice and social services systems, that are failing to take proactive action. The actions of these individuals are clear on printed pages and cycling television news. But there is less focus on the structures behind these violent actions that are not on the pages and screens.
Krisha Patel is a junior studying nursing and Spanish for the health professions. She can be reached at krisha.patel@marquette.edu
