Text by GOPALA VARADARAJAN and PALINA KUZMINA
Art by PALINA KUZMINA
THE MASK SITUATION VARIED OPINIONS ON COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS
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ITH ONLY FIVE min- ning of the year, and that’s been it,” Berkutes until first period son said. “I know if people forget once in begins, Palo Alto High a while, they’ll pull their masks down, but School junior Noah Bal- I don’t think that there’s a lot of malicious danado bikes as fast as he can, speeding unmasked people out there.” onto campus. As Baldonado recalls, he enWith falling COVID-19 cases and ters his classroom with 30 seconds to spare, increased vaccination, 68% of students his mask a suffocating blanket on his face. feel safe taking off their mask outdoors, Sweaty and struggling to breathe according to an anonymous opt-in survey through a thin piece of cloth, most stu- by Verde Magazine of 250 Paly students dents are familiar with the feeling of a conducted from Nov. 1-3. long day of wearing a mask at school. Yet “If I’m surrounded by a lot of peoeven as COVID-19 cases decrease and ple … I wear my mask,” freshman Emma safety regulations become less stringent, Thomas said. “But then if I’m out in the many students still choose to wear masks open, or like, just walking, then I pull it throughout the whole day, even outdoors. down.” On Oct. 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom anNevertheless, some students still feel nounced that all eligible schoolchildren unsafe taking off their masks outdoors. (over five years of age as of Oct. 29) will “I’m fully vaccinated and the rest of be required to receive the coronavirus vac- my family is, but … my little brother is cine to attend California public schools. too young to get a vaccine,” sophomore Currently, Santa Clara Thomas Watkins County falls under the said. “Just because I I would like to see us yellow COVID-19 have a vaccine doesn’t tier, and staying in this being able to live more mean that I can’t tier for three weeks also spread it, so if freely, but we don’t would remove the inI take off my mask door mask mandate. know what’s going to and I somehow get As the county pushes I can spread happen with the coro- COVID, to end this mandate, it to my brother.” the question of the navirus and how it Although the necessity of masks and vaccine mandate will will evolve.” their future in schools ensure that all stucontinues to arise. dents are vaccinated In addition to — JENNIFER KLECKNER, health technician by next year, memthe new vaccine rebers of the Paly comquirement, Paly requires masks to be worn munity see its effect on masks as minimal. indoors, but allows students to remove “This [vaccine] mandate for school their mask outside, as per county guide- doesn’t mean that your family members are lines. going to have the vaccine,” freshman Pippa “Decisions are made at district level, if West said. “I feel like unvaccinated people not the county level … we’ve been pretty can still be a problem, and then you’ll have much following district and county rules to wear a mask because you could be a carmost of the time, if not all the time,” Assis- rier.” tant Principal Jerry Berkson said. With varied opinions on the need for According to Berkson, enforcing the masks and their effects, the mask’s future at indoor mask mandate has been generally Paly is unknown. smooth, with no major issues so far. “I think masks have been a very help“We had a little incident in the begin- ful tool, especially when we didn’t have
vaccines,” Paly Health Technician Jennifer Kleckner said. “I would like to see us being able to live more freely, but we don’t know what’s going to happen with the coronavirus and how it will evolve.” v
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