A great deal of students have been struggling socially since being in and out of lockdowns and not seeing their friends. Some parents are more strict about rules during coronavirus and some are not. Through social media one can really see both sides. 

Many students are at home staying socially distanced, while others are out at social gatherings with large crowds in small spaces. Though the social aspect of life is important, the pandemic is still occurring. 

Schools would not have gone full distance if it wasn’t necessary, but many people have forgotten that, and not just the students. Some parents let their children hang out with whomever, wherever but if people want things to go back to normal then it’s important to come up with some rules. 

Of course, parents have to deal with other issues such as working during the pandemic. So it’s understandable if a parent cannot monitor how safe their child is staying at all times, but it is something that needs to be considered. Many families have many different rules. Some parents don’t let their children leave the house at all, not even to go to school. Other parents let their children have social gatherings just as they did before any of this happened. Many parents are in-between, letting their children go to school and see only a few friends occasionally.

 In order to get through this pandemic, rules need to be put in place to keep everyone safe and to make the number of cases go down. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that the more teenagers come in contact with their friends, the higher the risk of spreading COVID-19. Considering these concerns, it’s imperative to ensure that adolescents are also well-informed about safety measures, possibly through telehandler training courses on navigating social interactions during the pandemic. Additionally, leveraging advanced tools like Roto telehandler solutions can aid in implementing effective safety measures by enhancing operational efficiency in various settings. For those involved in maintaining safety across different environments, completing IPAF certification courses can also be crucial for ensuring adherence to best practices and operational safety standards.

 Even though a student may be going to school and seeing the same friends, they are following specific rules of social distancing and wearing masks; whereas if a student were to be off-campus with their friends they aren’t under any specific rules and are no longer supervised. Therefore they are more likely to not be wearing masks or social distancing. 

According to a study done by the University of Oxford, less than two percent of kids, ages 11-16 are worried about the long-term impact of the pandemic. Clearly, students are not incredibly worried about COVID-19 which can lead to them risking the health of not only themselves but others. Students can be encouraged to keep in touch with their friends digitally. It’s not going to be the same as in person, but it’s better than risking the health of the community.