Senior Anaya Ubha taps her fingers against the hardwood, listening to music while writing her college essay. Her phone pings. Ubha’s heart drops as she reads the notification, not believing this was happening yet again. She didn’t expect to see a headline declaring a new issue in the world: Monkeypox. 

News of the monkeypox virus has swept across the world. However, at school, the topic has barely been brought up in conversation. 

“I don’t think most people are worried about monkeypox,” school registrar Mehula Laxpati said. “They’re still kind of hung up on COVID, so it’s in the peripheral.” 

Students have their own opinions on how the school should approach discussing the new virus.

“I think they should at least raise awareness because everyone was scared of COVID,” senior Anjana Reddy said. “Now, nobody’s really saying anything about monkeypox at all, even though it’s probably just as big as a concern.”

Nonetheless, the school staff has recommended some safety measures for the students to limit possible spread of the virus, whether it is to protect one’s self or the people around them. 

“Taking normal precautions, like we do for COVID, would help me and others feel safe in the school,” Laxpati said. “Like, people who are sick should stay home and not get into other people’s spaces.”

Some students claim that the lack of conversations and lectures on monkeypox is a result of students being uninformed about the status of this virus. 

“After living through the pandemic and quarantine, monkeypox doesn’t really seem that big of a deal to me,” Ubha said. “I know that COVID is still going on, but I hope that the school brings up some new measures to inform us about this new virus too.”

Concerning this issue, students have some ideas on how to spread awareness about this virus and what we can expect from now on. 

“We can make little videos and hang up signs and posters,” Reddy said. “Just like the things that people do to advertise for clubs, but instead, advertise monkeypox’s dangers and preventative measures.”

Additionally, the staff encourages taking care of oneself and taking rest when needed, especially when feeling sick, which has been a preventative measure. Especially since, during quarantine, people were neglecting some of the safety precautions, which had led to some serious consequences.  

“I think the biggest thing is to be aware of your body,” Laxpati said. “If you are not feeling well, it’s okay to take a day off. There’s the fact that you could get somebody else infected, but also that your body needs time to rest and heal. Just take your time and be aware of how you’re feeling.”