The world is in a state that most people have never seen it in. Every day there are more and more cases of COVID-19 and sadly more and more deaths. There is currently no vaccine or cure for the virus, so the only way to stay safe is by staying away from others. It is clearly recommended to stay home and social distance, so it is infuriating to see so many people ignoring the recommendations of government officials. 

The virus is currently affecting just about everyone. Whether that means getting the virus, knowing someone who has it, missing out on the last two months of high school or losing a job – in some way everyone is affected. The saddening part about all of this is that if everybody was staying home, the virus would stop spreading as fast and many lives could be saved. There is a reason that only stores that have necessities are open. Going to the store and following the CDC safety precautions makes sense, but hanging out with a group of friends because of one’s own selfish needs is not.

There are plenty of ways to still see other people while following social distancing guidelines. For example, parking cars and talking six feet apart is okay, while being in the same car as others is not. Everybody is facing this battle, and if everyone else is surviving while social distancing, so can those who are not.

As a teenager, it is tempting to want to be with friends, and if some parents are allowing it, many people have been doing it. The issue with that is yes, maybe they think there is no coronavirus in that group, but it is proven that people can be carriers of the virus. This means that they have it but feel no symptoms, and then they bring it home to their family and someone else gets sick. Social distancing is all about selflessness and knowing that by following simple rules, lives can be saved.

Another irritating factor is that the same people who post about missing their normal lives and wanting this to all end are two hours later posting a picture with people who are not their families. It is not something to show off. It makes those people look uneducated and selfish, and it needs to stop. 

  At the end of the day, stopping this virus is going to take every person ending their selfish habits for the good of everyone else. Nobody is stronger than the virus, and social distancing, for now, is the only way to end this. Those thinking about breaking the social distancing guidelines to hang out with friends should consider the lives that could be saved if they, and everybody else, made the decision to stop.