Juan Salinas II
campus editor
juan.salinas465@my.tccd.edu

While TCC has already started in-person classes for the spring semester, numerous colleges such as the University of Texas at Arlington are delaying in-person classes due to the high numbers of omicron variant cases. 

TCC should consider delaying as well because of the omicron outbreak, SE student Beyla Richard-Jackson said. She expressed optimism about the situation, saying that if students continue to maintain social distancing and wear a mask, they can finish this year without going back to virtual learning. 

“I have mixed feelings about online school,” SE student Aurora Snowhill said. 

Snowhill has a learning disability and finds virtual learning to be difficult compared to an in-person environment. 

“As for my health and the safety of others, it probably would have been a smarter decision to delay classes,” they said.

Tarrant County has 19,370 confirmed cases as of Jan. 8, which has increased 17,481 since December 2021, according to the official Tarrant County website.  

“I do think we have to accept that we won’t be going back to an age ‘pre-COVID,’” NE student Daisy Pike said. “We just have to accept it as normal but still remain cautious and aware of it.”  

The Biden administration announced Jan. 19 that it is partnering with local pharmacies and community health centers to distribute “high-quality masks” around the country free of cost.

“I will be wearing a mask,” Pike said. “I wore a mask all of last semester, and I will be wearing it probably for the rest of my school career and beyond.” 

TCC currently has no mandates on masks or vaccines.

“We should have the right to choose whether to inject a vaccine into ourselves or wear a mask,” NW student Sammy Jepsen said. “Our nation has been built off of freedom. Whether there is a virus or not, we should not be subjugated to restrictions and mandates which may or may not provide protection.” 

While the omicron variant is spreading faster than other variants, research done by scientists at Case Western Reserve University has shown that it is less severe than delta and previous variants. 

“I think that we need to understand that this pandemic is now in its third year, and we need to adapt,” TR English professor Jerrica Jordan said. “I plan to keep listening to scientists and try my best to be mindful of others.”

Jordan brought up the many side effects of the pandemic, including the backup of the global supply chains that are projected to take years to restore and the increased demand for childcare 

“I really think people have experienced mental drain because of all these changes,” Jordan said. “We need to realize that everyone is dealing with difficult aspects of this pandemic.”

Jordan feels TCC needs to be more transparent with data and its COVID procedures. 

“I think data like this is the way to increase knowledge and convince people of the benefits of masks, vaccinations and social distancing,” she said.