With both our nation and the world in crisis, government officials are strongly stressing the importance of social distancing. Social distancing is deliberately increasing the space between people to avoid spreading illness, the recommended distance being at least six feet.

With orders forbidding leaving the house for unessential reasons, students are left missing school, seeing friends, prom, graduation, and much more. Because of this, many questions arise, the biggest being: is this worth it or is the government overreacting?

Governor Laura Kelly has had to make extremely difficult decisions for Kansas in an attempt to slow the spread of Covid-19. Her choices to shut down schools and ban gatherings larger than ten is controversial. While many are upset with Kelly’s decisions, Junior Zosia Stottlemire respects them.

“I think governor Kelly is doing an amazing job in handling this. Rather than getting things straightened out after there’s a big mess she’s doing what she can to prevent there from being a mess at all. She’s also doing great things as part of that like making it so landlords can’t evict people until at least May, so people who lose their jobs won’t lose their home,” explained Stottlemire.

Other Vikings are also on board with social distancing.

Ebb Nelson, sophomore, says, “I think that the government is doing the right thing. People will disagree with it, but if keeping away from people can make a difference in the virus spreading, then yeah do it. People won’t like it, even I don’t like it, but it’s helpful.”

With a shortage of medical supplies and hospital space, slowing down the spread of the virus could potentially save lives.

“Social distancing is incredibly important. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t of a particular risk. When you’re ignoring the social distancing recommendations you are legitimately putting other people’s lives at risk. By not following guidelines, you’re saying your ability to maintain your normal social life is more important than someone’s actual life,” urges Stottlemire.

While many students are bummed out about missing out on school, sports, and prom, they are looking towards the future.

Senior Molly Biggs states, “Losing my senior year sucks. Every time I think about it I start to tear up, but it makes me sadder to think there are grandparents out there dying and losing years they could have had with their families all because someone thought they were immune and didn’t need to stay home. I’d rather lose prom and graduation than the chance to have kids and live the rest of my life.

The stay home order is in place for the safety of the public.

Biggs says, “The full shutdowns are very good because it proves to people that health care workers and politicians are not overreacting and it gives more people a reason to stay home and stay inside, the goal is to flatten the curve and right now, from what we’ve been told, the best way to do it is to stay home, stay apart, and wash your hands”