“The majority of us have been pretty bummed out.”
Sydney Neal, 24, doesn’t mind it if people refer to her as a “geek” or a “nerd.”
“I embrace it,” the Washington University PhD grad student confessed. “I love science, and the idea of what can be discovered. Being a ‘nerd’ has gotten me where I am today and I’m incredibly blessed.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on Neal’s blessings and impacted millions of lives around the world. But Neal is among a demographic that has seen their schools and universities shuttered, that has had their social lives upended and been isolated from their peers. This is perhaps the pandemic’s biggest blow to teens and young adults, who rely on their network of friends to navigate the labyrinth of school life.
The pandemic, with its ever-evolving threats to people of all ages, has had a particular toll on young people. Last year, the CDC released a study showing that 63 percent of young people reported significant symptoms of anxiety and depression as a result of the pandemic. The study also emphasized that young people have felt the same feelings that Neal experienced.
“It’s sad. The majority of us have been pretty bummed out. I think we all felt isolated for a while, missing out on trips, concerts, and social activities. I’m a young adult, and not being able to do all those things has been frustrating, to say the least.”
However, Neal also said that some of her friends have been “a little too lax” about COVID-19 precautions.
“A lot of them think, ‘oh well, we’ll get over it.’ Which is great and all, but we shouldn’t be spreading it around in the first place,” she said.
For the most part, Neal said most of her peers have remained cautious and continued following safety protocols. And, as a certified nerd and biomedical engineering student, Neal looks at the spread of the coronavirus more analytically than emotionally.
“I’m starting to feel hopeful, but I’m still waiting to see how everything plays out [with the vaccines]. I’m also curious to see whether COVID-19 cases continue to spike, and why.”
Neal expressed anger that the virus was allowed to spread so rapidly in this country due to the incompetence of the Trump Administration. Yet, with vaccinations ramping up, she feels the country is finally getting a hold on the pandemic.
Yet just as curtailing the virus seemed to be within arm’s reach, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued another dire message: The so-called U.K. variant of virus is now the leading cause of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. What’s even more alarming is that new variants seem to be hitting younger American the hardest.
“Yes, I’ve heard about the new variants,” Neal responded, adding, “We were so close to hopefully turning things around, and now this. Again, it’s just sad because I don’t want to see more young people, or anyone for that matter, getting sick.”
Early this month, President Joe Biden called for all states and cities to make all adults, over the age of 16 eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination. Before Biden’s announcement, younger people were last in line to receive a vaccine. Because Neal works with essential health care workers, she’s already been vaccinated. Being inoculated, however, isn’t a guarantee that people cannot become infected by the new variants.
Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, an infectious disease physician at Washington University’s School of Medicine, said that studies are ongoing but there are no definitive conclusions.
“Although all major vaccine developers are testing right now, preliminarily data suggests that all three of the major vaccines appear to remain highly effective against B.1.1.7. specifically,” Hlatshwayo Davis stressed.
CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen recently speculated that younger people increasingly getting infected is an indication that mass vaccinations are indeed effective.
“The disproportionate rise in cases among young people is probably due to a combination of factors,” Wen said. “The first is the fact that older people are increasingly vaccinated and therefore very well-protected […] and that a greater proportion of those hospitalized shifting toward young people demonstrates that vaccinations are working.”
According to the CDC, there have been more than 16,000 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant. Because younger people are more mobile and engaged in public activities, CDC director Rochelle Walensky publicly urged caution and the use of social distancing when it comes to youth sports and indoor gatherings.
Another recent report by the group “Making Caring Common” found that 61 percent of those aged 18 to 25 reported higher levels of feeling lonely “frequently” or “almost all the time” or “all the time.”
Neal can relate to these statistics as well.
“In 2019, every weekend I was hanging out, going to bars and concerts, hiking or pursuing float trips. You know, classic 20-something social life stuff. 2020 was different. Relentless Zoom conferences and classes became the norm; I attended very few person-to-person social activities, and online classes were far from enjoyable. I don’t focus very well at home. If I’m at home, I’m most likely not going to stay there for very long. It’s just not conducive to my lifestyle.”
Neal, the scientific “nerd,” is looking forward to a world that is considered “normal.”
“I wish I knew what a normal world will look like,” Neal pondered. “I guess it would mean being able to do activities again without thinking about them anymore.”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.
