I was taking a brisk walk after school to get my mind off of some schoolwork. I was enjoying the fresh air, and within a few feet in front of me, there was someone not wearing a mask. They were standing there, holding their mask in their hand, and yelling to me about how they hate wearing masks. I was wearing a mask, and I was scared that they would come for me next. 

When I went home, I got extremely frightened and locked myself in my room. I immediately took a shower because I didn’t know what I got exposed to. The fear of being near people not wearing a mask is real, and it is deadly.

In these times, it is especially important to wear masks, practice social distancing, and take precautions. People in our very own community might get sick if these measures are not practiced. It is important to continue taking these measures until government officials have removed the wearing of a mask rule.

For the most part, people have been socially distancing, wearing masks, and quarantining this past year if they go somewhere to make sure they and the people around them are safe. The goodwill of millions of people around the world and the people in Westford has been keeping our community safe, because if you wear a mask, then you are keeping yourself and others around you safe from the virus.

However, I have learned that some people have not been wearing masks this past year, thinking that it is affecting them in a bad way. But in reality, not wearing a mask is affecting other people around them because they could get sick. 

It might be hard to breathe in masks and it might not be comfortable, but it helps other people stay safe. According to Mayo Clinic, wearing a face mask can slow the spread of the virus, along with frequent hand washing and social distancing.

If people wear masks, then the community can return to what it was before the pandemic. At the beginning of last year, almost everywhere was shut down in the early stages of the pandemic. Now that most people are wearing masks and social distancing, more places have opened up. It is a necessity to wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands frequently to ensure these places remain open.

In places where people haven’t been wearing masks, the pandemic has gotten worse and there have been a lot more cases and deaths than in places where people have been wearing masks.

For example, in New Zealand, there was a very strict lockdown, and the masks were enforced heavily. So, the people of New Zealand have been going back to their normal lives quicker than other places where people have not been wearing masks.

However, some countries have not been doing well, such as the UK. The cases in the UK are still going up and getting higher, and lockdowns are in place. If people wear masks and practice social distancing, the cases can go down, and everyone can return to their normal lives.

In our own community and school, we should continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, and not attend large gatherings. Large gatherings may be an easy way to communicate, but it is not a safe way to communicate during a pandemic. There are many other ways you can communicate with others during the quarantine.

Instead, you could do a Zoom call, text, email, or practice other methods of communication that are not person-to-person. It might be difficult to communicate through other means, and people might miss seeing other people, but by using other methods of communication, you are keeping yourself and others around you safe.

I ask that everyone continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and think about the others you could affect if you don’t take these measures.