After nearly a year of exclusively remote learning, Apex High School has reopened its doors to three cohorts of students in a rotation style transition. While Covid-19 case numbers are dropping, the pandemic is not over yet; therefore it is important to be safe. Apex will be adhering to CDC reopening guidelines, but for peace of mind here are some tips to protect yourself and others when returning to campus. 

Arguably one of the most important methods of protection is to wear a mask. Check the CDC guidelines on proper types of masks to ensure what you plan to wear on campus is effective. Students are allowed to remove masks temporarily to eat and drink, but in order to preserve the facemask’s protection, a water bottle with a straw can be very beneficial. The straw can be brought under the mask to sip water that way a student would not have to entirely remove their mask. 

While it is important to wash your hands, many times in school we do not find ourselves by a sink. It can be very helpful to keep small hand sanitizer bottles or wipes in your backpack to always stay clean. The wipes can be used to clean your desk and chair while hand sanitizer is useful after touching a doorknob during transition time. 

For further cleaning protection, most science and even computer classrooms have UV light devices. These are meant for storing and sanitizing safety goggles but can be used by students with teacher permission to clean personal items like phones. The devices take around ten minutes to sanitize your item with the power of UV light. 

When the weather is pleasant, sit outside for lunch to soak up the sunshine and gain added protection from possible spread of COVID. Being outside lowers transmission chances and is another step of protection yourself. Grab a picnic table in the courtyard with up to three friends or opt to sit on a bench. Remember to put your mask on when not eating both in and out of the cafeteria. 

All of these tips can be very helpful, but it is important to note that in order to protect your classmates and teachers, it is better to be safe than sorry if you aren’t feeling well. Please stay home if you are sick. Going back to in-person classes can be both exciting and a bit intimidating, though it helps to be armed with tips to have peace of mind about Covid.