On Apr. 1, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a safer-at-home order for the entire state, allowing only essential activities and services; the order went into effect April 3 at 12:01 a.m.

“My family is following the stay-at-home order,” junior Isabelle Braudakis said. “We only leave when we need to get groceries and it is only my parents, or when my dad has to go to work.”

Younger people expressed worry, and some are staying in their homes to protect themselves. Yet there are people continuing to venture out as if life were normal.

“People still walk right by each other,” junior Alexia Lemus said. “Some walk around with little kids and are touching everything and coughing everywhere. It is like they don’t know we are living through a pandemic.”

While the risks of severe complications or death are much higher for older people and those with underlying health conditions, COVID-19 can be just as dangerous for young people.

“We keep hearing every night that we get at least 1,000 new cases, hundreds of people each night,” Lemus said. “Still going out to places and complaining to get places open, like the beach is not going to solve anything.”

Although the risk of severe illness may be different for everyone, anyone can get and spread COVID-19. Everyone has a role to play in slowing the spread and protecting themselves, their family, and their community.

“I see people posting [on social media] their boyfriends, girlfriends, or friends just hanging out when really they should just stay at home,” Braudakis said. “Cases are only going up and nothings going to get better if people keep going out.”