“Positive COVID-19 test result” Photo courtesy of freshman Evelyn Heffner.

  Students at San Luis Obispo High School were very excited for winter break from December 23, 2021 to January 9, 2022. Some planned to visit family, some wanted to hang out with their friends, and some were just excited to sleep in. 

  But the COVID-19 Omicron variant had other plans. The new variant is much more contagious than the original COVID-19 and the Delta variant strains. 

  During my winter break, my family and I planned to visit my aunt and cousins in Spain. We had a layover in Portugal and needed to have a negative COVID-19 test in order to get on the plane. All of the testing sites were closed in the days leading up to our flight because of Christmas so we booked a drive-through appointment on the morning of our flight. We got to the drive-through and were all ready, but at the car in front of us, the testing system crashed. None of the other testing sites were open except for a walk-up one at the airport. We rushed there with our bags but because of the system crash at the other site, the line was an estimated 4-hour wait. If we waited that long, we would have missed our flight. But even if we had waited, the tests were about $300 per person. We drove home and postponed the entire trip until summer break. 

  Expressions interviewed another student and staff member about their “OH-MY-CRON” experiences during winter break.

Freshman Evelyn Heffner: “After avoiding COVID-19 for almost two years it was kind of a shock when I saw the positive test. I was the only member of my family to be exposed so I spent half of my winter break and now the first week of school isolated in my room. It’s been difficult to handle boredom and lack of socialization, but keeping everyone safe is the top priority.” 

English teacher and Expressions adviser Scott Nairne: I tested positive for COVID-19 the last Friday of break. I had tested negative the day before when my throat got scratchy. I got really sick and I went into isolation. I’ve been in isolation for five days now, and I am feeling better. It was the sickest I’ve ever been. I have a substitute for the week, and I am communicating through Google Classroom, email, and text. It reminds me so much of Distance Learning except that I’m the one not at school. I also would like to share that I am vaccinated but have not had the booster, which I now regret.

  Remember to wear your mask, wash your hands, and stay home if you are not feeling well or if you test positive for COVID-19. 

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