Covid-19 has predominantly been an enormous part of 2020; shaping the world and making history.

It seems like it was ages ago when the virus managed to infect both hemispheres, however it’s been just about 10 months. 

Europe seemed to be the worst during the first wave, with Italy hitting over 6,000 cases in March. 

However Europe managed to turn it around and overcome the first wave for the summer. 

Now they are emerging in the second wave, with cases magnifying; France’s peak of the first wave was over 7,000 cases and now they are over 30,000 cases. 

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium, are a few of the numerous European countries who are in national lockdowns for the second time.

The United States never surpassed their first wave like Europe did. 

Their numbers decreased but they were still alarming. 

Yet schools, restaurants, and nightclubs reopened. 

Worst of all, a significant number of Americans did not wear masks. 

People actually went out to the streets to protest wearing masks, it wasn’t until recent months that rules began getting stricter with masks. 

In stores it used to be recommended to wear a mask and now it is enforced to wear a mask.

As of October 28, the US has reported about 9,120,000 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The US is technically in the second part of the first wave. 

El Paso, Texas has turned into one of the cities with the worst cases. 

On October 27, El Paso hit a record of 1,400 new cases in one day. 

A curfew has been imposed, fining people $500 if they are out between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said, “We are in a crisis stage.” 

The El Paso Independence School District announced that students could go back to school, however only twice a week and virtually the other days. 

Loretto Academy went hybrid in September.

Loretto senior Mariasofia Mancilla said, “I enjoyed going to Loretto the first few days. It was weird seeing the school so lonely and quiet. 

“However with the numbers this high I don’t feel safe going back at all.”

The difference however is that the United States will most likely not close down again, restriction will eventually be placed. but the economy will not support another lockdown, President Trump said so himself. 

Trump said, “We’re not going to close the country. 

“We’re going to put out the fires.”

With the global number of cases being over 44 million, the urgency of a vaccine is increasing. 

Scientists all around the world have been trying to come up with a vaccine for Covid-19. 

There are 45 vaccines in trial as of right now and 10 of those are in the final stages. 

The vaccine that will come out will protect your body against Covid-19 with antibodies however it will not cure Covid-19. 

Russia approved a Russian vaccine for public use called Sputnik V.

Russia’s president, Vladmir Putin said, “The vaccine passed all necessary tests.”

However phase 3 of that vaccine hadn’t even started, creating hysteria in Russia and scientists around the world. 

The US will suffer from anti-vaxxers tremendously. 

According to Pew Research Center, 51% of Americans said they would take a vaccine, contrasting with a 49% of Americnas who are opposed to the idea of taking a vaccine. 

Facebook, in an attempt to encourage people to take the vaccine, has banned all discouraging ads about the vaccine. 

Carolina Gamboa, 20-year-old college student, said, “A vaccine takes over two years to be made.

“Why would I take a vaccine that was made in less than a year?”  

The idea of a vaccine is not being seen as the salvation of this virus, but as another thing that will go wrong for 2020. 

If one thing 2020 has taught people is uncertainty for the future, with numbers rising, hopefully people will see the importance of taking the vaccine.