Dedication

Hello! My name is Rona…well, that is what I call myself. My real name is Coronavirus. A scientist gave me the name COVID-19 because I am a virus in the family of coronaviruses. When I first emerged, it was the year 2019, so COVID-19 seemed to stick. Some people even call me The Rona! Can you believe that!

I need a host to live inside of in order for me to stay alive. There’s one disadvantage to have me inside your body and that’s because I make people sick. Some people only have mild symptoms like a cough, sore throat, or a headache. Others have more severe symptoms like a fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Some people even need to be in the hospital to get better. Most people claim to lose their sense of smell and taste. Some people are asymptomatic and do not have any symptoms at all! My incubation period can be anywhere from 2 days to 14 days. I don’t mean to make people sick…it’s just the life of a virus! I thrive during a pandemic!

I get inside your body through your nose, eyes, or mouth. When someone coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth or nose, I can really fly!

I’ve got my sights set on a boy named Pete. He looks like a cool host. There’s only one problem…Pete is always one step ahead of me!

Just when I think I’m closing in, Pete goes and practices Social Distancing. And another thing…Pete always wears his mask! What’s a virus to do? When Pete is in the classroom, he sanitizes his work area often. He stays in his designated spot in the classroom and respects the other student’s spaces too.

Pete uses hand sanitizer whenever he touches the doorknobs or other surfaces in his classroom. Whenever he can, Pete washes his hands with antibacterial soap and water. I just can’t seem to catch Pete off guard!

I can’t catch a break with Pete so maybe I need to look for a new potential host. What about that kid? I think his name is Sloppy Joe. He is Pete’s classmate and he doesn’t always practice Social Distancing. Maybe I’ll catch a break after all!

Not only does Sloppy Joe NOT practice social distancing, he doesn’t sanitize his hands like he should or wear his mask. He uses other student’s materials and invades others personal space! Now’s my chance!!!!

Sloppy Joe walks right into a SNEEZE! He rubs his face with his hands and then continues to the cafeteria for lunch. Sloppy Joe walks into the lunchroom, grabs his lunch, and sits down to eat. You guessed it…Sloppy Joe NEVER washed his hands or used sanitizer. And now he’s touching his food! Yuck!

Later that evening, Sloppy Joe doesn’t feel so good! He feels cold but his cheeks are hot. As he lays in his bed, Sloppy Joe begins to shiver. His mom says he has a fever! He begins to cough…a lot! Sloppy Joe tries to drink some water and notices his throat hurts! “OH NO…do I have The Rona?” he thinks. Sloppy Joe begins to realize just how important wearing a mask really is!  

The next day, Sloppy Joe is worse. He can barely get out of bed. His mom decided to take him to the doctor to get tested for COVID-19. Sloppy Joe can’t believe he could have Coronavirus. At the doctor, the nurse sticks a gigantic Q-Tip up his nose. Sloppy Joe thought the Q-Tip might actually go up into his brain! At least that’s how it felt. The nurse was dressed really funny too. She had on a white robe and had a shield over her face. Mom said the nurse was wearing PPE. Mom said that PPE was short for personal protective equipment, kind of like a superhero! The nurse said the results of his test should be in the next day. The doctor told his mom there was no vaccination yet. So,  Sloppy Joe could not go back to school…he must quarantine!

Back at school Pete and his classmates continue to practice social distancing and good hand washing. Pete’s teacher has just informed the class that Sloppy Joe is sick and may have COVID-19. Pete’s teacher must figure out where Sloppy Joe sits and take names of those students who sit in close contact in case Sloppy Joe’s test results reveal he is positive for Coronavirus. Pete’s classmate Stephanie has an idea!