As we approach the one-year anniversary of California’s first initial lockdown, we are getting an abundance of new information each day. Vaccine updates, lockdown restrictions, and the possible return to-on-campus school have been the talk of the town this past week.

Quartz Hill High School Principal Zach Mercier sent out a letter recently regarding on-campus school returns. The letter essentially stated that we had been approved to move forward with returning students to campus. The letter informed us that as of February 16th, prevocational students with special needs would return to campus. The email reads, “As you can understand, we are unable to bring everyone back at once as some of you would hope.” As far as we know, if everything goes accordingly, students will slowly be filtered in and strategically selected to return to campus. Even with an on-campus return, COVID-19 precautions will still likely be in place, such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Nonetheless, this information gives students and staff a glimmer of hope for a full student return before the end of the school year.

State-wise, California has passed every other state in the number of cases and deaths. We have also learned that new strains of the virus have been developed in our state. Even more concerning, the state is not receiving enough vaccines for the sheer amount of people.

However, vaccine production has moved forward, and now hospital staff and other officials have received the first stage of the vaccine. Others have also gotten the second and final shot. It is hoped that soon the vaccine will become more widely available to the general public. As of right now, there are restrictions on who can get the vaccine due to the limited quantity. Healthcare workers and people over the age of 65 are the only people currently receiving the vaccine. Governor Gavin Newsom is trying to strategically plan who will receive the vaccine and when, in hopes of giving at-risk people access to the vaccine sooner, and therefore lowering the death rates.

It is also worth noting that schools state-wide are now eligible for reopening, and staff is not required to get the vaccine. This is yet another sign of hope for our school returning to on-campus life, and every day that passes, we get closer and closer. The Quartz Hill staff and students can only hope that the small on-campus return goes well so that staff can begin slowly filtering in more students.