School districts plan on reopening soon in this school year. San Juan has announced plans to switch to hybrid learning on March 22, if the Sacramento County infection rate falls to an acceptable level, which is expected. With only a few months of school left, rather than going back, we could take this time for people to receive vaccinations and keep the Coronavirus cases low by sticking to virtual learning. It is unsafe for students to return to hybrid learning, and if schools were to reopen soon it is safest for schools to reopen in the next school year.

If people have gone through virtual learning for almost the entirety of this year, it should be manageable to continue learning online until the end of the school year. Online learning has been difficult for most students to understand the material as quarantine has worsened the mental health of most people. But it is important to keep in mind that the global death toll from Covid-19 has passed 2 million, and a mask cannot completely prevent people from getting infected. This airborne virus could increase the chances of people getting infected easily, and getting tested for COVID takes time. So why risk the health of yourself and others when everyone can learn virtually for a few more months? 

Adapting to the new environment of learning in class wearing masks and socially distancing in a classroom will be difficult, especially right after already adjusting to online learning in the past year. Due to the possible dangers that can occur during hybrid learning, teachers are also at risk of losing their jobs due to the reopening of most schools. Once school reopens, teachers are to go back to school and teach students, putting them in a risky position therefore, “spikes in virus infections and exposures have forced more educators to stay home, the teacher shortage — exacerbated by limited access to Covid-19 testing and contact tracing — is among the main reasons that schools and even entire districts have had to shut down in-person instruction, often for weeks on end,” (Singer). In fact, it is more dangerous for older people to get infected than younger, and with the many risks of going back to school, staying at home is the best option.

Virtual learning has caused many difficulties for everyone. Due to Covid-19 and quarantine, people had no option but to adapt to the new technological environment of education all so quickly. Self-isolating in a room for a long period of time has led to poor mental and physical health for mostly everyone. Although, despite all the struggles of educating students or students receiving their education online, rather than going back to hybrid classes, it is best to stay safe with distance learning.