On March 1, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed New York’s first case of COVID-19. Four days later, Fort Lee Mayor Mark J. Soklich reported the case of a 32-year-old health care worker and frequent commuter from Manhattan who had contracted the virus. The patient was believed to have had contact with his co-workers and other people within the city. Throughout the first week of March, the Stevens community watched in close observation as more cases popped up in other nearby counties.
By this time, study abroad and faculty travel to China and South Korea had been prohibited by Stevens. The Division of Academic Affairs had also begun developing a contingency plan for holding classes online. For commuters traveling to and from campus, public transportation rapidly evolved into a risky endeavor. Many pondered the risk of unknowingly bringing home the virus and the potential threat it would pose to older family members or those with compromised immune systems.
Harry Kawai, a freshman commuter, had been traveling by car and train from Livingston, NJ, to campus almost every day this semester. When asked about his reaction to hearing about the new cases, Kawai said he knew it was bound to show up near him at some point. How soon it would appear was uncertain to him, so when the news came about, it was probably at the worst possible time. “At that moment, I had influenza type B, followed by asthma. With the first positive case and people going paranoid, I was concerned about my safety,” said Kawai.
Aside from his state of health, another problem that had been troubling Kawai recently was the increased hostility and social stigma targeted towards Asian communities across the U.S. as a result of the virus. “Coughing was seen more as a symptom of the coronavirus, rather than a regular cold,” Kawai said. “In the most sensitive time to be coughing, I had asthma, and my racial identity is Asian. I was pretty much screwed to be walking in public.”
And although the transition to online classes reduced the amount of time he spent outside, he soon confronted the issue of having to commute again during the week to help his father keep the family business up and running.
Kawai wasn’t the only student in his class who felt paranoid about their circumstances. Commuting from Paterson, NJ, freshman Diana Rosado felt an elevated sense of consciousness whenever she came into contact with another person or object. “At some point, I read that the virus could give you symptoms such as coughing, having a harder time breathing, etc. One week, I had a really bad cough and sore throat. I was really concerned for my own health and thought of the worst.” Rosado also found the move to an online learning platform difficult for her to adjust to. “I guess I built this routine such as waking up early and driving to school. I was used to it but with this transition to online classes, I found myself to be slacking off more often and not really engaging with classwork.”
Justin Gabriel, another student traveling from Jersey City, commented on how easily distracted one can get when working online. Not everyone’s living situations are the same. Internet access, available quiet space, and domestic issues could all play a part in how well a student is able to process information. In spite of this, Rosado and Gabriel acknowledge why these precautions had to be taken, because not too long after the decision was made by the school administration, Hoboken reported its first case of COVID-19.
Now, as the nation settles into the new norm and testing steadily increases in availability, the number of reported cases in the U.S. has surpassed 140,000. Under the recommendation and executive decision of the state, New Jersey and New York residents have been following a protocol of self-isolation. With a concerted effort by our school, other universities, and non-essential businesses, commuters like Gabriel and Rosado can now continue their work and study from home without having to face complications.
For others like Kawai who continue to risk the journey every day in order to maintain a source of income, we can further ensure their health and safety by practicing methods of prevention such as washing our hands and avoiding close contact with anyone who is sick.
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