This last year has been — eventful — to say the least. With the ongoing political battles and an international pandemic, everyone is on their toes. Yet nobody could have predicted the newest event — B.1.1.7. B.1.1.7 is a new variation of coronavirus with its own set of mutations. The virus appears to have come from the U.K. and has spread throughout many continents already. No one realized this strand was around until it was discovered in December. Along with the discovery came tracing to see if it had been found anywhere else. The results were shocking: they found cases in more than 60 countries. They also found the strain here in Michigan. Researchers in southern England were able to trace it back to patients all the way back to September.

With a new, possibly worse, coronavirus going around, many St. Louis High School students are worried. Caytlynn Downs said, “I would hate to see a repeat of last year; it was really hard for everyone.” Down’s eighth-grade year was cut short when the first strand of coronavirus became a threat. Soon following, most restaurants, gyms, and even entertainment were closed, and people were trapped inside. Ten months later, everyone is now facing a possible repeat of last year.

The possibility of a quarantine again lives in many people’s fears. What if this is the new normal? What if we never go back to our normal before the pandemic? According to KC Beard, “At this point, we should all live underwater.” Many agree that life is changing now, and it is scary. Kylie Acker agreed by saying, “It is very concerning that we might have to quarantine again; no one would enjoy that.”