On New Year’s Eve, I was disappointed to see how many of my classmates were attending parties with more than 50 people while also not following safety precautions. Unfortunately, this is not the first time people have disregarded the pandemic for their own enjoyment. 

On Halloween of 2020, there were an overwhelming number of parties that exceeded the occupancy limit with those in attendance not didn’t socially distanced or wearing masks. Then, on Thanksgiving, it was a trend to host “friends-giving” gatherings that followed the same irresponsible behavior.   

These parties are directly contributing to Missouri’s rising COVID rate. 

According to the Show Me Strong’s Public Health Dashboard, Missouri has an average of 2,634 cases per day. That is approximately 18,437 cases and 60 deaths in the past week. 

It is easy to disregard these statistics and go about your life. It is easy to ignore the deadly virus and continue partying. It is easy to believe you won’t be affected by it. 

In fact, it’s possible to be infected and not even know. 

An early study of COVID patients concluded that 81 percent of all positive COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic. So, you could possibly infect others around you before you even show symptoms. 

So, why risk it?

Why put other lives at stake, just for your personal enjoyment?

It is possible to enjoy holidays with close friends and family without going to parties. 

Personally, I’ve had small gatherings with a few friends, and we were cautious of COVID guidelines. This way we can enjoy the holiday without putting lives at stake. Seeing a small group whilst ensuring social distancing and wearing masks is a much safer alternative. 

However, these parties do neither. They are not only a display of personal irresponsibility, but also they disregard others’ well being.  

There is never a circumstance in which a party is important, especially not in this climate. So, for now, stay home and safe. The parties can wait.