The Coronavirus pandemic has grown drastically. Over the course of the past few months, people have been put into self-quarantine and life has started to reach a standstill. Department stores, restaurants, and additional businesses have closed.

Many people have been wondering: When will we go back to our normal lives and how long are we going to be social-distancing? According to The Atlantic, once the majority of our population, around 60-80 percent, is immune to COVID-19 people and society will start returning back to normal. Sadly, no one knows how long this may take. 

The very first stage of this pandemic occurred in January through mid-March. During that period of time, the virus spread throughout the world and caused a lot of panic. Phase two is nearing the end in California starting around late March and lasting until mid-May. This includes primarily staying home, and social-distancing and masking up when leaving your home for essential errands. Residents are hopeful that phase three will begin soon. This is when the PMP (Pandemic Management Protocols) are going to start taking action. Once phase three has taken place, people will slowly start returning to their normal lives of working, eating, traveling, and running nonessential errands, but with limits. Phase 4 is our final stage. In this stage of the pandemic, a vaccine should be open to the public, if a vaccine is developed. With this vaccine being made, the world should start returning to what we once called normal again.

If the current situation of this pandemic continues, schools and even businesses may have to stay online until next fall. LiveScience studied and examined two researchers writings on if wearing a mask is helpful. The bottom line of this research was that wearing a mask can help reduce the spread of any virus being transferred between people. The more people wear masks, the more the virus should start to die down. Hence, some students may be wearing a new accessory this fall.