11/11 Essay: Read this October 2020 article from UPenn that’s a set of statements by faculty from a broad array of fields on the ways in which data and data science are contributing to or affecting their field with respect to COVID and the pandemic (hat tip to Rhea).

Write 1-2 paragraphs on the following: From what you know about your prospective major, what is a permanent or semi-permanent way the pandemic has affected your field of study or an aspect of culture or society related to your field? Do you believe the change is a net-positive or negative for society and why? What recommendations (if any) would you have for your field moving forward on the issue? For example, if you’re a prospective business major, what are your thoughts on remote work and the use of office spaces and how businesses could think about “where” to work moving forward? Or, if you’re a prospective psychology or sociology major, how has the virus and pandemic changed how people and societies view and react to germs?

As of right now, I want to major in kinesiology on the pre-PA or premed track. COVID has obviously had a large impact in the medical field, affecting healthcare professionals and the policies in responding infectious diseases. With COVID, medical professionals were able to identify the disease, how it spread, etc. and then created a vaccine for it. This process occurred very quickly in relation to trying to create vaccines for other infectious diseases in the past. They were able to identify COVID and create a vaccine for it in less than two years (I think), whereas in the past, it was taking 50+ years. COVID taught the medical professionals a lot in respect to having to work together with people from around the world and in figuring out and implementing protocol and reaction plans. If another virus were to come about, the medical community would be very equipped and ready to deal with it using what they learned from COVID. COVID also affected the healthcare careers in the sense that more healthcare workers are needed to staff hospitals and be on call. During COVID, nurses and doctors were working extreme hours and there was greater risk in going to work because they were treating COVID patients. Another change COVID made was there were more telehealth appointments. Because people could not go into offices, more appointments were held online. I think this is harder for people, especially for me, because I would much rather be in person with my doctor. This also prevented people from getting necessary exams or vaccines if they could not go to the office. This would also be another negative effect because with less people getting routine vaccinations or exams, there is an increased risk for diseases. However, I think it was a positive that the medical community was able to respond to COVID quickly, and now there will be even better systems in place to try to deal with emergency responses. We have learned a lot from COVID, the good and bad things that worked or didn’t, and this experience is only beneficial and positive for the future.