What about the Election? Why it’s important to stay updated on campaigns despite COVID-19

As I sit down on the couch trying to stomach CNN’s and NBC’s saturated coverage of COVID-19, it doesn’t even cross my mind that this is an election year — that’s right, the year where we decide which presidential candidate is going to run our country for the next four years.

Even though I’m at the ripe age of 17 and cannot legally place my ticket in a ballot box — much like most of the student body — it’s still important that we don’t let the bleak updates of death tolls and apex’s completely overshadow what we know about the presidential candidates.

Yes, it has been a nice and helpful break to put the election year anxiety on the back burner, and instead focus on ways to practice social distancing and watch updates about the virus. But the coverage has completely taken over my high school brain, which — to be honest — can only handle so much information before turning into a jaded COVID encyclopedia.

Around late February the election coverage was cut short to more pressing matters, a global pandemic that came seemingly out of nowhere. Almost two months in and it’s still the primary talking point across all news platforms from Fox News to ABC. This virus has changed so much about how we consume media that the election seems to be a freshly evaporated memory from my vast knowledge of statistics and countries infected. And I cannot tell you the last time I’ve seen a commercial for either Democratic candidates – no offense to you, Mike Lindell of MyPillow.

With the onslaught of continuous coverage, it seems that potential voters are being lured away from researching candidates they want to run their country, and instead emptying their salaries on one-ply toilet paper and Purell — the unknown is often followed with overwhelming panic. But now that we are deeply saturated with breaking news updates, there should at least be some shift into informing ourselves on presidential candidates. The election is inevitable — and it’s important for us to stay as updated as possible with it, even in the midst of a pandemic.

Every election year — the ones I have been alive for, at least —  the election is accompanied by anticipation over which nominee is going to come out on top. I can distinctly recall memes of Hillary Clinton showing her supporters she’s the cool, hip grandma by urging them to “Pokemon GO to the polls.” This year wasn’t going to shy away from being one of the most captivating too, with current president —  and ex-reality TV host — Donald Trump against either an established Democrat in Joe Biden or a social media sensation, Sen. Bernie Sanders — who dropped out Wednesday.

Even if people feel they know who they are going to pick, the year leading up to an election is the most critical because the American public has its best chance to influence the next four years of overarching policy. It’s hard to be informed about the other candidates when the only visible one is currently trying to stop the spread of a deadly virus. Which is why, whenever you get the chance to watch something about the candidates and their principles, you should do so, whether that’s scrounging news channels or merely keeping an eye out for election buzz words.

While it can feel selfish to not completely devote yourself to focusing on the halt of COVID-19, just know that being informed about America’s next president does not mean you aren’t caring for all medical workers and infected. Rather, find the balance between being well-informed on the coronavirus and well-informed on the election that’s going to take place come November.