Too many SCAD students can’t even make it to Savannah GA at all right now either because they have contracted COVID or because they can’t get a flight home. COVID testing is completely booked right now and there are many people who feel sick and wish to stay home since Omicron is rapidly spreading. With the rapid cancellations of flights all over the country right now some people will miss the first week of school and raking up that many absences in the first week over things you cannot control is NOT ok. 

Only an hour ago on today, Tuesday the 4th there have been 1,200 cancellations to flights. People are literally stranded right now either at connecting flights or back at home with no way of getting to classes in time. When airports get so behind like this it could take weeks to recover and some people will not be able to miss that many classes without failing their quarter within the first week of classes. On Monday the 3rd 7,000 flights were canceled. 

The omicron virus is wildly spreading not just in Savannah GA right now but also all around the country. There are students who are currently infected that can’t get into their dorms even. There are students who think they are infected and wish to stay home but can’t risk the absence so early in the game. Or those students who think they are infected can’t even manage to get a COVID test by the time Winter Quarter starts which is TOMORROW. Rapid result tests with the Omicron virus have been wildly different. You could take 3 rapid tests in one day and in the morning be negative but be positive by night. Some of the vaccines like Johnson and Johnson don’t protect well enough against the Omicron variant. 

The SCAD student body demands that SCAD reopen virtual hybrid classes again this quarter for BOTH the FAIRNESS and SAFETY of their students. I call upon the student body to sign this petition to prove to SCAD how important it is to go back on Hybrid classes for another quarter. If you’re someone who’s stuck or sick or both please! Spread the word and share!