STUDENT OPINIONS: Trump, Biden and the pandemic

‘Not much he can do to make it worse’

By JALIAH ROBINSON

“With Biden, I would like to see a quick response and national plan,” sophomore Lauren Tolbert said.

Tolbert believes Democrat Joe Biden’s response will be bolder and he will have a more substantial nationwide strategy.

“A national strategy for testing is ideal, effective and efficient,” Tolbert said.

If Trump is re-elected, Tolbert believes he will cling to “the same rash statements and conclusions that are rarely based on fact.”

Tolbert said that although Trump “hasn’t done anything and continues putting timelines of his own,” he will take credit for the vaccine and the pandemic being over in the next four years.

“There is not much he can do to make it worse, other than continue to do what he's doing now, which is nothing.” Tolbert said.

Trump won’t handle pandemic

By DANAJA GORE

Dejane Lawernce, a sophomore at Claflin University, said of President Donald Trump: “I don’t think he will handle the pandemic at all.”

Amid major outbreaks and a spark in numbers, Lawernce believes that if Trump is re-elected, it will become worse.

“I think it will be more false information, more blaming China and a rise in cases if he doesn’t start taking this seriously.”

“If this pandemic is handled by Biden, then we will probably have mandates on wearing masks and following what the experts say,” Lawernce said.

She said Biden will listen to doctors and scientists about the next steps.

“I think he’ll put his foot down on wearing mask, social distancing and focus on businesses and making sure that they’re properly enforcing COVID precautions,” Lawrence said.

Trump will force vaccine on people

By TAMEIR ROBINSON

“I feel that he will force a vaccine on us that hasn’t been tested long enough to know whether it will harm or heal America,” Zeek Pendergrass said.

“I feel Biden with the help of Kamala Harris and the work of educated doctors and scientists will allow time for an accurate vaccine while also taking precautions for the society through social distancing until we are able to stabilize the virus.”

Trump won’t do anything

By JALIAH ROBINSON

“I do think Biden would’ve handled it differently,” sophomore Otiana Thompson said.

Thompson’s belief stems from Biden’s past experience as vice president with the Ebola outbreak.

She said Biden and former President Barack Obama worked to decrease the spread of the virus by passing legislation and putting up precautions.

“Biden is doing the steps that the medical professionals are following, so I’m somewhat confident that he would’ve done that if he was in office now,” Thompson said.

As for Trump, Thompson doesn’t believe he will handle the situation any better than he is now. She referenced the 1918 Spanish Flu dying out in a year compared to the lasting coronavirus.

“The coronavirus is very different,” Thompson said. “For one, it’s not just one strand it is developing.”

Thompson believes that Trump does not see the threat of coronavirus and therefore if re-elected will not do anything about it.

Trump will change approach

By JALIAH ROBINSON

“Biden would have handled the pandemic better,” Arielle Wiggins of Maryland said.

The sophomore history major reasoned that Biden understands that his position is influential and therefore his actions should send the right message to his followers.

Wiggins referenced the Ebola virus, saying that “he has a record for making sure he contains these things.”

She said that although the Ebola virus was not a pandemic, “it prepared him to take the necessary precautions.”

“I do think Trump will handle the corona differently if he is re-elected,” Wiggins said.

Wiggins believes his driving force will be that the economy cannot handle much more of people being off work.

“Will it be the right approach, I don’t know," Wiggins said. “Will he be throwing out vaccines like they are candy, possibly.”

Wiggins hopes Trump’s diagnosis has opened his eyes to the seriousness of the virus and will make him take it seriously.

“I don’t know that he will, but I think that he will change the way he’s been approaching it,” Wiggins said. “But the only way he will change is if it benefits himself.”

Vaccine won’t be good for body

By TZION LAWRENCE

“If Trump is re-elected, then for sure numbers are going to keep rising and if a vaccine is released, it won’t be capable of being good for the body,” Claflin mass communications major Venson Legree said.

“Now Biden might actually get us out of the spike, but I don’t want to jinx myself,” Legree said.

Legree said Biden may strengthen laws regarding masks and crowds to reduce the spread. “Although that is a hard task to try ... I feel it could still be done.”

He said Trump and his wife testing positive may be a catalyst for Biden taking the win in this election.

“Trump hosts all these packed-out rallies and his main fans show up ecstatic … with no masks! He is sending that message to people across the country who see him not wearing one.”