CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Many colleges across the country have canceled spring break in the midst of the pandemic. But not every school is altering its schedule.
Spring breakers will still flock to the beaches of Corpus Christi like they have in years past. Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District is concerned.
"I don’t think it’s going to go well for any of us, to be honest with you," Annette Rodriguez said, who is the Nueces County health director. "Across the whole United States we’re seeing increases of up to 7% from last week to this week. That’s just a tell tale sign that there’s more to come."
Rodriguez attributes the rise in cases over the summer to tourism. She fears a repeat event will happen with spring break. The greater worry is someone bringing in a new variant of the Coronavirus. The caution is to stay with the group you came with, not to mingle with other traveling groups.
"The virus replicates it will mutate," said Rodriguez. "If it mutates it can become something more deadly. And so trying to keep the replication from occurring is by following the public health strategies."
A large group of students were out on the beach enjoying the sun on Friday. Some spring breakers said they had the virus so they aren’t worried. Other college students said they don’t have to worry because they’re young.
"The only people who need to show serious concern are those pre-existing conditions or the old," Callum Elliot, a college student hanging out on the beach. "The way I see it is we should just live our lives. Build up that herd immunity until we can get vaccinated.
"I think, you know, if you're older ,obviously stay away from your older people, but if you’re young party it up, spring break," Cason Callis said, another college student.
Bars expected to be flooded with students too. Rodriguez has advice for those owners especially as Texas lifts it's COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday.
"Bar owners I would say, be responsible for your bar," she said. "Ask people to still wear their mask when they go in. Try to do your best to keep people in their groups...
Take responsibility, if not for yourself, for the rest of us. Because we need your help. Because this is the United States of America. We should be the best at what we do and right now we’re not."
