Item
Wyatt Goetz and Sloana Goetz Oral History, 2021/12/07
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
Wyatt Goetz and Sloana Goetz Oral History, 2021/12/07
Recording Date (Dublin Core)
Creator (Dublin Core)
Contributor (Dublin Core)
Partner (Dublin Core)
Type (Dublin Core)
oral history
video
Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)
English
Recreation & Leisure
English
Technology
English
Education--K12
English
Online Learning
English
Home & Family Life
English
Social Distance
English
Health & Wellness
Curator's Tags (Omeka Classic)
Collection (Dublin Core)
Curatorial Notes (Dublin Core)
Date Submitted (Dublin Core)
05/01/2023
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
06/29/2023
Date Created (Dublin Core)
12/07/2021
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
Alexis Linder
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
Wyatt Goetz
Solana Goetz
Location (Omeka Classic)
Eau Claire
Wisonsin
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
video
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:49:49
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
Alexis Linder 00:04
Okay, so, um, so that you guys will be included in this. So I'm just gonna-we're gonna start this interview with the date and the time. So it is December 7, of 2021. It is 7:04pm. And I'm just going to give you guys some numbers. And these are the numbers for the COVID cases in the US and Wisconsin, okay? Just to think about during the interview. Um, so the US COVID cases total, as of today is 49,002,475. The US total COVID Death total is 785,655. The percentage of people age five and up with at least one vaccination is 75.6%. Wisconsin confirmed COVID cases is 3548. Wisconsin confirmed deaths is 9128. So those are Wisconsin resident confirmed deaths. And then Wisconsin residents with percentage with at least one dose of the vaccine is 59.1%. And then the Wisconsin residents percent with the complete vaccine is 56.2%. So those are just some facts for you guys to keep in mind as you're answering questions. Um, so the first question, I guess we can start if you guys-It doesn't matter who starts, um, if you guys could state your name, and then state your race, ethnicity, age and gender.
Solana Goetz 01:44
For me, I am Solana Goetz. I'm 15. And I am she/her.
Wyatt Goetz 02:00
I am Wyatt Geotz. I am 13 and I go by He/him.
Alexis Linder 02:11
All right, awesome. So, um, what are the primary things that you guys do on a day to day basis? Just some background questions. So where um, like, Are you guys in extracurricular activities? Are you guys in school, things like that?
Wyatt Goetz 02:29
Um, I do hockey. We both play hockey.
Solana Goetz 02:35
I played hockey for 11 years, and I'm in a couple of clubs at my high school. Either hockey or playing around and playing video games.
Alexis Linder 02:53
What kind of clubs are you in? What are the clubs?
Solana Goetz 02:57
And then a planet club and I'm also in a it's like, high school extra credit to get into the college club.
Alexis Linder 03:12
Nice. What kind of video games do you play?
Wyatt Goetz 03:15
In [unintelligable] bound?
Solana Goetz 03:17
Um, we play a lot of well, I played a lot of Skyrim and Fallout.
Wyatt Goetz 03:26
I play Call of Duty, Apex and Minecraft.
Alexis Linder 03:36
Are these computer games or do you guys are you Xbox or PS4 (Play Station 4)?
Wyatt Goetz 03:42
X box and computer.
Alexis Linder 03:44
Xbox and computer? [unintelligable]
Solana Goetz 03:49
Xbox 1.
Alexis Linder 03:52
Nice. Okay, so where do you guys live? And what is it like to live there?
Wyatt Goetz 04:02
We live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and it's cold and snowy.
Solana Goetz 04:11
Well, it's cold in the winter, but it's just really-I feel like the weather's nice, although it's nice. Nice. Like, it's not like a super busy town, but it's not like a tiny town. It's like nicely in the middle.
Alexis Linder 04:35
Yeah, you get all four seasons type of area.
Solana Goetz 04:40
Yeah.
Alexis Linder 04:43
Awesome. So, kind of getting into COVID Um, when you guys first learned about COVID So this was two years ago already crazy. Um, what were your thoughts about it?
Wyatt Goetz 04:59
I was six grade, I remember, I was watching CNN 10, because that's what we did. And every single person in my class thought it wasn't gonna spread to United States. There's just gonna be a minor sickness in China.
Solana Goetz 05:22
[unintelligible] us up and said, Hey, this is important, because I don't take it seriously whatsoever. My teacher said, Hey, we're getting an extra two weeks to spring break. And I said, Sign me up. [laughing]
Wyatt Goetz 05:37
Yep.
Alexis Linder 05:39
Yeah, yeah. And how have your thoughts changed since then about the pandemic or COVID-19?
Wyatt Goetz 05:49
It's a big deal. It does get annoying to wear masks. And I was fully online last year. So I wasn't used to wearing a mask every day when I went fully in school. So my like after, for like a month, my ears like right here [points to behind his ears] hurt from the mask strings, but it doesn't hurt as much, I've gotten used to it.
Solana Goetz 06:13
I think it's really interesting having this perspective of like, growing up in a pandemic. Because not to say that we understand, like how it must have been in like, 1918 when they had like, Yellow Fever and Spanish Flu, but I feel like it gives us a better understanding of like, the dangers of a pandemic and the effects on our world.
Alexis Linder 06:42
Yeah, yeah, that's really well said, um, uh, Wyatt, what kind of mask- Did you have a homemade mask? Or did you have a medical mask?
Wyatt Goetz 06:53
Home.
06:54
All of our masks are from Old Navy (retail store). We like the adjustable straps.
Alexis Linder 07:01
The-the adjustable straps? I wear adjustable straps too. Yeah. Yes, definitely.
Solana Goetz 07:10
I don't think a lot of people wear the medical masks. They're just not that comfortable. Not to bash doctors. [chuckling]
Alexis Linder 07:19
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Um, so what issues have most concerned you about the COVID 19 pandemic?
Wyatt Goetz 07:31
I would say probably the people that think it's not real, and people that refuse to get vaccinated.
Solana Goetz 07:41
I really- I mean, like, there are people out there who like, want to do everything there is to stop it there. There are people who like, don't want to do anything to help or just refuse to believe it exists, it will last longer. Like I really believe that could have been partially out of this by last summer, but.
Alexis Linder 08:07
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Um, so. Um, I guess we've kind of answered-Oh, yeah, so how has COVID-19 affected you and your family day-to-day activities? So is there anything that you guys used to do that you can't do anymore or anything like that?
Wyatt Goetz 08:29
I would say it's like more fun activities, like going to pools like openers, and more crowded areas where people go.
Solana Goetz 08:50
I just think that like extra activities and we moved two summers ago, like sort of during the beginning of COVID. And we have had about three months of online school then and we're excited to have like a new environment to be in out of being stuck in the home and just adapting to being inside and alone all the time. Just really, like affected our whole like, process. Like our dad used to leave at eight in the morning and come home at 5pm and now he works from home all the time. So that was a big change. And and we just have a little like calendar on that door that there of like when our classes were so that we weren't like interrupted each other. I feel like it's about this, like learn more about each other because we had more time together.
Wyatt Goetz 10:11
I also feel it helped me more because I- I couldn't pay attention as much because I ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), so it affects my attention. So, when I am able to walk around my house while classes going on with the computer, it really helped me pay attention more. And then also between the breaks between my classes, I could watch some TV or get a snack, or eat some food, cook something. So that kind of helped me be more productive.
Solana Goetz 10:54
And it affected me in the exact opposite way. I absolutely hated online school, I had really bad grades. And immediately when I was back in school, the rise in my grades. But it's like, honestly pretty cool. I was like, Thank goodness for that. I-online school was not productive for me at all.
Wyatt Goetz 11:27
My grades were the opposite. When I went back in school, they weren't really great. But the first semester of school-online school, I had straight A's. So it was-it was helpful. And I had actually prefer to go back in online school.
Alexis Linder 11:52
Oh, wow.
Solana Goetz 11:53
I never want to do online school again. [laughing]
Alexis Linder 11:57
This is great, though too different, you know, point of views. And dude, I was actually going to ask if you guys how that affected- but yeah, you guys already answered that yours was not so well. And yours it really helped you. So yeah.
Solana Goetz 12:11
And I feel like that's the most interesting part about it. Because some people think that it's really helpful, but some people like it affects them in completely different ways. But I think that's something that we should like, as a community. Like, put those provisions in place for people who could use them.
Alexis Linder 12:35
Yeah, so while we're talking about it, actually, if you guys don't mind asking what grade are you to when?
Wyatt Goetz 12:43
I'm in eighth grade, she is in tenth grade.
Solana Goetz 12:45
I'm in eleventh.
Wyatt Goetz 12:46
Oh, yeah.
Solana Goetz 12:48
No, I'm not gonna eleventh, I'm in tenth. I'm a sophomore, I'm not a junior. [chuckling]
Alexis Linder 12:59
And if you guys don't mind sharing, what school do you go to?
Wyatt Goetz 13:05
I go to Memorial Middle School.
Solana Goetz 13:07
I go Memorial High School.
Alexis Linder 13:10
Alright. And then what is it like to go to school there?
Wyatt Goetz 13:17
Interesting. [laughing]
Alexis Linder 13:22
How so?
Wyatt Goetz 13:25
um, it's weird being back after a year of school because there's so many people in the hallways and many different personalities that couldn't be expressed over Zoom and/or teams, which is what we used.
Solana Goetz 13:43
I can't even imagine going to like my second year of middle school in eighth grade. Because that's when I left off for COVID. But I feel like freshmen who went into high school during COVID, like their experiences gonna be like no other. I didn't know where to go whatsoever. I didn't know anyone. And when I first got back, I got back like halfway through the second semester. So I just I didn't know anyone or like how to even function as a high school student with that workload. And now it's a lot better, because I have my second year, but I really like my high school. It's pretty cool.
Alexis Linder 14:39
Good. Good. That's really good. Yeah, I can't imagine going in either. And you just moved right? So was it like, you didn't know anybody for that reason, too?
Wyatt Goetz 14:51
Right. Yeah. So we would have gone to North (High School).
Solana Goetz 14:55
We didn't move into like a different town. We've always lived in Eau Claire. But I would have gone to North High School. And so like I spent my whole childhood like growing up and learning about North High School and so being dropped as a freshman in Memorial High School I was like, lost.
Alexis Linder 15:17
Yeah, I definitely can see that. Um, so you guys have already answered that you guys were in online school but how long were you in like online school? Was it just a whole year? Or was it a little bit longer? A little bit shorter?
Solana Goetz 15:31
I was in a whole year?, she was in about half. Yeah, we had about three months of online school [dog walking] a few years ago, so like at the end of six than eighth grade, and I had probably like five or six months of online school last year? And he had the whole year.
Alexis Linder 16:05
Do you guys know why, like why his was longer? Like why his-
Wyatt Goetz 16:17
We can't hear you.
Alexis Linder 16:19
Do you know why- like, why Wyatt's-why he was the full year and Solana you were only like five or six months? Like why there was that difference?
Solana Goetz 16:30
I wanted to get back in school because I was struggling with the online schooling but he really liked the online schooling.
Alexis Linder 16:37
Oh.
Solana Goetz 16:38
So he wanted to stay with it longer and I wanted to get back into school.
Alexis Linder 16:44
Got it? Um, so um, yeah, how has the pan- you guys kind of touched on this a little bit but you guys are welcome to add to it if you want a little bit more. So you guys talked about how your grades kind of changed online school or anything has the pandemic affected your grades or your schoolwork, coursework, anything like that, like a little bit more?
Wyatt Goetz 17:13
I'd say the first semester for me that well, but then I got kind of bored. So I was on my phone a bit more during classes, which did not positively affect my grade.
Solana Goetz 17:27
Um, I yeah, my grades-There was a point where I had like, far too many [X?] Cuz I just I really struggled to remember to do all my stuff online. And I- I did a lot of procrastinating. And I, like I would know that it was there. But I would be like, I'll do it later. And then it just wouldn't get done. But being in school and having that structure is more beneficial for me because like, I get the stuff done. Like when it has to be done.
Wyatt Goetz 18:24
I felt that I could do my work better because I would have-I had my desk and I had my computer and I had my work off to the side. So it's just there. And so when I had to do it, I saw it. And like before the classes I remember to do it and/or I do it while we were going over class.
Alexis Linder 19:03
Yeah, did you guys have like your own computers or did your whole family up to share computer for classwork and everything?
Wyatt Goetz 19:12
We had different computers that the school district issues, computers for every kid and I can't remember what company it was. But one of the companies supplied free Wi Fi so the kids can get to class.
Solana Goetz 19:31
They provide Chromebooks and we still have those for in school.
Wyatt Goetz 19:40
My dad got a computer for his work and my mom already had a computer.
Alexis Linder 19:54
So you guys still have those computers that the school issued out? Do you know how long you'll have those?
Wyatt Goetz 20:03
Until the end of high school.
Alexis Linder 20:06
Oh.
Wyatt Goetz 20:07
Most likely.
Solana Goetz 20:09
Unless your computer has an issue, then you just bring it in and get a new one.
Alexis Linder 20:17
Interesting. Um, how has the pandemic affected your extracurricular activity? So Solana you said that you had some clubs that you go to and like you both kind of played a little bit of hockey as the pandemic affected that at all?
Solana Goetz 20:34
No clubs were allowed last year. I'm pretty sure COVID was a-so we didn't have any home games at our home arena for hockey.
Wyatt Goetz 20:49
And yeah-
Solana Goetz 20:50
Weren't they taking in homeless people?
Wyatt Goetz 20:53
we're doing a good thing and sheltering homeless people in the big break that they had, but they took out the ice so it was cold. That's why we couldn't have any home games. And so we had to travel a bit more.
Solana Goetz 21:12
So all of our game or even practices were like a lot of extra travel with going to neighboring towns which are add on an extra like 30 or 40 minutes. And so it was a lot of extra work, but also masks-we had masks for our helmets {unintelligible} like make precautions like not able to see, it wasn't good for them.
Wyatt Goetz 21:53
They were uncomfortable if you were to buy a mask that went in your cage.
Solana Goetz 22:03
But yeah, it also affected my season a lot because we were still a lot more games like {almost all of 2020?] but last year, we only had six. And then things like that would get cancelled if the team had to quarantine and are trying to quarantine place. [dogs barking] It took a lot of adapting.
Alexis Linder 22:39
Yeah.
Solana Goetz 22:40
Our dogs. [chuckles]
Alexis Linder 22:41
It's okay. [chuckles]. I'll just wait for Wyatt to come back. Okay, so what have been the biggest challenges that you have faced during the COVID 19 outbreak?
Solana Goetz 23:08
Oh, I am a very interactive person. So, I dealt a lot with- it added on extra social anxiety. And I dealt with a bit of depression because I really just struggled being at home all the time. And I didn't have a lot of friends, or I wasn't able to make a lot of friends going into high school. And that was really tough on my like, aspect of life.
Wyatt Goetz 23:58
I'm mostly introverted. So it was, it was not really that bad for me for like, social interaction. Just talking to people because online is enough for me. And I feel like a challenge was like, paying attention more because there's more temptations like how we both have TVs in our room and phones. So that gives a problem that I struggled with during the second semester because I was like, either on my phone or watching my show when class was going on.
Alexis Linder 24:50
Yeah. And then, um, so kind of with your school too, like, how would you say that your school is handling COVID-19? Is there anything that you wish they would do differently?
Wyatt Goetz 25:04
They're handling it very well. In my perspective, they're-they're quarantining everyone who may need to quarantine or mandating masks making sure if you have one I'm pretty sure that it's applied by the bus drivers with masks to give you forget yours and I think one of the school counselors stands outside with masks if you need one if the bus driver doesn't have one and it's very-they're very strict on the mask mandate because they don't want anybody to get sick. One of the neighboring towns high schools slash middle schools was very strict on the math mandate and there to really go back into virtual school because the outbreak was so bad.
Alexis Linder 25:59
Oh, wow.
Solana Goetz 26:01
I feel the same about my school-I have my school does a really good job with everything. Like there are of course of things that couldn't be better, but I feel like they're pretty good.
Alexis Linder 26:19
Yeah, I didn't even think about the buses either. Do you guys take the bus to school?
Wyatt Goetz 26:27
We used to not because like two or three blocks from [Delong?] when we both went to [Delong?], but since we moved, we're pretty far away so we do take the bus.
Solana Goetz 26:45
And that was my eighth grade year so he's not ridden in a bus since fifth grade but he is riding buses here. Yeah, I carpool with some of our neighbors
Alexis Linder 27:04
So like riding the bus do you have to social distance on the bus to or can you just sit anywhere as long as you're wearing a mask?
Wyatt Goetz 27:15
Um, we can't switch seats. And we have to stay in our own seats have to sit by the same people because they don't want us to get sick and transfer to different people. They don't have a seating chart.
Alexis Linder 27:35
interesting. Um yeah, that's really interesting. I didn't think about the buses um, but more so-these next set of questions are going to be talking about your community. How have you noticed on the COVID 19 outbreak affect your community? So like if you guys go to church, any sports, local businesses you guys regularly attend, the schools anything like that?
Solana Goetz 28:04
Yeah, I felt really bad for the local businesses because that was really hard. It's like having to shut everything down. And I feel like it jus- it took a hit everywhere. And our community I felt like we dealt with better than some, but I feel like it was hard. Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 28:40
I feel like I can really do pretty well. But the COVID outbreak they tried to limit it as much as possible. We didn't-we didn't really do much besides extra fun activity before Covid. So we really didn't get affected that much besides extra fun activities.
Alexis Linder 29:12
Yeah, so how are the people around you responding to COVID-19 just the people that you hang out with day-to-day?
Solana Goetz 29:26
I feel like it really depends on their outlook on Covid. I have some friends who are like really good about masks, and they're vaccinated. I have some friends who are like still good with masks but aren't vaccinated which is like their choice. But I also have some friends who I really care about who like really don't want to wear masks and like are actually against the vaccine. And I don't hate them for it, but it's just scary. Like, because then there's like that extra thing to worry about for them.
Wyatt Goetz 30:18
I know some people that I read to get about masks, vaccinated. I also know the people that just don't like masks or have the vaccine. And I know people that don't like masks and people that just don't like vaccine. So, I feel like they're-they do have their masks down most of the time. Some people don't like masks. Which the teachers do correct but don't correct it as much as they should I think. Teachers probably got tired of just correcting and just let it slide.
Alexis Linder 31:05
Yeah. Would you say that that happens often? Or is that just a few cases?
Wyatt Goetz 31:11
It happens somewhat often.
Alexis Linder 31:15
Does it happen with you to Solana? Where like the teachers just let it slide?
Solana Goetz 31:21
Yeah, A lot of people-Yeah, and my teachers aren't really good about wearing the masks either. Like they just have it off or down. Like oh we're just sitting at our desks. But yeah, I feel like sometimes me and my friends, like we count how many people have our blown their nose and sometimes like one-to-five-minute period. It's like 25 kids. Wow. So some kids, at least have it cover their mouths but some kids just wear it completely under their chin or don't even have it and have to be told to put it on. And the teachers are good about it sometimes. But.
Alexis Linder 32:09
Yeah, just that case to case I guess. Um, so yeah, um, so this is kind of a longer question but "self isolation" and "flattening the curve" are two key ideas that have emerged during the pandemic. So how have you, your family, friends and community responded to the requests of" self isolate" and "flatten the curve"?
Wyatt Goetz 32:38
Whenever we've gotten sick, we've stayed home and we've tried to stay home as much as possible as not, like get anything or spread anything.
Solana Goetz 32:58
I feel like we've been pretty good about quarantining. Being safe.
Alexis Linder 33:22
Yeah. All right. And then oh, has COVID-19 changed your relationships with your friends family or community and in what ways?
Solana Goetz 33:45
For me, it has. I have a lot who I thought I was closer with that really shut down communication with and there is a lot less communication, etcetera.
Wyatt Goetz 34:22
I feel like some of the friends that wasn't totally close and started talking with more close friends and started talking with me more, um, and some of the friends that I was not very close with or had not seen them in the past year or for-or forgotten about them. I started texting more, like Snapchat [moblie app that is communication through pictures]. And so some friends that I've gotten to know pretty well.
Alexis Linder 35:05
Yeah, awesome. And um, so actually moving into more of Health have you or anybody you've known gotten sick during COVID 19 outbreak?
Wyatt Goetz 35:21
With Covid or just in general?
Alexis Linder 35:24
With COVID, have either of you or your family members gotten sick with COVID?
Wyatt Goetz 35:30
Our grandparents.
Solana Goetz 35:32
Our grandpa got COVID But he's alive and well. Besides that, not really.
Alexis Linder 35:45
Yeah, what was that experience like though your grandpa getting COVID?
Wyatt Goetz 35:49
IT wasn't really that bad, because we see them a lot. Because they-they live up in a town, like that's like an hour and 30 minutes away. So they come to visit a lot. And we're in contact with them in like, of like messaging and contact with them, ah, but not like, a COVID way.
Solana Goetz 36:27
I was nervous. I was just really glad that it didn't affect him in a way that some other people have experienced.
Alexis Linder 36:41
Yeah. Yeah. And, um, you guys kind of touched on this a little bit too with yourselves. But you're welcome to expand on that if you want. But in what ways do you think COVID-19 is affecting people's mental or physical health?
Wyatt Goetz 36:58
I would have to share that a lot of people that were extroverted started to suffer from, like depression, like anxiety and like other things that didn't help mental health. But I feel like more introverted people were fine or more excited that we were locked up and in lock-down. So they didn't have to go outside or make any social interaction, like people that didn't want to talk to people, but in school more or less had to.
Solana Goetz 37:42
I agree.
Alexis Linder 37:45
You agree? Yeah. Um, so have you or anyone, you know, had questions or concerns about the vaccine?
Wyatt Goetz 38:00
I didn't, because, I mean, they have made good vaccines before, just because this one was rush, which, it really wasn't that rushed because we, they were funded extremely well, because this was such a big sickness. So I was completely fine. And most people were like, scared of tracker chips, which confused me. And when I got my COVID shot, the needles weren't even that big, so they weren't big enough to shoot out a tracker chip. If they did want to.
Solana Goetz 38:42
I feel like, we carry our phones every day, everywhere, and there is a tracker in them. So yeah, I feel like a lot of people have questions, but I didn't really. I just-I believe that it will help. And
Alexis Linder 39:06
Yeah, and you both are vaccinated right?
Wyatt Goetz 39:09
Yeah we're both fully vaccinated.
Alexis Linder 39:11
Yeah. And what was your experience getting the vaccine? Did you guys have any trouble getting it? Or did you guys have side effects?
Wyatt Goetz 39:20
I didn't have side effects. Probably just felt tired. My arm was sore.
Solana Goetz 39:26
I just don't like getting any shot like the flu shot or like a tetanus shot and getting this,Yeah, it was-
Wyatt Goetz 39:32
It wasn't as bad as the tetanus shot.
Solana Goetz 39:34
Well, yeah, but it was a sore arm for a while but besides that, I didn't really deal with anything else.
Wyatt Goetz 39:41
Yeah, you had to get your shot two times because one of them failed.
Solana Goetz 39:49
Yeah one of them, it started going out the other end.
Wyatt Goetz 39:55
I feel like the needles were so mass produced that they had holes in the sides on some of them. So when they poked it in like to give her the shot. Um, they tried to inject the stuff but it just went out of the side. So yeah she had to get injected twice.
Alexis Linder 40:13
Oh my gosh. And I hate needles, so that was like, "Oh Cool. I get two needles in my arm today!" Oh my gosh.
Wyatt Goetz 40:25
[Unintelligible.]
Alexis Linder 40:29
Oh my gosh, that's crazy. Two, Yikes. Oh my gosh. Um, and then so getting the vaccine too, you guys-poor girl you had to get two of them um, like in the same day was getting the vaccine like finding somewhere you know like to get them was that kind of easy or did you ask someone else sign you up?
Wyatt Goetz 40:50
Yeah, Is it easy because our mom signed us up and it was on the campus that she's going to currently.
Solana Goetz 41:00
Yeah, pretty simple just signing up and making a reservation just like making a doctor's appointment. So yeah.
Alexis Linder 41:13
Yeah. And then yeah, that's, um, pretty much what I have for the vaccine. So this next kind of, I'm sorry, set of questions is about basically information and the media. So what have your primary sources of news ben during the pandemic?
Wyatt Goetz 41:34
I don't really go on the news. Just like teachers and TikTok too (social media app).
Solana Goetz 41:47
When I take on the news, I try to go on MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). Because has stats of like- {unintelligible[ Yeah, like it’s like middle, not really right, not really left.
Alexis Linder 42:06
Yeah. And then have your new sources changed at all during the pandemic? Like-or is that pretty much what you stick with?
Solana Goetz 42:18
What I stick with.
Wyatt Goetz 42:20
I don't go on the news so it's what I stick with.
Alexis Linder 42:25
Yeah, um, are there any important issues that you guys feel the media may or may not be covering?
Solana Goetz 42:35
Um, women's rights, I feel like they're covering it low. As much as they should be it I guess.
Alexis Linder 42:47
What was that? I'm sorry, you cut out.
Solana Goetz 42:50
Women's rights?
Alexis Linder 42:52
Oh. Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 42:58
Maybe the protests? I guess, that’s been happening.
Alexis Linder 43:05
Yeah. How do you guys feel about that? Anything that's happened in 2020? Or during the pandemic? I mean, how do you guys-how did you respond to that as your school done anything? How do you guys feel?
Wyatt Goetz 43:17
I feel like a lot of good progress has happened with-against racism and towards helping women's rights. But I also feel like there is some people that just don't want that to happen. Or some people that use the word feminism, but don't use it, how it's actually defined. So they just use it to put down men which happens sometimes on TikTok, but I feel that feminism that it should happen, but the definition is equal rights. And they've been trying to sometimes they've been trying to put up women and sometimes I've been trying to prevent that so I feel like it can go either way.
Alexis Linder 44:16
Do you have anything to add?
Solana Goetz 44:21
No, not really.
Alexis Linder 44:25
All right. Um, how have municipal leaders and government officials in your community responded to the outbreak?
Wyatt Goetz 44:37
I'm not very- I don't really pay attention to politics.
Alexis Linder 44:47
Oh, yeah, that's fair.
44:53
Yeah, that's totally-
44:55
I do you have an answer for the question, sadly.
Alexis Linder 45:00
No, that's fine. Do you guys have any thoughts on what you guys do know about the local, state, or federal leaders responding to the crisis?
Solana Goetz 45:18
The vaccine mandate, the mask mandate there could be just a bit more protocols put in place.
Wyatt Goetz 45:31
I feel like the United States run better as a whole during the masks right away and bring a little more funding into the vaccines. So we could get that as soon as possible.
Alexis Linder 45:52
Yeah. Um, so I just have a couple more questions and these are looking to the future. [sneeze] Bless you. Um, how has your experience transformed the way you think about your family, friends and community and in what ways?
Wyatt Goetz 46:16
I feel like it's changed my view on some people. Because now, we have been able to see like, what their opinions on like, vaccine and masks are. And I feel like my opinions change, because I feel like I don't respect them as much, I guess? Because I feel like it's just common sense to get the vaccine wear a mask.
Solana Goetz 47:03
I feel like it's just given me a wider perspective, and a uncommon experience.
Alexis Linder 47:15
Mm hmm. Yeah, so knowing what you know now, what do you think that individuals communities or governments need to keep in mind for the future?
Solana Goetz 47:36
Pandemics aren't uncommon. Well, not pandemics, but viruses. We've been learning a lot about biology with like Ebola and Zika virus. And it really just takes putting in lines of orders because there is COVID but other viruses will and-occur, I believe. And it's like-it won't do us any good having COVID and having that experience if we don't improve.
Wyatt Goetz 48:32
I guess I would have to agree. [intelligible] I feel like we might start to make some headway in medical technology, because you don't want to go through this again.
Alexis Linder 48:59
Yeah, well, that was all the questions I had for the interview. So do you guys have any thoughts, comments or anything you would like to say just like Final thoughts or comments? Anything you want to add?
Solana Goetz 49:20
Like maybe I'll watch this someday and be like, no way that was me.
Alexis Linder 49:24
Yeah. [laughing]Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 49:29
You're weird.
Solana Goetz 49:33
It's like a time capsule!
Wyatt Goetz 49:33
In the future, imagine if you watch this, and then you hear yourself say that.
Solana Goetz 49:38
Like, ugh, that was me. But yeah.
Alexis Linder 49:41
Yeah, [laughing] I'll probably watch it says the interviewer and be like "ah." you know? So, yeah, I'm going to-
Okay, so, um, so that you guys will be included in this. So I'm just gonna-we're gonna start this interview with the date and the time. So it is December 7, of 2021. It is 7:04pm. And I'm just going to give you guys some numbers. And these are the numbers for the COVID cases in the US and Wisconsin, okay? Just to think about during the interview. Um, so the US COVID cases total, as of today is 49,002,475. The US total COVID Death total is 785,655. The percentage of people age five and up with at least one vaccination is 75.6%. Wisconsin confirmed COVID cases is 3548. Wisconsin confirmed deaths is 9128. So those are Wisconsin resident confirmed deaths. And then Wisconsin residents with percentage with at least one dose of the vaccine is 59.1%. And then the Wisconsin residents percent with the complete vaccine is 56.2%. So those are just some facts for you guys to keep in mind as you're answering questions. Um, so the first question, I guess we can start if you guys-It doesn't matter who starts, um, if you guys could state your name, and then state your race, ethnicity, age and gender.
Solana Goetz 01:44
For me, I am Solana Goetz. I'm 15. And I am she/her.
Wyatt Goetz 02:00
I am Wyatt Geotz. I am 13 and I go by He/him.
Alexis Linder 02:11
All right, awesome. So, um, what are the primary things that you guys do on a day to day basis? Just some background questions. So where um, like, Are you guys in extracurricular activities? Are you guys in school, things like that?
Wyatt Goetz 02:29
Um, I do hockey. We both play hockey.
Solana Goetz 02:35
I played hockey for 11 years, and I'm in a couple of clubs at my high school. Either hockey or playing around and playing video games.
Alexis Linder 02:53
What kind of clubs are you in? What are the clubs?
Solana Goetz 02:57
And then a planet club and I'm also in a it's like, high school extra credit to get into the college club.
Alexis Linder 03:12
Nice. What kind of video games do you play?
Wyatt Goetz 03:15
In [unintelligable] bound?
Solana Goetz 03:17
Um, we play a lot of well, I played a lot of Skyrim and Fallout.
Wyatt Goetz 03:26
I play Call of Duty, Apex and Minecraft.
Alexis Linder 03:36
Are these computer games or do you guys are you Xbox or PS4 (Play Station 4)?
Wyatt Goetz 03:42
X box and computer.
Alexis Linder 03:44
Xbox and computer? [unintelligable]
Solana Goetz 03:49
Xbox 1.
Alexis Linder 03:52
Nice. Okay, so where do you guys live? And what is it like to live there?
Wyatt Goetz 04:02
We live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and it's cold and snowy.
Solana Goetz 04:11
Well, it's cold in the winter, but it's just really-I feel like the weather's nice, although it's nice. Nice. Like, it's not like a super busy town, but it's not like a tiny town. It's like nicely in the middle.
Alexis Linder 04:35
Yeah, you get all four seasons type of area.
Solana Goetz 04:40
Yeah.
Alexis Linder 04:43
Awesome. So, kind of getting into COVID Um, when you guys first learned about COVID So this was two years ago already crazy. Um, what were your thoughts about it?
Wyatt Goetz 04:59
I was six grade, I remember, I was watching CNN 10, because that's what we did. And every single person in my class thought it wasn't gonna spread to United States. There's just gonna be a minor sickness in China.
Solana Goetz 05:22
[unintelligible] us up and said, Hey, this is important, because I don't take it seriously whatsoever. My teacher said, Hey, we're getting an extra two weeks to spring break. And I said, Sign me up. [laughing]
Wyatt Goetz 05:37
Yep.
Alexis Linder 05:39
Yeah, yeah. And how have your thoughts changed since then about the pandemic or COVID-19?
Wyatt Goetz 05:49
It's a big deal. It does get annoying to wear masks. And I was fully online last year. So I wasn't used to wearing a mask every day when I went fully in school. So my like after, for like a month, my ears like right here [points to behind his ears] hurt from the mask strings, but it doesn't hurt as much, I've gotten used to it.
Solana Goetz 06:13
I think it's really interesting having this perspective of like, growing up in a pandemic. Because not to say that we understand, like how it must have been in like, 1918 when they had like, Yellow Fever and Spanish Flu, but I feel like it gives us a better understanding of like, the dangers of a pandemic and the effects on our world.
Alexis Linder 06:42
Yeah, yeah, that's really well said, um, uh, Wyatt, what kind of mask- Did you have a homemade mask? Or did you have a medical mask?
Wyatt Goetz 06:53
Home.
06:54
All of our masks are from Old Navy (retail store). We like the adjustable straps.
Alexis Linder 07:01
The-the adjustable straps? I wear adjustable straps too. Yeah. Yes, definitely.
Solana Goetz 07:10
I don't think a lot of people wear the medical masks. They're just not that comfortable. Not to bash doctors. [chuckling]
Alexis Linder 07:19
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Um, so what issues have most concerned you about the COVID 19 pandemic?
Wyatt Goetz 07:31
I would say probably the people that think it's not real, and people that refuse to get vaccinated.
Solana Goetz 07:41
I really- I mean, like, there are people out there who like, want to do everything there is to stop it there. There are people who like, don't want to do anything to help or just refuse to believe it exists, it will last longer. Like I really believe that could have been partially out of this by last summer, but.
Alexis Linder 08:07
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Um, so. Um, I guess we've kind of answered-Oh, yeah, so how has COVID-19 affected you and your family day-to-day activities? So is there anything that you guys used to do that you can't do anymore or anything like that?
Wyatt Goetz 08:29
I would say it's like more fun activities, like going to pools like openers, and more crowded areas where people go.
Solana Goetz 08:50
I just think that like extra activities and we moved two summers ago, like sort of during the beginning of COVID. And we have had about three months of online school then and we're excited to have like a new environment to be in out of being stuck in the home and just adapting to being inside and alone all the time. Just really, like affected our whole like, process. Like our dad used to leave at eight in the morning and come home at 5pm and now he works from home all the time. So that was a big change. And and we just have a little like calendar on that door that there of like when our classes were so that we weren't like interrupted each other. I feel like it's about this, like learn more about each other because we had more time together.
Wyatt Goetz 10:11
I also feel it helped me more because I- I couldn't pay attention as much because I ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), so it affects my attention. So, when I am able to walk around my house while classes going on with the computer, it really helped me pay attention more. And then also between the breaks between my classes, I could watch some TV or get a snack, or eat some food, cook something. So that kind of helped me be more productive.
Solana Goetz 10:54
And it affected me in the exact opposite way. I absolutely hated online school, I had really bad grades. And immediately when I was back in school, the rise in my grades. But it's like, honestly pretty cool. I was like, Thank goodness for that. I-online school was not productive for me at all.
Wyatt Goetz 11:27
My grades were the opposite. When I went back in school, they weren't really great. But the first semester of school-online school, I had straight A's. So it was-it was helpful. And I had actually prefer to go back in online school.
Alexis Linder 11:52
Oh, wow.
Solana Goetz 11:53
I never want to do online school again. [laughing]
Alexis Linder 11:57
This is great, though too different, you know, point of views. And dude, I was actually going to ask if you guys how that affected- but yeah, you guys already answered that yours was not so well. And yours it really helped you. So yeah.
Solana Goetz 12:11
And I feel like that's the most interesting part about it. Because some people think that it's really helpful, but some people like it affects them in completely different ways. But I think that's something that we should like, as a community. Like, put those provisions in place for people who could use them.
Alexis Linder 12:35
Yeah, so while we're talking about it, actually, if you guys don't mind asking what grade are you to when?
Wyatt Goetz 12:43
I'm in eighth grade, she is in tenth grade.
Solana Goetz 12:45
I'm in eleventh.
Wyatt Goetz 12:46
Oh, yeah.
Solana Goetz 12:48
No, I'm not gonna eleventh, I'm in tenth. I'm a sophomore, I'm not a junior. [chuckling]
Alexis Linder 12:59
And if you guys don't mind sharing, what school do you go to?
Wyatt Goetz 13:05
I go to Memorial Middle School.
Solana Goetz 13:07
I go Memorial High School.
Alexis Linder 13:10
Alright. And then what is it like to go to school there?
Wyatt Goetz 13:17
Interesting. [laughing]
Alexis Linder 13:22
How so?
Wyatt Goetz 13:25
um, it's weird being back after a year of school because there's so many people in the hallways and many different personalities that couldn't be expressed over Zoom and/or teams, which is what we used.
Solana Goetz 13:43
I can't even imagine going to like my second year of middle school in eighth grade. Because that's when I left off for COVID. But I feel like freshmen who went into high school during COVID, like their experiences gonna be like no other. I didn't know where to go whatsoever. I didn't know anyone. And when I first got back, I got back like halfway through the second semester. So I just I didn't know anyone or like how to even function as a high school student with that workload. And now it's a lot better, because I have my second year, but I really like my high school. It's pretty cool.
Alexis Linder 14:39
Good. Good. That's really good. Yeah, I can't imagine going in either. And you just moved right? So was it like, you didn't know anybody for that reason, too?
Wyatt Goetz 14:51
Right. Yeah. So we would have gone to North (High School).
Solana Goetz 14:55
We didn't move into like a different town. We've always lived in Eau Claire. But I would have gone to North High School. And so like I spent my whole childhood like growing up and learning about North High School and so being dropped as a freshman in Memorial High School I was like, lost.
Alexis Linder 15:17
Yeah, I definitely can see that. Um, so you guys have already answered that you guys were in online school but how long were you in like online school? Was it just a whole year? Or was it a little bit longer? A little bit shorter?
Solana Goetz 15:31
I was in a whole year?, she was in about half. Yeah, we had about three months of online school [dog walking] a few years ago, so like at the end of six than eighth grade, and I had probably like five or six months of online school last year? And he had the whole year.
Alexis Linder 16:05
Do you guys know why, like why his was longer? Like why his-
Wyatt Goetz 16:17
We can't hear you.
Alexis Linder 16:19
Do you know why- like, why Wyatt's-why he was the full year and Solana you were only like five or six months? Like why there was that difference?
Solana Goetz 16:30
I wanted to get back in school because I was struggling with the online schooling but he really liked the online schooling.
Alexis Linder 16:37
Oh.
Solana Goetz 16:38
So he wanted to stay with it longer and I wanted to get back into school.
Alexis Linder 16:44
Got it? Um, so um, yeah, how has the pan- you guys kind of touched on this a little bit but you guys are welcome to add to it if you want a little bit more. So you guys talked about how your grades kind of changed online school or anything has the pandemic affected your grades or your schoolwork, coursework, anything like that, like a little bit more?
Wyatt Goetz 17:13
I'd say the first semester for me that well, but then I got kind of bored. So I was on my phone a bit more during classes, which did not positively affect my grade.
Solana Goetz 17:27
Um, I yeah, my grades-There was a point where I had like, far too many [X?] Cuz I just I really struggled to remember to do all my stuff online. And I- I did a lot of procrastinating. And I, like I would know that it was there. But I would be like, I'll do it later. And then it just wouldn't get done. But being in school and having that structure is more beneficial for me because like, I get the stuff done. Like when it has to be done.
Wyatt Goetz 18:24
I felt that I could do my work better because I would have-I had my desk and I had my computer and I had my work off to the side. So it's just there. And so when I had to do it, I saw it. And like before the classes I remember to do it and/or I do it while we were going over class.
Alexis Linder 19:03
Yeah, did you guys have like your own computers or did your whole family up to share computer for classwork and everything?
Wyatt Goetz 19:12
We had different computers that the school district issues, computers for every kid and I can't remember what company it was. But one of the companies supplied free Wi Fi so the kids can get to class.
Solana Goetz 19:31
They provide Chromebooks and we still have those for in school.
Wyatt Goetz 19:40
My dad got a computer for his work and my mom already had a computer.
Alexis Linder 19:54
So you guys still have those computers that the school issued out? Do you know how long you'll have those?
Wyatt Goetz 20:03
Until the end of high school.
Alexis Linder 20:06
Oh.
Wyatt Goetz 20:07
Most likely.
Solana Goetz 20:09
Unless your computer has an issue, then you just bring it in and get a new one.
Alexis Linder 20:17
Interesting. Um, how has the pandemic affected your extracurricular activity? So Solana you said that you had some clubs that you go to and like you both kind of played a little bit of hockey as the pandemic affected that at all?
Solana Goetz 20:34
No clubs were allowed last year. I'm pretty sure COVID was a-so we didn't have any home games at our home arena for hockey.
Wyatt Goetz 20:49
And yeah-
Solana Goetz 20:50
Weren't they taking in homeless people?
Wyatt Goetz 20:53
we're doing a good thing and sheltering homeless people in the big break that they had, but they took out the ice so it was cold. That's why we couldn't have any home games. And so we had to travel a bit more.
Solana Goetz 21:12
So all of our game or even practices were like a lot of extra travel with going to neighboring towns which are add on an extra like 30 or 40 minutes. And so it was a lot of extra work, but also masks-we had masks for our helmets {unintelligible} like make precautions like not able to see, it wasn't good for them.
Wyatt Goetz 21:53
They were uncomfortable if you were to buy a mask that went in your cage.
Solana Goetz 22:03
But yeah, it also affected my season a lot because we were still a lot more games like {almost all of 2020?] but last year, we only had six. And then things like that would get cancelled if the team had to quarantine and are trying to quarantine place. [dogs barking] It took a lot of adapting.
Alexis Linder 22:39
Yeah.
Solana Goetz 22:40
Our dogs. [chuckles]
Alexis Linder 22:41
It's okay. [chuckles]. I'll just wait for Wyatt to come back. Okay, so what have been the biggest challenges that you have faced during the COVID 19 outbreak?
Solana Goetz 23:08
Oh, I am a very interactive person. So, I dealt a lot with- it added on extra social anxiety. And I dealt with a bit of depression because I really just struggled being at home all the time. And I didn't have a lot of friends, or I wasn't able to make a lot of friends going into high school. And that was really tough on my like, aspect of life.
Wyatt Goetz 23:58
I'm mostly introverted. So it was, it was not really that bad for me for like, social interaction. Just talking to people because online is enough for me. And I feel like a challenge was like, paying attention more because there's more temptations like how we both have TVs in our room and phones. So that gives a problem that I struggled with during the second semester because I was like, either on my phone or watching my show when class was going on.
Alexis Linder 24:50
Yeah. And then, um, so kind of with your school too, like, how would you say that your school is handling COVID-19? Is there anything that you wish they would do differently?
Wyatt Goetz 25:04
They're handling it very well. In my perspective, they're-they're quarantining everyone who may need to quarantine or mandating masks making sure if you have one I'm pretty sure that it's applied by the bus drivers with masks to give you forget yours and I think one of the school counselors stands outside with masks if you need one if the bus driver doesn't have one and it's very-they're very strict on the mask mandate because they don't want anybody to get sick. One of the neighboring towns high schools slash middle schools was very strict on the math mandate and there to really go back into virtual school because the outbreak was so bad.
Alexis Linder 25:59
Oh, wow.
Solana Goetz 26:01
I feel the same about my school-I have my school does a really good job with everything. Like there are of course of things that couldn't be better, but I feel like they're pretty good.
Alexis Linder 26:19
Yeah, I didn't even think about the buses either. Do you guys take the bus to school?
Wyatt Goetz 26:27
We used to not because like two or three blocks from [Delong?] when we both went to [Delong?], but since we moved, we're pretty far away so we do take the bus.
Solana Goetz 26:45
And that was my eighth grade year so he's not ridden in a bus since fifth grade but he is riding buses here. Yeah, I carpool with some of our neighbors
Alexis Linder 27:04
So like riding the bus do you have to social distance on the bus to or can you just sit anywhere as long as you're wearing a mask?
Wyatt Goetz 27:15
Um, we can't switch seats. And we have to stay in our own seats have to sit by the same people because they don't want us to get sick and transfer to different people. They don't have a seating chart.
Alexis Linder 27:35
interesting. Um yeah, that's really interesting. I didn't think about the buses um, but more so-these next set of questions are going to be talking about your community. How have you noticed on the COVID 19 outbreak affect your community? So like if you guys go to church, any sports, local businesses you guys regularly attend, the schools anything like that?
Solana Goetz 28:04
Yeah, I felt really bad for the local businesses because that was really hard. It's like having to shut everything down. And I feel like it jus- it took a hit everywhere. And our community I felt like we dealt with better than some, but I feel like it was hard. Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 28:40
I feel like I can really do pretty well. But the COVID outbreak they tried to limit it as much as possible. We didn't-we didn't really do much besides extra fun activity before Covid. So we really didn't get affected that much besides extra fun activities.
Alexis Linder 29:12
Yeah, so how are the people around you responding to COVID-19 just the people that you hang out with day-to-day?
Solana Goetz 29:26
I feel like it really depends on their outlook on Covid. I have some friends who are like really good about masks, and they're vaccinated. I have some friends who are like still good with masks but aren't vaccinated which is like their choice. But I also have some friends who I really care about who like really don't want to wear masks and like are actually against the vaccine. And I don't hate them for it, but it's just scary. Like, because then there's like that extra thing to worry about for them.
Wyatt Goetz 30:18
I know some people that I read to get about masks, vaccinated. I also know the people that just don't like masks or have the vaccine. And I know people that don't like masks and people that just don't like vaccine. So, I feel like they're-they do have their masks down most of the time. Some people don't like masks. Which the teachers do correct but don't correct it as much as they should I think. Teachers probably got tired of just correcting and just let it slide.
Alexis Linder 31:05
Yeah. Would you say that that happens often? Or is that just a few cases?
Wyatt Goetz 31:11
It happens somewhat often.
Alexis Linder 31:15
Does it happen with you to Solana? Where like the teachers just let it slide?
Solana Goetz 31:21
Yeah, A lot of people-Yeah, and my teachers aren't really good about wearing the masks either. Like they just have it off or down. Like oh we're just sitting at our desks. But yeah, I feel like sometimes me and my friends, like we count how many people have our blown their nose and sometimes like one-to-five-minute period. It's like 25 kids. Wow. So some kids, at least have it cover their mouths but some kids just wear it completely under their chin or don't even have it and have to be told to put it on. And the teachers are good about it sometimes. But.
Alexis Linder 32:09
Yeah, just that case to case I guess. Um, so yeah, um, so this is kind of a longer question but "self isolation" and "flattening the curve" are two key ideas that have emerged during the pandemic. So how have you, your family, friends and community responded to the requests of" self isolate" and "flatten the curve"?
Wyatt Goetz 32:38
Whenever we've gotten sick, we've stayed home and we've tried to stay home as much as possible as not, like get anything or spread anything.
Solana Goetz 32:58
I feel like we've been pretty good about quarantining. Being safe.
Alexis Linder 33:22
Yeah. All right. And then oh, has COVID-19 changed your relationships with your friends family or community and in what ways?
Solana Goetz 33:45
For me, it has. I have a lot who I thought I was closer with that really shut down communication with and there is a lot less communication, etcetera.
Wyatt Goetz 34:22
I feel like some of the friends that wasn't totally close and started talking with more close friends and started talking with me more, um, and some of the friends that I was not very close with or had not seen them in the past year or for-or forgotten about them. I started texting more, like Snapchat [moblie app that is communication through pictures]. And so some friends that I've gotten to know pretty well.
Alexis Linder 35:05
Yeah, awesome. And um, so actually moving into more of Health have you or anybody you've known gotten sick during COVID 19 outbreak?
Wyatt Goetz 35:21
With Covid or just in general?
Alexis Linder 35:24
With COVID, have either of you or your family members gotten sick with COVID?
Wyatt Goetz 35:30
Our grandparents.
Solana Goetz 35:32
Our grandpa got COVID But he's alive and well. Besides that, not really.
Alexis Linder 35:45
Yeah, what was that experience like though your grandpa getting COVID?
Wyatt Goetz 35:49
IT wasn't really that bad, because we see them a lot. Because they-they live up in a town, like that's like an hour and 30 minutes away. So they come to visit a lot. And we're in contact with them in like, of like messaging and contact with them, ah, but not like, a COVID way.
Solana Goetz 36:27
I was nervous. I was just really glad that it didn't affect him in a way that some other people have experienced.
Alexis Linder 36:41
Yeah. Yeah. And, um, you guys kind of touched on this a little bit too with yourselves. But you're welcome to expand on that if you want. But in what ways do you think COVID-19 is affecting people's mental or physical health?
Wyatt Goetz 36:58
I would have to share that a lot of people that were extroverted started to suffer from, like depression, like anxiety and like other things that didn't help mental health. But I feel like more introverted people were fine or more excited that we were locked up and in lock-down. So they didn't have to go outside or make any social interaction, like people that didn't want to talk to people, but in school more or less had to.
Solana Goetz 37:42
I agree.
Alexis Linder 37:45
You agree? Yeah. Um, so have you or anyone, you know, had questions or concerns about the vaccine?
Wyatt Goetz 38:00
I didn't, because, I mean, they have made good vaccines before, just because this one was rush, which, it really wasn't that rushed because we, they were funded extremely well, because this was such a big sickness. So I was completely fine. And most people were like, scared of tracker chips, which confused me. And when I got my COVID shot, the needles weren't even that big, so they weren't big enough to shoot out a tracker chip. If they did want to.
Solana Goetz 38:42
I feel like, we carry our phones every day, everywhere, and there is a tracker in them. So yeah, I feel like a lot of people have questions, but I didn't really. I just-I believe that it will help. And
Alexis Linder 39:06
Yeah, and you both are vaccinated right?
Wyatt Goetz 39:09
Yeah we're both fully vaccinated.
Alexis Linder 39:11
Yeah. And what was your experience getting the vaccine? Did you guys have any trouble getting it? Or did you guys have side effects?
Wyatt Goetz 39:20
I didn't have side effects. Probably just felt tired. My arm was sore.
Solana Goetz 39:26
I just don't like getting any shot like the flu shot or like a tetanus shot and getting this,Yeah, it was-
Wyatt Goetz 39:32
It wasn't as bad as the tetanus shot.
Solana Goetz 39:34
Well, yeah, but it was a sore arm for a while but besides that, I didn't really deal with anything else.
Wyatt Goetz 39:41
Yeah, you had to get your shot two times because one of them failed.
Solana Goetz 39:49
Yeah one of them, it started going out the other end.
Wyatt Goetz 39:55
I feel like the needles were so mass produced that they had holes in the sides on some of them. So when they poked it in like to give her the shot. Um, they tried to inject the stuff but it just went out of the side. So yeah she had to get injected twice.
Alexis Linder 40:13
Oh my gosh. And I hate needles, so that was like, "Oh Cool. I get two needles in my arm today!" Oh my gosh.
Wyatt Goetz 40:25
[Unintelligible.]
Alexis Linder 40:29
Oh my gosh, that's crazy. Two, Yikes. Oh my gosh. Um, and then so getting the vaccine too, you guys-poor girl you had to get two of them um, like in the same day was getting the vaccine like finding somewhere you know like to get them was that kind of easy or did you ask someone else sign you up?
Wyatt Goetz 40:50
Yeah, Is it easy because our mom signed us up and it was on the campus that she's going to currently.
Solana Goetz 41:00
Yeah, pretty simple just signing up and making a reservation just like making a doctor's appointment. So yeah.
Alexis Linder 41:13
Yeah. And then yeah, that's, um, pretty much what I have for the vaccine. So this next kind of, I'm sorry, set of questions is about basically information and the media. So what have your primary sources of news ben during the pandemic?
Wyatt Goetz 41:34
I don't really go on the news. Just like teachers and TikTok too (social media app).
Solana Goetz 41:47
When I take on the news, I try to go on MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). Because has stats of like- {unintelligible[ Yeah, like it’s like middle, not really right, not really left.
Alexis Linder 42:06
Yeah. And then have your new sources changed at all during the pandemic? Like-or is that pretty much what you stick with?
Solana Goetz 42:18
What I stick with.
Wyatt Goetz 42:20
I don't go on the news so it's what I stick with.
Alexis Linder 42:25
Yeah, um, are there any important issues that you guys feel the media may or may not be covering?
Solana Goetz 42:35
Um, women's rights, I feel like they're covering it low. As much as they should be it I guess.
Alexis Linder 42:47
What was that? I'm sorry, you cut out.
Solana Goetz 42:50
Women's rights?
Alexis Linder 42:52
Oh. Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 42:58
Maybe the protests? I guess, that’s been happening.
Alexis Linder 43:05
Yeah. How do you guys feel about that? Anything that's happened in 2020? Or during the pandemic? I mean, how do you guys-how did you respond to that as your school done anything? How do you guys feel?
Wyatt Goetz 43:17
I feel like a lot of good progress has happened with-against racism and towards helping women's rights. But I also feel like there is some people that just don't want that to happen. Or some people that use the word feminism, but don't use it, how it's actually defined. So they just use it to put down men which happens sometimes on TikTok, but I feel that feminism that it should happen, but the definition is equal rights. And they've been trying to sometimes they've been trying to put up women and sometimes I've been trying to prevent that so I feel like it can go either way.
Alexis Linder 44:16
Do you have anything to add?
Solana Goetz 44:21
No, not really.
Alexis Linder 44:25
All right. Um, how have municipal leaders and government officials in your community responded to the outbreak?
Wyatt Goetz 44:37
I'm not very- I don't really pay attention to politics.
Alexis Linder 44:47
Oh, yeah, that's fair.
44:53
Yeah, that's totally-
44:55
I do you have an answer for the question, sadly.
Alexis Linder 45:00
No, that's fine. Do you guys have any thoughts on what you guys do know about the local, state, or federal leaders responding to the crisis?
Solana Goetz 45:18
The vaccine mandate, the mask mandate there could be just a bit more protocols put in place.
Wyatt Goetz 45:31
I feel like the United States run better as a whole during the masks right away and bring a little more funding into the vaccines. So we could get that as soon as possible.
Alexis Linder 45:52
Yeah. Um, so I just have a couple more questions and these are looking to the future. [sneeze] Bless you. Um, how has your experience transformed the way you think about your family, friends and community and in what ways?
Wyatt Goetz 46:16
I feel like it's changed my view on some people. Because now, we have been able to see like, what their opinions on like, vaccine and masks are. And I feel like my opinions change, because I feel like I don't respect them as much, I guess? Because I feel like it's just common sense to get the vaccine wear a mask.
Solana Goetz 47:03
I feel like it's just given me a wider perspective, and a uncommon experience.
Alexis Linder 47:15
Mm hmm. Yeah, so knowing what you know now, what do you think that individuals communities or governments need to keep in mind for the future?
Solana Goetz 47:36
Pandemics aren't uncommon. Well, not pandemics, but viruses. We've been learning a lot about biology with like Ebola and Zika virus. And it really just takes putting in lines of orders because there is COVID but other viruses will and-occur, I believe. And it's like-it won't do us any good having COVID and having that experience if we don't improve.
Wyatt Goetz 48:32
I guess I would have to agree. [intelligible] I feel like we might start to make some headway in medical technology, because you don't want to go through this again.
Alexis Linder 48:59
Yeah, well, that was all the questions I had for the interview. So do you guys have any thoughts, comments or anything you would like to say just like Final thoughts or comments? Anything you want to add?
Solana Goetz 49:20
Like maybe I'll watch this someday and be like, no way that was me.
Alexis Linder 49:24
Yeah. [laughing]Yeah.
Wyatt Goetz 49:29
You're weird.
Solana Goetz 49:33
It's like a time capsule!
Wyatt Goetz 49:33
In the future, imagine if you watch this, and then you hear yourself say that.
Solana Goetz 49:38
Like, ugh, that was me. But yeah.
Alexis Linder 49:41
Yeah, [laughing] I'll probably watch it says the interviewer and be like "ah." you know? So, yeah, I'm going to-