The worldwide pandemic caused by the massive spread of the Coronavirus is not going to just affect people’s health, but all businesses relying on face-to-face communications or outsourced factories. This scope includes Los Medanos College, to Pittsburg and Brentwood, to the Bay Area, America, and even the world. 

The stock market is dropping severely due to the effect that the COVID-19 virus has on the public and while business may vary depending on the company, the Dow Jones is dropping quickly. 

Food industries will also be drastically affected as people’s fear of eating in public places increases. The LMC cafeteria is affected by the same fears.

“I do think about it,” said LMC student Majhane’ Williams. “We should be a little weirded out by fast food restaurants because people are nasty behind the counter and they don’t think twice about other people’s health.” 

On another note it’s not just the cafeteria being affected but those employed in LMC’s programs such as the Transfer Center or the Bookstore.

Gigi Arango is a student worker whose only income is administrative work at the Child Development Center. There is a lot of face-to-face work that the child development administrators do as they help out parents who come into the building and the community.

 “As of right now we don’t know if we [child development center] will be closing or not, so I don’t know if I will be impacted or affected but if they do decide to close it, it will be a financial burden on me,” said Arango.

Student worker Alycia Teal, who works at the LMC transfer department on the second floor of the welcome center said she depends on her job for all of her financials.

 “I cannot speak for everyone, but for most of us this is our only job we probably would all be [affected by the campus closing],” Teal said. “It wouldn’t just be me.” 

Her employers have not provided any plan to help employees in case business is affected. There are meetings that will be held in the coming days including this information among United Faculty, the Academic Senate and the district office. 

“[Financially] there is no trend, we have only been here for three weeks, so it’s really hard to estimate what the financial losses could be,” said Bookstore manager Robert Estrada. 

He explained that there was $5,000 in one day with possible expenses of $2,000 for paying employees and in product purchases. Though Astrada voiced concern for students’ health rather than any monetary gain, highlighting that students and staff mattered most in the scenario and he trusts the administration to “make the right decision.”

The campus will stay open until otherwise stated, however, all lecture classes are being transferred online. Some programs really cannot be taught over Canvas and have specific needs of hand-to-hand training and face-to-face instruction. 

Many things cannot be predicted for the future except references on the economy from the past until we know the result or full reach of the coronavirus pandemic. But as it has been spreading rapidly, so has administrative response in providing protection for its students.