An Original

Made by Lily-Rose Bracken

Recently, I got sick with the flu, which originally influenced this illustration. I started the drawing with the protective mask because that is what I was given at the doctors office. These simple masks have a way of making you feel like an outcast, by attracting negative attention. It’s hard to believe that many people walk around normally with protective masks in places like China. This ignited my thoughts about the Coronavirus and how fast germs can be spread. Luckily, vaccines for viruses such as the flu have been developed, but it makes me wonder if there will someday be a vaccination for the Coronavirus. And if so, how effective will the vaccine be? The flu vaccine has been proven to have exceptions of receivers still acquiring the virus. However, if people like me had gotten the flu shot I bet my chances for getting the flu would have been significantly slimmer. The media is constantly throwing out places where vaccines are available, specifically for the flu shot. Essentially, the message I’m trying to convey in this illustration is to be aware of the illnesses surrounding you and ways to help protect yourself. Being our own best advocates for our bodies is the smartest way to stay healthy. I drew a stick figure in distress to illustrate how getting sick affects the entire body, which is fighting to get rid of the bacteria. I pictured kleenex because that is what I went through the most while having the flu. This also brought to my attention the impact on the environment that kleenex alone has, especially during the cold season.