Nguyen Minh Khue, Annie Wright Schools At the beginning of the year, my school invited a speaker from a local church to teach students about religion. She said, “I believe in God, what do you believe in?” A girl confidently raised her hand and replied, “I believe in science.” Some people gasped in air, some burst into laughter, and some clapped excitedly. Others through their glances accused her of impertinence and were surprised by her bravery to believe in something that contrasts religious ideas. You see, every single one of us is different, and so are our values and beliefs. The differences between us shape our complex society and cannot be measured solely in numbers or words. It’s no wonder then that in the middle of the 2020 coronavirus crisis, people have expressed numerous independent points of views, creating distinct opinions on the topic of COVID-19 itself. With modern technology, information can be spread online at the speed of light, forming an even more complex community on the Internet. However, like the brave girl at my school, I believe that having trust in “science” is the best choice in order to understand the veracity of COVID-19. Coronavirus decisions should be justified based on knowledge with facts, not on emotions or beliefs. The issue of wearing a mask is a good example because wearing a mask has always been a conflict between factual information and individual rights. However, the area ultimately locked down due to the fast spread of the virus early that March. Masks, in fact, are proven by scientists to reduce the transmission of coronavirus from human to human. Both the CDC and WHO have strongly recommended masks for the general public. Yet, as of September, the anti-mask community still exists. Their optimism can be agreeable to some and be ridiculous to the rest. Nevertheless, society should keep in mind the facts or “veritas.” The truth about COVID-19 is that there are people dying every day with a drastic rising number of confirmed cases. The truth about COVID-19 is that it disrupts the rhythm of everyone’s life, causing depression and fear. What we believe in doesn’t matter, because we are different with unique approaches to ideas. However, when it comes to public health, we must trust that the experts are giving us the facts. At the end, coronavirus is still a virus. Reality is proven by nature, while belief is proven in our mind. Coronavirus is created by nature, so it is crucial to solve this by understanding the “veritas” of the disease. (The author is a top winner at the “Embers & Ignited Hearts” writing contest co-organized by Spotlight Initiative and Shenzhen Daily.) | 