COVID Felt Like a Zombie Movie. Let’s Make Sure There’s No Sequel.

By Haley Mody, 2025 Governor's STEM Scholar In zombie outbreak movies, a few infected individuals turn and gradually spread the virus–first through a building, then a city, and eventually the world. The uninfected hide in fear, hoping they aren't next. That is eerily similar to what we lived through during COVID-19, a virus that reshaped our world in a matter of months.

As a student, I experienced its impact firsthand. For two years, my school went remote. Without structure, I struggled to stay focused and turned to social media for comfort. Homework slipped through the cracks. I wasn’t alone. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, U.S. math and literacy rates plummeted: math proficiency in the U.S. dropped from 33% to 26%, and reading proficiency from 34% to 32%.

COVID didn’t just disrupt classrooms. It devastated jobs, businesses, and mental health. In New Jersey alone, over 3 million people contracted the virus, and 5.2 million jobs were lost in two months. More than 36,000 New Jerseyans died due to the virus. Nationally, a Gallup poll shows 53% of adults say life still hasn’t returned to normal. The mental toll is long-lasting. Project ROUSE found that 40% of participants were at risk of moderate or severe depression, even after the health crisis subsided. 

Yet just as we should be ramping up public health readiness, our country is pulling back. This spring, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services canceled $12 billion in grants to states meant to help track infectious diseases and respond to public health emergencies. At the same time, dozens of research projects focused on vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and other emerging threats were halted. The National Institutes of Health–a $48 billion agency that supports over 3,000 scientists–was also directed to pause or reduce grant activity. That’s months, even years, of critical progress lost. If we learned anything from COVID, it’s that preparation—not panic—should guide our public health strategy.

These cuts are especially alarming as new viruses make headlines. Bird flu (H5N1) has been found in U.S. dairy cows and has even infected a human. As of April 17, there have been 800 reported cases of measles with three deaths in the U.S. HMPV, a lesser-known virus, is spreading. These aren’t scenes from a movie—they’re unfolding now.

As the school year winds down, students like me are reflecting not just on grades or summer plans, but on how much has changed. Our attention spans, motivation, and mental health are still recovering. The pandemic may be “over,” but its shadow remains.

In every outbreak movie, there's always a moment where the heroes must decide: prepare for the next wave or wait until it’s too late. We’re at that moment now. The next virus may not look like a zombie apocalypse, but without investment in research and readiness, the fear and chaos will feel just as real.

Haley Mody is a junior at Passaic County Technical Institute STEM Academy and a 2025 Governor’s STEM Scholar. As an aspiring aerospace engineer and student researcher, she believes in the power of science and innovation to protect public health and prepare for the future. This op-ed was published in the Clifton Times. Read it here.