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Rangers Back on Top

Rangers back on top 

By Damon 

Rangers are champions of Scotland once again after they had money problems, putting them into administration, and a new company had to buy the club. 

 On the 14th of February 2012 Rangers FC entered money problems and were forced down to the third division where they nearly had to start all over again.  

Rangers won the third division in the first year they were in it. 

They won the Scottish league one in 2014.  They also won the championship in 2016 to put them back to the top flight.  In 2021, they got back to the Scottish top flight. 

They had to let loads of good players leave the club because of money but some good players stayed.  

Rangers had to do a whole rebuild to the team.  They have had loads of different managers and players.   

After a long journey back to the top flight of Scottish football Rangers are back and won the SPFL. 

Returning to School after Second Lockdown 

Returning to school after second lockdown 

By Mia 

The Orkney secondary school Stromness Academy went back on the 15th of March as a phased return. All the junior classes were split into three groups that would each go in on different days. One group would go in on Monday and Thursday, another group would go in on Tuesday and Friday and the last group would only go in on Wednesday. These would change each week so that every pupil would get at least a week of school at the end of the three weeks.  

There are certain restrictions that must be carried out by schools. Some of these include: 

– two metre social distancing where possible  

– masks to be worn at all times, except whilst eating or drinking 

– pupils not to attend school if they show any symptoms of coronavirus  

– frequent washing/sanitising 

– for pupils to wipe down their desk/chair or any equipment they were using before leaving the classroom  

This is all subject to change after the Easter Holidays. Currently, plans are in place for pupils going back to school full time after Easter, though this will be confirmed towards the end of the Easter break.  Some of the restrictions like social distancing will ease slightly, but ventilation will most likely increase because of the number of pupils in the school. 

Vaccine experiences

Vaccine experiences  

By Ryan 

Many people in Orkney have now had their first dose of the covid vaccine, and some people have had both doses.  I spoke to some people that have had the vaccine and here are some of their experiences.  

The first person asked said that they had the Pfizer vaccine and they said that the felt fine and the only side effect that they had was a sore arm. 

The second person asked said that they have had the AstraZeneca vaccine and they had also said that they were fine at first but a few hours after they were suddenly cold and shivery and couldn’t get out of bed.  They were fine two days after.   

Overall vaccination is a good thing but there will always be side effects and some people are lucky and some people aren’t with the side effects.  

If you would like to know more, there is NHS information about vaccinations at www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/ 

Lockdown

Lockdown 

By Noah

For just over one year, we have all been in lockdown in Scotland.  It has been a year now and I have quite enjoyed it. Many people have really not enjoyed it and others have loved it.

I feel like lockdown is coming to an end we have a few vaccines and 30,444,829 people have had at least their first dose. Orkney is well underway with vaccines and many people in Orkney have had their first dose; even quite young people have had it.

The reasons I have enjoyed lockdown is I could do my own things during the day and not have school take up the whole day. I would usually have all my schoolwork done in the morning and then do something I enjoy in the afternoon like go for a cycle.

S1-S3 have been going to school for a few weeks now for two days a week which is good in my opinion.

In my opinion lockdown has been an alright thing which I and many people have quite enjoyed.

COVID-19 mass vaccinations in Orkney

COVID-19 mass vaccinations in Orkney
By Erin

 

In March the Pickaquoy centre held a mass vaccination clinic for 42–64-year-olds over the course of a week. The clinic was in the arena hall. It is believed that this is the largest mass vaccination, run by the NHS, to ever happen in Orkney.

I spoke to my mum and dad, who have both had their vaccine. They both told me they thought the clinic was “well organised and efficient.” My mum went on to say “I was met by marshals in the car park, instructions were clear on where to go in and where to sit down, however I felt that remaining in the same seat in the waiting area would have made more sense and reduce the amount of cleaning needed.” She then went on to say that “in the booth the NHS staff were clear and precise with the questions that were asked and made me feel relaxed while receiving my injection.” My dad thought the same and also “there was ample parking, plenty of room in the arena and there was a one-way system in place.”

After some speculation about supply issues all over the national news they both did get their first dose of the vaccine. Mum said “I wasn’t worried about not getting the vaccine because as a small island I believe I would not have been offered it, had there been any possible shortages at that time.”

My Dad told me some of the symptoms he experienced, “I had a slightly sore arm, a slight headache, sore legs, a slight fever and fatigue.” Although my Mum had fewer symptoms they were just as unpleasant. She told me she had “quite a sore arm and a really sore head.”

The NHS website says: “Most side effects of the COVIV-19 vaccine are mild and should not last longer than a week.”

The total number vaccinated at the mass clinic was 3992, which brings Orkney to an approximate total of 13,800 first doses. A few days after this age group were done, age 34–41-year-olds were welcomed to the clinic as well.

This means that over half of the adults in Orkney have been vaccinated. This contributes to Scotland’s total number of 2.4 million first dose vaccinations against COVID-19.

Cosplay in Lockdown

Cosplay in lockdown

By Stella

In lockdown, we have all been looking for alternative ways to entertain ourselves: maybe it’s a new sport, taking up knitting or crocheting, or other crafts.  In early lockdown I first got into cosplaying. My first cosplay was Jack, a character from an anime called Beastars and since then, cosplaying has become a huge hobby for me.

Cosplay, a portmanteau of “costume play” is a performance art in which cosplayers dress up and roleplay as characters from tv shows, books, films, video games, and especially Japanese manga and anime. Cosplaying is a very broad term, but it generally applies to anyone dressing up and roleplaying in venues other than on the stage.

 

The term “cosplay” was first coined in 1984, and since the 1990s, it has become a significant aspect of pop culture in Japan, as well as other parts of east Asia and the western world.

A lot of cosplayers use social media, such as tiktok, to share their art, or going to cosplay conventions where they can turn up to an event in cosplay and meet other cosplayers with similar interests.

Japanese anime and manga plays an important role in cosplay: if you

 go to a convention you are certain to see characters from popular anime such as My Hero Academia, Danganropa, and Haikyu.

Cosplay is a very skilled artform and while I have improved since last year, I have a lot to learn. I can’t wait to go to a convention after lockdown!