system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Is this virus a "career killer" for older students in MS programs seeking to advance to PhD?

I've been lurking on Academic Twitter, and the current pandemic response has sparked threads of post-docs, adjunct faculty, and other non-tenured academics worried that the virus might do considerable damage to their careers. Has the lock-down and other pandemic responses affected academics to an extent that will place their career trajectories at risk? Many of these individuals were STEM-related academics, leaving me to wondering about my prospects post-pandemic. I understand no one is a fortune-teller, but is it reasonable to say that certain careers will be untenable for older students (i.e. 30 yrs old or older) after the pandemic passes? Is it sensible to exclude the heavy financial and emotional burdens that this virus will inflected on individuals when considering career trajectories? Many people find it difficult to look past the current crisis due to the uncertainty of developing events.

To better understand my situation, I am a US Chem MS student starting my thesis work. I have loans from my undergrad and my current program, and I will have to take on a little more debt before I finish. I have only one publication from an internship, as I helped a little with the project. However, I have not been a first author on anything, yet. Also, I was limited on my choice of MS program due to a miserable undergrad GPA. I understand that this detail may play a bigger role in my career trajectory than the virus might, but many others may find the general questions asked above more useful if answered.
gpt
Bad time to be on the job search for an academic job, but good time to be in grad school. For a PhD program, you shouldn't need to take out any loans, unless you are supporting a family in a high cost of living area.