More than two years into pandemic lockdowns, masking and social distancing, we’re all wondering whether COVID-19 is going away or here to stay.
While spiking in parts of Asia and Europe, the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been falling in the U.S. This has led many states to remove mask mandates and President Joe Biden has indicated that the practice will end on all public transportation in about a month.
These developments are all positive and got me thinking about a recent podcast I did where my guest wore his mask through the entire interview, which I was fine with. But I had to ask him, are you uncomfortable? His response was that there’s no harm in it, so why not? The sentiment that I feel with people who I run across is that they’re over this pandemic. I see fewer of them wearing masks and don’t know that there’s much evidence that they actually protect us from anything.
There are impacts to wearing a mask. One of them is nasal breathing. Another one is it’s a way for people who are insecure about their appearance or shy, like my youngest daughter, to hide behind a veil. What I worry about is people becoming more introverted at a time when we’re already moving toward staying at home and playing video games instead of experiencing nature or gathering for events or celebrations.
Now here’s the kicker: if someone is fully vaccinated against the virus and has a booster shot but is still wearing a mask, then it’s no longer related to COVID-19. It’s about something else. We’re reaching a tipping point where people who are so used to wearing masks wherever they go will continue to do so post-pandemic, whether it’s inside or outside. We just have to accept that it will be a part of our culture moving forward.