There I was, reading Ed Yong’s latest newsletter, and wondering if I had the energy to go downstairs for a cup of coffee. Near the end, Yong listed his upcoming appearances along with an invitation:
Come say hi; please wear a mask.
And I burst into tears.
It’s such a simple request, “please wear a mask,” yet no one is saying it anymore. Most of the healthcare personnel I interact with no longer mask, and neither do many of my beloved family and friends. The general public in suburban Philadelphia gave it up long ago. And who can blame them, when this is the message being trumpeted by our government. Even President Biden flaunted mask guidelines recently.
It’s tempting to “get back to normal,” to go along with everyone else. It would be so easy to follow the crowd, give up the mask and take my chances. But I haven’t because, as Yong wrote in the same newsletter, “it’s still worth avoiding infection.”
I’ve lived with physical and cognitive disability for 29 years. At my worst, I was bedridden. While I’m doing better right now, I know my situation is precarious and can be taken away from me at any time. And I know firsthand that COVID is a big risk. My husband’s brain fog, a problem since his stroke in 2015, has been markedly worse since he had COVID one year ago. The ranks of people with Long COVID continue to swell, and I keep hearing about people critically ill or dying from vascular issues after COVID.
For awhile, early in the pandemic, it felt like we were all on the same page about flattening the curve and protecting the vulnerable. We accepted collective responsibility for individual welfare. Now, though, I mostly feel left behind.
Yong won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting during the pandemic, but this time he wasn’t explaining the science or commenting on public policy. This was a simple request, made in the midst of a pandemic, person to person. We still need to protect one another, so please wear a mask.
I cried, because I felt less alone.
In that moment, I felt like someone else understood that a small inconvenience for one person could make all the difference for another. We can’t know for certain how our actions affect others, yet our small, individual choices matter. Maybe wearing a mask will prevent an infection, save someone’s life, or protect someone from Long COVID. And even if we never know for sure, it’s still worth it to try.
Thank you for articulating exactly how I feel.
There’s a Philly Covidmeetups discord group I’m part of, which is mostly city centric, but I’m in Bucks. It’s been growing recently and has things like virtual book club and chats about topics related to disability and covid-related news and issues. I’m hardly active on it, because ME, but I appreciate that it’s there and there’s a community of conscious people. I would be happy to invite others in the area.
Thanks you for reminding me about Ed Yong’s blog!
So grateful for your voice giving me the boost to keep on masking. Knowing it’s the right thing to do with our disabilities but so wanting to “return to normal” with the small social interactions and connections that our condition allows.
I always wear my mask!! I will not stop..there is still Covid, the flu and this respiratory virus!
I appreciate you and I appreciate Ed Yong.
I virtually share my kleenex with you.
Hugs!
(Masking. It’s the right thing to do.)
Move over–I’m in the exact same boat as you. Thank you for articulating how I feel.
Excellent post, as always, Jennie, and beautifully written. I often feel left out or left behind these days as well. I’m often the only person wearing a mask, even in medical environments. You always express just how I’m feeling so well.
I also wanted to let you know that I chose your blog as my Blog of the Month in the monthly newsletter for my own blog. I’m running behind, but it will probably go out later today. So, I hope you get some new readers.
Hope the book is going well, too! I know how much work that is 🙂
Sue
Live with ME/CFS
Thank you so much, Sue!!! An honor to be your blog of the month!