Saturday morning, a certain 麻豆社国产newspaper editor walks into, as is her Saturday routine, for sandwiches, pastries and coffees to take to her weekly visit with her adult son.
She puts on her mask as she approaches the bakery. Several folks in line, all not wearing masks, look over, some curious, some seeming irritated, others not caring at all.
At later that afternoon, again there are a few sideways glances from those not wearing face coverings. Folks in masks make silent eye contact.
[Truth be told this editor decided to wear a mask that day because she was playing the “is-it-a-hot-flash-or-am-I-sick?” game common to women of a certain age during this pandemic. To be on the safe side, she wore her mask.]
Saturday night, the before-mentioned editor attended a play at — which was brilliant, go see if you can) and wore a mask, as did a few others in the audience.
Here’s the thing: we don’t know why someone is choosing or not choosing to wear a mask.
Therefore, we need to get used to a "new normal" world, where it will be mask-on/mask-off (like the without the satisfying ending of defeating a bully) depending on a myriad of factors.
Is the masked person feeling just the slightest bit unwell? Are they immune-compromised? Are they just cold and trying to keep warm?
Who knows?
It should also be noted that while B.C. and other provinces have dropped the mask mandate for indoors, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said in her news conference on Friday that wearing a mask is still a very good idea.
“We’re in a period of uncertainty where the virus is still undergoing evolution,” Tam said.
“So getting vaccines plus wearing a mask is still a really good idea.”
Are we saying everyone should?
No.
If you don’t want to wear a mask and it isn’t required, you do you.
In this editor’s case — as pandemic luck would have it — the seemingly healthy son she met with Saturday — sans mask — tested positive for COVID on Sunday and was feeling quite unwell.
So, while she may not have ultimately protected herself, she protected others by wearing her mask indoors in public the rest of Saturday.
The bottom line is that the COVID-19 journey continues, with each of us navigating it in the best way we can — mask on or mask off.
