End (or beginning) of an era?
Hamilton County’s mask mandate is officially over, and even though I’m fully vaccinated, I have no plans to toss mine completely aside. Don’t get me wrong, there have been times when I’d have loved nothing more than to rip my face mask off and take a big breath of fresh air (like this summer when my anxiety was getting the best of me on a turbulent plane ride). But now that I’ve gotten used to the mask, I almost feel naked in public without it, and public health officials are still recommending that they be worn indoors. Not to mention, it hides blemishes and my awkward facial expressions, and I’ve spent good money building up my mask collection to match my outfits!
Time and research will tell, but I wonder if there will come a day when masks are considered part of the “new normal,” at least during certain seasons or situations (like flying). Before 2020, the flu killed on average 1,300 to 2,000 Tennesseans per year, and experts attribute last year’s minimal flu season to our COVID-19 mitigation measures. In a globalized world, there will always be the threat of new infectious diseases emerging, and a more dangerous strain of coronavirus or pandemic flu could be around the corner. Sacrificing a small corner in the back of my sock drawer for my mask wardrobe is worth it to avoid fighting for new masks along with my toilet paper and hand sanitizer if I live to see another pandemic.
Stay healthy,
– Elizabeth Fite, health care reporter, efite@timesfreepress.com