Masks Off! |
Literal state media.There are still hundreds of thousands of COVID cases reported in the U.S. each week, along with a few thousand deaths related to COVID.
But with mask mandates a thing of the past and the national emergency health declaration that will expire in May, we are in a new phase of the pandemic.
Life looks a little more normal here in the U.S. than it did a few years ago, but decisions on how to deal with the virus aren't over yet.
China had a huge increase in cases last month after abandoning its zero COVID policy, and another variant prompted renewed recommendations in some airports. Researchers estimate that more than 65 million people are struggling with the effects of COVID -- a disease we still have to learn about.
Wondering if and when you should still be masking up? NPR asked some experts.Some experts that NPR was pretty sure would agree with their Mask Forever Protocol.Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says he and his wife are still playing it conservatively. He cautions people to stay "careful, not carefree."
He says that "older" people and the immunocompromised should still wear masks.Nowhere in this article, by the way, is there any acknowledgement that masks have repeatedly found to be ineffective against "stopping the spread."
The masks were a quick, and largely useless response to the demand that we do something, anything about WuFlu. They became a shibboleth, a class and political marker.
The Wombat is a day late and a dollar short with Rule 5 Monday: Rebecca Bagnol.
Why should I stop wearing my mask when I go to the bank? I know they don't stop anything but just being able to pretend to be a bank robber once a month is worth it.
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