The idea it's fine to keep high risk people indefinitely stranded at home is immoral & should be completely rejected. Vulnerable people have a right to participate in society too. For that to happen, we all need to mask in public spaces when COVID spread is high.
No, it's not enough to just mask around vulnerable people only when you visit them. When you don't mask in public spaces like public transport, healthcare, and in shops, you prevent high risk people from accessing basic needs. That's unethical.
It isn't only basic needs. High risk and vulnerable people deserve joy too. When you organize events that don't include COVID measures like masks and ventilation, you are excluding high risk and vulnerable people from public life. No event can be inclusive without protections.
In public spaces, there is no ethical or non-stigmatizing way to identify who "medically vulnerable" people are. Many people don't even realize they are at risk of severe COVID or long COVID themselves. We need universal masking to protect everyone when COVID spread is high.
@luckytran
I no longer care what anyone thinks about me answering my door masked, or pumping gas masked, or anything else. I know I'm an "at risk" person, but as an old RN, I believe pretty much everyone is 'at risk' in this pandemic. I know many who've had Covid at least twice, young folks w/long Covid - all vaxxed/boosted/cautious. This should have been a global public health emergency; mandatory masking in public should have been the rule from the start.
I hate that it's come to this, but, everyone's on their own these days, so, we throw on a mask and just tell everyone who gets too close that "the whole family's really sick." They back right off. We live in a heavily right wing area and actually had the police called on my wife once just for having on a mask(a story for another day).
UPS needed a signature the other day. Asked him through the door if he'd just scribble something on it(usually works), but he said no. Put on a mask and coughed as I opened the door while saying "Everyone's so sick" and he put the package down and ran away.
@BE @luckytran@med-
mastodon.com
The modern version of peeking out the door & warning "this is a leper colony..." Almost no one wears a mask around here anymore (downstate NY). It's nuts.