Pandemic Masks On or Off?

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COVID-19 masks and other health protocols. 2020 will go down in history as the year of the COVID, the covid-19 virus, that is.

For the whole year and beyond, the World Health Organization (WHO) published advice about the pandemic, but countries implemented it differently. Canada was more rigid than the United States. Take basketball for example.

The Scotia Bank Arena lost more NBA business than U.S. sports venues because Toronto Raptors followed government protocols to the letter. In Canada, we couldn’t help being envious of NBA games in American cities packed to the rafters with spectators.

Canada also wanted all visitors to be fully-vaxed. NBA players were no exception. Some  refused to get vaccinated so they could not come to Toronto to play.

The government also had all kinds of COVID-19 restrictions including masks. Canadians obeyed, because we figured the sooner the virus is contained the better. We got vaccinated en masse.

Here we are in 2022 and some restrictions have been lifted, including where and when to wear masks. The bus company still demands them. Eating places have relaxed them for obvious reasons. You need to eat what you’ve ordered, right?

I think masks are a personal decision now, what you feel comfortable with. I put them on in crowded places. It’s not only for virus protection, but also repelling body odor because some people don’t like washing their bodies.

COVID-19 restrictions or not, there’s a lingering problem, how to store masks at home. We have so many: disposable masks, cloth and mask liners. Where do we put them?

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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