The Centers for Disease Control announced Thursday something most of us have been waiting for a long, long time — people who have been fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks, practice social distancing or avoid monster truck rallies.
There was a time when I would have considered this a hallelujah moment, back when a vaccine was still a distant hope and the best defense against contracting the virus was common sense.
Wearing masks, keeping a safe distance from others and avoiding large crowds, were obvious ways to tilt the odds in your favor.
Not everyone agreed, of course, but then, not everyone agrees the planet is round, the presidential election was legitimate, man walked on the moon or that the Civil War was fought over slavery or is the current governor of Mississippi.
The CDC’s announcement Monday comes not so much as new information, but as confirmation of something we already had come to realize. The vaccine has provided a level of safety superior to all other precautions. The hope now is that enough Americans will get the vaccine to relegate COVID-19 to the grim annals of history.
You would think, after the sickness and death we’ve seen over the last 14 months, getting the vaccine would be something we could all agree on.
But I’ve pretty much given up on the idea that Americans will agree on anything ever again.
The one thing that has been true throughout the pandemic is that every proposed measure, every safeguard, every restriction has been met with opposition.
If health experts had told people not to lick strangers’ faces, rest assured there would be some who would defiantly claim that Americans have the constitutional right to lick the faces of strangers and that those who do comply are “sheep” and, most likely, socialists whole are determined to destroy our country by kneeling during the National Anthem and saying “Black Lives Matter.”
Now that precautions for those of us who have been vaccinated have been eased — about a third of adults are fully vaccinated and close to half have received at least one dose — it will be interesting to see how everyone responds.
I’ve been fully vaccinated since March 5 when I received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the accompanying Bill Gates microchip. I didn’t suffer any side effects at all. Yep, for my money, the J&J vaccine is the best thing to come down the pike since the reasonably-priced, versatile and ground-breaking Microsoft Surface Pro X laptop. Everyone should buy one, I believe.
Being vaccinated didn’t change much in my life, though. I still adhere to the precautions, even as they were being relaxed or lifted.
I avoid large gatherings, but then, I was never much for crowds. I practice social distancing, again something that had more to do with my personal space comfort level than safety.
And I still wear a mask. Really, it’s kind of hard to give up the practice. It took me a solid six months to remember to wear my mask when I was out doing errands or whatever. Now, I have mad mask-wearing skills. It seems natural to me to wear a mask and somehow it’s not uncomfortable or inconvenient. Sometimes, I’ll be back in my car and halfway home before I realize I’m still wearing my mask.
Quit wearing a mask now? It’s kind of like giving up bowling after rolling a perfect game.
There are two other reasons I probably will continue to wear a mask even now that the CDC says I don’t have to.
One reason is because the people I meet have no way of knowing I am vaccinated. To them, I could just as easily be a Patriot who has refused to cow-tow to Big Government. So, if wearing a mask makes those around me a little less apprehensive about contracting the virus from me, I’m happy to make so small a sacrifice.
But, I’ll admit it: The main reason I continue to wear a mask is pure vanity.
I wear a mask so people won’t think I’m a Republican.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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