California's COVID "reopening" day was June 15th, Tuesday of this week, after one of the longest (fifteen months) lockdowns in the country. I am a very cautious person by nature, and change for me will always be incremental (no mask-burning parties here!). I've stopped wearing masks outside for a good while, and (more recently) with vaccinated friends in small groups, which feels... strange (but good). While in our private pods at work, we'll soon be allowed to take off our masks if all of our pod-mates are fully immunized, there's not anything that broadcasts everyone's vaccination status (everyone needs a pin like mine!). Patients (and us in exam rooms and hallways) are still supposed to be masked in the hospital/healthcare settings, until Cal/OSHA says otherwise. When I stopped by the library today, masks were still required. Many private business (especially in a progressive area like ours) will probably still require masks for a bit longer, which is totally fair (we have a dozen or so COVID cases per day, the vast majority in unvaccinated people), as only about 50% of our (eligible) county's population is fully vaccinated (59% have had at least one dose).
Many of my friends are nervous about the "unmasking" of the public due to there still being so many anti-vaxxers (and anti-maskers, largely the same people) out there, now unidentified and unmasked, and many of us still have kids under twelve, who are still susceptible to COVID and not yet eligible for vaccines (Niall went to the store with Kelvin today and was aghast at all the unmasked people! However, he and Iver both, kids of two doctors, actually understand the immunology behind why [some] adults can safely unmask, while they can't [yet], despite that it doesn't feel entirely fair). I really don't mind keeping the mask on for a bit longer, especially to be consistent for and in solidarity for my kids, as we creep closer to herd immunity (I heard someone joke they want a mask stating "I'm fully vaccinated but I don't trust YOU!" To be fair, social trust is probably at an all-time low with everything that has happened politically in the last 4-5 years in our country and due to the extreme ideologies of some of our neighbors).
But, because I'm vax'd, I do feel like I can relax a bit and, with my pin, hope make those around me feel safer too, even if I choose to keep my mask on (the pin is available on Etsy for purchase if you want one, too!).
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