Are You Kidding? Here We Go Again
On Saturday night at 11:59 p.m., Los Angeles County declared that masks must be worn – again – inside all public places regardless of a person’s vaccination status. This is not in alignment with the State of California, by the way.
The reasons outlined on the LA Public Health website include that there has been a substantial increase in COVID-19 numbers, especially among those who are unvaccinated. And though the Delta variant is kicking butt, the number of vaccinated people becoming infected is very low; unvaccinated people are the majority who are being hospitalized.
According to the LA Public Health website, “If you aren’t fully vaccinated, your mask is one of the most powerful tools you have to protect yourself and other unvaccinated people. This is especially true when you are in an indoor or crowded outdoor space.
“If you are fully vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors gives you extra protection from getting infected and it protects other unvaccinated people.”
So the way I read this is those who are resistant to getting vaccinated are the reason that all of us have to wear the mask again. My vaccination protects me from COVID-19. I feel I paid the price not to wear a mask when I got the shot.
If I was constantly worried about being infected by anything – flu, COVID, etc. – I’d be wearing a mask all the time regardless of the decisions of LA County Public Health. If I were at high risk of infection due to anything that might compromise my health I’d wear a mask all the time. But I’m not concerned and am not at high risk. But because some people have decided that they don’t want to get vaccinated, I have to wear a mask indoors again.
“While I am concerned by the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, I do not believe that the proposed mask mandate will help our efforts to stress the efficacy of the vaccines and compel unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated,” stated our District Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “As I have expressed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County should align with the State of California on all health officer orders that impact residents, businesses and local organizations. The public deserves clarity and transparency when government officials make decisions that will impact the lives of our residents. I wish that the Dept. of Public Health had provided its proposed masking guidance during the July 13 Board of Supervisors meeting so that the public could have had the opportunity to listen to the decision-making process.
“By deviating from the State, we create confusion and disagreement at the local level, which hinders public trust and takes away from our primary messaging which should be to encourage individuals to get vaccinated with urgency given the spread of the Delta variant.”
Supervisor Barger indicates a goal is to encourage people to get vaccinated; but if people don’t want to get vaccinated aren’t they pretty much putting themselves and other non-vaccinated people at jeopardy? Those who have made what I think is the responsible choice to get vaccinated are at a minimal risk of getting sick.
I do understand that young children under the vaccination age are also at risk and that is of concern. But my concern doesn’t seem to be shared by the unvaccinated because if they looked beyond their own preferences and recognized that youngsters are at risk they might get vaccinated.
And if I have to wear a mask again I wonder why I got vaccinated in the first place. If we all have to wear masks again aren’t we right back where we were prior to having the vaccine available?
It makes me consider the value of throwing some chlorine in the gene pool.
But will I be wearing masks where required? Yup.