Behind The Mask

Now that the statewide mask mandate is lifted — in fact, every state, other than Hawaii, has adopted relaxed policies for wearing masks in most places — some people might wonder: Why am I still seeing people wearing a mask in public? Given the sad politics of the day, some might even be offended by the “virtue signaling” they might infer from such a gesture; some might even decide it’s a courageous gesture to confront or ridicule a masked stranger.

Let’s think about who might be behind that mask.

Ironically, it might be an unvaccinated person. They are few and far between in New York State, even fewer on the South Fork, but there still are adult men and women who have opted not to get the vaccine — or are, for whatever reason, discouraged from doing so by their doctors. They absolutely should wear a mask in public, to keep others safe and sound.

It could be a fully vaccinated person who has been in contact with, or is taking care of, a person currently battling COVID-19. Though the vaccine should keep them from becoming seriously ill, they still can spread the disease and so a mask is a responsible gesture.

It could be a person with an increased risk for severe illness, or someone who lives with someone who is more vulnerable — an elderly person, an unvaccinated person, a person with immune disorders.

Or it could be someone who recognizes that, despite the easing of mandates, the COVID-19 threat is far from over: There very well could be new variants, as long as the virus is still spreading throughout the globe, and every small, individual step taken to halt the spread is a personal choice.

Or it could just be someone who is in the habit of wearing the mask in public now and just isn’t ready to give up the feeling of security that an N-95 or KN-95 mask provides. Maybe they have young kids and realize there’s still a small risk of the virus spreading at school and then coming home with their kids. Perhaps some people, having avoided the flu and other seasonal illnesses during the pandemic, just feel more comfortable with a mask in public, a typical sight for years in Asian countries where viruses have struck more frequently.

There is no more mandate, so the person behind that mask has made a personal choice to be extra careful — and it should be respected.