Masks Off!

Change is on the horizon regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Or maybe not.

On Thursday, May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new recommendation for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, May 13, 2021.

Color me skeptical. Physicians have been saying that once one is fully vaccinated the danger of contracting COVID-19 is minimal. That is, the vaccines are effective. At the same time, if vaccinated people discard their masks, what does that mean when a majority of Americans remain unprotected? This one is above my pay grade and I’m not going to attempt to analyze it.

The announcement represents a shift in a pandemic which is far from over. However, a lot of behavior adopted during the last 14 months will persist after the population becomes immune to COVID-19. Some examples:

• More reading and writing.
• I will remain retired. No more part time retail work to supplement Social Security and Medicare. I don’t miss catching seasonal influenza and other maladies.
• Our home owners association will continue to meet via conference call. Doing so has proven more convenient for board members.
• Continued dinner menu planning. It’s a stress reliever with better meals.
• Limited travel off property. Exercise, provisioning and visiting our daughter are still on. Everything else is on hold.
• Attendance at organization meetings only via video conference. It’s more efficient.
• Fewer trips to retail outlets. More online shopping.
• Continue to live debt free. Fingers crossed.

Likely other behaviors will persist. For now, though, masks off for us, though it depends.