SUNDAY/ 24 April, 2022

We are now living with a less virulent, but more contagious virus

Some of you may think that why I'm writing on this topic as the pandemic is over and everything is okay. Although the percentage has decreased a much but still there is a threat as one of my beloved uncle passed away two days ago due to covid-19 and it was soo heart wrenching situation for all of us as suddenly he tested positive and left us after 1 day that's why i thought of writing on it and I wish that no one else should die because of this virus

Travelling towards abroad just got less safe for immunosuppressed people and other at higher risk of severe illness from covid. Hours after a judge's unprecedented decision to nullify the federal mask mandate on public transportation, many airline companies, rideshare services and transit agencies announced that they would no longer require masking. Across the country masks are coming down .

We are in a much different place now than we were earlier in the pandemic, with a virus that is more contagious but less virulent, a wall of immunity from vaccinations and previous infections, and better tests, treatment and disease surveillance. Even though many at-home Covid test results are not being reported, cases rates are alot lower than they were a few months ago, and many people feel more comfortable travelling, gathering indoors and shedding their masks but we should try to wear a mask in much crowded place as the danger is not fully over.

Two years ago, nearly all people who tested positive for covid in hospitals were there because the virus was making them sick_ after all, there was No immunity to it, and the virus was more lethal than omicron. In contrast, more than 90% of Americans have some level of immunity to covid from vaccinations, prior infections or both and Omicron is not as fierce as earlier strains. But as the deaths in Hong Kong and continued deaths and long covid cases around the world shoe that Omicron can still be deadly.

So if I'm up to date on my vaccines and not feeling sick, should I continue to mask up? If I'm comfortable going mask less, shouldn't everyone be else too?

The pandemic may seems like it's ending , but there is still a threat to the health of under-vaccinated or unvaccinated because these peoples could face a deadly threat.

Like it or not but we're all connected- and we have a responsibility to protect those among us who are most vulnerable by taking reasonable precautions. Small actions can make a big impact. To save lives and keep our economy running smoothly, we must continue to public health tools , including masks. If you are immuno-suppressed or just concerned about getting sick and people around you aren't masking consider upping your mask game to a more protective N95 as they are better than surgical or cloth mask.

While we may be sick and tired of the pandemic, the virus isn't tired of making us sick . Wearing a mask is a small price to pay for the large reduction in the risk you'll become infected, contract long covid, possibly get seriously ill or make someone else seriously ill.

Masking up can protect you, your family and the people around us. We don't know yet how much of an impact the BA.2 covid wave will have. Will new variants emerge that cause more severe illness or further escape our immunity? What if a new covid health threat emerges? Many other questions were also disturbing me after the death of my aunt two days ago due to covid.

Because we all are connected, our personal health often depends on what others do. We rely on society and government protections to ensure that our kids don't get hit by a drunk driver, that we don't get terribly sick from unsanitary food at a restaurant , that our medicine isn't contaminated .Likewise we need public health tools to protect us if a new variant or another threat emerges. So i wanna say that masking up is necessary in high-risk environments or when community spread is high.

Remember...

Even if you don't think you're at a risk from covid, people around you might be. When in doubt, mask up.

i just want my community, my readers, my writers and all the loved ones to be safe and healthy.

image source: #unsplash
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