Artwork by Michael DiMilo
By Geoffrey Carter
“He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it.” –George Orwell
On May 13th, the Center for Disease Control changed course somewhat abruptly on its mask policy, announcing new guidelines. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky stated “”Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing. If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.” So, (if you’re fully vaccinated) you can go anywhere you want—without a mask.
This, of course, has left some of the naysayers in a bit of a quandary. Not wearing a mask to show opposition to the oppressive practices of a dictatorial nanny state doesn’t mean much if doing the right thing—getting vaccinated—means you can get rid of said mask. And most anti-vaxxers or Trumpists wouldn’t want anyone to think that they’re bowing to government dictates, or—even worse—have gotten vaccinated. What should they do? If they wear a mask in public, everyone will think they believe that COVID is real. If they don’t, everyone will believe they caved and got vaccinated.
Even sane people are a little confused. While the CDC order seems quite clear on its face, it does run contrary to many current state, local, and municipal ordinances. People don’t know what to do. When I went to pick up our carry-out order last Friday night, I arrived a little early, so I stepped into the adjoining bar. It was like flashing back to 2018. The bar was crowded, people were having fun, and tables were full of laughing patrons. It was great and looked like a blast. Still, I couldn’t help wondering if the party was truly safe; if everyone in the place had actually been vaccinated.
I don’t seem to be alone in my apprehension. While shopping at the local grocery store the next day, I did a quick informal survey and saw that nearly everyone in the place, including myself, was still wearing a mask. It’s been at least a month since my second shot, so—according to the new CDC guidelines—I’m safe. The State of Wisconsin removed its mask requirement on May 15th, but other municipalities like the City of Milwaukee, Whitefish Bay, and others, are unsure about what to do. Many city councils are scrambling to determine whether to follow the new CDC guidelines. And even though these ordinances are—by and large—unenforced and unenforceable, citizens are still following them, which does raise some other interesting questions.
Are the people who are continuing to wear masks–and (in my own narrow experience) many are–doing so because they trust their city governments? Or is it because they don’t trust the CDC? Or because they believe in the protective qualities of the mask? Or because they don’t trust the guy behind them in line who claims to be vaccinated? Or is keeping their masks on, like so many other human endeavors, simply a force of habit?
What exactly will a mask signify in this new era of COVID recovery? Not so long ago, for some, it was a symbol of subservience—the face of the sheeple. For this group, going without a mask was a symbol of freedom and independence—and shortsightedness. For others, wearing a mask was a badge of civic responsibility. It meant you believed in the science and the policy. It also meant you were not protecting yourself as much as safeguarding the health of your fellow citizens. Wearing a mask showed you cared.
Now those with no masks may either be vaccinated, or they could be scofflaws. There’s no way to check, except that those without vaccines or masks might very likely become infected and seriously ill. But those who continue to wear masks could occupy either end of the spectrum. They could be eithers respectful of the law or suspicious of the science. It’s no longer a black and white choice, a yes or no proposition. The mask not only covers the face now: it also masks intentions.
One thing that does seem to be clear is that individual responsibility is now the key to stopping the pandemic. The vaccine is effective enough that the CDC feels comfortable letting those people loose into the world. In MedPage Today, Associate Professor Dr. Colleen Kelly of Emory College states, “there have been several real-world studies…that really show a profound reduction in asymptomatic infection and carriage after vaccination, particularly with the mRNA vaccines.”
Getting vaccinated means you won’t get the disease or carry it. Yet, as of today, because of obstinance and fear, only 39.3% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Maine leads the pack with 51% of its population vaccinated. Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi trail with less than thirty percent of their people protected. This is hardly surprising, since these states are some of the largest strongholds of naysayers—Trump supporters.
Young people are getting vaccinated at a much lower rate than older people, twenty-five to seventy percent. But, of course, young people think they’re immortal. They always have. African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are much less likely to get shots than other groups. This is probably because of the distrust felt by minorities towards certain institutions—like the health care industry.
Experts estimate that when seventy to ninety percent of the population is vaccinated, we will have attained herd immunity. The virus won’t have enough bodies to infect anymore, and the pandemic will be beaten. So, when we get at least thirty percent more Americans immunized, we should be good. But, of course, to truly crush this plague, we need to attain herd immunity worldwide.
So, please, be responsible. Get immunized. It’s the perfect time. Do it and get rid of the damned mask. You won’t have to feel guilty about not wearing it, although you can still wear it if you want—if you still want people to think you care. Or you can saunter around with a naked face pretending you don’t give a damn. Either way you’ll be safe, and—whether you give a damn or not, you’ll be keeping others safe.
It’s your choice. Get the shots and you’ll be safe. Get the shots and ditch the mask. People won’t necessarily know that’s why you’re doing it, but you will. If you’re Republican, young, Black, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Republican, please do it. Do it for all of us. Do it for yourselves. Do it for the world.