I know a lot of people who’ve had Covid. Probably the majority of my friends and acquaintances. And something weird has started to happen to me. It feels rude now to say that Covid is serious. I actually feel like I can’t talk socially, and sometimes even professionally, about the risks of long Covid. Because if I do, I’m telling 80% of my friends that they’re at risk for dementia and chronic fatigue and joint pain and a billion other things.
Apr 19, 2022·edited Apr 19, 2022Liked by Alanna Shaikh
Oh gosh, this one really hits.
I work as a COVID Safety Manager for a local theater company, where my job is to assess risks and guide the company in defensive strategies in this unmitigated global pandemic catastrophe. And I feel like I just can't connect verbally in casual conversation with other people like I used to.
Encountering carefree unmasked people at a grocery story, or a coffee shop, or a pizza place... it's just so alienating. The best response I've managed to come up with to being asked about my mask is to respond with a question of my own: "Would you like to learn more about the severity of this coronavirus?" Seeing as how that usually ends most conversations, it seems that most people really would rather remain in blissful ignorance.
It is not cruel, rude or wrong to take every chance possible to speak truth to power. Your perspective on COVID is sensitive, but not paranoid, it is scientifically correct. I support keeping your child home from the trip. Safety first, empathy for others second, public action third. Always speak truth to power. The commercial, libertarian, freedom loving, short-sighted American culture has led to an extra 300,000 deaths from COVID. Lack of honest public health guidance from the CDC and a casual avoidance of the possibilities of future harms by political actors, e.g. massive numbers of folks disabled by long covid; teacher depopulation in school systems, a collapsing, monetized health system will have a huge negative future impact.
Oh gosh, this one really hits.
I work as a COVID Safety Manager for a local theater company, where my job is to assess risks and guide the company in defensive strategies in this unmitigated global pandemic catastrophe. And I feel like I just can't connect verbally in casual conversation with other people like I used to.
Encountering carefree unmasked people at a grocery story, or a coffee shop, or a pizza place... it's just so alienating. The best response I've managed to come up with to being asked about my mask is to respond with a question of my own: "Would you like to learn more about the severity of this coronavirus?" Seeing as how that usually ends most conversations, it seems that most people really would rather remain in blissful ignorance.
It is not cruel, rude or wrong to take every chance possible to speak truth to power. Your perspective on COVID is sensitive, but not paranoid, it is scientifically correct. I support keeping your child home from the trip. Safety first, empathy for others second, public action third. Always speak truth to power. The commercial, libertarian, freedom loving, short-sighted American culture has led to an extra 300,000 deaths from COVID. Lack of honest public health guidance from the CDC and a casual avoidance of the possibilities of future harms by political actors, e.g. massive numbers of folks disabled by long covid; teacher depopulation in school systems, a collapsing, monetized health system will have a huge negative future impact.
Teach Portia values!