Mask appeal for respect of others – Times Union

Its been clear for a long time now that masks are more than just face coverings. They are a flashpoint in the culture war, with those on one side seeing them as symbolic of a social obligation to protect our fellow citizens as well as ourselves and those on the other side seeing them as symbols of government oppression, a violation of individual freedom and God given rights. I see them simply as a symbol of common sense.

After having opted out of our annual two-month ski trip to the Berkshires last season, we decided, despite the omicron surge, to risk it this year. Non-skiers cannot imagine how joyful it is to fly down the flanks of beauteous mountains surrounded by a wonderland of ice-encrusted trees that glitter like thousands of huge diamond brooches. How peaceful it is to experience the vastness of wilderness amid a silence that is broken only by the rush of wind past helmets and the scritch of skis on icy snow.

A bonus was the added pleasure of reuniting with old friends with whom we could ride the lifts through crisp, clean air without fear of infection. It was the most socialization we have had in a long time, the first time in two years we felt fully alive, connected and free of anxiety.

We strictly complied with the conditions we had imposed on ourselves prior to the trip. That meant avoiding crowded public spaces. We limited indoor time to the sparsely occupied locker room where we changed in and out of our boots, to the supermarket we visited early Sunday mornings when it was devoid of customers and to a sparsely populated wine store with a mask policy. We sacrificed precious ski days on weekends and holidays when the mountain is always mobbed. The rest of the time we ensconced ourselves in splendid isolation in our rented flat where we prepared every single meal, never setting foot in a restaurant. Most importantly, when unavoidably indoors, we always, always masked.

As the surge appeared to wane, people became more cavalier about precautions. Even those in our merry band gathered at the bar after skiing. But we limited our apres-ski to a few outdoor lunches with them. Its understandable people feel at the end of their ropes with restrictions. So do we. We miss dining out, attending theaters and joining friends in their homes, but we intend to adhere to precautions as long as reality and common sense dictate. The sad reality is that just as, once again, government and the CDC are endorsing letting our guards down, a new surge is building in Europe and probably, pushed along by the annual spring break madness, will make its way across the pond just as the boosters are losing their protective edge. While COVID is far from over, it has ceased to be the only reason we intend to continue masking and some of the other precautions we have embraced during its unwelcome stay.

Interestingly, after all these months we have become accustomed to masks. We dont love wearing them, but unlike some right-wing types, we do not remotely feel like we are being rounded up and transported to the gas chambers when we put them on. The way we see it, insistence on individual rights, when exercised without regard for the welfare of others, becomes its own form of tyranny, anarchy actually, and a sign of a selfish, if not outright antisocial, personality. Even more so, a sign of foolhardiness.

We have come to understand why many people in other countries had been routinely masking in public long before COVID came along. Over the time we have employed masks, we have had nary a sniffle. This in contrast to two out of the half dozen ski trips we took after moving south, which were cut short by severe respiratory infections despite our having had flu shots.

Its likely we will resume some of the activities we have eschewed during the pandemic once it truly passes. Whenever that is. But we intend to avoid crowded indoor gatherings and continue to use masks when we have to be indoors with the general public for a while yet. Maybe permanently.

Certainly some people will look askance at us for doing so, maybe even be angry and berate us, but we hope that others, when asked the question, Who was that masked man, anyway? will reply, Who knows? But he sure must be one smart hombre.

Norman Dovberg is a former resident of the Capital Region now living in Virginia.

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Mask appeal for respect of others - Times Union