“WAIT A MINUTE. I CAN’T SMELL ANYTHING” “IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES…”

For those who tested positive, sensory deprivation was a common first sign. For others it was a long spell of fatigue, chalked down to quarantine blues, but later found to be the virus. Maybe you were just disoriented but otherwise fine. Or you were the unfortunate few who struggled to breathe as family members scurried to procure ventilators, oxygen and plasma without even being able to offer a healing hug. Worse, some had to watch a loved one lose the battle, and not be able to attend the funeral.

“YES IT FITS, BUT IS IT WHO-APPROVED N95”?

Overnight, a new accessory entered our lives. We learnt that a three-ply mask was better than one. We knew what a melt-blown filter was. Soon, we could tell a fake N95 from a real one by trying to blow out a candle flame whilst wearing it. We figured out which mask design wouldn’t fog up our spectacles, hurt our ears, bring on a migraine, or give us acne. We even worked out which ones were reusable, washable and better for the environment. And yet, some of us still wear masks on our chins…