Masks aren't the worst thing you’ve ever had to put up with
Another day, another variant. Not what we wanted to hear during the limber-up for Christmas. Moving straight to what is for many the most salient point, Omicron is an anagram of moronic. This was apparently hilarious at first, but increasingly amusing during the six times per-hour we’ve heard it since.
I am therefore obliged to point out that anti-vaxxers is an anagram of variant-sexx; what with that not being funny either.
The biggest news to emerge from the new variant, so far, is that until at least December 20, we have to wear masks in shops, hairdressers, on public transport, etc. Ho hum.
This is one of the less dramatic developments in the Covid saga, or in life generally. Yet it seems to have created a curious sort of outrage.
Some of this stems from the multiformed attitude of our political leaders towards masks. Some of it comes from entirely rational questions: Why shops and not pubs? Restaurants? Chiropodists? So far so reasonable.
Enter the silly crowd whose opinions, ludicrous though they are, would be better served if they didn’t use such horrendously offensive hyperbole, often comparing the wearing of masks to that of yellow stars. Other Holocaust references are not uncommon either among a certain sort.
The misinformed are clinging steadfastly to fairy tales about the vaccine.
They are entitled to do so.
But the mask issue is different. Their level of efficacy is disputed, but what harm do they do? Anyone who might be endangered by wearing one is exempt from doing so.
Masks are a symbol of nothing if not consideration for others. Even if you think them pointless, they at the very least provide some reassurance to those who might feel nervous about venturing out.
But the (no sniggering) “rebels” who see themselves as today’s Nelson Mandelas for swanning round Morrisons without a mask have to massage their own egos somehow.
Have their lives really been so devoid of incident and meaning that they must practise this inverted virtue signalling?
Rational people don’t mind wearing masks. Who would; other than the sheep who fall for anything if it’s at the instigation of some attention-seeker on YouTube?