Me and the Covid Mask - the story of a true idiot.

As published in the editorial section of the Herald Sun hard copy on 31 July 2024

Interesting conversation I had with a young bloke in the cereal aisle the other day.

Him: “You look like an idiot with that thing on.”

Me: “Mate, I look like an idiot anyway.”

That ‘thing’ he was talking about was an N95 mask. I was wearing one in the supermarket. I also wear one in a chemist, when I pay for fuel and pretty much anywhere else that’s not outside. I am immunocompromised, but I’d wear one even if I wasn’t.

That bloke wasn’t the first person to have a crack. But his types can continue to bring the verbal, I don’t care. I’ll take the advice of those who know a bit about it, rather than some junior burger who bases his decisions on whether something is cool or not.

Years ago, I had access to an epidemiologist who helped lead Australia’s health response to Covid-19. That’s not a gloat, it’s just a fact. This doctor didn’t tell me anything he didn’t tell the public, but because some of his advice to me was face-to-face and not through the television, the dangers of Alpha, Beta and any variants to follow, sunk into my core a little deeper.

In the autumn of 2022, I got absolutely barrelled by the Covid for four weeks. As an asthmatic, there were a couple of moments in the middle of the night where I thought I was in a spot of bother. That I might fall asleep and not wake up. I still hate to think what the experience might have been like, had I not previously received two vaccines and a booster.

Last summer, I researched and reconsidered whether wearing a mask indoors was still required. The quick and simply answer was ‘yes,’ not in the least because I had two grandfathers, and I didn’t want to heighten the risk of going to see them while unknowingly being infected, and pass it on.

One of those grandfathers came down with Covid in June. He died.

I feel for anyone who has lost a family member or close friend to Covid. It’s a bloody hard thing to deal with.

During my grandfather’s wake, two relatives contracted the virus for the second time.

One of them copped it so badly, she was hospitalised.

So to the young bloke in the supermarket, and anyone like him, I’ll keep wearing a mask thanks. And I’ll thank and appreciate anyone else who does.

To my fellow mask wearers, if anyone ever says you look like an idiot, come and stand with me, and we can be idiots together.