Invasion of the Unvaccinated!

 

Look, I get it.  The CDC is following science, and the scientific evidence leans heavily towards vaccinated people being protected, both from getting serious cases and giving serious cases to others.  So, it makes sense.  Those who are vaccinated do not need to mask anymore. Not outdoors.  Not indoors.

That's just great.  I mean, really, it is.  The country has shown remarkable progress in the last few months.  Cases and deaths are lowering.  We are on the right trajectory.

Our vaccination rate is the best in the world (boy, it feels like a long time since I could say the US was number in anything positive!).  Almost half the country has received at least one dose.  This is not herd immunity yet, but it doesn't factor in those who have had COVID and may or may not have developed temporary immunity.  So, we may be even closer than we think.

Here's the situation.  Vaccinated people do not need to wear masks, except where mandated by local governments or private businesses.  Unvaccinated people should continue to wear masks and follow cautious protocol.

And there's the rub.

People responsible enough to get vaccinated have had no trouble wearing a mask, and many will continue to be extra cautious and show support.

People, who at this point remain unvaccinated, were probably not responsible enough to wear a mask in the first place.  Some of you reading this may live in more responsible places, but here where I live?  It's always been the wild, wild west.

How will they enforce this?

Short answer - they won't.  They are leaving it up to the "honor system."

HA!

This may be extreme, but there is no honor among many (but not all) of the unvaccinated.  

A store puts up a sign saying that if you're vaccinated, you don't need to wear a mask, but if you're unvaccinated, please wear a mask.  Hear that chortling in front of the store?  That's the unvaccinated laughing at the whole concept.

Most reactions will be one of the following:

I'm not wearing a mask.  They don't know whether I'm vaccinated or not, and because it's an honor system, no one will challenge me on it.

OR

Mask?  Are they kidding?  Why should I start wearing one NOW?

The reaction will definitely not be what the CDC is hoping for:

Oh, my!  I guess I have to put on my mask!  I wish I was like the vaccinated and able not to wear one.  I know!  I'll get my vaccine shots, so then I can go maskless too!

Yeah, CDC.  I hate to break it to you, but most people aren't wired that way.

I don't have a solution to this.  It may be a stage we have to go through.

I wish people behaved better.  It would help speed the fading of this deadly virus.  We are still in a race with variants.  But there is no reason to think the irresponsible are suddenly going to start being responsible now.

For me, I'll continue to wear my mask unless I'm with a group that's fully vaccinated.  Is it overdoing it?  Is it too cautious?  Maybe.  

But I know what side I want to err on.