#urgencyofnormal

[pandemic-info]

The pandemic is going so well we can now confidently ditch masks in hospitals! Deaths must be WAY DOWN, right? No. The fewest deaths we've had in a single week was not this week, not last week, it was A YEAR AGO. We've posted more deaths EVERY WEEK since.

That was back when we had monoclonal antibodies for prophylaxis and treatment. Back when vaccine protection was more robust. Back when masking was the norm in many settings. I guess we're just OK with a couple thousand deaths a week now. Everything's fine. Totally normal.

[pandemic-info]

Like just say you’re a fascist who wants to eliminate all the people who don’t represent your ideal of able-bodied, free-faced “winners” so you can look around and not have to see sub-normals

If a mask (on you or anyone else) prevents you from fostering creativity and community, it may just be that you’re uncreative and an asshole that doesn’t actually want to build a community

[pandemic-info]

Exciting mucosal vaccines are in the works. Long Covid treatments are being researched. Pandemics do end. The longer you can delay infection, the better. Hold strong & resist the urgency for normal.

It's good to reframe.

Be well ❤️‍🩹

[pandemic-info]

Nobody who is trying to convince you to take off your mask will be there for you when you get sick. ...

via Guglar

Nobody who is trying to convince you to take off your mask will be there for you when you get sick. When you lose your taste, they will make fun of you for eating so little (happening to someone I know). When you have chronic fatigue, they will call you a hypochondriac. When you have blood clots, they will say "oh so young" & carry on with their lives. When you file for disability & get denied multiple times, they will simply delete you out of their lives. They will not go to the numerous doc appt with you. When you need financial help for your deteriorating health conditions, they will avoid you like the plague (not an accurate expression now but you know what I mean). They will NOT be there for you. You will suffer alone. Whoever that's trying to convince you to take off your mask because they did, are doing so to feel less bad about their own decisions. They are telling you to risk your long term health so they wouldn't have to stare at their own stupidity. They are BAD friends.

Unfortunately true.

[pandemic-info]

Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts

—

Recommended reading re: why people care if someone protects themselves “too much” against COVID, but don’t care if people die from or develop long-term complications after infection.

See also: biases, heuristics, perceived invulnerability, optimism bias, inability to evaluate statistics, post-decisional dissonance reduction