ILLUSTRATION BY MEREL TAN
No, the pandemic is not over
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When the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic, many people exercised caution by wearing a mask to prevent themselves from getting infected. Now, more than two years later, the pandemic is still going on. Sadly, many people think that it is over, and thus do not wear masks anymore. Although it is not mandatory to wear a mask at this time, everyone should continue to wear one because it is vital in keeping oneself and others healthy, along with ending this pandemic.
According to a “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Feb. 11, wearing a well-fitted mask significantly decreases one’s chances of contracting COVID-19. Lowering a person’s chances of getting COVID-19 also helps protect those around them.
Additionally, keeping others safe increases the chances of ending the pandemic. Everyone wants it to end, and the only way to achieve that is for everyone to make the smart choice of wearing a mask in public. But a possible reason why many people are not wearing masks is that they are guided by misinformation on social media. Although social media can be a force to enlighten people, they are not right now. Their sole purpose is to make profit by exciting people.
By relaxing the recommendations, such as not mandating indoor masking, government officials seem to have accepted that the COVID-19 virus is here to stay and that we have to live with it. Nevertheless, people should do the right thing by wearing a mask in public and hoping that the pandemic will end soon.
