By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Good thing I didn’t throw out my masks.
So we didn’t learn anything from history, like the battles against smallpox and polio, or recent history, like, say, last year, and COVID has come back with a vengeance in our lovely community. Great work.
I’ve been open about my feelings regarding COVID and all that’s come with it. I waited to get my vaccination because I felt there were more people that deserved it before I did. I heard the tales of what could happen after you got the poke, but I knew the rewards far outweighed the risks and stood in line to get my vaccination because it was best for not just me, but for the folks I was around. I also HATE needles, so that was like a triumph for me all around.
I never asked anyone if they had been vaccinated because it felt kind of impersonal to me and because if they did they’d eventually tell me because it was something that a lot of folks were talking about at the time. I didn’t show off my card, but I keep it in my wallet should anyone ask.
Like many folks, I lost some good friends to COVID. A very close friend of mine got hit hard by it and to this day he still hasn’t regained a complete sense of taste. Think of all the great food he’s missing out on! But he’s alive and doing well, even if his job puts him in harm’s way as he works in hospitals and emergency rooms for a living.
I think about all of those folks when I read about or see cases of people who steadfastly refuse to get vaccinated or have some sort of aversion to wearing masks where they’re required. The reasons vary from it’s their right to it’s a religious reason to it’s a medical condition to just flat out I refuse because the lizard people overlords who rule our government aren’t going to control me with some microchip implanted in me or hiding in some mask. I joke about that last one, but take away the phrase “lizard people” and the rest is something some people actually believe.
We all want to live a life that’s good for us. If it helps other people along the way, that’s a bonus, but let’s not fool ourselves. If given the chance, the majority of people would rewrite the laws of this nation to suit their own devices. Damn what other people think. However, when you’re dealing with something that can affect not just you, but everyone around you, you may want to take another look at why you do or don’t do things.
The discussion around masks and vaccines isn’t going anyway anytime soon. For those of you who are dealing with this illness, I hope you come of it safely. For those of you who aren’t, I hope you’re taking the steps to protect you and your loved ones, at least.
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Brian Argabright has been a journalist for nearly 25 years. An award-winning writer and photographer, he has covered sports, features and much more during his career. Contact him at drnhsports@gmail.com
