It Is Joyous to See All Your Faces Again

You people all look great

Much has been written, since the CDC announced last week that vaccinated people did not have to wear masks indoors or outdoors, about the wisdom or prudence of the federal organizations’ new guidelines. Many epidemiologists felt the announcement was mishandled, and the CDC itself has reorganized its command structure in response to the backlash. There are reasonable questions to be asked about whether the CDC’s timing was suspect, whether they had appropriately prepped the public on what was coming. It’s a confusing time. Pandemics are very disorienting.

But still: I find myself thinking more of the reaction, the immediate one, that President Biden and the Republican lawmakers he was meeting with at the time the CDC’s announcement came out. They, almost as one, ripped off their masks and smiled at each other. The minute they could took off their masks, he did. I get it.

I have diligently, constantly worn masks throughout this pandemic. I have certain masks I wear for different occasions, athletic masks when I’m coaching Little League baseball, sleek silk masks for dinners out, that sort of thing. I’ve been consistently covered when out, and have in fact had to work on not scowling at someone when we’re indoors and they don’t have masks on. Our lives have been like this for more…