The US administration has announced that the national and public health emergencies will be ending in May. Covid-19 has become similar to the flu, they tell us. More places are becoming “masks optional” and more people are opting out.
I get it. It’s been a long, slow season and people are getting tired of thinking about contagion. They want to go back to life in the before times.
Me too, but some of us don’t have that luxury. Those of us with chronic and/or life-threatening health conditions will continue to live carefully.
I drive my wheelchair using mouth controls and I can’t do that while wearing a mask. Since early 2020, I have relied on a skilled caregiver (either my husband or brother) to use attendant controls and drive the chair. This has been a blow to my sense of independence and agency. The alternative, though, is to risk infection.
These are the quiet calculations people like me are making each time we leave our homes. I’m not complaining; it’s part of the gig. I do want able-bodied, healthy people to know. If you are out and about without care, notice your privilege and count your blessings.
In your journal:
- Are you ready to be done with covid 19?
- How has life changed for you 2019, 2020, 2023? (This might be a good mind-mapping exercise.)
- What calculations do you live with?