How could one of us get it?

Fear was the predominant driver of human behaviour during CoVid.

As the numbers began to rise, the fear in people’s eyes was real. I remember when the first family in our building got CoVid, the news sent shockwaves. How could one of us get it? we all wondered.

When a family in our building was diagnosed with coVid, the floor was sealed off and a special lift was dedicated to the hapless family. Messages of solidarity were sent to the entire family by all the residents of the building. But I remember when the lift I was travelling in stopped on their floor, my heart raced fast and I held my breath lest I breathe in any droplets lurking outside.

I did wear the face shield which was more bulky and cumbersome than practical. I found it a real fiddle to wear the mask and the shield and go to the bank. I had to put on my reading glasses which meant I had to remove the shield. What could I do with the face shield?

So after a week or two, I gave up wearing the face shield.

No Entry without Mask

But the mask was non-negotiable. Shops, establishments, clubs, hospitals, restaurants and even public transport banned people from entering without masks.

This threat worked because soon everyone began wearing masks.

Initially we wore surgical masks and then the latest gift item became the face mask. Some were colour co-ordinated and purely ornamental while the majority were actually useful in keeping away the virus.

People actually became face mask experts and could discuss the merits of the different styles and materials. At weddings ( which had already shrunk to 50 attendees) some of the guests were handed face masks along with the invitation.

At the sole wedding I attended during the lockdown, a waiter was walking around with a placard saying “Wear your mask!” That was quite difficult considering that all of us were on a mission of congratulating the bridal couple, quickly grabbing a drink and a bite before we left for home.

The one advantage of the mask was that you could manage without lipstick and make up. But on the other hand, it also made it difficult to recognise most people.

So what mask do you wear?

An N95? A surgical mask? A 5 layered mask? A mask with valve?