Last week we had a little normal. Not a lot, just a little. In the olden days just about every day, we (the executive team of American Retirement Advisors) would gather for lunch to chat and discuss the business. We would go to a favorite spot in North Scottsdale. It has a great outdoor area, and from my favorite table, I can sit in the air conditioning next to a floor-to-ceiling window, like I’m outside, but not, and look out at the wonderful Arizona sunshine and beautiful mountains.
For just a few minutes, I was mask-free, enjoying the folks I really like to hang out with and sipping amazing iced tea.
Then the waiter arrived, masked, and I snapped back to the new normal.
Pandemics are not a normal thing. There are only a couple of Hollywood movies on the subject. Fighting something you cannot see is quite the quagmire. Folks we elected to guide our country, states, counties, and cities are all trying to do the right thing. But “THE RIGHT THING” is not clearly defined. But some things are clear. And I, for one, would rather err on the side of caution. You know the saying.
Better safe than sorry.
Mask on. Mask off. I hate wearing a mask, but it beats the alternative. The transmission, according to experts, is aerosol. You know, tiny droplets super small, like fog. So, what can you do? How do you test your protection? In my mind, if you can spray Lysol through your mask, and the spray comes out the other side it’s not going to help anyone. Think about this… according to google, a sneeze can expel aerosol droplets at as much as 100 MPH and travel quite a distance. How about a clear shield? Nope. A bandana, NO!
A cool-looking stretchy material from a sportswear brand, NO! Come on, are you kidding me. The virus travels as an Aerosol! N95 masks or better. That’s it, the only choice when you are near other people. At home, no mask. In the car, no mask. In a park more than 6 ft from others, no mask. Walking into an indoor public place, MASK ON!
Can we avoid human connection forever? I guess. I prefer a little social interaction with other humans. Call me strange.
Be considerate, masks are for the folks around you!