How am I, a 69 year old, living in fear? It seems like your post is aimed solely at the young and healthy, for whom Covid does not likely mean any dire short term consequences, vs. those of us who are immune compromised or of advanced age. Nearly all deaths and serious short term consequences are in these groups, even when vaccinated. It seems quite irresponsible to suggest that we "balance" when we are the ones at high risk. I do not live in fear, just as when I cross a street I look both ways or I wear a seatbelt. Is that living in fear? Since there is no more universal masking, even in heathcare settings where sick people go to get care (and thus airborne Covid is likely), I have to protect myself. I am on my own to do that. Do I want to wear an N95 every time I go in public? No, but I am a scientist and I respect science and I am of advanced age. I take offense at the inference that I am "living in fear"! (This is all not to mention the Long Covid roulette with each infection that those of any age group and health status face but that's a different topic.) Had your essay acknowledged that I too and those like me (in high risk categories) might also be reading it and might need a different approach, I would not be offended. But it did not. So, your essay helped to cement the idea in the young and healthy that the rest of us are "living in fear".
Further, I doubt that the vast majority of unmasked people (almost our entire population including the young and healthy I mentioned earlier) need to be told to be more balanced by relaxing precautions. They have already tipped to one side and that's not the side that this essay targets. Only the most vulnerable are still concerned; telling them to consider forgoing precautions seems to cross the line ethically. So, it's not clear who the essay is written for. Right now, we are on one side or the other and the side that is way more dominant is the unmasked, devil-may-care majority.
How am I, a 69 year old, living in fear? It seems like your post is aimed solely at the young and healthy, for whom Covid does not likely mean any dire short term consequences, vs. those of us who are immune compromised or of advanced age. Nearly all deaths and serious short term consequences are in these groups, even when vaccinated. It seems quite irresponsible to suggest that we "balance" when we are the ones at high risk. I do not live in fear, just as when I cross a street I look both ways or I wear a seatbelt. Is that living in fear? Since there is no more universal masking, even in heathcare settings where sick people go to get care (and thus airborne Covid is likely), I have to protect myself. I am on my own to do that. Do I want to wear an N95 every time I go in public? No, but I am a scientist and I respect science and I am of advanced age. I take offense at the inference that I am "living in fear"! (This is all not to mention the Long Covid roulette with each infection that those of any age group and health status face but that's a different topic.) Had your essay acknowledged that I too and those like me (in high risk categories) might also be reading it and might need a different approach, I would not be offended. But it did not. So, your essay helped to cement the idea in the young and healthy that the rest of us are "living in fear".
Further, I doubt that the vast majority of unmasked people (almost our entire population including the young and healthy I mentioned earlier) need to be told to be more balanced by relaxing precautions. They have already tipped to one side and that's not the side that this essay targets. Only the most vulnerable are still concerned; telling them to consider forgoing precautions seems to cross the line ethically. So, it's not clear who the essay is written for. Right now, we are on one side or the other and the side that is way more dominant is the unmasked, devil-may-care majority.
I love reading your 3 things. Very helpful.