Maskless

Mask mandates have ended in Saskatchewan.  We still see a lot of them though when out in public. I admit, I flirted with going maskless. But it didn’t last long, because I managed to catch my first cold in more than 2 years. I feel like I forgot what it was like to be sick.

Looking back, it started a few days ago. I was sweating a lot at work. This is kind of normal, because I work in a kitchen, so I didn’t think much of it. I had a bad day at work too. I was randomly tired, and had a hard time focusing, but these things happen. I missed the sign.

Finally, I had the combination of a scratchy throat, stomach issues and a cold sore. I immediately did a home COVID test which came out negative, but it did confirm I have a cold.

I forgot about colds. I forgot about that uncomfortable feeling as the virus gradually moves down your air passage creating thick pasty phlegm in its wake. I forgot about drinking tons of Emergen-C to try and fight the inevitable and embracing anything with menthol in it be it cough drops or vapor rub.

Now I’m hastening the days to go by so I can get to the loose cough stage. Meanwhile, I mask up and wash my hands constantly as not to spread this thing around.

In a sub-reddit I wrote a post about how maybe continuing to mask when you’re sick isn’t such a bad idea, COVID or not. A lot of people agreed.

I don’t know if it was my lack of a mask for about a week at work, or someone else’s that caused this episode. All I know is that I’m ready for it to be over.