Dropping Mask Mandates: A Time of Anxiety or Joy?

Last week I went back to school in-person for the first time in 2 years. There was a part of me that was excited, yes, but the other part of me was nervous as all heck. Meeting professors and students I had gotten to know virtually over the semesters felt like there was a human connection again outside of Zoom! And I have to admit that I really enjoyed going to class and being around like-minded people before this pandemic started. It was definitely a loss to go virtual but at the same time, going virtual meant people with disabilities like us could take care of our health while being in class. For me, that meant remaining close to my kitchen to eat and remaining even closer to my bathroom. 

Now we are at a crossroads. Mask mandates are being lifted as Covid numbers have fallen. While that may be good news for some, it’s scary for those of us with chronic illnesses, especially if we are immunocompromised. I recently started combination therapy due to many immune-mediated inflammatory conditions. The combination of immunosuppressant therapies could put me at an increased risk of severe outcomes with Covid, so I was definitely nervous about going in.[1] But I needed emotionally to be in that space again after 2 years of struggling with my mental health. 

My classroom had a capacity of ~35 people and there were only 5 of us in there so I felt fairly comfortable. I stayed masked for the full 3 hours of the class.  With mask mandates being lifted in schools, subways, buses, trains and in stores, I’m still quite nervous about not wearing a mask. Many of my friends have tested Covid positive and been sick the last 10-14 days and I just don’t think I’m at a point yet to remove my mask in spite of what the CDC is saying. Quite frankly, I’m not sure when I will be ready to remove my mask after seeing so much death and destruction from Covid in my own family and friend circles.

I know wearing a mask has saved me countless times over the last 2 years and I wear one even when I’m around family and friends. While I’m ready to move on from this pandemic, I’m not ready to remove my mask and I think that’s a personal decision many of us have to make for ourselves after discussing with our physicians. This is a risk-benefit analysis just like much of our medical care is and it’s important to make the decisions by weighing our physical and mental health into this equation.

So what does this mean for me? Yes, I’m choosing to socialize and be in-person again but I’m also choosing to do so with a mask. I’m not ready to catch Covid or give it to anyone if I have any say in the matter 🙂

I encourage you all as the world opens up again to reflect on what’s important to you and make the best
decisions for yourselves by weighing the benefits versus the risks with your physicians. In my mind, we have to balance the anxiety we might be feeling as things open up with the joys of seeing friends, family and enjoying the outdoors again. And if a mask makes you feel that much more comfortable in living your life, go for it. I keep reminding myself that there is nothing to be embarrassed about being the only person in the room wearing a mask. This is my health and I need to protect it at all costs. I feel that making these decisions for ourselves is all we can do during a time when the world struggles to acknowledge the need to
protect the chronically ill and those who may feel vulnerable when it comes to this virus. 

So, own your Crohn’s, own your chronic illness, and take charge of your health by making decisions that make sense for your well-being especially in times when things feel so uncertain.

Hang in there, my friends! As always, I love hearing from you so don’t forget to drop a line!