Anyway, as the group got to chatting, one of the questions from the supporters was about how the team is personally handling the fact that the world has moved on from #masking. And ALL THREE members of this smart, exceedingly science-knowledgable team said that they themselves were mostly not wearing #masks anymore. They even discussed at length the psychological disconnect between KNOWING that it works and yet seeing the world around them stop masking. But they themselves STILL stopped. /2

I was so upset I almost left immediately (and almost discontinued my financial support too). In the end I did neither, but I was really pretty shaken by it. Still am, to be honest. /3

As I’ve said before, I can say VEHEMENTLY that I've NEVER experienced whatever feeling gets people to stop #masking whenever people around them aren't masked. Quite the opposite, in fact. But what I DO experience is a kind of heavy exhaustion that comes from being exposed to all the constant pretending the pandemic is over. So hearing these sciencey people who I admire, who clearly KNOW better, casually talking about joining in with the pretence…well, it was hard for me to take. /4

One of them even told a story about having been on a train that crossed over from their country into another country without a mask mandate, and there having been an announcement that people could now take their masks off. And the person SAID it was silly to then be breathing in whatever viruses all the people in the train car around them were now spewing into the air. But they STILL removed their mask…because the people around them had. /5

I’ve certainly witnessed this behaviour in the world enough times, so the behaviour in and of itself doesn’t shock me. But the fact that all three of them were talking about the psychological disconnect between knowing that masking would help the world’s current predicament and no longer masking as if it were just normal and the way things have to be? And without saying: “You know, this is dumb, I’m going to start wearing mine again!” Well, that DID shock me. A lot. /6

And they’ve all had COVID at least once by now—I mean, of course they have. But it’s not even that, because lots of #StillMasking people have had it too. But to KNOW the science behind why you should be masking, and to intellectually recognize that not doing so is nonsensical, and to have actually HAD the experience of not masking impacting YOU PERSONALLY adversely...and yet STILL take that mask off? How the hell does that even HAPPEN? /7

@IPEdmonton
I have #diabetes thanks to #flu. I pay quite a bit out of pocket (and have for years now) for #CGM sensors to increase my chances of still having functional eyes, kidneys, legs.
Catching #COVID very well may affect my ability to pay for them.
Unless someone is going to pay for some years of sensors up front, I'm not interested in their opinion about #masks.

@IPEdmonton
Couple days ago was my first time spending some time with friends in a pub/restaurant. And I told them upfront, for me indoors==mask on, no exceptions. There were some questions, but they accepted. I half jokingly told about me trying to figure out how to go to a pool while keeping mask on most of the time.
Society doesn't care much about disabled people, so I don't care what society thinks about me defending myself from becoming disabled.

@IPEdmonton
Ha, and just had a conversation with family about Christmas dinner.
Oh, so you will come after all?
As i said, i can come for a while, but the mask stays on.
Really? What's the point of that?
Well... I might consider taking mask off if everyone will have tested themselves...
Bah! No, won't be making everyone test!
Well then, in that case mask certainly stays on.