Maskless, can you?

Now we are free from Covid-19 restrictions, but are we free from the worry?

Can we actually walk free in crowded areas without a facial mask?

One of my friends refused to discard her mask routine. She is going to keep it, she said. I still carry one in the bag and it has become a security blanket. Another friend questioned me on why in the past I would walk around freely and now I have an inclination to stick to wearing the mask?

That was the point - everyone else was masked or is it because some are born rebels.

But in most situations I had to unmask while interviewing or eating out.

Remember those days when we longed to breathe the fresh air at the beach? And when we wished we could go walking without a mask? The numerous times we went to groceries forgetting to wear a mask and ended buying a whole box or a single piece or the time we went back to fetch a mask.

We were not comfortable with them but soon held on to it when cases increased. The fear had made the mask our trustworthy friend. It was not easy but we learnt to cope with and we got so petrified that at one point the international market ran out of surgical masks which should have been available for the health workers.

We can go maskless, but secretly many parents are hoping and wishing children will wear their masks in schools as viral flu is doing the rounds. After all, prevention is better than cure, right?

Do you remember the debates we had on vaccines and doubts - should we or shouldn’t we? And as the cases increased it was concluded that vaccines are the best solution.

Do we remember the prayers for the safety of everyone who was sick? The number of people we lost. At least now we have moved on and can let the breeze touch our face but somewhere in the back of the mind is a discomfort of letting go the mask.

The manufacturers of facial masks had become innovative while some of us were still confused about whether it should be the blue side out or white side out. Then there were the creative individuals who made designer facial masks. The worried ones still wondered whether it should be double layered or triple layered?

It is time to unlearn the precautions but how can one overcome the habit of cleansing hands with bottles and bottles of hand sanitisers?

Maybe now we will be classified as people with OCD. We were asked to do so and now habits are hard to give up and one will never know when and how we would be able to erase the label of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Not to forget the individuals who became possessive about their medicinal balms which used to be at arms length if they ever felt any uneasiness.

We had given up on handshakes and ceramic cups. The ones that were considered not environment friendly were the best option. To meet and greet like we used to before might take some time, but it is definitely a beautiful step to normalcy.