Waking Up from Mask Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common COVID-19 side effects healthcare professionals have been able to document. What’s not as commonly tracked, but perhaps universally felt, is the fatigue we get from the amount of face covering and mask wearing we’ve all done in the past year.
We’re a mask manufacturer. Nonetheless, we’ll admit it: we’re tired of wearing masks everywhere. Who isn’t?
The truth is that no face covering or mask was created to make you feel more comfortable than you’d be without a one on. Face coverings and masks are simply safety devices that can protect you, and those around you, from potentially life-threatening situations. COVID-19 alone has infected and killed many millions of people worldwide, and it will continue to do so as the world struggles to vaccinate everyone. With highly effective and properly fitted masks, like our OCTO® Respirator Mask (ORM), a reusable elastomeric respirator mask, we often wonder how many of those lives could have remained COVID-free.
But the world is opening up again, right? We’re entering a “post-pandemic” time now, right?
With the CDC’s recent statements about participating in daily activities without face coverings or masks, it’s easy to get blinded by the light at the end of the tunnel. On one hand, it’s such a liberating feeling to know the vaccination rollout has been such a success in the U.S. that the CDC is already allowing unmasking in certain scenarios. On the other hand, we’re still rooted in a serious pandemic, and masking – even after getting vaccinated – is still important to consider.
When people are beyond tired of wearing face coverings and masks (understandable) and then hear an ounce of hope that masks might not be required in a given situation, we open ourselves up to potential setbacks. The decision to uncover/unmask yourself early while millions of people are still being vaccinated is potentially dangerous.
Doctors are already linking another rise in COVID-19 case numbers to pandemic fatigue. It’s been stated that if we power through and keep masking until summer’s end, we have the potential to save 14,000 lives in the U.S. alone.
If you had the chance to save 14,000 lives just by continuing to wear a mask for a couple more months, wouldn’t you want to?
Amid this brutal onslaught of mask fatigue, we must listen to the wakeup call. The pandemic isn’t over yet. We can still do one small thing (well, two small things if you count getting vaccinated!) to ensure this pandemic comes to an end, once and for all.
The fatigue you might get from COVID-19 is much more draining than the fatigue you have right now from masking. Keep your head up – and masks on. We’re almost there, and each of us plays a crucial role to help push the entire world past the finish line.
We’re a mask manufacturer. Nonetheless, we’ll admit it: we’re tired of wearing masks everywhere. Who isn’t?
The truth is that no face covering or mask was created to make you feel more comfortable than you’d be without a one on. Face coverings and masks are simply safety devices that can protect you, and those around you, from potentially life-threatening situations. COVID-19 alone has infected and killed many millions of people worldwide, and it will continue to do so as the world struggles to vaccinate everyone. With highly effective and properly fitted masks, like our OCTO® Respirator Mask (ORM), a reusable elastomeric respirator mask, we often wonder how many of those lives could have remained COVID-free.
But the world is opening up again, right? We’re entering a “post-pandemic” time now, right?
With the CDC’s recent statements about participating in daily activities without face coverings or masks, it’s easy to get blinded by the light at the end of the tunnel. On one hand, it’s such a liberating feeling to know the vaccination rollout has been such a success in the U.S. that the CDC is already allowing unmasking in certain scenarios. On the other hand, we’re still rooted in a serious pandemic, and masking – even after getting vaccinated – is still important to consider.
When people are beyond tired of wearing face coverings and masks (understandable) and then hear an ounce of hope that masks might not be required in a given situation, we open ourselves up to potential setbacks. The decision to uncover/unmask yourself early while millions of people are still being vaccinated is potentially dangerous.
Doctors are already linking another rise in COVID-19 case numbers to pandemic fatigue. It’s been stated that if we power through and keep masking until summer’s end, we have the potential to save 14,000 lives in the U.S. alone.
If you had the chance to save 14,000 lives just by continuing to wear a mask for a couple more months, wouldn’t you want to?
Amid this brutal onslaught of mask fatigue, we must listen to the wakeup call. The pandemic isn’t over yet. We can still do one small thing (well, two small things if you count getting vaccinated!) to ensure this pandemic comes to an end, once and for all.
The fatigue you might get from COVID-19 is much more draining than the fatigue you have right now from masking. Keep your head up – and masks on. We’re almost there, and each of us plays a crucial role to help push the entire world past the finish line.