The Guardian: Pandemic worsens for vulnerable populations as others ditch COVID measures
While many Americans have dropped COVID precautions like social distancing and wearing a mask, vulnerable populations like those who are immunocompromised, older and younger are still at risk. The threat of serious illness or death if people in this group contract COVID-19 is still serious, experts say.
Erica Birkley, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, told The Guardian that masks can be taxing on people and make it more difficult to assess other people's emotions, so it is important to take safe mask breaks. But when weighing the decision to mask up, she said it is important to think about how wearing a mask benefits others around us.
"It is usually going to be cathartic for me to think about the possible positive ripple effect for another human being in that room who possibly might be immunocompromised,” she said.
Featured image of masks at top courtesy of Unsplash.
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