I'm generally pro vaccination. My children and I accept the vaccinations on offer. As a general, they have a longstanding, proven reputation of reducing disease.
While I strongly dislike the sight of masks because the loss of non-verbal communication combined with the distortion of speech is very difficult when you have auditory processing difficulties, I am not against others wearing them if they feel better about it.
I am also trying my best to keep life as calm and normal as possible for a child with ASD who also struggles masks and faces in a generals sense. He is also prone to anxiety and doesn't need encouragement for life long health anxiety. For him, there won't be a simple switch of back to normal routines, what happens to him now is a blue print for life.
As the statistics stand, I'm not scared of Covid 19. I don't want it and have so far acted responsibly to minimise the chances of passing it on. I have been careful about social distancing and hygiene and spent little time outside my household unit who are also spending little time outside our home, and then at sensibly managed places like the zoo or Nat Trust. The chances of being exposed to the 1:2000+ people in the community (plus not home ill, plus not in a higher previlence neighbourhood) long enough to become infected is very, very small.
I have claustropobia and struggle in warm, humid, stale air. Masks are a double trigger. I have previously had faintness and panic attacks in public places. I have no diagnosis because I can generally manage that with little impediment. I can choose a swimming pool with well lit, airy changing facilities that don't trigger me for example.
But making masks compulsory means that I have to put myself at high risk of a panic atrack just to buy food for my family, or high risk of being challenged by staff or some sanctimonius busy body if claiming an exemption. And for how long? Until next spring 9 months away?
The arbitary timing and abstract way of imposing this rule gives me little confidence in it being purposeful. Back in March/ April, fair enough there were concerns about PPE. But why not in June when non-essential retail opened? In the autum as colds/ flu start, I would also find logical. A random date in July feels like pure politicking against regional powers, not good epidemiological evidence.
I'm already ground down by my life being in suspended animation for 4 months. By not having a healthy social balance. By losing the voluntary roles that make life purposeful. By months of hysteria over non-issues like people exercising for over an hour, or dropping off brownies on a doorstep or buying non-essential easter eggs. Months of seeing people misusing masks and gloves in a way that makes any protective properties redundant. I'm worn down and don't have the energy to battle triggers of my personal issues just to buy food every bloody week. And it's frustrating because getting out of the house and being able to do "normal" things like shopping has been an essential mental lifeline for months and now that's being corrupted too.
(Online shopping is not an easy solution with food intolerances requiring shopping in multiple shops and a child with ASD who is specific about exact brands due to subtle fluctuations in texture and taste)
There has also been a significant amount of ignorant or outright disablist vitriol from many (not all) pro mask enthusiasts who belittle why mask wearing can be very problematic to some. Hardly helpful in the face of issues like anxiety.
(Must fill in the form for DC's flu vaccinations in the autumn...)
