Thread by @akurjata

I haven't really said anything about the province lifting the mask mandate but now that I've been out and seen a ton of people not wearing masks in stores because it's voluntary: What a dumb thing to do

At the very least wait until everyone who would like to he double dosed has a chance. My parents are in their sixties and just got a shot in the last few days. Two weeks til immunity. I still don't have an appointment. Not loving having a bunch of people not wearing masks around

I know cases are low but people are still going to hospital, still dying and still spreading. Chances are lower but still you're a grocery store cashier and now it's optional for every vaxx denier who walks in to wear a mask? I'm sure it feels good

My wife runs a business and had a mask mandate before the province did. It was a daily fight with people coming in until they were able to say "provincial mandate". Now they have to go back to the fight. And she has the benefit of having enough of a client base to drop people who

don't want to follow those guidelines. Lots of businesses don't — or, they aren't the bosses and just have to deal with it

And, y'know, the Delta variant is a whole thing.

Idk it just again seems like this rush to ease things or, for whatever reason, Henry's big stand being that we don't need masks and lifting it as soon as possible

What's important to remember, and what's been apparent for months now: The provincial policies aren't about keeping you safe. They are about playing the numbers. In other words...

They aren't lifting the mask mandate because you, personally, are safer without a mask. They are lifting the mask mandate because hospitalizations have lowered to the point that there's a hospital bed available for you

(yes, you are safer in the sense that there's a lower likelihood that you will be around someone with COVID due to vaxxes. But until you are vaccinated you are just as susceptible if you come across someone who is a carrier)

But this whole opening up thing has me feeling less, not more, safe. I am the same level as unprotected as before because I'm not able to get a second shot yet, but now people are able to gather unmasked way more than they were before, upping the likelihood of community spread

It's essentially a big F U to everyone who would like to he vaccinated but is yet to be able. Other people got theirs, so let's just hope you manage to survive the next few months while everyone else has fun. Hope you're not in the service industry!

Ah, well, as Horgan reminded us when asked if the province could have done anything to help out before all those people died during the heatwave, fatalities are a part of life

The other thing is: Of all the restrictions on life, wearing masks in grocery stores is the least intrusive? I get opening up so people can see friends and family or attend religious services. I see the balance. But wearing mask to order a coffee is not impacting quality of life

A lot of people going 'well YOU can still wear one'. Yes, I know. I suspect most don't actually care to learn but just in case: mask-wearing is primarily about preventing you from spreading, not about protecting you from catching theatlantic.com/health/archive…

Also, people in Alberta should know that in B.C. it is still a waiting list to get a second shot. And this is not because B.C. is doing a bad job. It's because more people here are getting shots, which means longer lines. Which I don't mind! I'm glad others are getting vaxxed

But it does mean that unlike Alberta, people who haven't received two doses in B.C. are not doing so by "choice" or whatever. It's cool you were able to get a second shot quickly but it's also because there has been lower uptake in the first dose, so far. Less demand there

K, not interacting with three month old accounts with more digits in their username than their follower/following