Becoming COVID-conscious: a roundabout journey

by Theresa O’Connor, PHAN Communications Manager

I’m the communications manager here at Public Health Action Network and wanted to share my winding story of becoming COVID-conscious. I think my story has some insights for how we can reach more people and get them to be more cautious. Back before COVID hit the U.S. in 2020, I had never masked before in my life. I didn’t know anyone who masked, and I didn’t understand why anyone would mask. The idea of preventing other people from getting my airborne illnesses did not even occur to me, but I got it pretty quickly when COVID hit the U.S. in a major way in March 2020. I did like all the reasonable people I knew did and started masking whenever I went out in public, as well as getting my vaccines, and generally trying to stay out of public spaces or gathering with friends.

I kept masking for as long as everyone else around me was, but in late 2022 to early 2023, when folks in my community stopped masking and started gathering with friends, I followed suit. The retired nurses in my local friend network all thought it was safe to stop masking and start socializing, so why not? Masking is not the most comfortable thing, and I missed being able to go out for dinner or drinks, so I dropped my masking, although I kept up on vaccines. I didn’t mask consistently when I went on a long trip in late 2023, and I got sick twice during the trip and again on the flight home. I tested for COVID each time, and the tests all came up negative, but I only tested for two days each time. Later on I learned that because I only tested for two days each time that I may very well have been infected and not realized it. I never put it together that masking would have prevented those illnesses. 

I continued to not mask and to socialize in public spaces up until May 2024, when a dear friend who’s COVID-conscious and has kept up on the data virtually shook me awake and said I wasn’t taking it seriously enough. He showed me how many new cases were still happening, how much masking reduces the chance of infection, and how Long COVIDPersistent symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19. was devastating some people’s lives. And it woke me up. I went back to masking whenever I was in indoor public spaces, and not socializing with friends for eating and drinking, and I have not been sick since.

Now I don’t see myself ever going back. I’m starting to see the air more like water, as something that we have a social obligation to not pollute and to not ingest when it is polluted. I can’t believe all the times I went to work or other gatherings, knowing I was sick and not concerned about passing it along. And now I know more about how folks who are disabled or have chronic illnesses can be devastated by a single COVID infection.

Meanwhile, most of the people in my community are not masking in indoor spaces. My friends are reporting nearly constant bouts of COVID, colds, RSV, influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Several friends are now dealing with Long COVIDPersistent symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19. issues of decreased immunity, increased tiredness, and loss of taste and smell. But outside of folks with long-term issues or who are immuno-compromised, hardly anyone wants to mask. Most people don’t even want to admit that there’s too much sickness going around. I think people feel traumatized by the pandemicA global outbreak of a disease. and don’t want to be reminded of it with masking. And we’re facing headwinds in U.S. culture. Sickness is seen as weakness, disabled people are frequently seen as sub-human, and workers are seen as disposable. Additionally, in the U.S., healthcare is not guaranteed, workers are not given enough sick leave, and many people don’t have a regular healthcare provider.

I think many folks like me want to do the right thing, but they need more context. They need the information about current infections and all the possible effects of Long COVIDPersistent symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19.. They also need the sense that there’s a community of people who are masking and testing. Online communities are forming on social media, Reddit groups, private Facebook groups, and blogs. Folks like Julia Doubleday, The Disabled Ginger, and Violet Blue are sharing data and stories, and creating communities of supporters. And weekly Zoom meetings from groups like the PandemicA global outbreak of a disease. Collab’s Pandemic Pals are creating a real-time support system.

I think people also need to have someone who cares and is willing to speak with urgency and concern. People are much more likely to be convinced to change their lifestyle when they hear information from someone they know. We can all be that person for someone else and make a difference to global public health one person at a time.