Taking risks during the pandemic.

So today I went to the supermarket and as the cashier scanned my groceries I noticed that she was not wearing her mask over the nose and her station in particular did not have a barrier between her and customers like the other cashiers.

I felt a sense of responsibility to let her know that she needed to cover her nose with the mask in order for it to serve its purpose. The conversation went like this:

Me: Good afternoon, you know the mask should cover your nose and your mouth in order to protect you like it should.

Cashier: I know but ummm…..(silence)

Me: You realise that unlike the other cashiers you’re even more at risk since this station has no barrier between you and your customers?

Cashier: Yea I know but like I said I ummm…… (silence again)

It was a popular supermarket that checks your temperature, and sprays your hands with sanitizer at the door.

I wondered to myself based on her responses or lack thereof, if she really understood the gravity of the situation with the ongoing pandemic? Then I wondered how much training was provided by her employer about the need for PPE because there were others who did not cover their noses with the masks.

It really showed how uninterested we are sometimes about our own health, safety and wellbeing that we prefer to place ourselves in the danger zone because we either don’t think anything would happen to us, or we don’t like the discomfort that some PPE brings or we simply just don’t want to comply.

Why are we willing to take such risks and as a result place our families in the danger zone as well? Let us educate ourselves about protecting ourselves so that we may play our part in staying safe and thereby, keeping our loved ones safe as well.