Wearing a mask. Should this even be a choice anymore? Hi, I’m Doctor Catalina and I am out here in Lake Tahoe. And there’s beautiful Lake and I’m somewhere in Squaw Valley or something like that near that Resort and I’m about two miles in and there’s a beautiful Lake I just swam in and it was so About 60% of people are wearing masks up here. And you know, no matter where we are right now whether you’re in a city or I mean, I thought I wouldn’t see people here but we’re still on trails and it made me think realize for the number of people who still don’t even think about masks aren’t carrying them or anything versus the people who are it really has pressed on me? Choice and how much people think it is their choice whether or not to wear a mask. Well, all I have to say is that there is plenty of people who even are wearing masks and unfortunately, the masks are about you protecting others rather than us protecting ourselves. And so this idea of Oh, oh, it’s my choice or my mirror can choice to be free and make whatever choice I want if I do or don’t want to wear a mask and I guess I say to that when you were in public your choice is public you are choosing to be outside. You are choosing to be in community. And this is where we are so disconnected from that reality that we think that just because we We you know, we are we can act or say however we want what we’re seeing is that individual choices people aren’t thinking about the community repercussions of it and very much. This individual was sick visit versus collectivist mortality. And in this in this reality so much of what covid is doing is as very much challenging. That’s this idea of choice and realizing that most people the particularly when we’re looking at the health disparities around the covid. Most of those people who have been infected had no choice, but to be out in the community had no choice but to go into work, there isn’t a choice of whether or not people are getting sick from this. There isn’t a choice of whether people are dying from this. Even when people are protecting themselves, they still aren’t they still may get infected and that is not a choice. And so when we’re thinking about Choice here, I want I think there’s so many factors that go into that and this idea that everyone has the same choice is absolutely wrong. It’s just wrong and most of the people Who particular up here and are able to be on vacation and able to work from home? I’m grateful I get to do that I get to work from different places and I’m incredibly grateful and I’m also very mindful that I do have a choice in that many people don’t and I think that that’s something very important for us to remember so when you’re thinking about whether or not there’s a right thing to do here there is and if you don’t like that idea well before fortunately, I don’t know how many deaths is going to take to think that there isn’t this isn’t just about a choice and that this isn’t just that your Independence is being infringed upon and then again when you think about all of the other choices that people don’t have the other opportunities that particularly by POC individuals do not get access to again privilege comes in a variety of Shades and experiences and we have to be more aware of what our privilege is and particularly amongst individuals who are into being with nature being on the beach and being going hiking and Thinking. Oh, I’m so healthy. I’m so healthy. So I don’t have to worry. I’m going to be okay. It’s my choice. I want to feel free particularly where I am in Santa Monica. I have to say that again when it comes to protecting others. We have enough data to know that this is not a discriminating discriminating virus and that this is such of world problem. Now, it is a world pandemic and to to not take each of our individual actions to protect one another. This is a disconnect. This is and we are such early Days, so when you’re thinking about your choices and how this is a choice and you don’t want to infringe your choice to or not to wear masks to be infringed upon. All I have to say is is that again many of the individuals who are dying from this do not have a choice. They have to go to work. They have to be in the pot in public. So be very mindful of what What you think your choices are and and it’s right. Now the covid is giving us such a clear example to look at how our individual choices can impact others that again. This is where am it’s that whole idea of assertiveness we have it is not straightforward. They’re at there is complexity to it when we are making choices for ourselves particularly when we live in community and we are so connected whether that be on a local and a familial community and a global level. We are also connected. So it is each of our choices in this that we are seeing the implications and this trickles down to how we connect with others in relationships. How vulnerable we allow ourselves how much we react how much we internalize things all of those things come into play. So again, think about what your choices are. This is not to shame. This is really meant to heighten awareness and and Empower and together us all feel empowered to support one another in our choices when we actually have a choice to make make okay. All right. Okay guys, let’s get through this together. Let’s choose to wear masks together. This is not political. This absolutely is life or death. And again, we are still early days of seeing the implications of this. So each choice each time. You’re in community choose to wear masks. All right. Take care. Cheers!