I live in two-week cycles as a nurse, between my working weekends and my off-time weekends. I do have my days off during the week, like I had Wednesday and yesterday off, before this weekend at work. Then I will get Monday and Tuesday off after working the weekend, and then I will work Wednesday and Thursday before getting next weekend off, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – and so it goes. Unless I work overtime, then I will of course have less time off, but I don’t often work overtime. We need our time off to look after ourselves, especially as nurses. How do we look after other souls properly if we don’t look after ourselves properly? I know there are nurses who work overtime because they need extra money, and there are times when I could do with some extra money but it’s a catch 22. As I’ve gotten older, I do struggle a little more with 12-hour shifts, never mind working overtime, so I really do have to think of myself as well.
So, the South African Government has decided to lift mandatory mask wearing. Once it was apparent that the Omicron variant had replaced the previous and more severe variants, which was a good couple of months ago, mandatory mask wearing should have been stopped. I don’t say it lightly. I worked in a hospital that in 2020 and through to at least the middle of last year, experienced three serious waves, especially the first two which almost overwhelmed our ICU’s and other general wards. I won’t go into it all again, because I went into it enough when it happened, but it was serious and I believe mask wearing was a necessity then – certainly in the hospitals, Dr’s rooms, etc. and in crowded areas and public transport. It’s been over two years now, and now with a much less serious variant, we need to get on with life and see each other smile again. Yes, people need to take precautions, especially for those who are immune compromised because of cancers and other illnesses, but you cannot expect people who are healthy and fit, especially young people, to carry on wearing masks indefinitely, especially with the weakened omicron variant.
When I went to the shops yesterday about 50% of people were and weren’t wearing masks but I’m sure quite soon it will be the minority of people wearing masks. Many people are tired of masks now, even those who supported mask wearing initially. We need to get back to normal – well as normal as possible, considering what’s happened since the beginning of 2020.
Anyway, for all of you not working this weekend, enjoy your weekend and think of all us who are working🙂
Rants and Raves of an old hen. 