These days I see far more people wearing masks in Los Angeles than I have since the waning days of the pandemic edicts when Irish democracy was steadily prevailing against the politicians and public health experts seeking a permanent masking regime.

Some of this is due to the winter and the resurgence of flu season, most of it though is due to the fires.

While there was a strong burning smell in the air during the early days of the fires, that has mostly faded away and I’m skeptical that the black revamp of the old blue surgical masks would do much against whatever is in the air. I don’t want to take the subject lightly. I suffered some ill effects over what was in the air after 9/11, but much of the masking appears to be cultural and social rather than serious self-protection efforts.

I’ve tried to avoid being judgemental about what people did and do during the pandemic as long as it doesn’t affect others but it does seem like it takes a fairly low bar to bring back masking in 15% of the population.