An Open Letter to all the People Out There Who are Still Wearing Masks (and Taking the Necessary Precautions) Regularly

Anthahkarana a young well known Kannada writer reflects on the false information regarding COVID being circulated across digital platforms. Cautioning all of us about falling into the trap of imitative behaviour, in this open letter to all those who are continuing wearing masks and taking other precautions, the young writer thanks them for caring. 

Anthahkarana is a prodigy who is passionate about sports and has written extensively about cricket in renowned Kannada news portals. As a Seventeen-year-old, he already has 33 books on poetry, Novel, Stories, Drama, columns and other forms of literature and has 17 state level awards to his credit. 

The State Government of Karnataka has awarded him with the ‘Asaadhaarana Pratibhe’ (Exceptional talent) award.  He was the president of the state level third children’s literature conference and he also presented one of his essays in the 83 Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Mysuru.

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An Open Letter to All the People Out There Who Are Still Wearing Masks (and Taking the Necessary Precautions) Regularly.

How are you? Hope you are doing well in these strangely normal times. First of all, a big thank you – for being responsible and careful. It is really a great thing you are doing amidst the majority, which is acting otherwise.

It’s easy to be a sadist in these times. We see people not wearing masks in our buses, our lanes and even in markets and it is easy to slip down from our responsibility and think that Why should I do it if they don’t ?. I have experienced it myself. And yeah, it is really hard to keep doing what we are doing when the masses are pointing to us what we are doing is wrong. Even if we know what we are doing is right. It requires a strong will to keep doing it. So if you still are wearing masks everywhere you go in public and trying to maintain social distance, Thank you. Even though when we as a society have failed you, it is great to see you move on so strong.

Even our so-called leaders are not wearing masks. Many of our teachers, higher officials, even parents, or some people we look up to are being careless. I know it is strange – doing the right thing and still wondering why they are not. But if you are still continuing to do it, you are not neglected. You are seen and you are respected. Thank you.

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It’s been a tough couple of months. Somewhere around September I think is when people (in huge numbers) started not to wear masks and wander around. And that has spread like another virus. I live in a district headquarters and let alone in shops and closed spaces, people are not wearing masks even in extremely crowded locales.

It’s kind of strange how society influences us. People wearing masks all the time are being seen as aliens now. The force of influence is even stronger than the time when the minorities were the people who didn’t wear masks. Actually, it is the proposition of many philosophers that negativity beats positivity and it seems to be right in this case.

Technology has been a double edged sword. On one hand if it is being used to communicate and collectivise it also is being used to share and forward fake news. It is through various communicative platforms that false information of eradication of COVID is circulated. COVID is very much here still. As a result, we see many people have stopped taking precautionary measures.

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However, the scientists, specialists, and government, who are an authentic source of information, are of the opinion that COVID is far from eradication as of now; we better pay attention to this instead. It is very much necessary for the well-being of us and the world.

And to all the other people who are reading this, it’s not too late. You are alive and it is a good thing. There is still time for you to change and wear a mask. And please do check the sources of the news before sharing it with anyone. Some stories are carefully woven to make us believe that it is actual news. So, please be responsible in the public front as well as the virtual front.

Sure, it will be kind of lonely and strange. But remember. You are right and they are wrong. Taking necessary precautions and looking out for ourselves and the people we love is never wrong. You have a good intention and you are appreciated. Just know, you are not alone and there are people like me who have the same intention as you.      

And once again, Thank you so much.

From one of you,

Anthahkarana