Living with Omicron

Like California, Washington DC reinstated the city’s indoor mask mandate last month. – AFP

DOUBTLESS due to the Omicron variant, the past few weeks have seen a dramatic rise in Covid-19 cases in many parts of the world, including the Philippines and the United States. But here in Arizona, one does not feel that way with everyone going about their everyday lives mostly without masks or restrictions, whether indoors or outdoors.

The rules and customs vary by state. In California, an indoor mask mandate was reinstated on Dec 15, and in some restaurants, I was asked to show my vaccination card. On the other hand, my brother who lives in Texas avers that masks are even rarer; if anything, the mandate is that no one can require masks.