Masked

CPP: What's got your knickers in a knot? 

CP: Maskholes. 

CPP: Eh? 

CPP: The people who believe they have been ordained as judge, jury, and executioner in the proper wearing of masks. Suddenly people who never had to wear one are self-appointing themselves as the mask police. 

CP: Have you ever accidentally seen someone naked? That's like mask-free time in the pharmacy.

CPP: I'm just going to sit over here and let you, you know, do your thing. 

CP: <inhales deeply> It started with people telling me my techs need to stop touching their masks, or pulling them outward to talk. Then we were visited by the ghost of Christmas Present, the Health Department. Funny how they were wearing neck gaitors instead of real masks, but that's not for me to judge (wink). It has now become a point of contention with regards to customer complaints. "The pharmacist should not be behind the counter without her mask." Really? Why? I hate to break it to you but, and this may be shocking, I am a human being. I need to eat. I need to drink. I'm not allowed to take a break. It must be nice to work in a place that allows you to take breaks for these necessities. Me? I'm stuck back here for 12 hours a day. (And before any of you say it, this is NOT what I signed up for in college and it has certainly changed over the previous 6 months. Also, NO, FYI, I am NOT compensated to put up with people passing judgement on me and criticising MY mask wearing.) 

Where was I? 

Right. Where I stand is more than 6 feet from my counter. It is far enough away from my staff that I can eat and drink without regard to my mask status. News flash, when I am alone in the pharmacy, before or after hours, I may take off my mask. Why? Because I can replace it when someone comes to my counter. I'm not going to wear it at home just in case someone comes by to ring my bell and pop over for a visit. Same with work. My nose runs more during the day when I wear my mask. I must remove it to address the issue with a tissue. I'm pretty certain my white mask would look weird with a brown hole in the middle if I were forced to drink my morning Starbucks through the mask. 

CPP: Don't you just love how 6 months ago we were essential?

CP: FIGHTING to be considered essential, as I remember it. 

CPP: Right. But people were thanking us for being there for them and now? 

CP: Now they are back to yelling and screaming because we are too slow or our masks may be off for the short period it takes to blow a nose or eat a Cheeto. Hell, even our normal complaints are tainted with some dig at our mask etiquette.

CPP: I really think your post about "taking a snapshot in the pharmacy" is relevant here. My old preceptor never wore her lab coat. The days when she put it on, our boss would walk in about 10 minutes after. Her partner always wore his coat. He'd take it off on a warm day and that's when the bosses would stroll into the pharmacy. You can't capture the entire scene from one photograph of one second in the pharmacy. 

CP: True. But it doesn't stop people from judging us. I really wish we were considered healthcare professionals. 

#JudgeNot

#NoRespect

#WhyYourPharmacistHatesYou