Mask vs. sickness: Balancing the lesser of evils

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, November 5, 2025

When I was in Smithers a couple of weeks ago to cover a Supreme Court sentencing, I noticed there were a few people wearing surgical masks.

I’m not proud of it, but my initial reaction was a little bit judgey. I got over that quickly, though, because I respect it is a personal choice. To each their own.

After I got back to Prince Rupert, it was a personal choice I wish I had made.

For four days, I was so sick I became a semi-permanent fixture in the recliner in our living room. I had a side table set up with a cornucopia of drugs, fluids, and other items I might need, just so I didn’t need to get up.

Unfortunately, I had to work on Sunday, but for the next three days, the most I moved was to go from the recliner to bed.

I know lots of other people who have also been ill. It is, after all, flu season, and some nasty bugs are going around.

I don’t know what I had, but Health Canada is currently tracking and reporting on three respiratory viruses, COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Among these, COVID is the most prevalent. For the week ending Oct. 18, 2,001 cases were detected in Canada. For the year, there have been more than 13,000 laboratory-confirmed cases.

The actual number is likely much higher. Case in point, I didn’t get tested as I would have two or three years ago.

We have completely made the transition from treating this disease as a pandemic to endemic, just like the common cold and the flu.

B.C.’s COVID-tracking dashboard is now permanently stuck on April 23, 2023 and I am grateful we are over the obsession with it.

Nevertheless, it is still with us, and the current rate of hospitalization in Canada is 1.5 per 100,000 population. It can still be deadly, as can the flu.

It’s not something I want to go through again. I’ll be getting my shots as soon as I can and revisiting all those little tips that became a mainstay of life during the pandemic phase of COVID (such as frequently washing my hands).

You may even see me wearing a mask at crowded events.

You can be judgey if you want, but after what I just went through, I’m going to look at it as the lesser of evils.