People Are Revealing How They Deal With “COVID Safety Shamers” (23 Stories)

Still feeling a little bit crazy for staying home, washing your hands, keeping distance and wearing your mask? Feeling suddenly like YOU are the nut when seeing your friend from high school on Facebook and Instagram out on the town, shopping maskless, eating at your favorite taco spots, and STILL HAVING THEIR WEDDING!?

You are certainly not alone my fellow mankind-considerate champion. First, it was the whole “they made it political” thing, then the full-blown conspiracy theories, now we have “COVID fatigue” and we’ve been sacrificing our own brunch desires for public safety through the entire nine months of it.

That’s an extremely long time feeling like the one in the group project who does all of the work even though it’s not possible because it’s a group project so the whole thing continues to fail.

So no wonder you’re starting to feel like maybe we ARE the screwballs? The virus is worse now than ever but after so much time like this, we’ve even started to lose some of our own fellow COVID-conscious compadres. 

We must persist because this damn virus is THRIVING, just like your cousin who is out for drinks and telling her friends about how she just got back from her trip to Tulum.

Redditor u/JazzyPenguin was fed the hell up with it when they asked the people of Reddit:

“How do you cope with being treated like you are crazy for following COVID safety guidelines, when others around you aren’t doing the same?”

And the answers are exactly what we all need to hear right now. 

Here are the 22 best ways to cope with the anti-precaution folks we are doomed to share a planet with, according to the people of Reddit.


1.

“I just happily agree. “Yup, I’m paranoid. Yup, we are all crazy. No, we still won’t get together with you, because I’m so paranoid and crazy. And yes, I still wear a mask every time I go outside, because I’m so paranoid and crazy.” The top priority in a pandemic is to survive it without getting sick. Period, full stop, end of story. Let everyone else think what they think. Just do what you need to do to keep yourself safe.” –Happy-Kaleidoscope82

2.

“I work at a hospital, and go to COVID floors on a regular basis. It’s more for your benefit than mine.” It’s true and unsurprisingly shuts up even the most ignorant of people.” –xTheatreTechie

3.

“Heard this from someone else- just say “apparently I care about you more than you care about me.” –qatalyst9

4.

“I cope by not having to go to the ER because of COVID symptoms.” –adamrocks84

5.

“I’m a COVID ICU nurse. I find it funny when people say something like this. Then when I inform them of where I work, I suddenly have at least six feet all around me and people are staring at me in shock or horror. But, you do what you can to keep yourself and your family safe. Don’t worry about the others.if they don’t pay your bills or snuggle up to you at night, why does their opinion matter anyway?” –OGBigcountry

6.

“I choose to be paranoid about salmonella, so I overcook my chicken slightly. And wash my cutting board and hands after handling meat or eggs.
I choose to be paranoid about becoming paralysed, so I wear a seatbelt.
I choose to be paranoid about brushing my teeth with fecal matter, so I close the toilet seat and put my brush behind a cabinet.
I choose to be paranoid about frostbite, so I wear gloves in the winter.
I choose to be paranoid about thugs, so I stay alert of my surroundings.
I choose to be paranoid about STDs, so I wear a condom.
I choose to be paranoid about people’s motives, so I stay skeptical.
I choose to be paranoid about alligators, so I don’t go splashing around in the swamp.
I choose to be paranoid about lyme disease, so I check myself for ticks after I’ve been somewhere even remotely grassy.
I choose to be paranoid about the rope holding, so I double check the knot before I climb.
I choose to be paranoid about getting a heart attack or diabetes, so I eat healthy and exercise.
You could say that I’m afraid, and going through all these hoops prevents me of living my life.. but I say, I go through these hoops so I can live my life to the fullest, unafraid, for as long as possible – simply by protecting myself from ignorance and stupidity.” –memecut

7.

“If anyone ever said anything to me, I would probably just laugh at them. My mask even says the immune disease I have on it, just for that one purpose…to keep people for giving me shit. Saying that, I mostly stay home, I do no contact shopping, and doctor’s appointments. I’ll not let anyone make me feel badly for protecting myself or my family. We just lost my Aunt today to COVID complications, so I would probably ask if they have lost anyone to COVID and if they said no, I’d tell them to shove their mocking up their.” –daelite

8.

“I usually go with “I’m a paramedic and I work with COVID patients but i can cough take it off if you’d feel more comfortable.” They usually STFU and back away.” –TokesNotHigh

9.

“I live in rural Indiana and hardly anyone wears a mask or distances. I go about life the same way I always do honestly, stay in as much as possible and when I’m out I pretend they don’t exist. When I do get snide comments I just ignore them and carry on with my day.” –Seveniee

10.

“I’ve done Thanksgiving for years. This year, it’s my husband, me and my elderly mother minus the 8-10 more we usually have. Somehow, I’m the overreacting asshole for keeping my mother safe. Hoping it will make them appreciate once we can go back to me cooking like a crazy person, but I’m not holding my breath.” –Virgowitch