We had just arrived Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. In the background, in full personal protective clothing, some blokes who boarded our flight from Freetown during its stop at Conakry. Obviously determined to stay alive, they wore white hazmat suits, had footwear covered by plastic, masked their mouths and noses, and donned face shield visors. How much more could they do to keep safe and well?

Well, soon after disembarking at CDG, I saw about half of the group, not socially-distanced, and with hoods down and all face protection items off, puffing away in a smoking room at the airport.

All that effort to keep COVID-19 at bay only to enage in a habit that supposedly offers multiple times the risk of serious illness and death than the virus does. Ah well, given the louder noises on choice and freedoms we hear these days, I can only assume we all reserve the right to choose what we prefer to ail or kill us.

#StaySafe #MyBodyMyChoice

© Othame Kabia