That's nuts. I never understood why masks weren't more popular given so many fears around the use of facial recognition. Masks = freedom from government tracking.
The population density made it hard to ignore in NY. If you have thousands of people on your block, and a few precent of them get seriously ill, that's a lot of ambulances you're going to see and hear. In less densely populated areas the impact of what was happening wouldn't be as visible. I knew a few people who got sick in the first wave, and a few people one layer removed who died. If my only exposure to sick/dying was people I know, I don't know I would have taken it so seriously. It was seeing so many anonymous people around me being taken away in ambulances that drove it home.
I hear you. We've spent several weeks in Florida since returning abruptly 2020. About a month in California, Ca is a mess but doesn't sound as bad as where you are.
In Fla even Uber drivers insisted we don't wear masks.
Around here I'm the only one wearing one in the post office. I've been wanting that opportunity for a long time. I think masks are ridiculous and won't get into my personal opinion but I really love being able to ship/receive at the post office in surgical gloves and a facial disguise and the longer I'm the only one doing it, the shorter it will last.
People don't answer the door anymore when opportunity knocks. They're easily terrified, assume everyone's the boogeyman and dial 911 instead.