Violet Affleck, the 19-year-old daughter of actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, made a passionate plea at the United Nations in New York City, urging for the reinstatement of mask mandates to curb the spread of COVID-19. Violet, an outspoken activist, stressed the ongoing threat the virus poses to young people, describing the neglect in addressing these dangers as a failure to protect future generations.
Addressing the UN assembly, Violet expressed her concern that the public discourse surrounding COVID-19 has shifted towards a premature return to normalcy, neglecting the long-term risks associated with airborne transmission and the potential for Long COVID. She criticized adults for making decisions that overlooked the safety of younger generations and called for immediate action, emphasizing the seriousness of the virus’s effects, including damage to vital organs and increased risks with successive infections.
Violet’s arguments highlighted alarming statistics, noting that Long COVID has quickly become more prevalent than asthma as a chronic illness in young children. She stressed the importance of utilizing available technology to combat airborne diseases, technology that past generations and many people today lack access to.
In her moving conclusion, Violet advocated for the recognition of clean, filtered air as a fundamental human right, comparable to the provision of clean water. She urged for the development of an infrastructure to ensure clean air, envisioning a future where tomorrow’s children would take this essential right for granted. Violet’s speech serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 and the urgent need for protective measures to safeguard public health.