Violet Affleck gave a speech on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting, advocating for "mask availability, air filtration and far-UVC lights in government facilities" and opposing mask bans. Violet, who is the 18-year-old daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, introduced herself as "Violet Affleck, Los Angeles resident, first time voter and 18."
She explained that she "contracted a postviral condition in 2019" and although she is "OK now," she "saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses."
She added that "the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief."
"One in 10 infections leads to long COVID, which is a devastating neurological [and] cardiovascular illness that can take away people's ability to work, move, see, and even think," she continued.
The illness also has the potential to "exacerbate our homelessness crisis, as well as the suffering of many people in our city," she added.
In addition to advocating for mask availability in government facilities, "including jails and detention centers," she also pushed for "mask mandates in county medical facilities" and made it clear that "the county must oppose mask bans for any reason."
"[Mask bans] do not keep us safer, they make vulnerable members of our community less safe and make everyone less able to participate in Los Angeles together," she said.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, long COVID is a serious and chronic illness that can last weeks, months or years after a COVID infection. The illness affects people differently, and some people might experience symptoms that are "hard to explain or difficult to manage," or complications like heart conditions and blood clots. Anyone who gets COVID can develop long COVID.
"It hits communities of color, disabled people, elderly people, trans people, women, and anyone in a public-facing essential job the hardest," Violet said during her speech.
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