TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK (AGAIN)

July 10, 2020

Last evening the doorbell rang at about 7:30. My husband answered it, and I could overhear his conversation with the visitors who turned out to be neighbors. They were talking about masks. The man, who is a professor of material science, has developed a new kind of mask. I'm not sure how to describe it, but the lable calls it a nano-media KN95 particulate mask or a non-valve, ear-loop style facial mask, KN95. It apparently has a nano fiber filter inside. The mask is thin and light and supposedly makes breathing easy. I haven't tried it yet, but we now have four of them.

I don't understand why wearing a mask is controversial. As many, many, tests have shown, masks help protect us from the coronavirus and more importantly, protect others near us from being infected by us if we happen to have no symptoms but are capable of spreading the virus. A normal mask is not 100% protective, but it's pretty good.

Here are some of the reasons a person may refuse to wear a mask:
* I'm just plain stubborn; no one is going to tell me what to do.
* I'm in great shape and the virus will not infect me.
* It's inconvenient.
* I can't breathe.
* It looks funny.
* Carbon dioxide will build up inside the mask and I won't get enough oxygen.
(This last one is demonstrably untrue because medical personel wear masks all day, while their blood oxygen levels remain normal.)

We've seen many videos on social media of people having tantrums when asked to wear a mask before entering a store. But psychologists say that shaming people in this way will not change their behavior nor will talking with them. The uncharitable and vengeful side of me hopes they'll all come down with a severe case of Covid-19. Of course, that's not something to wish on anyone, but a non-masked person may remain healthy while unknowningly infecting many other people.

So the best I can do is to continue with the recommended practices: wash hands, wear a mask and keep physical distance from anyone outside my pod. Since I'm not going out much these days, these precautions are easy. It's the essential workers who must continue with their jobs who are the most vulnerable. They deserve our unending respect and thanks.