To Mask or Not

/ Jim
Image: TOPSHOT-US-CHINA-VIRUS-HEALTH

TOPSHOT – This handout illustration image obtained February 3, 2020, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. – Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. (Photo by Alissa ECKERT / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO /CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION/ALISSA ECKERT/HANDOUT ” – NO MARKETING – NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by ALISSA ECKERT/Centers for Disease Control and /AFP via Getty Images)

 

To Mask or not to Mask. That ia the question, to paraphrase Shakespeare. There are those that claim to support “science” that say, yes, everyone, out in public, should be wearing masks. I want to ask them if they’ve tried this with their toddlers. Others say, masks do nothing to prevent the transmission of the Wuhan virus. The government, at all levels, until recently, has been back and forth on whether waring a mask will not only save your life (it won’t) to saving lives of others (this is where the argument exists). It’s a conundrum because there is actually no science, currently, that says wearing a mask will prevent a person from contracting the Chinese virus.

I’m not against masking in public places: groceries, pharmacies, etc. But I think it should be left up to the business whether they are requiring masks. I understand that those doing so, are looking out for their employees and customers. Those that do not wish to abide may shop somewhere else.o shop there, but if I don’t then that place loses my business. Recently, Target and Walmart announced they would require customers to wear masks upon entering their stores. We have one of each here, that’s why I mention them. They have a right to protect their business, meaning their employees and customers. So, is it fair for these businesses to require masks? Yes, of course, but a week after Walmart spent a lot of money on advertisements (television) announcing just that, they backed off a  bit. Now they “recommend” masks but will not tuen customers away for not wearing masks. Clearly, a business decision.

So what is it? Wear a mask everytime you go out in public or not? What’s the science behind wearing masks. Well, as i already said, there is none. In fact, if you but masks, like I have, you might want to look at the packaging which, in small print will say that these masks will not prevent you from contracting COVID-19. Yes, it’s recent packaging but all I have show that somewhere in that tiny print – to protect them from any liability of course. In fact, the CDC says that wearing masks will not prevent anyone from contracting the virus, just lower the chance by as little as 30%, depending on the mask. NONE of them are 100% effective. At most? 60%. That’s okay with me because even a 30% less chance of becoming infected is better than zero.

There’s also many more options now than just a fe months ago, You know those fast food delivery services (Grubhub, Doordash, etc.)  can and  do deliver lunch or dinner to your home. Sire, they’ve been around a while and you may have even used them in the past few years, but where I live, they weren’t available until the pandemic. Before the pandemic, there were zero restaurants in Grubhub. Today, there are more than 3 dozen, including places I never expected to see  there. I can order delivery for Wendy’s and Burger King if I want! Bizarre.   Groceries or prescriptions /pharmaceuticals?I can register, and either have a time to pick up my groceries, or have them delivered to the house. The same with pharmacies. This is in my small city where a year ago, none of this existed. Heck, it didn’t exist last February. Now we’re almost like a “grown-up city”. I actually don;t have to leave the house other than o put gas in my car and I won;t be surprised if at some point, they don’t start coffering to come to your home to fill up your vehicle.

We’re witnessing the “new normal” as it evolves. Today’s children, in 20 years, will probably have no concept of going to the grocery store,or pharmacy. Heck, even today, there’s “Telemedicine” evolving where you can have a doctor visit without leaving your  if you need a procedure,  today, you-still have to go to a hospital. Twenty years from now?

So does wearing a mask, as annotying as it is, seem to be that difficult based on the changes we’ve seen in just a few months? I would say, yes, it’s annoying, but even though it’s not guaranteed I won’t contract something bad by wearing one, the idea that it is less possible, even that 30%, makes it worthwhile.

 

3 thoughts on “To Mask or Not”

  1. I don’t think that is anywhere near “the” question for this time, but it is one of them. Some covering is better than none…if the goal is to protect others from the vapors that are breathed out. The better the mask, the better the protection for others and for me. We are interested in not contracting SARS-CoV2 if we can help it, so we wear either an N-95 or the nearest equivalent we have, which is a surgical mask in the pocket of a double-layer cotton covering that fits over the ears, well under the chin and up to the nose, where the surgical mask’s nose piece snugs it tight. We sanitize when we enter a building, when we get back to the car, when we get home (change clothing, wash exposed areas or shower and wash hair if it was exposed), and we don’t go often and make one trip do for many stops for necessities. Some of us do the Walmart pick-up, but I go in early mornings…probably every two weeks, and we check with the others on the farm if they need anything picked up.

    If we think about how during colder weather, our breath fogs when we breathe out or talk, we can see the vapor droplets that carry germs/viruses. Covering makes sense. Those N-95 masks with the vents do not keep the vapor droplets in, which is what the vents are for; to let them out.

    Here in Maryland it is required that we (five and up) wear masks in any public building and…now, outside if we cannot maintain a 6 foot distance. Hello, Ocean City Boardwalk and Beach! Not going there, in fact, not going anywhere there is a crowd. Hello, Riots in the cities and actual protests, as well! Also, here we are most likely doing virtual school in September until…a vaccine, probably. That is another subject. Our 3 and a half year old wears his surgical mask when he goes to his doctor’s office or for those rare times when he is in a public building. Yes, the masks are hot if you are wearing them correctly and your face gets red and sweaty and the guys may have to shave for good protection, but if you don’t care about catching it, you can wear a bandana to just keep your vapors from going out to others.

    Here is the thing; if you don’t want to protect yourself, then don’t, but don’t get near me and don’t whine about it being political or be surprised if you take the virus home to your family. I may be completely safe from contracting it because I suffer from WHITE PRIVILEGE, but I am not going to take that chance with my family, who are not completely WHITE, two of whom have some immunity issues, which has probably something to do with the distillation of WHITENESS.

    We await a vaccine and short of that will get our PCP to provide Plaquenil, which is well known as a SARS corona virus treatment that is virtually harmless, even to pregnant women and children and is sold OTC in third-world countries, where the public takes it all the time for prevention and treatment of malaria….not to mention that millions here take it (mother did and daughter does) for auto-immune issues, including RA and Lupus.

    Those who wish to be safe should practice safety measures. I think that is where we are now and will be for some time. I truly feel sympathy for those who have young children and are trying to work, for those whose businesses and livelihoods have been severely impacted by the shutdown and the virus…and we have totally screwed our economy. Our small business of poultry growing has been negatively affected. Our teacher has been affected. Our sons’ brewery plans, building, funding have been affected…but they are still moving forward. Everybody is stretched thin emotionally and financially.

    I have no sympathy for those that are full of such hatred that they blame our president for our condition; they are useful idiots or just plain idiots. Hmmm, idiots, ideology…hummm. Neither do have any sympathy for looters and rioters and anarchists and marxists that seek to destroy in every way the nation we call America. There is the question; America, to be or not to be.

    For the love of all that is holy, vote against those who seek to end America!

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