To Mask Or Not To Mask

What good does a flimsy mask do in the face of a global pandemic?

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know. I’d also be willing to bet that most people outside the realm of health care, and probably many within it, don’t know either, scientifically speaking.

What I do know is that the majority of health care experts and epidemiologists agree that the simple act of properly wearing a mask can help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and I’ve yet to see any credible evidence of masks causing adverse effects for individuals without preexisting breathing or respiratory conditions.

Politicians tell us that masks are either the world’s only chance to survive or the absolute end of freedom as we know it, depending upon their personal agendas. Of course, like most of the noise from politicians, it’s extremist garbage intended to rile up their respective bases and further divide us in an election year.

The reality of the situation, as in most cases, lies somewhere in that elusive middle ground. Not being an expert myself, I’m going to trust the opinions of those who are and try to wear a mask in situations where I am unable to maintain acceptable social distance.

Am I convinced that wearing a mask is the solution to COVID-19? Absolutely not.

What I am convinced of, however, is that by wearing a mask in those situations I potentially reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 to another person, if I happen to be an asymptomatic carrier. Admittedly, the odds of me spreading this disease (of which I have no symptoms) are extremely low, but why take that chance?

Wearing a mask when around other people in public spaces costs me nothing. It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t pose any physical or health risk. There is no down side to it. None.

There is, however, the slim possibility that wearing a mask will prevent me from giving this disease to someone else, who could then in turn spread it to someone else. That person could be someone that I love, or someone that you love. That person could be healthy or suffer from an underlying health condition or compromised immune system. I don’t know and neither do you.

I’m not going to tell anyone else what to do, that’s not my place.

I’m not sure I’m even at the point where I would support a government-issued mask mandate. I’m not sure it’s the government’s place, either.

I do wholly support business owners who decide to require masks inside their businesses. That is their decision and their right to take such action. If you don’t agree, you can choose not to patronize their business, that’s your right.

To me it seems like a no-brainer.

I’m going to wear a mask. I’d rather not take the chance, however small, of spreading this disease to another human being.

The choice, as always, is yours to make.

Bob Henline is managing editor of The Cordell Beacon.