Wear a Mask

We've had a mask order here in PA for a while now.  Even though the day over day new cases have been increasing for more than two weeks now compliance with the mask order is still spotty.  It did seem a little better yesterday and today than the days previous, but a trip around the neighborhood will still yield quite a few people without masks.

That day over day total?  In the past two weeks is up more than 1000%.  Mid June we were looking at 20 new cases per day.  This week in Allegheny County we're seeing more than 200 new cases each day.  The trend is going the wrong way and we're not doing enough to turn the trend around.

The administration screwed up the mask instructions right from the start.  In what must have been an effort to stretch the national mask supply we were told that we shouldn't wear masks - that they weren't necessary.  Really what they were saying was "the case trend is such that it is a better use of scarce masks to get them to medical personnel."  That's not the same as "it doesn't help."  Aside from that they could have delivered the message that "face coverings" were a good idea whereby masks shouldn't be diverted from hospitals.  There's nobody in a hospital that wants to wear a neck gaiter to protect themselves, but that works reasonably for someone walking their dog.

And we can leave aside conversation that they should have been in there early sourcing more masks.  My understanding is that although consumer grade masks are readily available presently that we're about to head into another period where N95 masks are going to be scarce again.  Well done USA.

Poor execution and lousy initial messaging aside it is well past time to get this behavior in place.  If there are people upset about wearing a mask to run through the grocery they are going to be right put out once we go back to work.  Those people working at the grocery?  They are wearing their mask for 8 hours straight or longer.  What we are required to do in terms of masks right now is nothing.

If Gib5on has in person school in the fall he is going to have to wear a mask for the entire day.  If I go back to work teaching on campus I will have to wear a mask from the moment I step onto campus.  I will have to wear a mask sitting alone in my office.  People are griping about wearing a mask for 20-30 minutes?  Less than 6 weeks from now we will have to wear masks 8-10 hours/day.

Get over it.

I get it, there's a Libertarian argument - you can't make me; it's like making me wear a seat-belt.  I remember when seat-belt laws started and there was push-back there too.  But there's a difference: your not wearing your seat-belt isn't going to kill me.  Your not wearing a mask absolutely could.  You wear your mask for the safety of the people around you as much as or more than for yourself.  We need to make this sacrifice of individual liberty for the greater good of the whole.  If you want to reserve your right to spew germs, do it in your own home.

If you go out, wear a mask.  Don't carry a mask.  Don't put the mask around your neck.  When you walk out the door cover your nose and mouth and leave the mask on until you get home.  If it is uncomfortable buy a different mask.  If you think it is restricting your oxygen, find any one of the videos online that shows definitively that that isn't happening.  The way to get over the feeling that the mask is confining is to get used to wearing the mask.  The longer you wear it around your neck or under your nose the longer it is going to take to build the tolerance to wear it in such a way that you will be able to return to work or for your children to return to school.

When you go out, wear a mask.  When you walk your dog, wear a mask.  When you go out for a run, wear a mask.  Walking from your door to your street parked car?  Wear a mask.

If you want for less people to be sick tomorrow than today so we can go back to work and school and parks and restaurants and concerts and movies: wear a mask.