I, like many people I talk to, am frustrated and confused. Government regulations are constantly changing, we're hearing stories of nurses going out to crowded bars the minute they re-open, and I have spent more time than I'd like pondering whether cloth masks are worth a crap.
So here I am, writing about my frustrations, because I really don't know what else to do.
I care deeply about my family and friends. I want my aging grandparents with heart failure to stay well. I want my immunocompromised friend who is going through chemotherapy during a dang pandemic to be safe. I want my friends and family who are nurses to work safely in hospitals that aren't overrun with sick patients.
I've "snoozed" more people than I care to count on Facebook, because it pains me to see what they're posting. In one of the latest, an old co-worker shared a post that essentially said, "if you don't feel safe, then you can stay home. I shouldn't have to be isolated or wear a mask to protect you."
That breaks my heart.
I keep coming back to this thought that we as a country haven't always behaved this way. Now, we think wearing a mask is an infringement on our rights and haircuts are more important than public safety and hoarding hand soap and sanitizer is somehow acceptable behavior.
In 1918, there was the Spanish Flu. And when states issued mandates for people to wear masks, people pretty much followed the rules. It was a patriotic thing to do.
But it's not just about masks, specifically. It's about making sacrifices for the greater good. Think back to when "Meatless Tuesday" and "Wheatless Wednesday" became a thing during the first World War, to ensure soldiers overseas could be fed. More than 11 million people pledged to take part in this effort.
And sure, maybe we weren't always the most obliging folks. During WWII, voluntary rationing wasn't going to cut it. Along came the Emergency Price Control Act and war ration books, which discouraged hoarding and helped ensure that everyone got their fair share. It wasn't a perfect system, but it was an effort to help all Americans get the food they needed. To keep everyone healthy.
Don't forget, also during WWII, women went into the workforce to fill the gaps in the industrial sector, aiding especially in the aviation and munitions industries. I don't know about you, but I probably wouldn't love the idea of throwing on overalls and helping build planes, but they did it because it was what needed to be done. We banned together to make sacrifices for the greater good.
Where's our Rosie the Riveter now?
I don't want this to be a political post. I want this to be about public health and people and caring and compassion -- things that seem to be in as short supply as toilet paper these days.
I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted. I don't know what the right answer is, and reading the latest news and research seems to just give me more anxiety and a headache.
Early on in the pandemic, I shared an article which showed that cloth masks are pretty ineffective (surgical masks didn't fare much better either). But now I'm seeing that experts are saying universal masking of any kind really could help flatten the curve. It seems that wearing a mask and practicing social distancing would allow us to safely go out and for more businesses to reopen, at least in some capacity. Isn't that a good compromise?
If there's a chance that a cloth mask does offer some amount of protection, shouldn't we do it? Sure it's annoying but if it could save a life, isn't that what matters? Because, remember, wearing a mask isn't just about protecting yourself, it's about protecting others if you're an asymptomatic carrier. Or not yet showing symptoms.
And seriously, it's just wearing a mask. No one is asking you to work in a factory and make ammunition or build planes or stop buying butter and sugar and beef. Just cover your face. Is that really so bad?
Plus, it's not like this is the only public health effort out there right now. Here's an example. Smoking inside bars and restaurants used to be allowed. But then we decided it wasn't fair for people to be exposed to carcinogens like that, so we outlawed it. Yeah, smokers weren't thrilled about it, but we didn't just tell non-smokers "hey, if you don't feel safe, you can just stay home!" No. Some businesses made adjustments to keep customers safe and happy, like building patios for smokers. But we made the necessary adjustments to keep people safe.
Admittedly, I'm struggling to know how to behave or where to draw the line between caution and crazy. What I do know is that COVID-19 is killing people. And I think I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I'm not an epidemiologist or research scientist, but I am trying to find the most reputable resources I can. We're all learning as we go.
So you'll see me shopping at Trader Joe's with a mask on (a store that's done a wonderful job limiting the number of people in the store and doing their best to enforce social distancing). I'll wear my mask if I need to buy something from Menards, without complaint. I will probably still choose takeout over dining in if given the choice, I likely won't be going on any in-person dates any time soon, and I'll likely continue to limit my contact to my family. I'll continue to shop infrequently, keep my distance, and wash my hands.
It sucks and it's lonely but I think it's important. And it's not forever.
In my opinion, we should take a cue from Rosie and make choices for the greater good. Just in case.
So here I am, writing about my frustrations, because I really don't know what else to do.
I care deeply about my family and friends. I want my aging grandparents with heart failure to stay well. I want my immunocompromised friend who is going through chemotherapy during a dang pandemic to be safe. I want my friends and family who are nurses to work safely in hospitals that aren't overrun with sick patients.
I've "snoozed" more people than I care to count on Facebook, because it pains me to see what they're posting. In one of the latest, an old co-worker shared a post that essentially said, "if you don't feel safe, then you can stay home. I shouldn't have to be isolated or wear a mask to protect you."
That breaks my heart.
I keep coming back to this thought that we as a country haven't always behaved this way. Now, we think wearing a mask is an infringement on our rights and haircuts are more important than public safety and hoarding hand soap and sanitizer is somehow acceptable behavior.
In 1918, there was the Spanish Flu. And when states issued mandates for people to wear masks, people pretty much followed the rules. It was a patriotic thing to do.
But it's not just about masks, specifically. It's about making sacrifices for the greater good. Think back to when "Meatless Tuesday" and "Wheatless Wednesday" became a thing during the first World War, to ensure soldiers overseas could be fed. More than 11 million people pledged to take part in this effort.
And sure, maybe we weren't always the most obliging folks. During WWII, voluntary rationing wasn't going to cut it. Along came the Emergency Price Control Act and war ration books, which discouraged hoarding and helped ensure that everyone got their fair share. It wasn't a perfect system, but it was an effort to help all Americans get the food they needed. To keep everyone healthy.
Don't forget, also during WWII, women went into the workforce to fill the gaps in the industrial sector, aiding especially in the aviation and munitions industries. I don't know about you, but I probably wouldn't love the idea of throwing on overalls and helping build planes, but they did it because it was what needed to be done. We banned together to make sacrifices for the greater good.
Where's our Rosie the Riveter now?
I don't want this to be a political post. I want this to be about public health and people and caring and compassion -- things that seem to be in as short supply as toilet paper these days.
I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted. I don't know what the right answer is, and reading the latest news and research seems to just give me more anxiety and a headache.
Early on in the pandemic, I shared an article which showed that cloth masks are pretty ineffective (surgical masks didn't fare much better either). But now I'm seeing that experts are saying universal masking of any kind really could help flatten the curve. It seems that wearing a mask and practicing social distancing would allow us to safely go out and for more businesses to reopen, at least in some capacity. Isn't that a good compromise?
If there's a chance that a cloth mask does offer some amount of protection, shouldn't we do it? Sure it's annoying but if it could save a life, isn't that what matters? Because, remember, wearing a mask isn't just about protecting yourself, it's about protecting others if you're an asymptomatic carrier. Or not yet showing symptoms.
And seriously, it's just wearing a mask. No one is asking you to work in a factory and make ammunition or build planes or stop buying butter and sugar and beef. Just cover your face. Is that really so bad?
Plus, it's not like this is the only public health effort out there right now. Here's an example. Smoking inside bars and restaurants used to be allowed. But then we decided it wasn't fair for people to be exposed to carcinogens like that, so we outlawed it. Yeah, smokers weren't thrilled about it, but we didn't just tell non-smokers "hey, if you don't feel safe, you can just stay home!" No. Some businesses made adjustments to keep customers safe and happy, like building patios for smokers. But we made the necessary adjustments to keep people safe.
Admittedly, I'm struggling to know how to behave or where to draw the line between caution and crazy. What I do know is that COVID-19 is killing people. And I think I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I'm not an epidemiologist or research scientist, but I am trying to find the most reputable resources I can. We're all learning as we go.
So you'll see me shopping at Trader Joe's with a mask on (a store that's done a wonderful job limiting the number of people in the store and doing their best to enforce social distancing). I'll wear my mask if I need to buy something from Menards, without complaint. I will probably still choose takeout over dining in if given the choice, I likely won't be going on any in-person dates any time soon, and I'll likely continue to limit my contact to my family. I'll continue to shop infrequently, keep my distance, and wash my hands.
It sucks and it's lonely but I think it's important. And it's not forever.
In my opinion, we should take a cue from Rosie and make choices for the greater good. Just in case.