I had really wanted to keep these comments open, but I’m going to close them because some people cannot be respectful and I do not have the capacity to moderate them. Thank you to the many folks who have been respectful, kind, and curious.
A quick note about the comments section: I want to keep it open, and I welcome dialogue, questions, and sharing of information. As someone whose own understanding of the world, values, and discernment have evolved dramatically over the course of my life, I know that none of us is inherently correct about everything. Exposure to new information and wrestling with it is a valuable part of growth and improvement, and it’s part of how people develop the ability to recognize misinformation, which is going to be increasingly needed.
Name calling is a form of ad hominem logical fallacy, and attacking a person is what people resort to when they have no better case to make against the actual facts or argument. I can tolerate it when it’s directed at me, up to a point. I will not tolerate it directed at others.
I’ve attempted to engage with someone in good faith with a stance of curiosity and genuine interest. I expressed wanting to continue the dialogue but gave them a warning that I would not tolerate attacks on others, and they doubled down. They are now blocked and their hateful and ableist comments have been deleted.
Come curious and kind, or keep your comments to yourself.
I tick a lot of these boxes & I haven’t stopped wearing an N95 since spring 2020. But I didn’t see one of my big reasons: “Maybe they watched a loved one die a horrible, early death from a COVID-19 infection.” My mom got it Christmas Day 2021 when we thought my dad just had a cold bc the home test was negative. She was dead by Jan 15. The hardest part has been watching my family buy into “it’s mild, it’s nbd” over the years that have followed.
Thank you for this! I am immune-compromised, but would mask regardless for pretty much all of the reasons on this list. I'm lucky to live in a town where many people still mask and I don't get grief for it, but I see the harassment and ostracism happening in so many other places.
Thank you for this - I am back to masking up as where I live is overloaded with flu and other illnesses and I am immune compromised. I wish people here would respect my personal health choices but they do not. If I am lucky I just get a nasty look or a rude comment but if they are in the mood it is full on harassment and hate (being a blue dot in a red state they see a mask as democratic sheep issue). I am a cancer patient and I have no immunity so I have no choice but I wish people would just leave me alone.
Great article. I appreciate the links and research that went into this. Might I add that the initial list of risks for the potential for severe outcomes "... asthma, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, a BMI over 30, pregnancy, any history of smoking, substance use disorders, depression, ADHD, autism, and many others" oddly enough doesn't mention the most common risk of severe outcomes: advanced age. It's my understanding and recall that more than 90% of those who have died from Covid infections are elders. 90%! In other words, the vast majority. But that didn't make the list. Even though age might increase the chances of having had some of these other conditions, a declining immune system simply due to age is a major issue. I find this oversight, though predictable, disheartening. Age is perhaps the most significant risk factor for severe outcomes from a Covid infection. As an elder, in combination with the other reasons discussed here, it's why I mask and why I am continually surprised to see all the older folks who never mask.
People are wearing masks because this has been a really bad flu season, and they probably know someone who flu and was really sick? People are wearing masks because 300 people a week are dying of COVID in the U.S., and maybe they know someone who is sick? Or they themselves are healthcare workers and are trying to not get sick? Or maybe like me, have horrible allergies and wearing masks reduces the exposure to allergens, and zI wear masks anywhere I might encounter something I don't want to breathe in- like cigarette smoke particles?
I'm one of those few wearing a mask, wearing it while work in health care and while using public transport, going for groceries and in the gym.
My experience is, even it happens not often, it happens regularly to be offended bei strangers in an aggressive manner on streets or a train station. And I can imagine, that people alone worried about those harassements and worried about what others might think about them doing without a mask, even if they know better.
I would confirm, we lonley maskers are the stronger and independent part of the population.
It it for that reasons obvious, that it needs encouragement to wear a mask regualrly today. Therefore it is a kind of bizarre, that antimaskers call you government conform an inable of critical thining, when you stick to the absolut minority, while the government moves on and Biden has lost his possibilities for eletion victory, also due to his second or third covid infection.
And it's worse, people have lost health, their own or those of loved ones, and lives of relatives, but still take the risk for further infections.
I hate wearing a mask. Trying to force my breath through a mask labors my breathing and significantly raises my body temperature. The mask makes me sweat and I get acne where it's traps sweat against my face. I hate it but I'm still wearing it cause I have a flu and I don't want you to get I because I live alone and need to go to a store today while I'm sick.
Take your head out of your ass like I do and think of other people whom you can only hope in vain would do you the same courtesy.
Having worked in Public Health for ~30 years, I still cannot believe the failure and deceit that has been witnessed these past 5 years.
As you point out, clear and strong evidence regarding seriousness of infection, and ways to mitigate have existed for years; none of which has been done, and with most Public Health bodies silent or complicit. Disgraceful.
Thank you for this! I wear a mask at work and in public because I am protecting my partner who’s in his 5th year of long-Covid. It’s a damn shame wearing a mask became so politicized.
I had really wanted to keep these comments open, but I’m going to close them because some people cannot be respectful and I do not have the capacity to moderate them. Thank you to the many folks who have been respectful, kind, and curious.
A quick note about the comments section: I want to keep it open, and I welcome dialogue, questions, and sharing of information. As someone whose own understanding of the world, values, and discernment have evolved dramatically over the course of my life, I know that none of us is inherently correct about everything. Exposure to new information and wrestling with it is a valuable part of growth and improvement, and it’s part of how people develop the ability to recognize misinformation, which is going to be increasingly needed.
Name calling is a form of ad hominem logical fallacy, and attacking a person is what people resort to when they have no better case to make against the actual facts or argument. I can tolerate it when it’s directed at me, up to a point. I will not tolerate it directed at others.
I’ve attempted to engage with someone in good faith with a stance of curiosity and genuine interest. I expressed wanting to continue the dialogue but gave them a warning that I would not tolerate attacks on others, and they doubled down. They are now blocked and their hateful and ableist comments have been deleted.
Come curious and kind, or keep your comments to yourself.
Thank you for writing this!
You are a very patient person. Especially in the face of commenters being rude, sarcastic and vulgar.
Funny how wearing a mask is allowing us to live our lives. You really need to read the post, you might learn something.
Fabulous piece of writing. Thank you.
Incorrect.
2 way masking is the best of course. But any type of face covering reduces the risk of transmitting and catching viruses.
https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html
Thank you for this thoughtful and compassionate piece.
As you must surely know, the mask I wear protects you from me; it does not protect me from you. Unless we all wear one, it doesn’t work.
Thank you.
I tick a lot of these boxes & I haven’t stopped wearing an N95 since spring 2020. But I didn’t see one of my big reasons: “Maybe they watched a loved one die a horrible, early death from a COVID-19 infection.” My mom got it Christmas Day 2021 when we thought my dad just had a cold bc the home test was negative. She was dead by Jan 15. The hardest part has been watching my family buy into “it’s mild, it’s nbd” over the years that have followed.
Thank you for this! I am immune-compromised, but would mask regardless for pretty much all of the reasons on this list. I'm lucky to live in a town where many people still mask and I don't get grief for it, but I see the harassment and ostracism happening in so many other places.
Thank you for this - I am back to masking up as where I live is overloaded with flu and other illnesses and I am immune compromised. I wish people here would respect my personal health choices but they do not. If I am lucky I just get a nasty look or a rude comment but if they are in the mood it is full on harassment and hate (being a blue dot in a red state they see a mask as democratic sheep issue). I am a cancer patient and I have no immunity so I have no choice but I wish people would just leave me alone.
Great article. I appreciate the links and research that went into this. Might I add that the initial list of risks for the potential for severe outcomes "... asthma, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, a BMI over 30, pregnancy, any history of smoking, substance use disorders, depression, ADHD, autism, and many others" oddly enough doesn't mention the most common risk of severe outcomes: advanced age. It's my understanding and recall that more than 90% of those who have died from Covid infections are elders. 90%! In other words, the vast majority. But that didn't make the list. Even though age might increase the chances of having had some of these other conditions, a declining immune system simply due to age is a major issue. I find this oversight, though predictable, disheartening. Age is perhaps the most significant risk factor for severe outcomes from a Covid infection. As an elder, in combination with the other reasons discussed here, it's why I mask and why I am continually surprised to see all the older folks who never mask.
People are wearing masks because this has been a really bad flu season, and they probably know someone who flu and was really sick? People are wearing masks because 300 people a week are dying of COVID in the U.S., and maybe they know someone who is sick? Or they themselves are healthcare workers and are trying to not get sick? Or maybe like me, have horrible allergies and wearing masks reduces the exposure to allergens, and zI wear masks anywhere I might encounter something I don't want to breathe in- like cigarette smoke particles?
Thanks for that fine essay on the theme.
I'm one of those few wearing a mask, wearing it while work in health care and while using public transport, going for groceries and in the gym.
My experience is, even it happens not often, it happens regularly to be offended bei strangers in an aggressive manner on streets or a train station. And I can imagine, that people alone worried about those harassements and worried about what others might think about them doing without a mask, even if they know better.
I would confirm, we lonley maskers are the stronger and independent part of the population.
It it for that reasons obvious, that it needs encouragement to wear a mask regualrly today. Therefore it is a kind of bizarre, that antimaskers call you government conform an inable of critical thining, when you stick to the absolut minority, while the government moves on and Biden has lost his possibilities for eletion victory, also due to his second or third covid infection.
And it's worse, people have lost health, their own or those of loved ones, and lives of relatives, but still take the risk for further infections.
For me, once I got into the habit of wearing a mask, I could never find a valid reason to stop wearing it.
I hate wearing a mask. Trying to force my breath through a mask labors my breathing and significantly raises my body temperature. The mask makes me sweat and I get acne where it's traps sweat against my face. I hate it but I'm still wearing it cause I have a flu and I don't want you to get I because I live alone and need to go to a store today while I'm sick.
Take your head out of your ass like I do and think of other people whom you can only hope in vain would do you the same courtesy.
Excellent and timely article, many thanks.
Having worked in Public Health for ~30 years, I still cannot believe the failure and deceit that has been witnessed these past 5 years.
As you point out, clear and strong evidence regarding seriousness of infection, and ways to mitigate have existed for years; none of which has been done, and with most Public Health bodies silent or complicit. Disgraceful.
Thank you, and keep it up!
https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/commentisfree/2024/apr/28/learn-lessons-covid-before-another-deadly-disease-strikes-observer-letters
Desmond Whyms
France
Thank you for this! I wear a mask at work and in public because I am protecting my partner who’s in his 5th year of long-Covid. It’s a damn shame wearing a mask became so politicized.