The man not behind the mask
How did we get drawn into a culture war over something as simple as a mask, which should be a primary weapon in a war against coronavirus? There’s a lot we don’t know yet about COVID-19. But one of the basic pieces of scientific information available is that the virus is easily spread by microscopic droplets exhaled, and inhaled, in crowds. At least one study showed that transmission of the virus is reduced by as much as 85% if people wear masks. You don’t need a degree in virology to realize that stopping those droplets in both directions would be beneficial to everyone.
Yet there are people screaming at other people about this pandemic being a hoax, saying that doctors and scientists don’t know what they’re talking about, and refusing to wear a mask. I must say I’m pleasantly surprised that I still see close to half of shoppers around Fayette County wearing masks even in stores that make them optional. (That number will surely increase since Gov. Wolf has just signed an order again mandating Pennsylvanians to wear masks when shopping and dining out.)
If only we had similar leadership from the president of the United States. Mr. Trump thus far — five months into this pandemic-has refused to put on a mask. It would have been such an easy reinforcing message to send to the citizenry that this is a serious health problem that could be more quickly overcome by mask-wearing. Everyone, especially his die-hard base, would think, “If it’s good enough for the president to do, it’s good enough for me.” By refusing to don a mask in public, the president communicates the opposite message.
I’ve never been laughed at or nor have I made fun of anyone with a mask. To the contrary, I’ve seen some big tough guys at Home Depot wearing masks while loading their carts with lumber and drywall, with no complaints. We’re all in this together.
It’s unfortunate that we have a president who is more concerned with how he looks on TV than in conquering this mysterious coronavirus to save lives and avoid misery. By urging states to reopen too quickly, Mr. Trump may soon undo the progress we made in the spring and damage an already crippled economy.
By the time you read this, it’s possible Mr. Trump will yield to his GOP congressional supporters who have been pressuring him to wear a mask. We’ll wait and see about that until it actually happens. After all, we’ve waited over four years to see the tax returns that he promised to release during the 2016 campaign.
Bernard Quarrick
Uniontown.