Common Sense: To Mask or Not

What is appropriate and not appropriate re-entry practices doesn’t appear to be the same for all people. Some are unsure that PPE will help reduce the spread, do any good or provide enough benefit to bother. This writer is weighing in with loving your neighbor means caring about the other as much as yourself.

A nurse did a video that showed examples of cross contamination while wearing gloves. She did a great job demonstrating how glove, inappropriately used, would continue the spread. She did not duplicate that same process with bare hands and that is the reason for this message. Hands, not appropriately washed or sanitized, would do the same cross contamination. Her point was that gloves are not an end-all solution unless they are used appropriately -- definitely not a safeguard if the “process” is not observed. Gloved or ungloved hands will cross contaminate if washing with soap or hand sanitizer is not used after touching possibly contaminated surfaces. 20 seconds in either case is recommended whether you are washing or using hand sanitizer

Those young and with no health issues known may be willing to take the chance and get the virus. They may think their chances are probably with the 98% so they don’t bother with the precautions. What they are also doing is making themselves a potential asymptomatic carriers and could be taking death to an at risk person, in the 2% category if they don’t protect others from themselves. Loving your neighbor as yourself is sometimes inconvenient.

Then, there is the mask issue: Both parties wearing masks and maintaining 6 feet of distance decreases the odds of transmission. It is not fail proof, just changes the odds. Masks lower the odds of a carrier transmitting to another and doesn’t do all that much to keep the wearer from contracting the virus but provides protection to the other. Both wearing masks is an odds changer. Loving your neighbor means while it is inconvenient, even annoying to be all covered up, it could save a life if you are a carrier.

The 98% may just want to focus on getting back to work, taking care of their personal finances and the national economy, and that is somewhat understandable. We all want our lives back. The 98er’s may crave “normal” social interaction and activities, back to the way things were without modifying their past behavior. Adding the new precautions that can save lives just may seem too inconvenient and limiting but neighbor, friends and family are worth even this little protection.

If there is a second wave of this virus and this causes another shutdown, the financial cost could be more that can be imagined right now. The advances in economy could slide right down the drain. Without responsible re-entry, this could be a really big wreck. In fact, this might eventually be considered breaking the law. Not only will there be financial devastation but more deaths. Plus, more.

If a person is driving 100 miles an hour and causes a wreck that costs someone their life, they can be changed with criminal reckless driving. If this happened in a school zone and the death was of a child, the nation would rise in agreement that this was murder. The irresponsible person who was careless with another’s life will be required to pay for that decision to drive that fast.

The family of that child could potentially react in anger. Anger can result in more irresponsible actions, such as blaming a church for the action of one member of that church who drove 100 miles an hour and killed a child. They could put a bomb in that church and blow it up, killing hundreds. While this is a very extreme example, the point is that the chain reaction could set in place movements of division across the community, across the region, even across the nation. Out of control emotions happen when people think their beliefs somehow put them beyond the law.

Individual responsibility does matter, even when the actions required are inconvenient and interfere with our personal objectives for economic gain, for familiar activities, to the way things were… our comfort zone.

In relation to the COVID 19 pandemic, there are around 50 million adults over 65 according to a 2016 report from ACL which is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services. This is the high risk group for the COVID 19 and for other viruses.

There has been a lot of publicity about life years saved versus lives saved by following the guidelines for responsible “opening up” of the country. There are followers that are willing to sacrifice life years (the elderly) to be able to just return the “norm” which includes not participating in protective measures for others. In addition, many are saying that those that die of COVID 19 even if not in this age group would probably have died of something anyway so “norm” is just reducing life years for this already at risk group. That is true. I have never heard of any person who didn’t die on this earth except for a few Biblical examples. Death is expected at some point. Dying happens to everyone but choosing which of the group is expendable because of inconvenience is criminal because it not only takes away a person’s life, but the liberty to choose to live as long as possible.

There is a large and dedicated group who have chosen the medical career, meaning they are doing everything possible within human capabilities to help each person live as long a life as possible in as comfortable situation as can be provided. Most apparently agree that life is precious and should be extended as long as possible, vaccinating children to prevent diseases, taking BP meds to lengthen life, going through rounds of cancer treatments to prolong life, heart by-passes, et cetera.

Being responsible and being free in this country means that we have liberties up to the point that our choices do not limit or infringe on the choices or lives of others. Driving fast and killing children just is not acceptable. Exposing others to deadly diseases is just not responsible and not acceptable. Just as we are free to worship as we choose, we are not free to require other to worship in compliance with our beliefs. There are limits to our liberties.

Divisiveness means that we hold so strongly to our own needs and preferences that we are not willing to see other perspectives. It also can mean that we think we are above the law and that our views allow us greater freedoms than those that disagree. We don’t have to agree but we do have to live in a state of compromise to allow for differences. That, in a nutshell, is what this country is all about, responsible freedom and respect for the rights and views of our neighbors.

Many, maybe most, in this nation have been vaccinated to prevent measles. Many get annual flu and pneumonia vaccinations. We want to reduce the odds of getting these and we want to do this because we value our lives, all lives, infants up to the very elderly. Making the decision for others (elderly or at risk) that their life-years are expendable for the sake of not practicing social distancing and appropriate virus hygiene is irresponsible and infringes on their liberty to choose life as long as possible, just as the kid killed by the speeder was a victim of another’s choice

Confining the vulnerable class from all public places is also an infringement of their liberty. This set needs to be able to take care of their essential needs in public places with assurance that there are appropriate procedures for the protection of all. Of course, this doesn’t address all situations where the entire group may in agreement that in certain situations they want to ignore the guidelines. However, public places are publicly owned by all. Guidelines should not only exist but should be required in public areas for the protection of all people.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)