THUMBS UP FOR MASKS FOR THE SAFETY OF US ALL

 I routinely read articles of people protesting the requirement that they wear a mask to access schools, meetings, stores, restaurants or any gathering where social distancing is not possible.  The common argument appears to be that a person has a right to choose to go maskless and that government has no right to limit such choice.  I find such argument bizarre.  The medical and scientific community have demonstrated strong consensus that masks protect not only the wearer but also others around them.  You may have the right to choose to become infected.  You do not have the right to choose to infect others around you.  The refusal to wear a mask is simply a selfish claim that the person can choose to harm anyone that they meet.

The wearing of masks is not one of personal convenience.  It is an act of medical necessity in order to begin to control this massive pandemic.  Masks clearly provide mutual safety to all.  No person has the right to infect others with disease any more than that person has the right to walk into a crowd with a lighted stick of dynamite.  As a society, we routinely require drivers to pass a test to obtain a license to drive a vehicle. We prohibit driving vehicles while under the influence of alcohol. In most school districts, we require children to be vaccinated to attend school. We are not bothered when shirt and shoes are required to enter a restaurant.  All citizens have a legal duty use reasonable care to avoid harm to others.  Such failure can result in being sued for “negligence”.   These standards all part of society’s compact to live together without causing each other intentional harm.  

Many have attempted to turn masks into political statement.  Others claim some vague constitutional right of choice.  None applies when their acts cause direct harm to others. To consider masks anything other than a necessary response to scientific and medical consensus is a fool’s errand.  The refusal to wear a mask is dangerous and can only lead to tens of thousands additional unneeded deaths and permanent medical harm.