Nicer In Masks, Or Not?
To the Editor:
This is in response to the editorial titled “Who is Behind the Masks?” Talk about assuming those not masked are doing it because they are inconsiderate, selfish, or worse, bad. Never mind considering one might have a medical condition that would prevent them from wearing a mask. As a reminder, they don’t have to disclose their condition and you don’t get to ask. But instead, in your editorial, they’ve been labeled and shamed. Just what we need these days, more labels and more divisiveness.
Let’s talk about non-mask wearers whether for medical reasons or not. Many people question the mask requirements and rightfully so. There is so much misinformation. Yes, the Surgeon General did urge everyone not to wear masks early on because of shortages and the need for healthcare workers. But he never mentioned old T-shirts folded several ways to cover your mouth and your nose, yet that is the example now shown in the video on the CDC website titled “How to make your own face cloth covering.” So why wouldn’t that have been communicated early on if masks and face coverings work? Surely everyone has an old T-shirt. More importantly, let’s look at some facts taken from the CDC’s own website https://cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/rr/pdfs/rr6601.pdf.
Page 1 of the PDF “Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza-United States 2017”, under the Summary, referencing NPIs nonpharmaceutical interventions, e.g., voluntary home quarantine of exposed household members and use of face masks in community settings when ill. Note: masks when ill. The guidance further discusses the use of masks by well persons and the possible benefits in certain situations but nothing about universal masking. Online for all to read.
How about something more recent, New England Journal of Medicine published 05/21/2020 titled “Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era. “What is clear, however, is that universal masking alone is not a panacea.
Full paragraph, access link below.
And there’s this gem from 2015:
Conclusions
This study is the first RCT of cloth masks, and the results caution against the use of cloth masks. Full paragraph, access link below.
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc4420971.
I find it interesting that when the Governor of CT signed the executive order requiring masks effective April 20, the IHME model had CT’s peak at April 21 which had been adjusted from April 15 prior to the mask order. See where I’m going with this? I think there’s a bigger issue with masks. You state it’s not political, but I question that along with the use of masks in general. Assuming your editorial attempted to “kindly” make a plea for folks to wear masks, it certainly could have been worded so much nicer. Again, assuming that was your attempt.
What happened to its “Nicer in Newtown”? Only if you wear a mask.
Mary A. Colon
11 Glen Road, Sandy Hook July 27, 2020
Editor’s Note: An emphasis was included in the editorial, directing readers to the CDC website for information on alternatives to mask wearing, for those who for various reasons cannot reasonably or safely wear one.