Will We Wear Masks Forever?

The Federalist ^ | May 28, 2020 | David Marcus

[Kaslin]

Are facemasks a temporary way to fight a specific virus, or will they become part of our "new normal?"

“I don’t care about philosophy, just tell me how it ends.” That line is repeated on the final page of Len Jenkin’s play ‘Dark Ride.’ I’ve been thinking about Len, whom I had the great pleasure of working with a few times, a lot of late. His work always creates a world a bit out whack, dusty and dim, characters engaged in slow motion chaos. Today’s creepy streets of masked New Yorkers feel like a Len Jenkin play, and all anybody wants to know is how it ends.

When can we take off the masks? It’s a simple enough question. Three months ago pretty much nobody outside of recent Asian immigrants in urban Chinatowns donned the face protectors, but now they are ubiquitous. As with so many changes the Chinese virus has wrought on our lives, the emerging question is whether the changes are temporary and specific to this one threat, or if they will become permanent.

After all, even if the virus disappeared tomorrow through some force of magic, facemasks would still be an effective tool to slow the spread of other deadly diseases like the flu. If the philosophy is that changing our ways is worth it if it “saves one life,” then the end of this will be everyone wearing masks at baseball games and plays, in airplanes and shopping malls.

And mask wearing is, as its proponents point out, a small thing. Just like keeping six feet apart is a small thing, just like not attending church is a small thing, just like being contact traced is a small thing. But the thing about small things is that when you stack them up they can get pretty big. The “new normal” like a pointillist painting will be constructed of small dots that together create an entire vision of reality.

The whole coronavirus crisis has been a long exercise in cost benefit analysis. But as deaths decline and states reopen the crisis may be abating, but its social after-effects could be with us for a long time to come. Is there a metric that can be reached which would mean we could take off the masks? If so what is it? It is my very real fear that for many Americans the answer is no, and they will wear the mask until something other than a virus takes them to their graves.

This is a discussion that we need to be having. Because if we are to become a nation of faceless mask wearers it ought to be an active choice, not a jaundice we creep into by being peevish. We must be in control of the lifestyle changes that come from this experience, not controlled by it. Nor should we acquiesce to medical experts in making these decisions. They have a role to play, of course, but it is not dispositive, nor are they always right anyway.

In emergencies people and societies react fast, often in inefficient and ineffective ways. Life becomes about getting through the moment, not about creating a future. We are now two months into this unprecedented season of death and economic devastation. It is time to look forward.

For my part I reject the idea that the facemask should become a permanent mark of American life. I want to smile at people; I want to see facial expressions and a pretty woman’s lipstick. These are not minor aspects of life; they are deeply ingrained in the experience of being human.

The final line of ‘Dark Ride’ is delivered by a disembodied voice, Len loves a good disembodied voice, it says, “Those who wish to ride again stay in your seats. A man’ll be around to take your tickets. Those getting off, step lively. Exit to your left or your right.” I’m ready to step lively; unlike Len’s play this dark ride is no amusement.

Will we wear the masks forever? Will some of us? Will that mark some division in our society? Is that the mark we want to leave on the world? Do we want to explain to our kids that there used to be a world where faces abounded and fear was not the coin of the realm but we destroyed it? These are the questions we have to answer and we have to answer them now.

[mowowie]

Those thing must become festering bacteria breeding grounds after a day or two.
keep wearing the mask Karen and all of your scared lefty friends!

[Phil DiBasquette]

You should report that f’er

You’re not a Karen when you’re doing the right thing

[MayflowerMadam]

“they told me it was mandatory that I wear one. Guess I’m looking for a new doctor!”

As far as I know, ALL healthcare facilities require masks. I wish I could find one that doesn’t; I’ve tried. (If you find one, and live in E TN, let me know, please!)

[RummyChick]

That’s right.

MAY

As so much is STILL unknown...it is MAY..with just about everything to do with this disease...including what drugs MAY work on any particular case

The word MAY as it relates to this disease (and the idiots at the CDC) should give you pause..but it probably doesn’t.

Don’t wear a mask if you don’t want to but you should not make fun of people who do.

[rxsid]

WHAT ABOUT THE EYES?!?!

Viral Infection of the Lungs through the Eye (Journal of Virology - Jan 2007)
"We establish the eye as a major gateway of lung infection and offer potential strategies for treatment of ocular inflammation and prevention of the disease."

How does Coronavirus enter through your eyes?
"Coronavirus can enter your eyes either through a form of aerosol transmission. This can happen when particles are propelled by somebody with the virus coughing or sneezing. Alternatively, if you have the virus on your hands from touching a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes, you can infect yourself."

More...[1] [2] [3] [4]

If you want to EFFECTIVELY protect yourself against getting Wuhan-19, you MUST include protective eyewere/headware:

[freepertoo]

Don’t? Tried grocery shopping, recreating, worshipping lately without one?

[jetson]

I do only because I have lung problems.

[ronniesgal]

meh it was not worth my effort. I just put my stuff down and left. and I won’t go back there to buy ever again.
and she was the Karen.

[MayflowerMadam]

“The word MAY as it relates to this disease (and the idiots at the CDC) should give you pause..but it probably doesn’t.”

Everything about the WuFlu has been a “may” situation, since everything the “experts” have told us from Day One has been refuted later. Then it was re-stated and embellished. Then refuted again. Nobody knows the truth about it and, if they did, they wouldn’t tell us if it didn’t further the liberal narrative to take out Trump.

“you should not make fun of people who do.”

I don’t make fun so much; it’s more pity.

[RummyChick]

It depends on your area.

If I lived in a the middle of nowhere that had no cases I likely wouldn’t use a mask even though I am high risk

But that is not the case for me..and I will stay protected until such time as drugs are readily available that work.

I still see Drs saying they can’t get Genentech’s drug for the cytokine storm phase of this. Since I had a family member die from a cytokine storm I am especially cautious about that particular issue.

I have to go get the brakes on my car fixed. There is no way I am walking into that place without protection.

I have something I am ordering from Bulgaria just for this trip to get my car fixed.

[mom.mom]

So your point is - because there is a .01% of of the population not recognized or understood as potentially vulnerable to death by covid, we should shut down the country, stay at home, and wear masks?

[RummyChick]

I said if you don’t want to wear a mask...don’t.
You are taking personal and financial responsibility for your health.

Do what fits you.

But don’t say you know by looking at someone on the street that they aren’t vulnerable.

You have no idea.

[glennaro]

Until last night I was separating the disasterous effects of the governors' lockdowns (although these petty tyrants continue to blame "the virus") into severe damage to our economy (business closures; massive layoffs, etc.) and severe harm to our society (anti-social distancing; dehumanizing and anti-social mask-wearing/identity-hiding). But it's clear to me that these effects are truly inseparable.

That is, many businesses cannot function effectively if we must walk about fearful of everyone else and in a state of depression and anxiety resulting from the irrational compulsions to hide our faces and to maintain a 12-foot diameter quarantine zone (a "portable safe space") around each of us. It's a disgusting fad that must not be tolerated (much less encouraged as is the wont of Democrat/Left governors and, of course, "The Experts") lest our economic/societal recovery slow to a crawl ... even slower in most places than is occurring yet today.

From a social interaction perspective, how much enjoyment is there in visiting an amusement park, attending a concert or sporting event, or hosting a barbeque or a party when the attendees appear to be sick and belong in an infirmary ... scared senseless to shake your hand let alone hug an old friend?

These anti-social practices are having nearly as severe an effect on the long-term viablility of many businesses as the continuing lockdowns have had over the past ten weeks. This sh!t -- these disgusting and despicable actions and demands to keep people apart -- has to be condemned in the strongest possible terms and it must come to an end, lest we be faced with some sort of twisted, soul-crushing nationwide version of a Halloween nightmare for the foreseeable future and beyond!

[minnesota_bound]

#29 Newsom should be infected with the chinese virus and not given any medicine.
He and the NY mayor are major thieves during this pandemic.

[freepertoo]

I’m in the middle of nowhere, but I live in a Blue state...dirty looks, cussed out, shaming if you dare not to wear one. I tend to buy online these days. I really feel like my country was taken over in one night while I slept. This is not my America.

[saleman]

Anti mask propaganda?

Wear what you want. I’m not wearing a mask. Unless it benefits me. Hell I might want to rob a bank or loot a store or something.

[RummyChick]

I think it was Staten Island where they chased someone out not wearing a mask.

I can see where this whole thing could lead to violence in some areas.

[olivia3boys]

For example, a transparent bubble head appliance, with fans, could be designed to be comfortable. Think of some of the space helmets that Hollywood came up with in the 40s and 50s. (How about Mars Attacks?)

I went to visit my dad in his backyard the other day and he greeted me with a space shield type device on. It did look a lot more comfortable than a mask. And it was easier for me to read his facial expression and see his smile and hear him.

[gathersnomoss]

I will be contacting any and all companies that demand that I comply. They are privately held, and “The Mask Mandate” is their choice. I choose to take my business elsewhere. They will hear from me, as will Northam, who in fact does not give a damn.