Having examined the dwindling COVID-19 numbers in Texas, it is clear that they are doing some things right. Vaccination and good weather are no doubt parts of the Lone Star State’s success story, but I believe that dropping the mask mandate more than a month ago may also have helped.
I stirred controversy seven months ago when I postulated in a LinkedIn post that the mask mandate might be counterproductive. Since then, I have seen more reasons to dump the masks than to keep them.
If we were all robots that used masks appropriately, they would be a beneficial extra layer of protection. However, we are human and prone to make mistakes such as touching the mask with our hands, wearing it improperly, and not washing cloth masks regularly.
So, I bring to you today the Top 7 Reasons Why Governments Should Drop the Mask Mandate … which could also be called the #1 Reason I Will Lose a Lot of Friends Today:
(These are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the position of BIG Media, which never takes a position other than the truth but allows opinions to be posted in the BIG Mouth category. Your opinions are welcome in the comments section.)
7. Restricted breathing – it is no problem for me to wear a mask for one minute as I order my coffee, but masks impede breathing to some degree. The more we wear them, the more it will affect us, especially those with breathing problems who need not wear masks but often do so in order to avoid evil eyes and public shaming.
6. Skin in the game – it is no secret that wearing masks regularly, particularly in the case of those who must wear masks at work, can cause sores and rashes.
5. Superiority complex – the mask has become a symbol of moral righteousness in many circles, so great emphasis is placed on this small piece of the overall picture as more effective preventive measures go by the wayside.
4. Loss of connection – the value of exchanging smiles and other facial expressions is greatly underestimated.
3. False sense of security – every day, I see mask-wearing folks talking in each other’s faces behind what they feel are cloaks of invincibility but, in most cases, are porous and ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 to those in close proximity.
2. Don’t mask the truth – related to the previous point, I have observed this behaviour consistently over the last several months, and I encourage you to do your own research: when someone is not wearing a mask on a busy sidewalk or in a common area, people stay well away from that person to maintain at least a 2-metre gap. Better the devil you know than the one wearing a mask.
- Germin’ invasion – people with symptoms are more likely to go out and about, feeling that the mask will contain their germs. Some of you will call them selfish; I call them spreaders.
