Redemption NOW! A strong positive case for mask-wearing might be flu prevention

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/03/missouri-coronavirus-covid-culture-wars

“Forcing children to wear masks in school all day long flies in the face of science and could hinder crucial development by eliminating facial cues and expressions,” Schmitt said last month.

On Tuesday, a judge threw out Schmitt’s request to block public schools in Boone County, which includes the city of Columbia, and to expand the action to sue every school district in the state that has a mask requirement.

Health officials say that the twists and turns in their battle against Covid-19 are being profoundly complicated by political interpretations and posturing."

All of the posturing and arguing about masking needs to stop. Why? Because last year we wore masks and had no major flu outbreaks. If wearing masks and frequent hand washing is a dual benefit, i.e., eliminating the rapid spread of flu AND stifling the spread of COVID-19, I want to become the poster child for accepting the wearing of masks in all public spaces.

Think of the savings; fewer sick leave days for flu and COVID19, increased productivity, less economic stress on families, less stress on hospitals and Urgent Care/ Emergency Room treatment resources, et cetera.

USA, USA, we must take this opportunity to use masking, hand washing, and some baseline social distancing; for example, elbow or fist bumps become the rule and eliminate the handshake. Besides, shaking hands has devolved into a toxic male power ritual ( thanks to DJT and James Comey).

After Legionnaires' SARS and Ebola outbreaks, a tiny but noticeable portion of the USA has always worn masks in public. For example, chemo patients and people living with chronically immunosuppressed bodies.

Unlike other pieces you may read on this topic, I have a virus outbreak to support my opinions. In the fall of 2017, on a Wednesday or Thursday, a virus causing rapid onset of severe flu-like symptoms swept through the school where I worked as a Behavioral Interventionist. By mid-day, you saw our Nurses' swamped with sick and moaning students. You could see and hear teachers getting sick, and a few had to go home before the end of the school day. I started feeling bad right after lunch. By the end of the day, I had vomited violently and was aching all over during a harrowing drive with a colleague following closely in his vehicle.

I drove myself to urgent care. They were jammed up. And everyone appeared severely symptomatic. It took me three days before I could eat anything except soft, bland foods. If we had a mask and handwashing protocol in place, we might have dodged a viral bullet that day.

Let's at least try this. There is little to lose and much to gain in terms of better health and improved life expectancies.

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