Wearing a mask in public has become the subject of heated debate in recent weeks. We think this is silly. Like so many things with COVID-19 the science may not be perfect, but the anecdotal evidence is pretty clear. You should always wear a mask when out in public, especially if you’re going to be inside. If they didn’t think there was a benefit, then many of the world’s largest airlines wouldn’t make face coverings mandatory and what do you have to lose? Not much, but you have a lot to gain. When you wear a mask you’re saying I wear this to protect you, will you do the same for me?
But It’s Uncomfortable
That’s what a lot of people said when seatbelts became mandatory and yet, here we are 50+ years later with countless of lives saved and very few people still complaining about having to wear seatbelts. It’s become a habit, a safer way of life. The same could be said about having to drive at a certain speed limit, having a boating license, wearing a helmet on a motorcycle, you get the gist.
What Do Doctors Say?
The WHO and CDC have waffled a little on this, but both organizations now recommend the use of face masks. They see the clear advantages. As COVID-19 can be spread by asymptomatic people, potential spreaders can be passing along the virus without even knowing they are sick. So you could be you passing it on unwittingly to a person you come into contact with, or someone else could be giving it to you, and neither of you would know at the time. This is why everyone show wear a mask.
It’s Not Something I’m Used To
That’s probably true if you live in the west, whereas people in Asia tend to be more familiar face masks, as a result of pollution and virus spread in the past. And as a result, North America and Europe have had far less adoption rates than Asian countries have in response to the Pandemic. But there’s no denying countries with widespread face mask usage such as Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam have fared much better than countries like Italy, the UK and the US.
And You Can Adapt
Think of wearing a face mask being like learning to eat with chopsticks. Most westerners find them uncomfortable, awkward and maybe even embarrassing to use at first. But once you get the hang of them, you realize for noodles, rice dishes and many other meals they’re more efficient, easier and make the experience better. Could you imagine eating sushi with a fork?
We promise you, if you adapt the same commitment to learning to wear a face mask that you would invest in learning to use chopsticks, you’ll quickly feel the same way. Worn correctly they’re safer, smarter and tell the rest of the world that we’re all in this together. Every time you don a mask you’re saying I wear this to protect you, will you do the same for me? At the very least this sends a message of respect for one another.
