Mandatory Masks... But, What About My Rights?

Recently, I have been seeing a lot of people sharing their thoughts about how mask-wearing mandates infringe on their rights. So now I would like to share my thoughts on that point of view...

To begin, you are correct to say that you have autonomy over your body and the healthcare decisions made for it. This is 100% true! However, mask-wearing is not inherently about your personal health (although it does help!!). Rather, the focus of mask-wearing is on population health.

The health promotion efforts focused on mask-wearing can be compared to how our society handles smoking. As a legal adult, you can smoke if you would like to. It is your body and you have the power to make that decision. However, there are health promotion policies in place that prevent smoking in establishments like stores and restaurants to protect the health and welfare of those around you. The policies aren’t saying that you can’t smoke, they are just saying that you can’t smoke “here”.

Mask mandates are established using this same train of thought. The policies are in place not to infringe on your autonomy or ability to choose for yourself, rather they’re made to protect those around you when you are in a space that is shared by the community.

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I hope that by sharing my thoughts and providing context for the health promotion policies being enacted, I can help to provide some clarity on why we are being asked to follow certain Covid-19 related policies.

With that, always stay safe, wear a mask, and be kind to others! ??

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Note -- My thoughts on this topic have been formed based on the knowledge I gained while completing my Master’s degree in Health Education and obtaining my Certified Health Education Specialist credential. If you would like more information or further clarification I would be happy to chat with you!