My friend refuses to wear a mask

… just for the sake of an argument … 

The rules of conduct issued by health authorities in the current pandemic offend many who make serious judgements based on “superior” common sense rather than on science. And the ones who try to use scientific facts to convince these refuseniks, soon run into a wall of arguments based on aversion to science, conspiracy theories, “strong feelings,” and, last but not least, universal human rights. 

Imagine, … just for the sake of an argument … if everybody has the democratic and indisputable basic right to wear or not to wear what they want – i.e. to wear or refuse to wear masks in public, to protect themselves and others during a pandemic then, conversely, it would be logical to have the democratic and basic human right not to be exposed to and infected by others.  

Consequently, … for the sake of an argument …the one who infects another person as a result of ignoring the rules of conduct issued by the responsible authorities, say, during a wedding celebration, shall be sentenced … for the sake of an argument (and simplicity) … to one year in prison (in solitary confinement to protect other prisoners).

Further, a refusenik who becomes infected will be treated by medicaments for common influenza and … for the sake of an argument … without access to lung ventilators.

Maybe you would like to put this argument to test the next time you face a health protection refusenik.