The Shaming of the Unmasked

If you are wondering why masks have suddenly become mandatory only now that our curves are flatter, that’s a very good question to ask Anne Frank.

If you are following governor’s orders, sheltering at home, social distancing, you are being responsible and making the world safer for everyone, right? So, can you believe some people are out there not wearing masks or distancing?

You are responsible, and for civil rights too. Those cashing in lifetimes of liberty for momentary emotional safety may lose both.

Isn't this the moment for we the people, not us versus them?

Some people act on their desire to report on others who are not following the new rules. Isn’t that the sort of behavior that put Anne Frank into hiding in the first place?

What if someone policed you for wearing a mask? 

A new scientific study proves masks are ineffective at filtering virus particles, and virus particles actually accumulate on mask surfaces. The authors note “Neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered SARS–CoV-2 during coughs by infected patients.” Of note, “we found greater contamination on the outer than the inner mask surfaces." Virus particles survive about 1.5 seconds in sunshine and fresh air, about 3 hours in the air, and about 3 days on surfaces. The authors found that the virus lasted longest - seven days - on the outer layer of masks.

Given this data, wearing masks might just prove more dangerous than not. 

Are we really going to mask our children when they return to schools? Children are least at risk, from the virus anyway, the long-term effects of childhood fear and anxiety will be worse.

Let’s face our fears with pandemic facts. We are going to have more cases, and most cases are not death sentences.

Except for those who have recovered from the virus, none of us have any immunity. It's deadly for a few, and death is both frightful and heartbreaking, but even the WHO website states over 80% of people infected will have mild cold-like symptoms. Like what Tom Hanks had.

We can't just hide away from from this, put a mask on and think we're not going to catch it or spread it. We have either had it, like 25% of the sailors and the population of NYC, or we should expect to catch it. 

Like the nearly two million New York City residents who had it and rarely knew it, most of our bodies are able to build antibodies, having mild or no symptoms. We know our antibodies protect us, at least in this season, as there are zero cases of recovered reinfections.

You might believe we are all safer at home, but what if the opposite were true? 

Many people earn their livelihoods through physical labor or movement of goods and services, and they can’t simply sit behind a screen and feed their families. If we are going to panic about rising cases in meat and vegetable processing plants, Amazon shipping centers and grocery stores, shouldn’t we shutter them all too? 

If no life is worth risking, why is it fair to demand essential workers risk theirs? If they have to go to work, why don't you? With over 50 million employees and gig workers out of work and counting, when will you draw the line? Will you stand up to your governor when others are starving or wait until you are starving?

Maybe you believe you can hide away until there is a vaccine?

Certainly, there is an at-risk population that should remain sheltered and supported, the data shows people older than 65 with pre-existing conditions comprise over 75% of fatalities, and 84% of fatalities occur in people with other serious health issues. 

The CDC provides historical data proving coronavirus vaccines are only ever about 40-60% effective. Meaning 60-40% remain at risk even after a vaccine. Meaning this lockdown routine is never ending. And here's how our states and municipalities will expect us to pay for it.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out you are better off being one of the 80+% who builds their own antibodies. With antibodies I could hug my aging parents again. Then I would uncast my vote for our unclothed emperors.

So please, before you post to police, take a page from Anne Frank’s diary and write your thoughts down in a private journal instead. Anne Frank offers us lessons of resilience, kindness and grace in the face of tragedy. "Whoever is happy will make others happy too."