Editorial: Wearing a mask and protecting our community is patriotic
Patriotic mask available on Etsy.
–On this Independence Day we celebrate the foundations of our American freedoms. The preamble of our Declaration of Independence some 244 years ago begins with: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
During this difficult time in American history, we can all take some simple actions to preserve our right to life and the right to life of those around us. Doctors have been wearing masks to protect their patients from infectious diseases for over one hundred years. So can we.
Science has shown us that up to 45-percent of people who contract SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, will most likely remain symptom-free. That’s great for them because it means only a fraction of people will get sick, and even a smaller fraction will require hospitalization.
But the asymptomatic spread of the disease is terrible for the most vulnerable people in our community. They include older adults, the obese (a Body Mass Index over 30), smokers, diabetics, asthmatics, immunocompromised, and people suffering from many other conditions.
As cases of the coronavirus surge, the governor is taking action and closing businesses again. This will surely add to the economic pain we have already suffered and extend the COVID-19 recession.
The state has mandated that we wear masks when we are around other people, however, enforcing this rule is impractical, if not impossible. It’s up to each of us to voluntarily make the right decision and take simple steps to protect the vulnerable and protect our economy from another round of closures, which could be followed by a wave of bankruptcies.
Let’s do the patriotic thing this Fourth of July and protect our fellow Americans, ourselves, and our local economy. Here are some things we can do:
- Keep our celebrations limited to a small group
- Enjoy the outdoors with fresh air and plenty of distance
- Wear a mask when around other people, and stay six feet apart
- Wash hands often, and avoid touching the face
- Stay home whenever you are sick or have a cough
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