MASKS: The case against them

There is no doubt that during this pandemic most people want to do the right thing. They want to do something. So wearing a mask for them seems a simple step in the right direction for doing good for the community. I can clearly tell you it is NOT. I have been a respiratory therapist licensed in Idaho and Washington for 35 years and dealing with infectious diseases and respiratory pathogens isn’t anything new to me.

Masks certainly have their place when used by trained personnel in proper settings. Putting on personal protective equipment, including masks and then disposing of it immediately following its intended use is fine. But wearing masks by the public in general, especially non-disposable ones, is only going to allow the SARS-COv-2 virus which causes COVID-19 to live longer and spread more effectively. Here’s why… Viruses and many other pathogens do much much better surviving in a higher humidity environment. The type of environment found in a face mask when being worn by Joe Q citizen. Now with Mr. Citizen who is wearing a mask, providing a nice comfortable home for viruses and other bugs, is walking around stores touching things. He’s messing with his mask and back to touching door handles, produce, shopping carts and touching that dirty mask over and over and then contaminating everything else he touches.

Imagine wearing a black mask. Now put your hands in white flour, which represents the coronavirus. How long before that mask is infected with white flour? Not long for sure. Now unless you sanitize your hands immediately every time after touching the mask, your hands are contaminated and spreading the virus.

This is not rocket science but simple common sense that many in authoritative positions simply do not understand. These people mandating mask use are acting on emotions and impulse and not science. With few exceptions, wearing masks is contra-indicated if you want to slow the spread of COVID-19.

KELLY GREENE

Hayden