Unmasking raw feelings

Kootenai County residents split on mask mandate

Kootenai County experienced its first day under the Panhandle Health District mask mandate Friday, and the enthusiasm wasn’t exactly overwhelming.

As weekend patrons filled the streets of downtown Coeur d’Alene, bare facers easily outnumbered mask wearers.

According to the mandate, every person in Kootenai County is required to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth while in a public place where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Downtown’s vast park space, wide sidewalks and open-air aids individuals in keeping that distance. However, the long lines and packed eateries painted a different picture.

New signs outside take-and-go restaurants ask patrons to keep their distance, while others require masks to enter.

Following the PHD board decision, the Coeur d’Alene Public Library now prohibits patrons from entering the building without a protective face mask. Staff offer masks to patrons who do not have one.

“We have been concerned in recent weeks that as the number of COVID-19 cases has increased, that we have not seen a corresponding increase in the use of face masks by patrons,” library director Bette Ammon said in a news release Friday. “Until this point, the library staff has not had the authority to require masks and we are grateful that the issue has been decided by health specialists.”

Alison Campbell, 57, an employee of the library and Coeur d’Alene resident, has mixed feelings about wearing masks.

“They are uncomfortable, but if it’s true that they help keep the disease from spreading then I’m OK with wearing it,” Campbell said. “A lot of information just seems conflicting. I’ve always wondered how the disease can get in but can’t get out.”

She and some of the other librarians made their own plastic face coverings through the library’s 3D printer after becoming lightheaded in cloth masks. While the mask makes her feel more comfortable in a crowded area, she does question if it needs to be worn in some situations.

Since Costco officially began mandating masks in May, a trove of retailers including Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Albertsons, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Starbucks have joined the movement. Besides major companies, local establishments have set up their own regulations asking customers to follow various guidelines while on-site. However, some customers are still against wearing masks.

“Honestly I think it’s stupid. People are scared and making rash decisions affecting everyone,” said Post Falls resident Gavin Anderson, 42. “I don’t go to Walmart and Costco anymore because they mandate masks. I guess if everywhere mandates them I’ll have to do it, but I’m not putting one on until then. I’m over it.”

Others don’t share the same sentiment. Coeur d’Alene resident Henry Walker, 22, thinks the state of Idaho is late in taking necessary precautions to protect from a further COVID-19 spread.

“I think it’s pragmatic and I think we’re behind the country in terms of slowing the spread, so it is about time,” Walker said. “Some people just don’t see the full picture of coronavirus being tremendously destructive.”

It’s no secret that Coeur d’Alene is a tourist hub, bringing in visitors and potential new residents every week. The majority of people who move to Idaho are drawn to its outdoor recreation, community and political beliefs. Walter Varo, 54, and his wife are in town from San Mateo, Calif., scouting Coeur d’Alene for a future home. Both Varo and his wife experienced strict mask mandates in California and were excited to escape to North Idaho and breathe the fresh air.

“I hate the masks actually. My wife is a nurse and we think it’s all becoming political,” Varo said. “What they’re reporting as positive coronavirus cases are normal flu deaths and the flu is all year round. We’ve seen a couple of places requiring masks, and some signs on the street but no one is really wearing them [here].”

Some circumstances allow Kootenai County residents to not wear face coverings in public, including children under the age of 2, those with health conditions, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, when communicating with on-duty law enforcement officers or when eating or drinking. For Coeur d’Alene resident Kynzie Washington, 22, exceptions like these make the mandate more reasonable.

“For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, they use body language, facial expression, and reading lips a lot so I can definitely understand that side of it too,” Washington said. “I think it’s fair to say if you’re going inside, please wear a mask and social distance. It’s like going into somebody’s house and they ask you to take off your shoes to help keep the carpet clean.”

While Washington understands the masks aren’t the sole protectant against the virus, she sees it as one small step to helping stop the spread.

“I think of it kind of like covering your cough or your sneeze in your arm or your elbow,” Washington said. “Whether or not the masks work all the time or not it’s just a piece of fabric over your face. If it helps even a little, it’s something.”