Oak Bluffs steps up on masks

1. I’m sure that the Times reporting on the lack of compliance, along with more police and signage has helped to increase mask-wearing in crowded, outdoor areas. Thank you! It’s hard to imagine that there are still some people who deny medical fact or are so selfish that it’s even a subject of debate at this point.

2. A BIG SHOUT OUT to Amelie Loyot, member of the Oak Bluffs Association, for offering up her design expertise PRO BONO to create the beautiful banners, signs and posters that you see promoting mask wearing throughout downtown and at the harbor! Thank you Amelie!!!! Thanks to EVERYONE for contributing to this effort to promote safety during these challenging times!

3. This is progress but not enough. Here is an idea: handout golf umbrellas and have everyone carry one…that is distancing made simple…and fairly accurate. The average person does not from six feet, trust me on that.

4. I wonder if all those doom and gloomers that a couple of months ago filled these comment sections stating “there will be no summer this year’ and similar thoughts will now admit they were wrong.

   • I’ll be the first to stick my hand up and admit that I did not expect demand to be this strong. I was not expecting my summer rentals to be fully booked given the noise around cancellations 8 weeks ago. Glad the towns have tried to be creative in giving businesses a chance this summer.

   • I would be thrilled if we get our summer back, and our holiday season from Halloween through New Year. However, Dad is 93 and I’d like to enjoy a few more holidays. The family is enforcing distancing so that when when he goes, it won’t be from COVID-19.

   • There was no Spring, there won’t be much of a Summer.

   • Bs- Have you considered the fact that the island went into a very severe lock down to slow the spread of this disease and the projected number of infections dropped dramatically ?
     Have you considered that people who are choosing where to go on vacation are looking at those numbers ?
     If you were contemplating Miani or M.V and you looked at the numbers that showed M.V with one new case in the last 3 weeks ( antibody test confirming old case is not a new case) and Miami experiencing their highest number of new daily cases on a regular basis, where would you go ?
     I will admit I was wrong, but i was wrong because I didn’t think the leaders here would take such dramatic and effective measures. Those measures, which you likely opposed are responsible for a bouncing back economy here.
     Now, will you admit that you were wrong in your opposition to such extreme actions, which set the stage for the pictures we see today in o.B
     You can feel free to go Florida or Arizona and spend your money there.

     Have you considered that people who were skepticle about travelling here

5. The Orwellian nightmare continues unfolding.
   What comes next? The dictators might start by demanding goggles and gloves. Then, checking vaccination papers. Verifying social credit scores. Then – in the final solution – scan the subjects for the mandatory Gates quantum dot. (Take a guess who’s funding this horror movie.)

   After decades of spending thousands per season enjoying downtown OB, I’m not the only one who won’t spend a dollar there in a mask – a direct result of the petty tyrants imposing this absurd ‘new normal’. Was really looking forward to Petey’s facelift! Saving grandma, protecting the community, respecting others… what a pile of steamy bullshirt. It’s nothing less than bureaucrats abusing power and stripping freedoms. Like making our work force sit on their butts and beg for handouts. Like making us wear masks to enjoy a walk on the harbor. Outright abuse of power.

   It’s delusional – not to mention unconstitutional – to force citizens to wear masks in the open air. The people are being peddled utter nonsense… ginned-up ‘data’ from servile academic soldiers serving political power grabbers. Shrieking about ‘data’ is all we hear. (And, of course, it’s all Trump’s fault.) Not: that we’ve inexcusably failed to protect our seniors in care facilities. Not: that comorbidity is the most overwhelming factor. For most healthy folks, it was another flu and a time to be more physically separated and more hygienic. Some chose to wear masks… even after Fauci said they weren’t necessary. To each their own.

   Time to learn that .05 micron virus nuclei can pass right through N95, and that herd immunity is the proven overall winning strategy with flu viruses that occur regularly. Bandito bandanas btw are just silly props. Meanwhile the elderly and vulnerable have to take a whole other route. The general population could never provide the cover they need. Masks, of course, will always remain essential for hospitals and health care environments… effective when used with face shields.

   So we had a(nother) bad flu season. Average death in MA is 82… including overdoses, car accidents, suicides, strokes, etc etc. Comorbidity…obesity… compromised elders… sadly, it seems many don’t comprehend the flim-flam of skewed statistics presented to advance an obviously political agenda. I admit, it was scary early on this year when that Brit hack sold a model of 2M Americans dying – until it turned to be more bullshirt. Off by magnitudes. The madness should have stopped when it was found bogus, months ago, and focus put squarely on long-term care. Instead, jobs, businesses, and innocent healthy lives got destroyed by arbitrary draconian edicts. And no, masks didn’t do squat to flatten the stupid curve. That’s just hype.

   The handwringing hysteria is so overblown. Wokescolds, gullible parrots, and preachy hipsters will learn how much they’ve infuriated the vast majority of working Americans, when a landslide buries them and their windup science puppets in November. I can’t wait. Too bad MA is a lost cause, but most of this great country still has good common sense. The silent majority rejects government overreach and welfare state mentality – while embracing smaller government, independence, equal opportunity, law & order, and meritocracy decided by a free market. With nobody dictating what the heck we wear on our bodies. Nobody locking down an entire economy for the flu.

   “Be careful! There’s a flu going around, again. Keep your distance. Stay home if you’re sick.” I’ve been heeding that simple common sense for decades. It hasn’t changed a bit. And I’d rather expire in a cardboard box under a bridge before setting foot in a nursing home. Offspring are who should personally escort their ailing elders to the exit. All kids should plan on it. Make the time no matter what. I know when my turn came up a couple times, it was a solemn privilege as well as a moral obligation.

   I know this much: for most people, it’s much more beneficial to let the sun shine on your face, and share the warmth of your smiles, than it is to live in fear behind mandated symbols of submission. But if you don’t feel safe, by all means, choose to wear a mask or stay away from people who scare you. You have those freedoms. Just remember, other people’s freedoms do not end where your fear starts.

   So, evidently, the freedom of choice is now against the ‘law’ in certain American towns. I feel absolutely certain that millions of our forefathers who sacrificed everything to protect that precious freedom would be disgusted to hear about such capitulation.

   And dear readers here can take comfort that neither I nor my circle of family & friends who shun masks will ever be “endangering” you. You’ll not find us anywhere near you virtuous folks who shoot nasty glares from behind your face drapes. Personally, I have not entered one single door on this island besides my own since February. Nor will I before these stupid edicts cease. (Clearly, I’m not a very well trained seal.) Heck, I never ordered any household supplies online before March… spending elsewhere is truly heartbreaking after being loyal to so many local venues for most of my life. I HATE sending money into the online pit. Lockdowns killed immeasurably more than the virus. And now $300 fines??

   Contemplating putting the family farm up for sale now, after the bewildering ineptitude of MA governments and especially local health department tyrants this year. Seeing my many friends in construction trades and landscaping forced to stop working for months was very, very painful. While the state said they were essential, local officials caved to nattering ninnies and made them suffer. Inexcusable and outrageous! Let’s not forget, that was while potential new carriers just kept on comin’ off the boat every single morning, week after week, unhampered (and, un-masked!). Now in June the summer population is threatened with severe fines if it fails to heel. Good grief. How long before it’s a jailable offense? Arrest that unmasked man!

   • Nailed it! Thank God someone gets it.

     • When one of his loved ones dies what will his nail look like?

   • Well, I can understand how hard it must be to bite off your nose to spite your face, while wearing a mask, old farmer. No wonder the idea is anathema to you.

   • Viruses do not have nuclei.

     • Viruses are not living organisms they require a host cell to reproduce and are very small the masks we are required to wear cannot filter the COVID-19 virus.

       • But masks do stop many of the droplets that carry the virus. They work. Check the literature.

     • You do not need a nucleus to kill.

   • OldFarmerGuy,

     Trump is precisely what Orwell warned us about when he described cult of personality, to the point where you can cite his text and find Trump propaganda to match. Keyword search: savior.

     But sure. Go off.

     I thought about correcting your scientific misunderstandings but am too tired from the last batch, and really, information is not what you’re looking for here.

     I trust that you were enraged over George Floyd’s murder, given that you’ve now parlayed a civil fine into threats of arrest and the worst thing to happen to American rights recently. If $300 gets you this riled, then loss of life at the hands of Tha Man must have you seeing stars.

     I feel like there’s a glitch in the matrix because right below your post, we have another self-described old man ranting about Orwell. lol. Please tell me someone else had this thought.

     • Thank you, oldfarmerguy, you prove my point. Reading comprehension is required to understand the context of an well though out argument, failing this the fall back is to chant slogans which will get you likes and raise your social media presence. No farmer it is not always about Trump or race its about facts, put down your phone and read Orwell use your mind then you can begin to understand that the world is not all social media. Your condemning and trying to shame anyone who does not adhere to your opinion is an emotional response enabled by social media which amounts to censorship much like the Nazi’s burning books. Perhaps you should turn off the phone and read Orwell. I would welcome you to the world of ideas where discussions about topics such as rights and civil society are done so with thought discussion with context, ranting is what people do when they fear an educated discussion.

   • Unfortunately many in millennial generation have not read Orwell and do not have the educational grounding to understand your concerns. They will protest against injustices without understanding that the government is enforcing unconstitutional rules therefore denying their fundamental rights and freedoms.

   • I love you.

   • Old man- I for one think this is a great time to sell your farm and get off the Vineyard.
     Don’t let the door hit you ars on the way out.
     There are plenty of states that are going back to business as usual.
     Hope you are not over 65. All those states have rising corona cases, and if you don’t believe the fact that it is deadlier for older people, go and enjoy your freedom without fear.
     Honest, you won’t get it if you believe it is not dangerous.

6. It is easy for non-business owners to make judgements using emotional science (actual science is complicated and requires effort to understand) not a link from Facebook, its not your money that is evaporating. It won’t be long before the economic crisis grows into a depression with the suffering reaching even the virtue signalers, destroying businesses, dreams, families and more lives than COVID could ever do. Democracy was born by people willing to take a risk not by people sitting at home pointing fingers. Martha’s Vineyard is part of the United States and the constitution gives us all the right to peaceful assembly, those who live in fear have the right to stay home. How can you not understand that once government is enabled to restrict our rights that it is one more step toward tyranny. Democracy is at stake here, the rights you enjoy came from generations of hard work, sacrifice and blood. Tell the scared young man about to step onto Omaha Beach in 1944 how willing you are to discount his sacrifice and trade the rights he fought so you can feel safe. It is a sad reality that half the population makes decisions based self interest, based on emotion without regard to the consequences to others. How is it that so many Americans know so little of this countries history. I suggest it is the public education system has lost course and created a population of robots searching for meaning by staring at an electronic oracle created by corporations as an instrument of control. Read Huxley and Orwell, then ask yourself which virus is worse the social media that controls your mind or COVID which we can control with science and solid leadership without trading our rights.

   • Well said! Bravo.

   • So, are car seats and seatbelts out, too, because my dad fought the Nazis? It’s a mask. Put it on.

7. Ah, yes, the eternal question: Who was that masked man? Hint: It wasn’t Tonto.

8. Jackie, you confuse rights with privileges, you have the right to assemble driving a car is a privilege for which you are required to have a driver’s license.

   • It is easy for business owners to make judgements using emotional science (actual science is complicated and requires effort to understand) not a link from Facebook, it’s their your money that is evaporating. It won’t be long before they ignore all the science in pursuit of the almighty dollar.

9. In Nazi Germany you were required to wear a star if you were Jewish, I would argue that most Germans were not anti-Semitic at the beginning in the early 1930’s and went along because the government said so and by doing so created the situation where your father had to leave home to battle the Nazis. If you don’t study history you are doomed to repeat it.

   • Oh, brother.

     • And put your mask on, please.

       • Jackie will you at least admit that at one time the experts wanted to flatten the curve and not overwhelm the hospitals and health organizations. Now people like you want something else. You want no more Covid cases until we get back to normal. Will you at least admit that or are we missing something?

         • Andrew, people like you make bets on how many human beings will die of this disease, and then, when they lose the bet, they don’t pay up. Covid doesn’t care about what I want, what you want, what anyone wants. I don’t admit anything to people like you. And who is “we” supposed to be? I know what you’re missing– don’t know who the royal “we” is supposed to represent. Trump supporters? Evangelicals? Republicans? Racists? Is there a “we” that agrees with your statements about how dirty Chinese are, for instance? Did you know your chosen one has used a racist slur in naming this pandemic, “Kung Flu?” Why would racist views that insult every Asian American be something that is part of this discussion? I have nothing to admit to you.

         • Andrew, do you actually want more Covid cases until we get back to normal?

         • Andrew, will you at least admit that the experts were responsible for flattening the curve ? Statistically speaking , if 47 % of the population doesn’t believe in evolution , thinks the earth is about 6,000 years old, and thinks everything that contradicts the decrees of the great leader is fake news, how did we manage to flatten it ? Remember the great leader told us it would all be gone in April 2020 ?
           It was because most people can actually understand when their lives are in danger.
           yes, Jackie, and people like me, want the infection rate and the death rate to continue the downward trend we are currently experiencing. Are you serious with your comment that we want something else ? You are dammed right we want something else- we want something other than a plateau of this disease where only a thousand Americans die every day.
           It is not a direct trade off between reducing death and opening the economy. The economy can be opened carefully and with safety measures in place. Idiots who value their “freedom” to expose others and themselves to this virus are slowing the very economic recovery they want. Responsible leaders will not trade dollars for death. Responsible patriotic citizens should be willing to suffer the indignity of “looking like I live in China” (quote attributed to “Andrew”- on this forum), to save the lives of vulnerable people and allow the economy to recover in a safe way. Will you at least admit that you lost a wager that you publicly proposed ?
           Will you at least admit that you don’t want to honor that wager because you are a person of low moral values who thinks one’s word is of little value and need not be honored if inconvenient for the person making the promise.
           I do not feel the need to bore the readers here with the full text of your proposal and my response AGAIN , but I will do so if needed.
           Andrew, you claim to be a multimillionaire, and have publicly stated that I am a “mediocre carpenter”.
           So the $1000 is chump change to you, and I am committed to donate it all to the hospital. Who’s the “chump” ?

         • Andrew, yes, we wanted to flatten the curve. Now we are trying to maintain that progress by putting some prudent measures in place while opening up. It is possible, even likely, that a virus like this can spike again, especially if we proceed without any caution. I don’t understand the objection to the protocol. Many said that the country had to re-open. That’s true. So we are using what we have while waiting/hoping for a vaccine. No one thinks masks or distancing are a perfect solution. People will, unfortunately, continue to get sick no matter what we do. But why wouldn’t we limit that to the best of our ability while trying to reboot the economy? No one that I’ve seen is demanding we stay closed up forever. But throwing caution to the wind isn’t remotely okay.

           I just don’t get it. If you want businesses to thrive, be anti-droplet. On a local level, support creative people like Adam Epstein. He came up with a good plan and was shut down for his troubles. The biggest threat to the economy around here is the naysayers who would rather complain than turns lemons into semi-sweetened lemonade, just for the sake of being disagreeable.

10. Everyone cool down. We are here today because our ancestors did not die from the Bubonic Plague, the Spanish Flu, Asian flu, Hong Kong Flu and others with no name and other assorted ills that came down the pike, no antibiotics, no modern medicine, everyone just simply croaked unless their immune systems were such that they made it through. People are becoming way too hysterical…we can only deal with the information we get from the experts, which seems to change as the experts learn more about this virus. More are coming at us, so it behooves us to stay calm and carry on….do unto others…….

    • Many of our ancestors did die from the Bubonic Plague, the Spanish Flu, Asian flu, Hong Kong Flu and others with no name.
      I had two great uncles who died of the Spanish Flu.

      In the 6th century 9.5% of the human population died from the Bubonic plague.
      In 1347 it killed 1/3 of the population of Europe (no reported deaths in the US).
      The Spanish Flu killed 675,000 Americans, 15% of our population.
      Will you consider Covid – 19 no big deal if only kills 2,200,000 Americans?
      Will your attitude change when your extended family members die?
      You?

      • Ajay– we gotta love ya– you are absolutely correct that there were no deaths from the plague in the United States in 1347.
        Good job doing that research.
        Could you check on that for the 6th century as well ? A lot of people are saying that it was devastating to America back then, but the liberals burned all the records of it because they hate history.

11. What bothers me most, is that there are all these “phases” to re-opening that everyone is obligated to abide by. This has occurred at different rates around the world, and understandably so. Regardless, why follow any steps to this process, when people are welcome to fly in with Covid-19 from anywhere they’d like? Visitors are lost, they’re not following business protocols, they aren’t wearing masks, and most importantly – they are too vacation-minded to navigate our community safely.

    But then again, 2 weeks ago the world took to the streets and no one got Covid, weird right? If no one is following protocol, and no one wishes to enforce it, let’s just lift all the restrictions and call it a day.

    • Lots of people got Covid – 19 from taking to the streets.
      Just like lots of health workers got Covid – 19 from going to work.
      They both consider their work to be vital to the nation’s health and prosperity.

12. “Old Man”, we’re just trying to keep our businesses and citizens healthy by using what we have at our fingertips — masks, social distancing, soap. Nothing drastic. Don’t conflate that with the targeting and murdering of millions. It’s beyond disrespectful, and you may dislocate a shoulder from reaching that far. The only real Nazi threat in 2020 America comes from those who show up to rallies with bona fide Nazi symbols and slogans and those who defend it. Where do you stand on this issue?

    This is one bit of rhetoric that I have trouble keeping my cool over. Some of the very same Nazi-excusing folks want to pretend that *they* are victims of a Nazi-esque regime. Over a piece of cloth? You cannot steal a group’s history and pain and repurpose it without proof of similarity. A sunny day spent strolling Circuit is not approaching Nazi Germany, unenforced fines be damned. Since you are suspicious of their use, what do you think the end game is with masks? What are they priming us for? Genuine question.

    There is an American right that beats out freedom of assembly — the right to life. It was (supposedly) built into this country’s foundation. Granted by nature, not man, meaning it supersedes the man-made laws that followed. That’s what unalienable indicates. There is no constitutional argument for knowingly exposing others to disease when the most basic right we have is to life’s preservation. If you are going to fall back on the founding fathers, please refrain from cherry-picking. The framework has to be examined as a whole.

    I’m still waiting for some pro-business commenters to explain why you’re resisting masks at all. They are key in allowing you to re-open. They help you to make money. Why fight your own interests?

    You assume far too much about how people come to hold their beliefs. Not everything is absorbed via social media. Sure, some treat causes as trends. I’m no fan of that. But others have always objected to racism because we have seen it in practice far too often. Just like some of us trust in science through experimentation. You claim that the kidz of today can’t understand what it looks like when rights are denied. Are you implying that George Floyd was afforded due process? Can you please show me the law that says a man can be executed on the spot over an unproven matter of $20? If not, I wouldn’t belittle anyone else’s grasp on the system. Some are more upset about fines than a power-happy death sentence that played out before our eyes. And yet you think *we* need to deconstruct Orwell for clues.

    • Aquinnah– once again. you have nailed it. Your comment to old man was very articulate, very much on point, very true.
      thanks for contributing..

      • Thanks, Don. ????????????

13. I had dinner on the OB Harbor Saturday night and watched two officers walk SHOULDER TO SHOULDER through throngs of unmasked people and right by the Hy-line ferry line– a line which had zero social distancing and almost zero masks. How many things are wrong with that picture?
    I’d LOVE to see our economy and regular life restart but I feel unsafe walking through a crowd of unmasked people and would probably stay home next time. I am disappointed that masks are not truly compulsory. When I contacted the OBPD and Hy-line about my concerns, neither was reassuring. Apparently the board of health is supposed to enforce the fines.
    It doesn’t have to be political– masks make it safer for everyone. I don’t care if you write a candidate’s name on yours!! Let’s just all come together (distantly!)) on this one because it seems it’s up to us, ordinary citizens to make it happen and the US vs. THEM gets us nowhere good . . .
    Oh, and a shout-out to the Coop who did a great job creating a sanitary and fun environment! Lots of sanitizer, cleaner, etc. going on between the wing and beverage deliveries!

    • Moira– perhaps we could take the trump approach and just spray them with pepper gas as they come off the boat. They would put masks on then .

14. People along OB harbor were NOT wearing masks on Monday 6/22. I saw no one asking them too wear masks except mask were required on VTA bus and Hyline Ferry. I saw no one out there encouraging masks be warm. For 2.5 hours I walked around the harbor. I saw one medium size sign posted by Nancy’s and about 300 people and counted only 40 wearing masts. By Island Queen & Patriot 6 of 100 people had masks on. I never saw one harbor master assistant or town employee. Then I finally saw a young OB police girl and very politely asked her What is the OB mask wearing policy – her immediate defensive response was Police can’t not force anyone to wear masks, she repeated that 3 times and walked away saying I should call the Chief.
    If people are not actively promoted and encourage by example they will not wear masks and the virus will spread and grow.

15. The comment section is a example of the cognitive dissonance of many in American Society, the willingness of unknowing to believe the propaganda from the government and the media. Understanding and reason require self education, not from social media feeds which are manipulated to target your emotions but from research and discovery. The government and media are manipulating you playing on your fear and envy, its a well know government technique to control the population. By blaming someone else you attempt to silence educated discussion, using pepper gas is right out of the fascist play book Don, as you well worn SJW script about Trump, it adds nothing new. Educate yourself and bring something valuable to the conversation. I challenge you to post pear reviewed science on paper or cloth masks ability to reduce transmission of any virus. And Don who is we? Did you inform Morira that she was going to be part of your pepper gas assault on innocent men, women and children who have a constitutional right to enjoy their freedom? No Don your a SJW the same tactics that you would call fascist, in your mind are quite acceptable when people do not conform to your opinions.

    • “OldMan”, I think Don was being sarcastic. He’s not really going to go out and spray little kids. lol. You lecture on our inability to focus, but more than once you’ve reacted emotionally to hypothetical threats instead of the factual things happening in our country.

      You continue to use vague language and complain about social media without ever saying much. You claim to want a real discussion, yet I challenged you on some very specific points and even asked a question of you, and unless it hasn’t been posted yet, you didn’t answer. Telling. There is nothing emotional about citing America’s founding philosophies, for example. But to reply to that means you’d have to admit that assembly is not our lone right.

      You can continue to think everyone gets their info from “social media”, but there are better sources, and we all have different experiences that may play into what we make of these topics. How could you possibly know where a stranger’s experience starts and ends? It’s just easier for you to ignore what you don’t like than to offer a detailed and specific reply. I, for one, don’t even use social media like Insta or Twitter, with the exception of checking up on Thoughts of Dog (@dog_feelings) once a week. Because come on, that’s just the cutest thing in the world.

      Or are they manipulating me into thinking doggos are adorable? ????

      If you have some link or piece of information that you want us to consider, please post it. But don’t just flex about how stupid and obtuse everyone else is in place of making a solid point. That’s about your ego, not educating anyone.

    • Hey old man– trump is your guy. He sprayed innocent people with pepper spray so he take a walk to a church and get a picture of himself showing off the bible which he was holding upside down and backwards. If you watch the video , he even checked that he dad it right, but didn’t realize that when he raised his arm to show it off it would be different. You know that part of the aptitude test where you have to flip a 3 dimensional object ? I suspect trumpie didn’t do well with that.
      Good that you agree with me , and the liberal point of view that using pepper spray on peaceful people exercising their constitutional rights is a fascist tactic. Did I say I thought it was acceptable ?
      Good luck selling your farm.

    • OldMan, “I challenge you to post pear reviewed science on paper or cloth masks ability to reduce transmission of any virus.” For the edification of all, here are a few sources that deal directly with your challenge. Granted, I am a subscriber, so they might be a challenge to access without a subscription.

      Lee, Joon Kee, and Hye Won Jeong. “Wearing Face Masks Regardless of Symptoms Is Crucial for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Hospitals.” Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 2020, pp. 1-2.

      MacIntyre, C Raina, and Abrar Ahmad Chughtai. “A Rapid Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Face Masks and Respirators Against Coronaviruses and Other Respiratory Transmissible Viruses for the Community, Healthcare Workers and Sick Patients.” International Journal of Nursing Studies, vol. 108, 2020, p. 103629.

      Islam, M Saiful, et al. “Current Knowledge of COVID-19 and Infection Prevention and Control Strategies in Healthcare Settings: a Global Analysis.” Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 2020, pp. 1-11.

      Gefen, Amit, and Karen Ousey. “Update to Device-related Pressure Ulcers: SECURE Prevention. COVID-19, Face Masks and Skin Damage.” Journal of Wound Care, vol. 29, no. 5, 2020, pp. 245-259.

      To be laconic, these articles share a common conclusion: Wearing a cloth mask helps reduce the spread and transmission of SARS COVID-2.

      • The studies suggest that community mask use could be beneficial, non of these studies stated conclusively that a cloth mask reduces the spread of COVID-19. OSHA’s Hospital Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit is an excellent resource for use of masks: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3767.pdf focused on the hospital environment it gives a very good explanation of what surgical masks can prevent. If is not nearly as technical as the studies cited above and very understandable. Requiring masks be worn taken in a vacuum without considering: social, legal and cultural issues ignores reality and only serves to confuse the public. In emergency response training you must evaluate the best solution based on science, best practices and an understanding of what is possible may not be optimal on all levels, to be laconic: stabilize the emergency with as little collateral damage as possible.

        • The social, legal, and cultural issues of wearing a mask? It’s a mask. It’s pretty simple. Put in on and show some respect for those in our community who are most at risk and may not even know it. People who don’t wear masks around other people are selfish and not smart. No confusion about it at all.

        • https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/06/10/2009637117

16. O,M., you issued a challenge, albeit not to me, to post a “pear (sic) reviewed science on paper or cloth masks ability to reduce transmission of any virus.” Well, here are a few examples, and all peer reviewed. To supply the reviews of these articles may be a bit beyond the scope of what is appropriate to post here. No social media, only research and discovery. (https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3767.pdf is not peer reviewed.) I could go further and cut-and-paste the citations of conclusive evidence that paper and cloth mask reduce the transmission of SARS COVID-2, but as you said you did not acknowledge this information on your first perusal, I doubt you would take anyone else’s word for it on the second.

Comments are closed.