The stunning news that President Trump is COVID-19 positive makes it impossible to ignore the importance of wearing protective masks to halt the spread of the virus. The President had frequently downplayed the role of masks. During the debate on September 29 only two days before his diagnosis was confirmed, he ridiculed Biden’s mask-wearing saying: “I don’t wear a mask like him - you could be 200 feet away from him and he’d be wearing the biggest mask you’ve ever seen.”

The fact is, wearing a mask offers protection for everyone. According to Stanford University’s Medical News, 40% of the people infected with the virus show no symptoms but nonetheless can spread the virus to others. Experts say there are three W’s to warding off the virus: Wearing a mask, Washing your hands, and Watching your distance. According to Stanford Medical News, “When an infected person is not wearing a mask, those particles can float through the air 30 feet or more and stay alive for up to 30 hours.”

There is little question that mask wearing can greatly reduce the spread of the virus. Recently a man flew from China to Toronto who was actually displaying some of the early symptoms of the disease. All 25 people sitting near him wore masks, and none of them subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. This spring, two hair stylists who were also showing early symptoms had close contact with 140 people. Everyone wore masks, and none of the 140 later tested positive.

Unfortunately, even though COVID-19 is a serious national health problem, fighting it has been crippled by the virus becoming a political issues with attitudes about its seriousness breaking down along party lines. According to a recent survey by Five-Thirty-Eight, 77% of Democrats are concerned about spreading the disease to others, while only 45% of Republicans feel that way.   

The resistance to taking scientifically sensible precautions stems from a variety of factors. Some feel the mask is an affront to their dignity or manliness. Others feel the state has no business telling individual citizens what they must do with their own bodies. This is an ironic point of view since Republicans opposed to abortion have little difficulty advocating laws that do precisely that for women, yet strenuously object to the same thing when it comes to masks.  In the case of an abortion, a single life is at stake. Not wearing a mask to choir practice could cause death or illness in dozens. 

According to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, ““COVID-19 is the most dangerous public health crisis America has faced in 100 years. It is still present in our communities. It is still spreading. And people are still dying from it every single day. This virus doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, a Republican or a Democrat, young or old. No one is immune. Not even the president."

By George Pipkin