Mask usage

One thing we can't do, though, is spread the impression that only older and at-risk people are in danger. You can still be infected even if you're a perfectly, robustly healthy young person--not developing any symptoms--and then pass it on to others, who may not be as immune to the virus's effects as you. Go to your beach party, frolic in the sun, and then come home and give grandma a big smooch on the cheek. Adios grandma.

What mask-wearing is being done here in my community (and it ain't much) is being done by older people. I've only seen a very few younger people wearing them. The thing is, I've traveled a bit within my state in the last few weeks, and in other cities, I see a lot more masks.

The only reason I can think of for the difference is the political leanings of people in the cities I've visited. Though I haven't researched it scientifically, there seems to be a negative correlation between conservative politics in a given city and mask-wearing; the more Republicans, the fewer masks. People in this town should be particularly wary because a lot of them are old, we don't have much medical services here, and we're isolated.

This is stupid in the extreme. It's like not wearing a seat belt because the President said he doesn't want to or it makes him look funny. Or injecting bleach because...oh, never mind.

90 percent of the folks I see in my area (Trumper Land) aren't wearing masks. I have two of the biggest hotspots in Indiana 15 miles from me in two different directions.

It is full speed ahead with openings too. I can even go to the local amusement park if I want.  The adjoing water park will be open in time for the 4th.

1.  Its all in the directive.  "Wear the mask."  If that isn't the directive, some will, some won't.   The waffling back and forth about who is protected hasn't helped.  Everybody is protected, including the wearer.

2.  The "personal freedom" argument is insane.   There are always occasions when sacrificing personal freedoms is an obligation.  This is one of them.   Just ask somebody who has suffered through the virus.  Or somebody who lost a loved one to the virus.  Tell them it is a violation of personal freedoms to be made to wear a mask.  Then step back, because that person just might want to take a swing.

Yeah, all those anti-lockdown protests with people waving "FREEDUMB!" signs. In point of fact, you do NOT have the freedumb to endanger your neighbors. In an emergency situation, you do NOT have the freedumb to go where you please, do what you please.

Maybe I'm a bit more vehement about this than others, having lost two friends to the virus and another fighting for her life in the hospital---not to mention several at-risk friends and relatives who are okay so far. The two friends who died were "recovering" 48 hours before they died. This shit is nasty. Our dear leader has been prattling for months now about how it's no big deal. That attitude, unfortunately, has infected many people.

I could see resistance to wearing a mask if it was all that uncomfortable or inconvenient. But it's not. Once you get used to it, you don't even realize you're wearing one. And they cost about forty cents each.

I guess all I can hope for in my little Trumper town is that there will eventually be some social stigma attached to failing to wear a mask when in public. But for now, it seems like it's more like there is stigma attached to wearing one.