Wearing face masks is not about you.
Regarding the June 4 PDN letter to the editors, it is sad and distressing to see people politicizing a public health crisis and even suggesting some sort of conspiracy theory to justify the disinformation.
Yes, it is true that early information regarding the use of masks to reduce transmission of COVID-19 was inconclusive, but recent studies and recommendations of health authorities clearly recommend the use of masks.
A May 28 Mayo Clinic article stated that up to 45 percent of infected people are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, and are contagious even though they look and feel fine.
This has led the CDC to update its guidance to recommend the widespread use of masks to help prevent transmission of the virus.
A June 2 article, “Live Science” by Rachael Retters, refers to recent WHO analysis of 44 studies involving more than 25,000 people in 16 countries.
The review found that in combination with other protective measures, face masks reduced transmission by more than 80 percent.
The wearing of protective masks is not so much about protecting the wearer, but about protecting others from inadvertent infection by people who don’t realize they are carriers.
It is understandable the people don’t want their activities guided by fear, but the message given by unmasked public exposure is not one of bravery and independence, but rather one of irresponsibility, indifference, and unconcern for the safety of others in the community.
The virus doesn’t care about politics.
It’s an equal-opportunity killer.
Nature bats last, and bats 1000.
Paul Hansen
Sequim