As the number of Covid cases decline, people have started resisting mandatory mask policies. There have emerged two factions, one is supporting the wearing of masks while the other side looks at the mandatory mask policies as restrictions on their freedom.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, masks have been an important strategy to slow down the spread of Covid 19. The early understanding of the functions of the mask was very limited but now we have enough data to make sound policies.
As the virus continues to evolve and people get used to the virus, the pandemic strategy should also evolve and there should not be left any doubt regarding the measure to fight the pandemic.
Why are masks important?
Wearing a face mask helps in preventing the spread of infection and prevents the individual from contracting any airborne infectious germs. When someone coughs or sneezes, small particles come into the air that could enter a person’s body. Face masks do not let these droplets enter into your respiratory system thereby eliminating the chances of contraction.
There are a few options in the market when it comes to masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given some new recommendations as new variants surge at various places on the earth. The agency suggested that people can choose N95 or KN95. It was said that the N95 mask offers the highest protection.
When to wear a mask?
According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, people should use masks the most when they are indoors or in poorly ventilated places. It is advised that at crowded places also one should wear a mask. At this stage of the pandemic when the majority of the population is protected, one could remove the mask in open places which are not very crowded.
Why are people against masks?
Masks do make people uncomfortable, it feels suffocating sometimes. It’s a similar situation as those who wear glasses get irritated when their glasses become foggy. These problems are genuine but it’s a matter of assessment to understand that if advantages triumph over disadvantages. Is it fair to take the risk?
Some people think that the mandatory mask rule is a curtailment of their fundamental rights. They believe that the government should not have the right to interfere in one’s personal choices. It has made a small chunk of the population mask skeptics.
The Internet has become a nest of conspiracy theorists. People are propagating conspiracies using the loopholes of scientific ambiguities. Several people fall prey to their fallacies.
When to expect a liberal mask policy?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in late April that people who are vaccinated can go to most of the places without masks unless it’s a high-risk zone. The Indian government continues to advise people to wear masks even if they are fully vaccinated.
Israel was the first country to lift the mandatory mask rule after it achieved a considerable level of vaccination rates. It is logical to adopt a liberal policy in places which have achieved high vaccination rates and where the virus is not in transmission.
A recent study published in Nature favors using the mask. Research shows that it cuts down the chances of transmitting and spreading. Even some studies suggest that masks might reduce the severity of infection.
It is normal for conspiracy theories to float at times of mass panic. If people don’t trust the government, they should research on their own because scientific evidence is very clear on the effectiveness of masks. Masks cause little inconvenience but their advantages outweigh the disadvantages by a huge margin. Face masks have saved far more lives than anyone could estimate, it is logical that we turn to scientific advice when it comes to the problem of this proportion.
Edited By: Aaradhana Singh
