The Virus of Masks

There is a singular point about wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID that consistently gets ignored by the mask protesters — and that is that masks protect OTHERS.

Every breath that human beings expel goes into the air of those around them. 

Even though the people with a bare face may be convinced they are not carrying the virus (“I feel fine!”), there is a very real possibility they could be carrying a dormant form of the virus. Thus, although they may not be experiencing any symptoms, the culprit could very well be in their body … and being expelled with every breath.

This means that every person this individual talks to in the grocery store, at the bank, across the dinner table, on a nearby bar stool, etc., could very well end up on a ventilator –or worse– if that person happened to be someone with a compromised immune system.

Thus, when you wear a mask, you are protecting the “other guy.” Certainly there is benefit to the mask-wearer as well, but because of warped thinking and a demand for “personal rights,” Anti-Mask-Wearers ignore this very relevant fact and focus entirely on themselves.

The sad thing about this is that the anti-maskers will never know whom they might have infected — so they will continue demonstrating their “rights” to the world around them.

Further, to those who believe some supernatural entity will protect you from the Coronavirus … think again. Dedicated church-goers have suffered and died in very similar numbers as the “heathens.”

One more thing. Anyone who refuses to wear a mask because they have been convinced by whatever source that the virus is not as deadly as “they” say … or that the vaccinations are “unproven” … you are a fool.  Yes, that is a very uncomplimentary description. But when a person puts the word of those who have dubious credentials over the suffering and deaths that have taken place by REAL people …

Sorry.

The title fits.

Please. Honor your fellow humans and wear a mask. 

Better yet, get vaccinated! You will not only be providing better protection for yourself, but for your fellow humans as well. 

Please people. Let’s do what we can and GET RID OF this virus!! None of us are enjoying the restrictions.

My Trip to the Grocery Store

Today my other-half and I went to the grocery store together.

And you immediately ask yourself … “Why is she writing a blog about a visit to the supermarket?”

It’s because I finally got a mask!

And then you say to yourself .. “And this is a big deal?!!?”

Well, for me it is.

Let me explain.

When the medical people first started suggesting everyone wear a mask as protection from COVID-19, my other-half dug out an N-95 mask that he’d purchased several years ago, along with some surgical masks he’d picked up at the VA some years back (before the virus). We felt fortunate that we were so well-prepared. 🙂

However, as it turned out, the elastic on the surgical masks was all stretched out so they didn’t fit well at all — and certainly didn’t offer protection. The N-95 mask was still in good shape, which we were quite thankful for since he has existing health conditions and this mask provides better insulation against the virus.

Anyway, what all this meant was that I was unable to go to the store with him since without any protection, I could effectively “catch” the virus and potentially infect him. Moreover, by this time trying to locate a suitable mask for me was next to impossible.

Then homemade masks came on the scene. Problem was … I don’t sew. 🙁

However, it wasn’t long before the market for homemade masks literally exploded and there were tons of videos showing how to make masks without sewing. All you needed were a few pieces of material, along with shoestrings, hair ties, rubber bands, etc.

Next thing you know (innovation being what it is) people began selling masks they had made.

Since Google is my Friend, I decided to do a mask search to find one that might work for me. I didn’t want one that had elastic around the ears as I wear hearing aids, so I had to look a bit deeper.

 

And I found one!

 

 

I especially like this one since it has straps that tie around the back of your head. It’s made of a high quality material and it fits very well.

So yes, it was an exciting moment today because I was finally able to get out of the house — even if it was nothing more than a trip to the grocery store!

Sidenote: We were FAR outnumbered by the people WITHOUT masks. Although it was unsettling since wearing a mask is intended to protect the other person (in this case, me), it wasn’t surprising. For one thing, people are tried of “sheltering in place,” but even more so, many (most?) have convinced themselves the virus isn’t going to touch them.

Until it does.

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Image by DoomSlayer from Pixabay