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OK, since there is an abundance of COVID 19 and mask wearing threads; I'll be very clear about the purpose of this thread. To moderators, let me know if this particular topic has been addressed already.
The question here concerns the legal aspect of mandating masks. The primary concern is: When the pandemic ends, next month or next decade, will the rules about wearing masks ever be rescinded?
Think of every law, rule, policy, and ordinance that has been enacted in response to a threat. Be it war, disease, or corruption; and ask yourself: Has any of these ever been repealed or rescinded after the threat had ended?
It seems once a politician has enacted new policy. It just gets forgotten, forever to be left in place under threat of criminal action.
I would like it if we moved to a model where people who are feeling sick (no matter what kind of sick) would wear masks.
In my last company I worked with an office of mostly people of Chinese descent. And one of my colleagues always wore a mask when he had sniffles or anything else (he spends a lot of time in Taiwan for various reasons, and that was just the norm for him). I didn't think anything of it, but over the past couple months I have talked to more of my East Asian friends, particularly the ones who grew up in Asia or spend more time there, and this was something we talked about. It is a cultural expectation that you should protect others.
I have noticed that I see East Asians locally wearing a mask, and I guess I initially thought they were being extra cautious or paranoid about air quality. And I didn't understand the why. But now that I understand the why, I think it is great idea.
While I don't want to wear masks forever every time I leave the house and in public spaces, I definitely plan to continue, when this is over, to wear one the next time I get the sniffles!
The question here concerns the legal aspect of mandating masks. The primary concern is: When the pandemic ends, next month or next decade, will the rules about wearing masks ever be rescinded?
Wearing a mask has a very specific purpose, it helps reduce the spread of contagious disease. Who would benefit, and what would the benefit be, from a requirement to wear masks when there is no longer a threat to the public at large? From the large amount of negative response to maks I don't think this would ever be a case of 'oops, we forgot to take that law off the books'.
And you're probably right DubbleT. However, these rules can be parlayed into: since masks were proven to flatten the curve against COVID, they are probably useful for every other air born disease as well. Imagine the law evolving into mandatory masks every flu season. Or, we don't know what dangers lurk at all times. We will keep these policies in place because as a progressive and caring society, we always think about the health of others.
The laws may not be forgotten. But there are a dozen ways to keep them relevant for the forseeable future.
That's not bad personal policy Jade408. The backlash people are having is the fact that it is apparently misdemeanor law in many states and, apparently the governors can enact new misdemeanor laws whenever they please.
What you said about the sniffles is the single most brilliant and eloquent definition of personal freedom and personal responsibility. Something that the United States should hold dear. But it doesn't anymore. Draconian control is apparently the right thing to do these days.
I could see it staying, hypothetically. Let's suppose Covid-19 is miraculously wiped off the face of the earth. Public health officials could say, we noticed that when everyone starting wearing masks, the incidence of influenza went way way down. Flu is a public health hazard. Some people die from flu, and the flu vaccine is only partially effective. If people stop wearing masks, the flu numbers will go up again, so we'd better keep then on.
ETA: I crossposted with the OP. We are thinking the same way.
And...IF there is a Covid vaccine, but it is not 100% effective, I can see not only the public policy staying in place forever but many individuals being firmly determined to wear masks in public for the rest of their lives, no matter what.
It seems once a politician has enacted new policy. It just gets forgotten, forever to be left in place under threat of criminal action.
I think we need to make sure we don't confuse "laws" with "rules" (executive orders, etc.). Will there be a law that we wear masks in perpetuity? No, never. Will some states impose rules longer than other? Most likely.
But hopefully the biggest thing to come out of this is that people can realize that our interactions do have repercussions and we should be alert to germs. I think that there's a misconception that masks are to prevent you from getting sick, when it reality it's the opposite.
As mentioned further up in the thread, someone had a coworker who diligently wore a mask when he got the sniffles. He didn't wear it for his benefit, he wore it for your benefit.
It's really hard to walk the line between turning this into a political thread, but since we're talking laws and rules it inevitably will get there. At some point there has to be leadership that acknowledges the scientific community and if they disagree provide an educated argument. The public had been warned that this was serious and we should be wearing masks and the leaderships response is "We will be open by Easter" which never happened. Here we are and states are mulling closing down again.
I would like it if we moved to a model where people who are feeling sick (no matter what kind of sick) would wear masks.
In my last company I worked with an office of mostly people of Chinese descent. And one of my colleagues always wore a mask when he had sniffles or anything else (he spends a lot of time in Taiwan for various reasons, and that was just the norm for him). I didn't think anything of it, but over the past couple months I have talked to more of my East Asian friends, particularly the ones who grew up in Asia or spend more time there, and this was something we talked about. It is a cultural expectation that you should protect others.
I have noticed that I see East Asians locally wearing a mask, and I guess I initially thought they were being extra cautious or paranoid about air quality. And I didn't understand the why. But now that I understand the why, I think it is great idea.
While I don't want to wear masks forever every time I leave the house and in public spaces, I definitely plan to continue, when this is over, to wear one the next time I get the sniffles!
Bingo! Agree with this assessment 100%. I have also seen Asians wearing masks well before this pandemic and never knew why, but not I completely understand.
I would love it if people did it naturally. Now, I don't think it will be mandated after the pandemic ends, but out of common courtesy, I wish people would adopt this habit, along with better general hygiene (more frequent hand washing, not coming to work when you are sick, better everyday cleaning habits, etc.).
That is a fair statement Bosox 15. hopefully these rules don't last in some form in perpetuity. The biggest thing is individual responsibility. As with the poster above I believe in individual responsibility. But that means those people have to understand the importance of protection, but still maintain the freedom to choose.
Many say your freedom stops where my health begins, that's why mask rules are necessary, but I argue on the flip end of the end coin. That our combined freedom allows you to choose to only hang out with people who wear masks. Enforcing rules on others for your comfort or health takes away from that individualism.
Yes. the chief focus of this thread is analyzing rules made by politicians. As such it will inevitably end up getting political. I hope to be active in this thread, to help moderate that a bit.
I think we need to make sure we don't confuse "laws" with "rules" (executive orders, etc.). Will there be a law that we wear masks in perpetuity? No, never. Will some states impose rules longer than other? Most likely.
But hopefully the biggest thing to come out of this is that people can realize that our interactions do have repercussions and we should be alert to germs. I think that there's a misconception that masks are to prevent you from getting sick, when it reality it's the opposite.
As mentioned further up in the thread, someone had a coworker who diligently wore a mask when he got the sniffles. He didn't wear it for his benefit, he wore it for your benefit.
It's really hard to walk the line between turning this into a political thread, but since we're talking laws and rules it inevitably will get there. At some point there has to be leadership that acknowledges the scientific community and if they disagree provide an educated argument. The public had been warned that this was serious and we should be wearing masks and the leaderships response is "We will be open by Easter" which never happened. Here we are and states are mulling closing down again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot
I could see it staying, hypothetically. Let's suppose Covid-19 is miraculously wiped off the face of the earth. Public health officials could say, we noticed that when everyone starting wearing masks, the incidence of influenza went way way down. Flu is a public health hazard. Some people die from flu, and the flu vaccine is only partially effective. If people stop wearing masks, the flu numbers will go up again, so we'd better keep then on.
ETA: I crossposted with the OP. We are thinking the same way.
And...IF there is a Covid vaccine, but it is not 100% effective, I can see not only the public policy staying in place forever but many individuals being firmly determined to wear masks in public for the rest of their lives, no matter what.
Yeah, we do share beliefs. I believe we have crossed paths on past threads before.
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