It's all about choices!

I saw this image on Social Media and it struck a chord with me. I am continually amazed by people who cannot see (or actively choose not to see) that common sense, fact based, tried and true practices are the way to manage this Covid-19 pandemic. With so many cities making public policies surrounding the mandatory wearing of masks in public places, the hue and cry from a segment of the population has reverberated in the hilltops about how their rights are being trampled is so much bull crap that the I get my cackles up. 

Yes, you have rights. 

What about your responsibilities?

If you are considered a Senior Citizen right now, I completely feel your pain because your generation taught my generation some really good stuff. If you're an old fart like me and my generation, you were raised to understand that every right comes with a responsibility ... no "IFs", "ANDs" or "BUTs". If you're a little younger than me, you might perhaps have missed that particular teaching since you grew up in the "I need to get mine" era, but don't be thinking I'm letting you off the hook. It's a common sense idea that everyone should understand. If you're significantly younger than me, you have no excuse because this is an integral concept presented in Civics and Careers, and you had to pass that credit to graduate from high school. Whichever the case applies to you, you should know better.

As the graphic states, you can't have it both ways. You can't choose to not wear a mask or not socially distance yet demand that you can go anywhere or be anywhere you wish. You always have a choice but each one you make comes with a consequence, some good and some bad, but they are always present. Your right to choose is shared by those who service or goods you wish to enjoy since they enjoy the right to choose not to serve you. Your rights DO NOT permit you to berate, belittle or bemoan the fact that your desires have been denied. Your responsibility is to follow the guidelines set before you as the parameters for service, or by choosing not to follow, your responsibility is to accept your choice of not accessing that service.

"But I read about the dangers of mask wearing on Facebook ... Instagram ... Twitter!" 

Borrowing some wisdom from the Internet again, this information, evidenced based rebuttal of some disinformation being spread was posted by a doctor named Sean Robinson. While I cannot personal confirm the professional credentials of Dr Robinson (here's his Twitter), the links to information he provides are solid. 

For anyone who has seen this flyer going around from those who are opposed to mask wearing, here's a friendly point by point rebuttal:
1. No it doesn't. Surgeons and other healthcare providers wear masks all day long. Could you imagine how often they'd be passing out if surgical masks actually decreased oxygen intake? Surgical and cloth masks are completely permeable to air particles because they're so tiny. Even when we have sick patients in the ER lately we've been having them wear a surgical mask to protect others, and we watch how their oxygen saturation levels don't change one bit.

2. Almost true. If you were to wear an airtight mask like an N95 all day long, there are some studies that show a mild increase in blood Carbon Dioxide (CO2). However, surgical masks and cloth masks are much more permeable, and definitely aren't skin tight around the edges, so most, if not all of the CO2 you exhale is leaving your face immediately. The take away from this is that you shouldn't be wearing an N95 mask anyway, as they need to a) be properly fitted and b) be reserved for high acuity healthcare professionals.

3. Not true, because it depends on part 1 being true.

4. I would love to know what studies they're referring to about "triggering retroviruses". First of all, part of their argument in part 4 is that wearing masks weakens your immune system, which based on part 1 they claim is due to lack of oxygen. Since the above isn't true, and masks don't weaken your immune system, there is no reason to expect latent activation of retroviruses. The three retroviruses that can affect humans are HIV, HTLV1 and HTLV2. If anything, people who have these viruses need to do everything they can to avoid infectious agents, so they should DEFINITELY be wearing masks.  

5. First of all, the virus is 125 nanometers, (Proof), but that's minutiae. More importantly, the virus does not float around on its own. It travels on respiratory droplets. When we speak, we release droplets that are around 1-10 micrometers, aka 10-100x larger than the virus itself. (Proof). Cloth masks will not stop the transmission of all droplets, but they will stop some (49-85%) Proof), which is still way better than a bare face, just like seatbelts won't prevent all car accident deaths, but they certainly have reduced them. The partial efficacy of masks is why it's so important to continue with other measures like physical distancing and hand-washing.  

6. They may finally be right about something. No large, rigorous studies of public masks use in real-life scenarios exist. COVID-19 is unprecedented, and still brand new. The time and commitment it would take to undertake such a large scale study would take years, and while I hope we have it down the road, right now it's just not feasible. But that doesn't mean there is no research at all. What we can do is look to other sources of evidence that support the efficacy of mask wearing. For example, during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, 28% of those who became infected were wearing masks, vs 59% of people who did not get infected. This doesn't prove that masks prevent infection, but it certainly supports the hypothesis. (Proof). We don't have all of the evidence, but we certainly have enough to support the idea that wearing a mask is safer than not, and until that's proven otherwise, why shouldn't we be choosing the hypothetically safest option?  

Addendum: Number 6 may be wrong after all. Here's a study comparing COVID-19 incidence in a masked country vs unmasked countries. (Proof). The incidence of COVID-19 was way lower in the mask wearing country. So there you have it, this flyer is wrong about everything.  

Thank you for your time, and when in doubt, wear a mask.
Sean Robinson, MD CCFP 

Just like many living in Barrie with phase three coming soon in full implementation, my wife and I have expanded our personal bubble to include our immediate families but that still poses an element of risk since all three of my brothers are still working and two have to interact with a large number of people, but the daily numbers posted by the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit have been minimal, greatly reducing the chances of contact. Both of our mothers are doing what has been asked of them and we feel that they are more or less safe. I would assert that we are choosing wisely by wearing our masks in public places, especially ones where distancing is an issue, and we are cognizant of enhanced hygiene practices, so I feel that we are a part of the solution rather than the problem. The 2 hour ride home from the most recent visit to my MIL in Haliburton was spent discussing the anticipated pandemic-inspired modifications to our list of To Do's we had for retirement.

I confess to all that I am a rule follower. Having admitted that, I am also a fact checker. When those two things meet they don't always link up, usually resulting in some research, and only then can a decision be made about following the rule. I have to admit that I am continually irritated by those that obviously choose themselves and their needs over following rules, often resulting in curses and negativity being directed their way from the front seat of my truck, but if I'm out and about, I will weigh the options of a confrontation before opening my mouth. I don't avoid confrontations, but as the saying goes, "You can't fix stupid!" so more than 50% of the time, I surmise that the conflict will not be worth the trouble. Another opportunity for a well thought out choice. 

In the end, my wife and I are content with the knowledge that we are doing our part to deal with the pandemic, and we have placed faith in our fellow man/woman to do the same. Stay safe people!