It’s all about the mask, stupid

Way, way back, on May 5th, 2020, we published, “The surprisingly simple way to open America in 14 days and avoid a depression.” It said:

“COVID-19 transmits primarily through the air by droplets. Stop the droplets and you stop the transmission. The incubation period is 14 days. If everyone wore a mask, even just a simple cloth mask, the virus would cease to be transmitted in two weeks.

“We wouldn’t have to wait for a vaccine or a cure. We all could go back to work.”

The easily understood reasoning was:

1. If you inhale just one viral particle, you won’t get sick. It takes a larger viral load to make you sick.
2. If I wear a mask, most of my viral droplets won’t reach you, and
3. If you also wear a mask, those few droplets that do travel all the way to you, will be intercepted by your mask. 
4. Thus you’ll actually inhale so few, if any, of my virus-containing droplets (and vice-versa), and the viral load will be so low, our immune systems will be able to deal with them. 

This does not require a degree in rocket science or even in viral science, neither of which I have. It is clear, easy, simple common sense, most of which I have learned from my wife.

Wear a cloth over your face, and less of your spit won’t travel as far, nor will the other guy’s spit, and les of his spit won’t get to you.

Really, is that so hard?

But at the time, mask-wearing was derided as unnecessary, un-masculine, unproven, and un-American as it supposedly interfered with our God-given freedoms, i.e. freedoms to infect other people, freedoms to get sick, freedoms to overwhelm hospitals, and freedoms to die. (To conservatives, all freedoms are “God-given” — carrying guns, or shooting protesters — those sorts of freedoms.)

Subsequently, we have learned the President knew about the way COVID-19 is transmitted, and how serious it is, but he didn’t want to “panic” people. (He prefers to bigot-panic “white, suburban housewives” that given the right to vote, criminal blacks and Latinos will move into the suburbs, looting, burning, pillaging, and raping said housewives).

The President, who claims to have “done everything he could to stop the virus,“ sets a precedent for not wearing masks by not wearing one himself, and by holding mass ego-stroking rallies attended by future Darwin Award winners.

 

Now, it’s a long, long time from May to September, and incredibly, mask-wearing is still controversial, at least among Trump followers, who not only don’t wear masks, but demand that others not wear masks, either. (Presumably, these are the same people who don’t cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, or who insist on smoking in restaurants and airplanes, or who lick other people’s spoons.)

But belatedly, science is beginning to catch up with common sense, and overcome Trumpian nut-case politics:

CDC director says masks are ‘more guaranteed’ to protect against COVID-19 than a vaccine

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is once again stressing the importance of masks in the coronavirus pandemic, calling them “more guaranteed” to protect against COVID-19 than a vaccine.

CDC Director Robert Redfield testified before Congress on Wednesday and emphasized to lawmakers that face masks are the “most important, powerful public health tool we have,” urging “all Americans” to “embrace” them because doing so could bring the COVID-19 pandemic “under control.”

“I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine,” Redfield said. “Because the immunogenicity may be 70 percent, and if I don’t get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me. This face mask will.”

Well, wearing masks may, or may not prove to be more protective than vaccination, but this much I absolutely, positively can say: Wearing masks is more protective than any non-existent vaccine.

So, until a safe, proven vaccine is developed and given to everyone, there is only one, sensible alternative — the one Trump advises against.

These comments from Redfield come after President Trump, who for months resisted wearing a face mask in public, claimed during an ABC town hall on Tuesday that despite what public health experts have said, “a lot of people,” such as “waiters,” think masks are “not good.”

Well, there you have it: Trump’s oft-spoken “a lot of people:” In this case, waiters. (“A lot of people said (Russian bounties) are a fake issue.” “A lot of people think Edward Snowden is not being treated fairly.” “A Lot of people say George Soros is funding the migrant caravan.” “A lot of people’ say there were spies in my campaign”)

By the way, I ate at a restaurant today. Though we were outdoors, our mask-wearing waiter — smarter than Trump –took our orders while standing several feet away. We also work masks.

Redfield told Congress on Wednesday, “We have clear scientific evidence: [masks] work, and they are our best defense.”

During the hearing, after Trump earlier this week claimeda COVID-19 vaccine could be ready in just three or four weeks, Redfield predicted that one could be “initially” available in “very limited supply” in November or December. But in terms of when a vaccine could be “generally available to the American public,” Redfield said this could come in “late second quarter, third quarter 2021.” Brendan Morrow

In summary, we told you in May what Redfield is telling you in September. There are four takeaways from this post:

1. Dummies don’t wear masks.
2. Dummies tell other people not to wear masks.
3. Dummies believe anything Donald Trump says.
4. Dummies will vote for Trump.

How do I know this? A lot of people say so.

Wear the damn mask.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell Monetary Sovereignty Twitter: @rodgermitchell Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE.

The most important problems in economics involve: Ten Steps To Prosperity:

1. Eliminate FICA
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D, plus long-term care — for everyone
3. Social Security for all or a reverse income tax
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone
5. Salary for attending school
6. Eliminate federal taxes on business
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction, annually. 
8. Tax the very rich (the “.1%”) more, with higher progressive tax rates on all forms of income.
9. Federal ownership of all banks
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99.9% 

The Ten Steps will grow the economy and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest. MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY