Although my official line is that I’m fine with the restrictions of this awful virus, today I lost my temper with the third person I saw in the grocery store with the mask carefully positioned under their nose. Sorry, random grocery stocker, but really, the mask is to keep virus you might have from getting in the air, onto the groceries you’re handling, onto your hands and from there distributed to surfaces. The fact that you are six feet from me at the moment and not directly breathing on me is irrelevant. I’m sorry I was rude, but you were potentially endangering my life, and your own.
The only way we will get this virus under control is by having everyone wear a mask at all times in public. Outside is better than indoors, but we should wear a mask and stay six feet from others as much as possible when not in our home or car.
Countries where people have worn masks in public have controlled the virus. States where masks have been required, like ours, are doing significantly better with the virus than states where no such effort has been made.
Initially we heard that the mask would protect others more than the wearer, but the newer guidance says your mask will protect you, random grocery stocker. So if you won’t pull the mask over your nose to keep my elderly self out of the hospital or the morgue, please do it for yourself.
Vicki Roberts-Gassler
Everett
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