From: Mark Duwe
Columbus
A now-famous study from Columbia University has found that if social distancing measures had been put in place just one week earlier it would have saved 36,000 lives. While some will say hindsight is 20/20, that’s a lot of lives.
I believe we may regret another measure, which should be put in place immediately. I believe that one year from now, after going through a second and maybe third wave of the virus, we would have saved thousands of lives if we had just done one thing. We should make the wearing of masks in any situation where you may be within 12 feet of another person mandatory.
This would be the case for those who are outside in groups and it would most certainly be required for those inside any structure for any reason. If you work in a factory, a shoe store or an office, if you are a customer at a big box store, buying a car, delivering sandwiches, everyone should be required to wear a mask.
So, what do I mean by ‘mandatory.’ What I mean is that it is an order from the state just like requiring businesses to take certain measures to protect customers. Individual citizens should be required to protect themselves and each other by wearing a mask. Enforcement could be by the police, if required, but of course we would hope it wouldn’t have to get that far. If it did and an officer asked you to wear your mask and you straight up refused you could be arrested for resisting law enforcement.
This is important. I know Americans don’t like to be told what to do, but this will most certainly save many lives and it could be your own or even your children’s. This thing isn’t over by a long shot. We are at the bottom of the first inning and it could be a double-header. I would just hate to see a study two years from now saying we could have saved thousands of innocent lives had the wearing of masks been required, but people were just too obstinate to comply.
Wear your mask, be safe and protect each other. Please, thank you.
