I cannot for the life of me figure out why some people pick such a huge fight over the wearing of masks in social settings. All medical leaders, right up to Dr. Fauci, the president's chief infectious disease expert, tell us that basic safety precautions, wearing masks in public, avoiding unnecessary contact, staying out of crowded social settings will greatly reduce the spread of COVID, and save tens or hundreds of thousands of lives. Part of living in a community means doing some things for the good of the whole. Hardly anyone complains about being required to have a license to drive, having to wear a shirt and shoes when dining out, being required to stop for school buses and keep speeds within certain limits. We do those things because they save lives and keep us safe. Wearing a mask around others saves more lives now than driving the speed limit or stopping for a school bus, yet some in our community slam leaders who encourage mask use, and too many politicians take the easy way out and condemn even the most minimal public health measures, as if the over two hundred thousand Americans who have died so far this year do not matter, saving the lives of hundreds of thousands more is just not worth the trouble of putting a piece of cloth on their faces.
Edward R. Shaw
Brainerd
