By Helen Sabin, Corvallis
This is in reply to Russ Lawrence’s article in the November 11, 2020 opinion section. The title was “Masks and Rights.” He begins, “…Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins.” Russ forgets it works both ways. My right to NOT wear a mask ends where his ignorance begins.
Russ wants everyone to make HIM “feel” and “think” he is safe from the Chinese virus by wearing masks while he ignores the research that says masks do NOT stop the transmission of the virus as he “believes” them to do. They only “help” contain droplets of any virus or germ from being transmitted to his face from a cough, talking, singing, laughing, sneezing or BREATHING.
The Academy of Sciences of the United States of America reveals that the act of speaking can transmit Covid-19. The study’s researchers discovered that speaking in a loud voice can introduce thousands of fluid droplets containing viral material into the air every second. Scarier yet, these droplets are still detectable in the air for up to 14 minutes in an environment with stagnant air, leading the study’s researchers to report that “there is a substantial probability that normal speaking causes airborne virus transmission in confined environments.”
Instead of everyone wearing a mask to appease Russ’s “fears,” even when they do not have the virus, my suggestion is that Russ stay home and not go out. Then he can know, think, and feel he is “safe.”
To back up the need for Russ to stay home are other organizations studying the virus. One states that the virus can hang around for days on surfaces and in the air. https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/488210-study-coronavirus-can-survive-in-air-for-hours
So, Russ, instead of you going out and possibly getting infected by putting your hands on a chair where viruses might linger, or going to the barber to get a haircut, or buying groceries, or gambling, or being in the same air as someone breathing, or even YOU infecting others, STAY HOME! Stay indoors but open windows to allow stagnant air to blow out. There, solution provided and problem solved. Easy, isn’t it? Oh, and Russ…remember to wash your hands often and clean all surfaces in your house. See you next spring!