Support our front line workers and our community

I read and appreciated Russ Lawrence’s letter in the Bitterroot Star, dated November 11. One week later I read Helen Sabin’s letter, and was frustrated and dismayed by her response. Angered actually. She suggests Lawrence should just stay home, rather than asking others to responsibly mask up in public.
Would you ask the front line workers, who go out and risk their lives daily to care for and often cure sick patients infected with Covid-19, to just stay home? I’d guess not. Will you or a loved one someday get Covid-19 and have to receive that care? I hope not. But, guessing if you do, you will appreciate their care, dedication, professionalism, and willingness to risk their lives for you. How can you not hear their pleas to wear a mask? They need a break, they’ve been going at this pace for months and are worn out, because they care about you. Imagine all the others risking their lives for you to live yours: grocery store employees, postal carriers, gas station employees, small business owners, library staff. Many, many people risk their lives to go to work and provide the services you need to live your life. We, at least, should mask up to protect them.

I’ve been struggling to understand anti-maskers, with no success. It seems a very selfish approach. The mask is to take care of our community, our front line workers, our families with students who are struggling to teach their kids at home if they’re not able to go to school, our children who need to be in school, our teachers, our businesses struggling to stay afloat, our economy, our future. Why is that not clear? Why don’t you trust the science and the professionals who are begging ALL of us to follow the guidelines that will help stem the tide of the pandemic? Why wouldn’t you take every possible measure to get life back to the normal we lived before Covid-19?

People complain that they’re tired of the pandemic. Yep, I get that, we all are. But Covid-19 is not tired of us. It is thriving in the midst of our complacency, and by all accounts, we are headed into a very dark winter, with many more lives that will be lost, people who will be sick, unimaginable loss. Is the death of 250,000+ precious souls not shocking to you? Their families and friends certainly know that Covid-19 is real. People complain because we’re not supposed to have the large holiday gatherings with family and friends that we’ve been fortunate to have in years past. Why not be cautious this year, so you, your family members and friends will hopefully live to see each other at future holidays and gatherings? Make some sacrifices now, to get us all into the future.

Please people, think beyond yourself. It’s not about whether or not you want to wear a mask. It’s about taking care of your community, and getting our country back on track. Look at other countries that are successfully managing their Covid-19 numbers, or even communities right here in the U.S. who are following the guidelines, resulting in very low numbers. There’s proof right there that the guidelines work when followed.

Finally, please note. You are wearing shirts, shoes, and pants when you go out in public, aren’t you? Thank you for following those rules, especially the pants. Add a mask to your attire, and you’ll be doing your part. Thank you.