{"id":377,"date":"2020-07-13T17:46:56","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T22:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/iowa\/edfund\/articles\/simple-way-thwart-covid-19-right-front-our-faces\/"},"modified":"2022-08-06T06:27:37","modified_gmt":"2022-08-06T11:27:37","slug":"a-simple-way-to-thwart-covid-19-is-right-in-front-of-our-faces","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/iowa\/edfund\/articles\/a-simple-way-to-thwart-covid-19-is-right-in-front-of-our-faces\/","title":{"rendered":"A simple way to thwart COVID-19 is right in front of our faces"},"featured_media":14165,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"person_tax":[],"region_tax":[],"state":[5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,2,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"topic_tax":[],"class_list":["post-377","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":false,"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":false,"event_type":false,"campaigns":false,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[2,5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":null}},"featured_image":14165,"caption_override":"","excerpt":"U.S. PIRG is calling on municipal, state and federal policymakers to mandate face masks in all indoor public spaces, as well as in outdoor locations where it\u2019s hard for people to socially distance six feet apart.","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":null,"hide_hero_image":false,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":4,"people":"241"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

To paraphrase something I recently saw online, if I told you that taking a pill every day would make you much less likely to contract the coronavirus (COVID-19) and could help save the lives of tens of thousands of fellow Americans, of course, you\u2019d do that. Well, according to health experts, that pill is a mask, and it goes over your mouth, not in it.<\/p>\n

More than 100 health and scientific leaders<\/a> have signed a letter asking government officials to require people to wear cloth masks in all public places. The latest research indicates that \u201cbroad adoption of even relatively ineffective face masks may meaningfully reduce community transmission of COVID-19.\u201d The key word here is \u201cbroad.\u201d Scientists say that when at least 70<\/a> to 80<\/a> percent of people in a given area wear masks, that strongly protects the community against transmission of the virus. However, at 50 percent, the overall effectiveness is minimal. Unfortunately, over the past few months, we\u2019ve seen too many public officials disregard their part of the social contract and put the health of their constituents in jeopardy by remaining silent about\u00a0 \u2014 or even worse, discouraging Americans from \u2013wearing masks.<\/p>\n

With that information in mind, U.S. PIRG is calling on municipal, state and federal policymakers to mandate face masks in all indoor public spaces, as well as in outdoor locations where it\u2019s hard for people to socially distance six feet apart \u2014 while reinforcing that social distancing is vital, regardless of whether people are covering their faces.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today, Louisiana joined 20 other states<\/a> with statewide mask orders. However, we need more mask-wearing mandates to achieve overall compliance rates that will be effective<\/a> in stopping the spread of the virus.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s never too late to start this type of policy.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven when implemented at 120 days after the initiation of the epidemic, 100% adoption of facemasks by the public stops the occurrence of further COVID-19 epidemic waves,\u201d researchers wrote in a British Royal Society article<\/a> published in June.<\/p>\n

Now, we realize that some people have legitimate medical barriers to compliance. People with a doctor\u2019s note would not have to wear a mask. If people with health conditions are the only ones without masks, we can still easily reach the 70-80 percent threshold for population-wide effectiveness.<\/p>\n

Beyond medical constraints, the most common argument against mandatory mask wearing is that it\u2019s an infringement on personal liberty and a government overreach. Specifically, one lawsuit <\/a>claims a mask requirement violates the equal protection standard of the Constitution by disproportionately affecting those who can\u2019t afford a mask. Another claims it\u2019s an invasion of physical autonomy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But a judge replied <\/a>that the orders are legal and said people \u201cdo not have a constitutional right to endanger others just like they do not have a right in a crowded theatre to yell fire.\u201d The ACLU <\/a>likened the requirements to the familiar \u201cno shirt, no shoes, no service\u201d rule.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

To maximize the effectiveness of mask regulations, we would need some complementary policies. For example:<\/p>\n