Wear a Mask, Period

By Léo Azambuja

This is a really simple health advice, but one that needs to be repeated over and over, because it has been shrouded in skepticism, unfounded conspiracy theories and even science denial.

Wear a mask. It’s that simple. As Mayor Derek Kawakami says in his daily addresses, “my mask protects you, and your mask protects me. It’s a sign of respect and aloha.”

If you step into any enclosed space outside your home, wear a mask. If you are close to others in an outside area, wear a mask. If we all do that, it will help us to buy time until a vaccine against COVID-19 is released.

In the second half of June, the United States experienced a second surge of COVID-19 cases, smashing daily infection records day after day. By the end of July, there was a string of days when more than 70,000 people became infected in the U.S. In the state of Hawai‘i, the numbers kept rising as well.

On Kaua‘i, we seemed to be mostly isolated from the virus until press time, with the last case being recorded July 7. Our geographic isolation and strict enforcement of the 14-day quarantine for out-of-state travelers have helped us. But the quarantine for inter-island travel was lifted on June 16, opening a potential avenue for the virus to creep back on our island. Whether we agree with that or not, we should take more precautions than ever.

The Centers for Disease Control says, “cloth face coverings are a critical preventive measure and are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult.” If cloth face masks can’t be used, we should take other measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting touched surfaces.

The CDC “recommends all people 2 years of age and older wear a cloth face covering in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.”

Those who don’t have symptoms and are unaware they have been infected can still spread COVID-19, according to CDC. This makes it important that everyone wears a face mask in public settings and practice social distancing, staying at least six feet away from others.

The CDC does acknowledge there are some people who should not wear a mask: children younger than 2 years old, people with trouble breathing, and anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated or unable to remove the face mask without assistance.

The CDC also recognizes there may be some situations where wearing a face mask may not be possible. For those scenarios, the CDC has suggestions to minimize spreading of COVID-19.

For those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, or those caring for or interacting with hearing-impaired people, the CDC suggests a clear face cover. If that’s not available, the CDC suggests written communication or decreasing background noise.

For some people with mental health conditions, developmental disabilities or sensory sensitivities, wearing a face mask may bring challenges, so the CDC advises them to consult with their healthcare providers.

It may be a challenge to ensure that preschool and elementary schoolchildren wear a mask for an extended period, especially if it becomes difficult to keep them six feet apart. CDC’s solutions include making sure the face masks fit the children properly, practicing frequent reminders and educating them on the importance of correctly wearing a mask.

Outdoor activities, such as running or swimming make it impossible wear a mask, but the CDC says you can still practice social distance while practicing sports.

Finally, for those working in an environment that could increase the risk heat-related illnesses, or where pieces of the mask could get caught in work equipment, the CDC says they should consult with occupational safety and health professionals to find out the right face mask for their workplace. Outdoor workers may make it a priority to wear face masks when they are close to others, and only remove their masks when practicing social distancing.

The CDC also reminds us to wear cloth face masks, and leave the critical supplies of surgical masks for health care professionals and medical first responders.

The CDC based its advices on 19 different studies, each one listed on www.cdc.org.

We may disagree on many things, but I believe wholeheartedly we all agree nobody wants to put the lives of our kupuna and those with underlying health conditions at risk. For that alone, wear a mask. Period.