Want to get a good overview of past pandemics and the current COVID pandemic, I highly recommend that one read “Apollo’s Arrow” by Nicholas A. Christakis. In it, he highlights how “nonpharmaceutical interventions” such as social distancing, masking and lockdowns helped people get through past pandemics such as those in 1957, 1918 and others. During those outbreaks, there were no vaccines or other pharmaceutical treatments available for the most part, forcing the authorities to implement masking, quarantine and other spread prevention measures. Such public health measures were accepted with very little backlash given the severity of the pandemic and fear of exposure which often led to deaths.
This brings us to the current COVID-19 global pandemic. In the spring of 2020, the U.S. and most other Western nations were forced to shutdown. In addition, numerous nonpharmaceutical interventions were introduced, including mandating the wearing of masks in most settings, including those in the transportation, service and retail sectors. However, no sooner had the requirement been implemented, various Americans cried out that such mandates were an infringement on their rights. Unlike in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the simple act of masking became highly politicized, despite what history tells us about the utility of such measures in limiting the exposure of people to the virus. For the average American, the act of masking was normally done for occasional visits to grocery stores, clinics, pharmacies and on public transportation. However, for health-care personnel, they were required daily to wear masks to avoid being infected. As the author points out: “In some photos, their faces were blistered and bruised from wearing tight-fitting masks all day.” They had no choice.
Recently, you have the so-called “Peoples Convoy” of truckers in the States, who are protesting all public health measures, including masking and vaccine mandates. Next, one has a group of 21 states (primarily Republican), as well as groups of pilots and flight attendants, asking federal courts to permanently end the Biden administration’s federal transportation mask mandate. The mandate is set to expire on April 18th, less than three weeks away. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, reportedly said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that “it is well past time to get rid of this unnecessary mandate and get back to normal life.” Here you have a Governor who was willing to reduce the budgets of any school boards who defied his “no masking” directive in Florida’s schools.
Thinking back to two years ago, the airlines were among the first businesses to support masking and testing to ensure the health and safety of their employees and passengers. Now, several American airlines are claiming that the federal mask mandate and other coronavirus travel requirements are no longer aligned with the realities of the “current epidemiological environment.” Otherwise, they believe that the COVID pandemic is over and we no longer have to worry about it, especially since one now has widespread vaccine availability and newly available therapeutics. However, they readily admit that they want to encourage more people to fly by removing some of the so-called hassles such as masks, which can make air travel less comfortable. However, other major airlines that fly globally intend to keep masking requirements for awhile yet, given the different transportation policies among countries.
Given that experts predict that a sixth wave is expected in the U.S. and Canada this spring, mainly because of the Omicron variant known as BA. 2 which appears to be more transmissible than the original strain, one should consider encouraging people to mask when in public settings. Mandated masking requirements will hopefully continue to exist in long-term care facilities, senior residences and health care settings for some time to come. Such requirements are essential to protecting the elderly and those who are immune-compromised. Many people will continue to wear masks in public as a personal choice and for health reasons. Hopefully, people will respect their rights to do so whatever their political stance. Attacking or harassing masked individuals has no place in a free and civil society. Yes, some will argue that there is some “COVID fatigue”, but surely we can continue to support a little longer those public health measures that helped us limit this pandemic’s horrific impact on families and communities.
FROLITICKS 
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