Reliable information was the first COVID-19 victim.
With so many players, from politicians and government officials, to self-described experts and bad actors on the Internet, all have weighed in on how to respond to the pandemic. The resulting confusion and obfuscation have been astounding. Messages with vested interests behind each pronouncement make it tough to know what to believe. Time to review what we know.
Care to join?
Truly Public Health
The wearing of masks, as part of a public health approach to limiting the spread of COVID-19, has been an incredibly loud talking point. Individuals on both sides of a manufactured debate have lined up to contribute their two cents. Devolving into shouting and threats, it makes you question if adult behavior is still even possible in modern society.
To put the disputes in context, let’s approach the emergence of COVID-19 in the world population from the perspective of Science. Not the political interpretation of Science but the real stuff.
First off, like so many things in Nature, there is nothing inherently good or bad about the novel coronavirus. It is just a virus that is new to our bodies, such that we as a world population are just now developing immunity to it, like we do any virus.
The initial crisis response to COVID-19 was intended to preserve our healthcare centers. By limiting the number of people infected at any given time, the very real possibility of overwhelming hospitals was reduced. The shutting down of businesses was the lesser of two evils. Lots of people get hurt either way.
Who Is Vulnerable?
The coronavirus targets immune systems. This is why a great number of people have walked around infected with the virus and they suffered no ill effects. Their immune systems just took the coronavirus in stride. Others with different immune abilities have struggled and many have died in their attempts to fight off the virus. It comes down to the ability of a person’s immune system to perform well enough to survive.
If a person’s immune system is up to the task, they survive. If not, they don’t.
Nature is famous for creating viruses and bacteria that have the ability to kill us. The novel coronavirus is just one in a long line that will continue on into the future. It’s just part of our normal biology to fight such immune system challenges. Some people will be successful and others will not.
The COVID-19 Mask Debate
Keep in mind
that all of us
are going to encounter
the coronavirus
at some point in our lives.
Public health agencies encourage the use of physical barriers in response to the virus. By putting distance and physical barriers between people, the spread of the virus can be slowed. Keep in mind that all of us are going to encounter the coronavirus at some point in our lives. Public Health measures are here to manage the spread.
The wearing of face masks is a way of protecting others from COVID-19 that might be residing in our personal biology. They are just man-made tools that help limit the sharing of the virus with vulnerable individuals.
Think of it this way – surgical teams wear masks when working in the operating room, right? Are they wearing masks to protect themselves from the patient or is it to protect the patient from the doctors and nurses?
Wearing a filter masks protects those around us and slows the sharing of COVID-19. Only secondarily does it provide protection for the wearer – exception being respirators and N-95 types of models. Most filter masks do a poor job of protecting the wearer from the virus. When you wear a filter mask in public, you are showing you care for others. Really.
The addition of personal liberty debates on the use of public health devices like filter masks does not alter their usefulness, nor does it make their uses a good or bad thing. Like using an umbrella when it rains, masks serve a purpose unrelated to whether a person chooses to use one or not. You don’t have to like using either.
Things to Consider
I love to question assumptions.
Is it healthcare solely responsible for our well-being or is building our own natural health from within also an appropriate response to the pandemic?
Are we courageous enough to face up to challenges or are we just looking for someone else to take care of us?
Answers to these questions will vary from one person to the next but I like to live the philosophy I espouse in these posts. I like to take responsibility for myself. Doing constructive things to build my body and make it as strong as possible to contend with the inevitable challenges from the world. I also strive to care for my fellow human being.
Things To Be Done
In these times of COVID-19 spread, we can participate in public health measures like wearing a filter masks in appropriate situations. When you can anticipate being physically close to people for several minutes or more, especially indoors, express your generosity and kindness by wearing a mask.
If you are outside by yourself, enjoy the freedom of not wearing a mask. It’s a great feeling!
Things that will help build up your resistance to infection:
- Eat food with the least amount of processing
- Consume processed foods, red meats, etc. in moderation
- Drink plenty of water
- Get sufficient quality sleep
- Get regular exercise
- Stay connected with people and your healthcare providers
- Walk away from toxic conversations – especially in social media
- Challenge yourself with learning new things – regularly
In other words, fuel your body with what it needs to be strong. We are always preparing ourselves for the next challenge. Let’s stay strong.
I don’t really care if people forget me. My legacy wasn’t about me. It was about everything I could do for another. When that sinks in…well you try a little harder. You dream a little broader. Your heart stretches a little farther and you find that you can’t go back to the same place and make it fit. You become a person of ideas and seek out your own kind. And then it happens: One day you discover that staying the same is scary and changing has become your new home.”
― Shannon L. Alder
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