Pouches and masks

Our nation is presently undergoing a re-examination of its racially black/white separate existence, a confrontation with the supposedly separate-but-equal reality into which the country has relapsed, notwithstanding that separate, in truth, cannot really be equal.
But I worry as well about how we’re going to deal with the dichotomy between two other very distinguishable groups of people: stupid people vs. smart people. It is the former that are putting themselves, and the rest of us, in jeopardy, by not being willing to abide by reasonable health measures designed to help control the stampeding coronavirus.
If the fools that are unable to recognize the necessity of, for instance, wearing face masks while in public places, were just endangering themselves, I couldn’t care less. But the problem is that we’re dealing with a contagious virus. They are passing it on to others. Perhaps to other stupid people. But there will be non-stupid people comingled in there at a sufficiently noticeable percentage to make the non-mask wearers dangerous.
The motorcyclist who prefers the wind in his hair who cracks open his skull in a wreck because he won’t wear a helmet only hurts himself (not counting grieving family members). Same goes for the fool who refuses to wear a seat belt. But, again, the virus is contagious. As members of society, each of us has a responsibility to not endanger others by our selfish interpretation of personal freedom.
Those of us with an ostomy particularly ought to recognize the importance of wearing a devise on our body that enables us to live longer. So, pouch on the belly or mask on the face during a pandemic, we all need to do it. WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC.

Hi HenryM, you are so right people who don't wear mask are putting other people in danger. For the short time they are shopping why they won't wear them. They see how it is spreading more. I hope more will start to use them.

Hello HenryM.

Thank you for this post, which raises some interesting questions and inevitably motivates me to writng rhyme. I recall the early days of the AIDS epidemic, when there were a few nasty people prosecuted for deliberately infecting others with this disease which, at the time was incurable.

Whilst I agree that there will be a few imbeciles who do not have the mental capacity to know what they are doing and could rightly be called 'stupid'. I also think that there are many other categories of people making deliberate decisions which will spread and perpetuate the Covid 19 virus.  These are people who could rightly be described as 'the enemy within', and the fact that they are seriously putting people's lives at risk, makes them no less than modern-day urban  'terrorists'. 

I think that there is little that ordinary people will be able to do to dissuade people from making wrong desicions in their lives, so my contribution to these sorts of discussions is to simply document my feelings in verse:

Best wishes

Bill

THE COMPLEXITY OF CHOICE.

As this new virus spreads around,
what I, and other folks have found
is that the question many ask,
would be, should we all wear a mask.

I’ve heard it said ‘stupidity’
raise levels of fatality,
so, everyone should wear these things
for the protection that it brings.

But surely, it’s more complex than
the sheer stupidity of ‘man’,
which sadly has been shown before
and no-doubt will be seen much more.

Looking beyond pure ignorance,
we may see some relevance
in other things that people do
and the mayhem they pursue.

Those people with no empathy
and very little sympathy,
might be described a dastardly
and often act quite nastily.

Some may view Covid like a gun,
a weapon aimed at anyone
whom they may feel they disagree
or have a gripe to some degree.

For some, it is deliberate,
others are inconsiderate.
Most have a narcissistic trait
along with tendencies to hate.

The choices that these people make
to most sane folk, seem a mistake.
But, they’ll insist to have their say,
unless they’re caught and put away.

                                           B. Withers 2020

Bill:  Another fine verse, and I thank you heartily for it.  After Dorothy Parker, you are now my favorite poet.  Stay well.   Henry M

0.0054% mortality or less. Increased in cases, decrease in deaths. If you have a health issue that puts you in the at risk group then by all means wear a mask. Trying to force someone who is healthy to wear a mask when there is zero evidence that they provide any protection is asinine. That along with the fact that those that are wearing masks have zero understanding of how to wear mask and gloves makes it a true waste of time. Wearing a mask and constantly touching the mask with contaminated hands or gloves negates it's effectiveness, as does pulling it down to talk, or running your eyes with those same contaminated hands/gloves. Also, to be at risk of exposure you have to be in a an enclosed area with little air movement and in close proximity to an infected person in order for your risk of exposure to be high. So, instead of trying to shame someone for their choice, how about you do you and let others make their own choices. My body, my choice! Any and all information I have stated can be found with minimal effort.

Actually, studies HAVE shown that a simple cotton mask can stop about 65-75% of particles the size of the coronavirus. In addition, the main reason to wear a mask is to protect the people around you by stopping the virus-laden moisture particles that a person exhales. And let's not even get into sneezes! So, if you believe that the mask is not effective for preventing YOU from getting the disease, please wear one to protect the rest of US from getting it.

Good luck to you and those around you.

I sit in webinars 10+ hours a week with doctors from all over the US. To date there have been numerous healthcare workers becoming infected using N95 Hepa respirators that are a whole lot more effective than a bandana. The reason is that the coronavirus is 0.125nm in size, the N95 only filters down to 0.3nm which means the virus will still get through. The only 100% effective way to filter the virus is through positive pressure respirators that cost thousands of dollars and require very expensive filters. 
Like I said if you want to wear a mask, wear it, I though will not wear a mask unless I am working around an infected person. I have explained the mechanism behind how the disease is spread and how simple cloth masks are ineffective. People are being given a "sugar pill" in the form of a mask to ease their anxiety that was caused by an over exaggeration of the lethality of this virus. To put this in perspective, Sweden did nothing and they haven't been wiped out. They did nothing and they didn't have any worse experience that the rest of the world. Just as women who believe in abortion say, my body my choice. I choose not to live in fear and be manipulated by "health officials" that have been caught falsifying numbers and have contradicted themselves constantly. Thank you for your response and have a good day. 

You are so right Henry M. I agree 100%. I think many of the "stupid" people are simply too self absorbed to waste time becoming informed of the world around them. If it doesn't directly affect them in the moment, it's irrelevant. It starts at the top with "stupid" leaders who prefer to be ignorant and uninformed. It's nice to hear a voice of reason. Thanks for your message.

To medic361: I don't know where you get your "news" regarding whether or not to wear a mask, but it's obviously not from any scientific source. While I don't necessarily care if you contract this deadly disease, I do care if you are an assymptomatic carrier uncaringly spreading it to everyone you come in contact with. What an easy, simple, unselfish act it is to wear a mask to protect others', yet all you do is think about what a burden it is to your narcisisstic self!

I'm sure that the families of the 130,000+ dead Americans from coronavirus would be reassured by your proclamation re the "over exaggeration of the lethality of this virus."  Or is that figure part of the "falsifying numbers" to which you make reference?  Thank you, though, for your respone and have a good day.

Hello HenryM.

I found this simple illustration on Facebook ,which I felt might be relevant to your post.

Best wishes

Bill

Thanks, Bill, for your help in illustrating what even a spiraling spread of this disease and increasing deaths don't seem to convince some people is serious enough to mask up.

Thank you for your kind words, evidently I don't get the "news" I get data directly from the doctors on the frontlines of this so called pandemic. So as you call me names I only wish the best for you, have a good day. 

Hello HenryM. 

I knew there was a forum post that would fit my rhyming reply, but I came across Bob's post first, so this will be a duplicate reponse.

It had occured to me to write something appropriate on my mask like: "This mask was for my benefit - now it's for yours as well!" 

Best wishes

Bill 

A COVID MASK.

Before COVID, people would ask
why did I need to wear a mask?
They could not see the relevance
of this fashion preference.

For those who showed an interest
and those whose questions did persist,
I would take time out to explain
that it was not I was insane.

I had worked out, what knocked me back,
and brought about my heart-attack,
was from pollution in the air
and human beings did not care.

I wore a mask to protect me
from obnoxious activity,
which humans do to profiteer
whilst they pollute the atmosphere.

Those exhaust pipes on vehicles
spewing out their chemicals,
may-well be economical
but health-wise, diabolical.

So, as I rode my bicycle,
it seems to me unethical
not to count the personal cost
to those whose health and lives are lost.

There’s no excuse, now it is known,
and the scientists have shown
that air pollution’s onerous
apart from being dangerous.

When people saw me in my mask
it was my hope that they would ask
themselves the reasons for this thing,
then link it to the fumes they fling.

(Continued--)

A COVID MASK. (continued)

But then we had Covid 19,
and suddenly a mask was seen,
even with its imperfection,
as a potential protection.

This virus was a pollutant
to the human environment,
which meant, anxiety prevailed
and people wanted it curtailed.

The new exhaust was people’s breath,
inhaling it could lead to death,
then health was a priority
amongst human society.

It seemed that no expense was spared,
and even politicians cared
what happened to the populace,
and this was just miraculous.

For previously, rarely a thing
had been done by them to bring
pollution levels down to where
anyone could say ‘they care’.

But with Coronavirus they
began to worry and to say
that we should be protected from
this new type of virus-bomb.

And so, to stop it spreading round,
the humble mask, it seems has found
a new and welcome role to play
within the culture of the day.

My hope is that our rulers will
not overlook those things that kill
just as much as Covid did,
yet in the past have remained hid.

                                   B. Withers 2020