Wear a mask to ‘protect each other,’ council says
To wear a mask - or not?
Some see it as an act of fear, an infringement of personal liberties. Others see it as a civic duty, an act of care for the larger community, a way to contain the spread of an invisible, aerosol virus sickening and killing people, as a way to get back to some type of normal quicker.
Delaware County Council members were clear on their stance Thursday, asking the public to don a mask when outside to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as not much is known about the novel virus yet.
County Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer spoke of how she runs with a mask, even though it’s excruciating.
“The notion and the purpose of wearing masks is that by wearing a mask, I am protecting you from my droplets and by wearing a mask, you are protecting me from your droplets,” she said. “So, it’s really an act of protecting each other in this community. It’s not so much keeping yourself safe by wearing this mask.”
The councilwoman said that the virus transmission comes from droplets that can occur while breathing or singing as much as from sneezing.
“By having everyone wearing a mask, we protect each other,” Schaefer said. “Hopefully, it helps us curve this quicker so that we can get into the next stage of loosening our restrictions sooner.”
“Just keep wearing them,” Jeanne Casner, director of the
Chester County Health Department, added. “It does not matter what it is as long as it’s a fabric and it covers both the nose and your mouth.”
Councilwoman Christine Reuther said it’s a matter of consideration for others, which could have real impact in areas that are densely populated.
“I can tell you that I’m not trying to inhibit you’re freedom when I tell you that it is a matter of courtesy to the people who are around you,” she said. “You don’t
know how susceptible they might be. You don’t know whether you’re positive. You don’t. I mean, there’s lots and lots of people who are walking around who are thoroughly asymptomatic and they’re very lucky. They could unwittingly be spreading this.
“I think what I can also say is having a mask is always a good idea because you never know when you’re going to stop and have that conversation with somebody or when you’re going to duck into a store,” Reuther continued. “Honestly, if you can bring a mask with you, please do. It’s an act of generosity to your neighbors and your friends and the people that you meet in the street and working in places where you’re interacting.”
Councilman Kevin Madden
said it’s also a way to fight the virus and get the county closer to reopening.
“We are all fighting this together,” he said. “This is our one way as foot soldiers in the effort to beat this virus that we help to kill it by stopping its ability to pass from one person to the next. Every single person here, I would guess every single person in Delaware County, wants us to safely reopen as quickly as possible and this is this little thing that we can do every single day to do our part to try to beat this thing together.”