Public buy-in on mask fines

Re “Time to enforce the mask order,” Opinion, July 6

Nicholas Goldberg calls for immediate enforcement of the state’s mask mandate, an action that some police feel would jeopardize public trust.

Here’s the truth: Leaders must lead by example, and the message must be reinforced. This is part of change management using the ADKAR approach (which stands for awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement).

Step one is that our leaders must wear masks and continue to restate and reinforce the message, and police officers must also wear masks. Step two is engendering trust, so police could hand out masks to people not wearing them to gently reinforce the importance.

Finally, step three is to start citing people in 15 days or so. Like reopening, it’s a phased approach. Wendy Winter

Altadena

Other than potentially contracting COVID-19, I agree that there have not been enough consequences for people who refuse to wear a mask. I think that in light of the recent protests against police brutality, officers now tend to back off rather than confront anyone who is in public barefaced.

Some of the people so concerned about their personal freedoms being taken away probably don’t know anything about the Constitution. But they should know that other countries seem to be doing much better than we are. The people there appear to have a different mind-set and care more about the well-being of all.

Unless we do what it takes to enforce mask compliance, we will be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic indefinitely. Barbara Segal

Carlsbad

For those patriots who truly believe mask wearing is too great an imposition to bear, I would suggest issuing a citation for $500 or requiring community service consisting of eighthour shifts changing linens, emptying bedpans and empathetic handholding in a busy COVID-19 ward. Dan Proctor

Northridge