[Summit] Masks and social distancing? It's not all black and white

Fri May 8 12:51:18 UTC 2020

An post I found helpful on transmission. It is easy to understand and well
sourced. Passed on to me from  a PhD of microbiology and immunology at
UMass..

https://erinbromage.wixsite.com/covid19/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them?fbclid=IwAR2gWTJWNrARC_zfVWvru7J7Khr9H46OOpxDZ2naoNwoFS0F1pOZ2pYvIXY

I hope this helps the conversation..

Joe

On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 12:23 AM Robert Mathiesen <rmath13 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Will you allow no exception, Mikhaila, for those who have solid medical
> (physiological or psychological) reasons that keep them from wearing a mask?
>
> On Thu, May 7, 2020 at 8:24 PM Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur <
> mmlarthur at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> It isn't shaming to say that those of you who refuse to wear masks while
>> walking on the streets of our community are making the rest of us feel
>> profoundly unsafe. There is evidence to suggest that a lot of people wildly
>> underestimate what 6 feet actually means in reality, and it has at times
>> truly been difficult to navigate our neighborhood without putting our lives
>> in danger by having to choose between walking too close to an unmasked
>> person and stepping into the path of an oncoming vehicle or bicycle. There
>> are almost no valid reasons for not wearing a mask
>>
>> According to UMass Dartmouth microbiologist Erin Bromage (
>> https://erinbromage.wixsite.com/covid19/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them),
>> a single sneeze can contain 200,000,000 virus particles which can travel
>> up to 200 miles per hour. People are typically infectious for 5 days before
>> they realize that they are ill. Most of us cannot control our sneezes well
>> enough to make sure we've managed to get that mask on properly before we
>> sneeze.
>>
>> We live in a densely-populated and interdependent community and we have
>> responsibilities and obligations to one another as part of our existing as
>> members of human societies. It is not shaming to *implore *every single
>> one of us to protect everyone else from ourselves. Please, do not put your
>> mild discomfort above our collective safety. Please, remember that getting
>> through this depends on all of us. Please, make it possible for your
>> medically-vulnerable neighbors to be able to take a short walk or sit on
>> their porches rather than remaining prisoners in their homes. Please. It
>> isn't hard, doing this thing for all of us. Doing it means you care about
>> your community. So do it, please.
>>
>> It is devastatingly sad to me that this community that I love so much and
>> have valued so much is not pulling together and doing this simple thing for
>> one another. It is heartbreaking.
>>
>> --Mikaila
>>
>> On 5/7/2020 6:17 PM, Sumati Eberstadt wrote:
>>
>> Me too. I have my mask in my pocket if I need it, and keep my distance.
>> To conclude that I don’t care is false. Shaming is not the way, as I wrote
>> Mayor Elorza today. We are all trying.
>>
>> Sumati
>>
>> On May 7, 2020, at 5:59 PM, Greg Gerritt <gerritt at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>
>> I am with Paul.  greg
>>
>> *From: *Summit <summit-bounces at sna.providence.ri.us> on behalf of Paul G
>> Smith <paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com>
>> *Date: *Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 5:45 PM
>> *To: *'Robyn Linde' <bookish72 at gmail.com>, Summit Neighborhood <
>> summit at sna.providence.ri.us>
>> *Subject: *Re: [Summit] Masks and social distancing? It's not all black
>> and white
>>
>> Hi Robyn,
>> I do agree with your first statement: "My mask protects you. Your mask
>> protects me."
>>
>> I think, however, that your conclusion that "you [therefore] don’t care
>> if you infect me or my family" is faulty, and a very good example of the
>> kind of "shaming" that is going on everywhere, including on this
>> list-serve. Just because someone is not wearing a mask is no reason to
>> point blame. There may be good reasons why someone is not wearing a mask,
>> and as long as they maintain a six foot distance from everyone in an
>> outdoor setting, they are still meeting the CDC guidelines, and they are
>> not a threat to you or anyone else. It seems unkind and judgmental to
>> castigate anyone who does not wear a mask outside, unless they are in fact
>> coming too close.
>> Personally I always carry a mask when I go out, but I do not wear it
>> unless I am coming in close proximity (6 feet) to others or entering a
>> building, which most of the time I am not. If someone appears to be headed
>> towards me in such a way that it looks like we might get too close, I
>> change directions or stop until they have gone by. This is just plain
>> courtesy, and it expresses clear concern for the other person's safety. I
>> recognize that not everyone does this, but I can't control them, just
>> myself. Shaming them (as our Mayor has unfortunately suggested) is just
>> going to add to the negative acrimony that seems to be spilling out, and
>> does not add to a positive atmosphere of good will that we all need during
>> this time of stress and danger. We all need to be focusing on our own
>> behavior and not what we perceive as the shortcomings of others.
>> With regards,
>> - Paul
>>
>> *Paul G Smith*
>> 54 Summit Ave, Providence, RI  02906
>> Cell: 802-343-0978
>> E-mail: paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>> "
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur
>> mmlarthur at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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