Covid-19, to mask or not to mask?

   

Remember the rare time when you saw a person wearing a surgical mask in public. What was the first thing you thought? As for me, I looked at people like that as ostentatious. How times have changed. Now, it's not only mandatory to wear masks in some places, it's considered essential to avoid contracting and spreading covid-19. To a large degree, it has become vogue to wear protective respiratory masks. Just walk into any grocery store or department store and you'll see designer masks of all types.

During this time there is no question wearing a surgical mask or N-95 mask is a good idea. Particularly if you are in a high risk group. 

However, I have this observation. As humans we evolved to this point by exposing ourselves to an enormity of viruses, germs, pathogens, bacteria and other organisms lurking among us. That is how our bodies have built resistance and we have survived as a species. Remember that when wearing a mask you not only, in part, block the covid-19 droplets you also, in part, block all other particles and droplets. Thus, precluding the body from exposure and preventing our immune system from building resistance to other potentially harmful organisms. It's a catch 22 situation. Wear a mask to avoid covid-19 exposure. Wear a mask and suppress your body's ability to fight off harmful organisms which are all around us and which mutate.
It is my personal choice to wear a mask sparingly. I certainly don't want to contract covid-19 or anything else. But, I do want my body to be exposed to the open air and whatever is floating there. Whether it's a new strain of Flu, the common cold or even, yes, the novel Corona virus, I want my body to build resistance and fight it off. It's called evolution. If I survive, great. If I die, so be it.

Do face masks really reduce coronavirus spread? Experts have mixed answers.

https://www.livescience.com/are-face-masks-effective-reducing-coronavirus-spread.html