Here we are again. Protests continue around the country and Donald Trump and Mike Pence are setting dangerous examples to the American people. CDC recommendations remain unchanged regarding wearing a face covering. If you’re outside in public, wear a face mask. Yes, even if you are cycling or running, you should wear one. While all medical professionals and experts are announcing the importance of this to help stop the spread of the virus, many continue to ignore it. Listen, I am an avid runner (not lately, but that’s besides the point), and to wear a mask while running is not the most comfortable experience, however I still do it to protect those around me, even if I am taking the roads less traveled. Those I know and love as well as thousands I don’t, are working tirelessly treating those who are sick from COVID-19 with limited PPE. Yes, N95 masks which are special filtering face masks for healthcare professionals remain in short supply. Despite the government claims that PPE is no longer an issue, they clearly are not seeing the front lines. Repurposed/cleaned N95 masks are being used however many of my friends and colleagues state they are not fitting appropriately and even experiencing leaking which poses a risk to their health when treating patients.

The reason I am writing this post is to once again educate those who don’t believe masking is important or it is a “control measure for the fear mongering media and government establishment.” If you could see my eye roll from behind the screen, you’ll notice they got stuck from the amount of disbelief I’ve read, seen, and heard throughout this pandemic. While Donald Trump and Mike Pence sit in their ivory tower and refuse to wear masks, healthcare workers are becoming mentally unwell, burnt out, and scared to go to work because they don’t feel protected by their equipment. Donald Trump blatantly told the American public he refuses to wear a mask during one of his press briefings. Mike Pence just visited the Mayo Clinic and refused to wear a mask despite hospital policy and his own task force’s recommendations in aggressive defiance because he wanted to look into the eyes of those working on the front lines to thank them. Unless he’s wearing the mask wrong, I’m pretty sure he can still look everyone in the eyes and thank them. After all, when a nurse or healthcare provider walk into a room to care for their patient, that is the only thing they can do to show empathy and compassion is look them in the eye behind a face shield and mask. In all honesty, Mike Pence looks like an idiot in the photo showing his bare face while he is in a room full of people, ALL who are wearing masks. His other excuse is that he gets tested daily. Well that may be true but if he has come into contact with someone who has the virus and then is not wearing a mask and gets tested later that night and God-forbid he is positive, he may have exposed a dozen or more people. Words are dangerous but actions can be fatal.

When the American people see Donald Trump and Mike Pence not wearing masks it makes them feel it is not important. If they aren’t wearing them, then why should I. This is dangerous. Hence, protests began to grow with those who are ignorant to the lethality of this pandemic. They are congregated in masses (most of whom are not wearing masks) and this has caused increases in cases of COVID-19. People think these rules are the government’s way of controlling them however what doesn’t make sense is why would the government want to close down an economy when they themselves can stand to lose millions of dollars in investments or other personal interests? It is bad logic which should not be condoned, however the president has refused to speak out against it (likely because of personal fan-base and potential voting demographic). Luckily, these protesters are only a very small percentage of people as the remainder of the country is in favor of masking, physical distancing, and the government lockdown.

So let’s talk about masks and how they differ. The first type of masking we will talk about are cloth or homemade masks. The reason this has become a “thing” is because there is a national shortage of PPE and medical grade masks if you haven’t heard and have been living under a rock. Us in the healthcare field take for granted the days of seeing boxes of surgical masks on a cart or in a cubby in the wall outside of a patient’s room. Because there is a lack of these types of masks and they are being rationed for those who need them, the CDC recommended the use of cloth masks. These masks do very little in terms of filtering germs or even spit droplets from coming in or out. They do however act as a physical barrier to most large droplets and do slightly decrease the distance these respiratory droplets can travel. So please wear a mask. A t-shirt or scarf can do the trick. Here is the surgeon general demonstrating how to quickly and easily make a homemade mask with just a t-shirt and rubber bands. It Is still important to sneeze or cough inside your elbow to limit the spread of these germs and continue physically distancing six feet or more.

Now the surgical masks (as pictured in the blog title photo) are just that. They are used in the operating room to prevent nurses and surgeons from spreading germs during surgery which is a sterile environment. These masks are to be worn by those who are infected or healthcare workers from potentially spreading germs to others. If you have any of these masks please consider donating them to your local medical facility as these are in short supply as well. While they do not filter out germs in the surrounding environment for the wearer, they can prevent the wearer from spreading germs to their environment. That is why Mike Pence should have been wearing one when visiting the Mayo Clinic. It doesn’t matter if he is tested daily he is jeopardizing the health of everyone in that facility from not only COVID-19 but other germs which he may be able to spread to others.

The next type of mask is a respirator (PAPR or N95). These are filtration respirators meaning that the wearer can not only prevent themselves from spreading germs but also protects them from being infected. These masks require special fit testing to make sure a proper seal is made on the face so no air particles enter the mask without being filtered. These are in shockingly low supply around the country, even here in Boston. Companies are finding ways to safely sanitize them for reuse however, many of my friends and colleagues note they don’t feel they fit properly and have leaks which can be dangerous. I fear for the healthcare profession. We wouldn’t send a soldier into war with a toy gun and sweatpants would we? No of course not, but this is basically what the government has forced us in the healthcare industry to do. If you have any access to N95 or PAPR respirators, I beg of you…donate them to your local hospital.

Masks are important in this day and age. Home isolation and physical distancing are crucial. Lead by example. I understand our country is suffering. People are out of work and struggling financially. I could say go out and get an essential job which are available but this may not be possible for some of those around the country. All I ask is to respect those healthcare workers sacrificing their families, mental well being, and honestly, their own lives to take care of those who are sick and dying of this disease. Those two urgent care doctors out of California that I mentioned in my last post have since been condemned by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians for their misinformation to the general public and deemed dangerous to the public health of Americans.

I have many friends and people I love and care about working on the front lines of the epidemic who are sacrificing a lot to be there. Please use common sense, listen to credible and science-based sources such as the CDC, and above all…be smart. This is hard on all of us for different reasons and it is not going to end anytime soon despite Donald Trump claiming a premature victory. Places that have seen their surges across the globe that are loosening restrictions on physical distancing like Germany are now seeing a second surge or spike in cases. We need to follow science and best public health practices. Be well. Words are dangerous but actions can be fatal.