Editor:
It’s time to de-stigmatize the wearing of masks in Burnaby.
Wearing a mask in the western world has been an indication of sickness. I hear people working in the bank or on the public transportation system say that the employers do not allow them to wear masks because it will cause unnecessary panic among customers (thinking they are sick).
I hear Asians being physically attacked in some countries for wearing a mask on the street.
While we should not believe that wearing a mask can 100% protect you from contracting diseases, I think it is also important to de-stigmatize the symbolic meaning that “wearing a mask means you are sick and will spread disease” because neither belief is based on scientific truth.
Yes, the effectiveness of masks in filtering aerosols is not certain because some aerosols may be smaller than the holes on the masks, but it could still stop some large droplets created by people coughing in front of me from reaching my face.
It also prevents myself from spreading droplets when I talk, laugh, sneeze, and cough.
Since there is a long incubation period and a lot of confirmed cases do not show any symptoms, who can be sure that they are not infected and will not create harmful droplets to other people?
Wearing a mask is also an effective means to prevent oneself from touching his face, which importance has been repeatedly emphasized by the western health professionals.
Seeing people wearing masks also alerts everyone that we are in a pandemic so that people will behave with the level of caution required for reducing spread.
Based on these reasons, wearing a mask in many Asian countries is not only for self-protection, but an expression of courtesy. It is very unfortunate that such behaviour in many parts of the western world is being interpreted as “being sick and will spread disease.”
With such stigma attached to mask-wearing, I doubt people who are actually sick will want to wear a mask, which exposes themselves to discrimination (or should I say hostility).
I am not saying you should solely rely on wearing a mask to fight the virus (you should wear a facial mask, eye protection glasses, and gloves and wash you hands a million times a day).
What I am saying is, please de-stigmatize the wearing of masks so that people (healthy or sick) can wear it for their own reasons without the fear of being discriminated (or should I say hated).
Claire Chang, Burnaby
