Require wearing of masks to slow spread of virus
We’ve watched with alarm as the state and Whitefish, in particular, descend into summer chaos in the midst of a global pandemic and COVID-19 cases follow the predictable trajectory that comes with lack of leadership and irresponsible behavior.
The most frustrating part is that this didn’t have to happen. The state’s and this town’s initial pro-active responses stopped the virus in its tracks. By the end of May, Montana had the lowest infection rate in the country and Flathead County had no known active cases. We hadn’t experienced a death from the virus in weeks. But at the first sign of blowback from so-called “freedom lovers” who apparently rely on political leaders and agenda driven media for their misinformation, both the Governor and local leaders wilted and have since ignored U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for re-opening non-essential businesses.
As a result we’ve now gone from none to 52 known active cases in Western Montana — 10 of those in Flathead County, as of June 28. This does not include out of state visitors even after they’ve been tested and found to be positive. Statewide we’ve gone from 14 to 237 active cases. Hospitalizations have increased from none to 11 and we’ve had six additional deaths.
We understand that re-opening is important to people’s livelihoods since, unlike most other western democracies, we lack the social safety net to provide for people while they shelter in place to avoid a deadly pandemic. However, there are common sense measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of re-opening that are simply being ignored by the Governor and by Whitefish City Council, for reasons we don’t entirely understand.
Even people who, for the most part, ignore science in favor of partisanship, have some basic understanding that social distancing is safer than crowds of people. That’s why many are flocking to Western Montana. Where there seems to be disagreement, based on where you get your information, is the value of wearing facial covering. Scientifically, however, there is no disagreement. European studies prove that infection rates are reduced fivefold by widespread use of masks. And the latest study from the University of Washington estimates that if 95% of people wore masks when in public places, 33,000 lives could be saved in the U.S. just between now and Oct. 1. It’s not rocket science. Masks limit the spread of germs and save lives. Masks, together with distancing when possible, are the only safe way to re-open businesses.
So why doesn’t Whitefish make masks mandatory? We’ve heard various excuses. None of them have merit.
We’ve heard it may not be popular. But you didn’t get elected to be popular. You were elected to lead. Leadership has never been more important. And our experience elsewhere is that it is popular among the majority of people.
We’ve heard that it can’t be enforced as a practical matter. But that’s not true. You don’t have to have 500 police on the street arresting people who refuse to respect others by wearing a mask. All you have to do is condition re-opening of businesses on a mask requirement while visitors are on that property. Every business in town has to be licensed by the city. Licenses can be conditioned on following health laws.
Masks during a pandemic caused by spread of a virus from one respiratory system to another are essential to good health. One of us has been in San Diego County and San Francisco in California, and the states of Utah and Washington in the past two weeks. Every location required masks to enter a business. No one was complaining. Enforcement was not an issue. People seemed to feel good about being socially responsible.
When it is required, the public complies or goes somewhere else where they can continue to cavalierly infect each other. Good riddance. At least those who choose to be safe can be.
If you can shut down hotels and restaurants completely, as you did in the spring, you can surely attach conditions to their reopening.
Even if your only concerns are for the economy and not public health, the economy can’t thrive for long if this disease continues to spread and kill people. Please do your part with a mandatory mask law. If businesses don’t comply then require that they close again. Whitefish is better than you give it credit for being.
Terry and Carol Trieweiler, Whitefish