I started monitoring the coronavirus in the media sometime between the New Year when the new virus was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by China and the first week of January when it was discovered to be a new type of virus. (Shen, Peng & Zhang, 2020). Why was I monitoring this virus you might ask? It’s because I’ve been in the corporate risk management business for over 20 years and it’s what I’m trained and conditioned to do. When I first started reading reports in the new media, I noticed that the virus was being reported as an unknown or new virus type which reminded me a lot of when the SARS virus was discovered in 2003 (Zhong et al., 2003) and the H1N1 (Swine flu) virus was discovered in 2009 (H1N1 Virus Investigation Team, 2009). There was this drumbeat of concern that since the coronavirus detected in China in late 2019 was previously undetected, there was potential for wide-spread infection among humans like SARS and H1N1 so it caught my attention.
I remember that during the SARS outbreak in China that panic set in and people all over China began to wear masks for protection. I was working in New York City at the time, which was one of the most congested cities in the world, and remember thinking to myself, ‘how ridiculous’ it was to wear a mask and that people were over reacting. I also remember years later seeing what I assumed were tourists from Asia (you can usually tell by the cameras hanging from around their necks) wearing masks on the subways. Again, I thought that this was clearly an overreaction but it was their right to wear one ‘so be it’. I even thought to myself, maybe it’s a ‘cultural thing’ and something that is common in that region. However, now with COVID-19 I think differently. I don’t believe it’s an overreaction but an exercise our right as humans to protect ourselves from infections carried by others. And when I read last week’s lecture on human rights in the context of diversity, I began to see a correlation between mask wearing and the impact on our human rights. I think it’s important to highlight this correlation as we explore global diversity and commonality.
Article 3 of the Human Rights act states that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” (United Nations. 2020). But what happens when someone’s ‘liberty’ imposes on someone’s ‘security’? Around the world and our country in particular, we are required to wear masks when we are in inside public places, such as grocery stores, department stores and even at work, to protect ourselves and others from spreading COVID-19. As a result, there has been sort of a rebellion with those that feel that it’s a violation of their human rights to be ‘required’ to wear a mask (Powlowski. 2020). In fact, just the other day, I was at the pharmacy and the gentleman at the counter mentioned that he’s “against wearing a mask” but does so “out of respect.” I thought to myself, out of respect for whom? And why did he feel it was necessary to make that statement? In New Jersey, it’s the law, so he has no choice but to wear a mask inside. Then I realized, he made that statement because he wanted to feel that he was in control of a situation where he didn’t have control. I inferred from his comment that It’s likely he felt his rights were being violated.
My question to those who feel that their rights are being violated is, what about my human rights, outlined in Article 3, to safety? According to the CDC, wearing a mask protects others from YOU (CDC. 2020). It’s called “Source Control.” So don’t I qualify for human rights too? It’s a messy subject, I know but unfortunately it’s one we must consider during this uncertain time. In my humble opinion, I think we need to look at the bigger picture. And here it is…right to the point…if we are dead from COVID-19, we no longer have human rights at all. So why not protect ourselves and others? It’s to our advantage to wear masks, as ridiculous as it may seem (and look) it’s for our safety so that we can enjoy the human rights we are afforded.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Considerations for wearing masks. CDC.com. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
Novel Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Investigation Team. (2009). Emergence of a novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus in humans. New England journal of medicine, 360(25), 2605-2615.
Powlowski, A. (2020). Why we hate being told what to do: Psychologists explain the battle over masks. Today.com. https://www.today.com/health/mask-protest-t186064
Shen, M., Peng, Z., Xiao, Y., & Zhang, L. (2020). Modelling the epidemic trend of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China. BioRxiv.
United Nations. (2020). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from:
https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html
Zhong, N. S., Zheng, B. J., Li, Y. M., Poon, L. L. M., Xie, Z. H., Chan, K. H., … & Liu, X. Q. (2003). Epidemiology and cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, in February, 2003. The Lancet, 362(9393), 1353-1358.
tms6490 says
Your graphic caught my attention, and so it made me want to respond to your post. Then as I read it you did a great job in getting the readers engaged. I applaud the objective you brought to the table in the huge (sadly now political) controversy that we face daily, mask wearing. Your statement: “But what happens when someone’s ‘liberty’ imposes on someone’s ‘security”? really puts the subject into perspective and I would hope that anyone reading your blog that is in doubt makes them reconsider their stance.
No one likes to wear a mask! However, we do what we have to do in respect of our fellow man. I have a friend who had Covid and was asymptomatic. If he did was not diligent about wearing his mask, God knows how many people he may unknowingly spread the virus to.
I also appreciate your final closing statement: “if we are dead from COVID-19, we no longer have human rights at all”. I absolutely agree – one cannot argue from the grave. In the USA, we are over the 200,000 fatality mark. One of those individuals happens to be the mother of one of my best friends. If nothing else, I would never not wear a mask in respect of her and her life.
Keep your mask on, nose covered and stay well!