Paradigm Shift Outline

Thesis: With the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the global shift to wearing face masks has resulted in the analysis of safety measures, an unsettled public opinion, and questioning what the future of social interaction might entail.

1. The role of the mask in America vs. The role of the mask in Asia – Before COVID-19
   1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7309199/
      1. History of the face mask
      2. Reasons masks were worn prior to the pandemic
   2. https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/not-just-coronavirus-asians-have-worn-face-masks-decades
      1. Why masks have been worn for decades in Asia
2. What is the purpose of wearing a mask, and how necessary is it?
   1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
      1. Center for Disease Control mask guidelines
   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiyrGRdg_zA
      1. Social media platforms catching people with ridiculous masks that miss the point of wearing them
      2. “Covid Karen Cuts Hole in Mask to Breathe Easier”
   3. https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2020/states-mask-mandates-coronavirus.html
      1. State by state guidelines in America
   4. https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus-2020.html
      1. Center for Disease Control page on COVID-19
3. The phrase “my mask protects you, your mask p[rotects me” emphasizes the importance of the entire community abiding my mask guidelines, despite this, America has seen public upset and protests over the requirement.
   1. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53477121
      1. Anti-Masker movement
   2. https://www.hrlc.org.au/news/2020/7/29/explainer-masks-covid-19-and-human-rights
   3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/08/20/no-there-isnt-constitutional-right-not-wear-masks/
      1. The claim that it is a human or constitutional right to not wear a mask and why that is wrong
4. Many citizens are surprised to find themselves becoming used to wearing a mask daily, so much so that at times they may even forget they are wearing one. When in the past year did the mindset change in America from considering wearing a mask to be weird to not wearing a mask being crazy?
   1. https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/updated-timeline-coronavirus
      1. Weekly timeline of global COVID-19 events
5. An entire new market was created as the demand for masks increased at the start of quarantine and the availability for personal protective equipment (PPE) was low which led to a need for new types of masks, the most notable being the homemade reusable mask.
   1. https://www.wfmj.com/story/42475805/global-face-masks-market-report-2020-2030-by-supply-demand-consumption-sale-price-share-revenue-covid-19-impact-and-top-manufacturers
      1. Global face mask market report
   2. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/to-get-medical-gear-doctors-and-nurses-get-creative
      1. Limited PPE and how the public can help
   3. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-14/coronavirus-ppe-shortage-persists-hospitals
      1. Doctors required to reuse PPE
   4. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-face-masks-what-you-need-to-know
      1. What types of masks are most effective – Johns Hopkins

 

Other Sources and Notes to Add if Needed

1. https://www.uncsa.edu/mysa/announcements/20200814-banned-face-coverings.aspx
   1. UNCSA school bans gaiters
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/17/well/live/coronavirus-gaiters-masks.html
   1. Study may have provided insufficient evidence against gaiters