When it comes to using masks, why does common sense seem to go right out the window for so many people? Consider this parallel: When we are driving at night, it is not difficult to recognize why we and others use headlights. If someone fails to use their headlights, are they not putting themselves and us at risk? If someone refuses to use their headlights, shouldn’t they at least get a warning or a citation?
Nobody is claiming that headlight use is a 100% guarantee that we will not have an accident. Similarly, nobody is claiming that wearing a mask or other face covering is 100% effective in preventing viral transmission. Yet, the scientific consensus is that it is better than nothing in situations where social distancing is not possible. Masks don’t necessarily prevent the wearer from contacting the virus, but they do appear to help prevent the wearer from spreading it to others. The idea that “I shouldn’t have to wear a mask because of my freedoms” makes as much sense as the same argument applied to using headlights while driving at night: none.
