Letter to the Editor: Wearing a Mask is a Public Health Issue, Not a Political One

I have been listening to and watching people work themselves into a fury over having to wear a mask to prevent the spread of COVID. I have been wearing a mask since the COVID virus hit Washington state because of my own respiratory issues and because my mother lives with my family. 

My main goal being to keep all of us safe. I have walked into stores and the post office and been the only person wearing a mask. I have had men make fun of me and at least three men tell me to take off my mask. I have had customers get very agitated because our business is in the food service industry and we wear masks while we work. We have been told it is all a conspiracy, it is fake and we are suckers for falling for it. 

What has happened in this country that men think they can approach a woman and give her directives or mock her? When did every person become a medical professional or an infectious disease expert? When anyone sees a person wearing a mask they can’t make any assumptions regarding reasoning or necessity. Now wearing a mask is a temporary law. Why did it have to come to this? If you look at photos of Americans during the Spanish flu outbreak one hundred years ago everyone wore a mask. It wasn’t an issue. 

In Lewis County there has been a marked lack of commentary from our leaders regarding the mask issue. Commissioner Bobby Jackson does not wear one in public meetings. I would implore Bobby Jackson to speak to the experts at Lewis County Public Health as to why he should wear a mask in public. Our leaders need to set an example publicly and reinforce that mask wearing will help us reopen our economy fully. 

This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is a public health issue. Small businesses are hurting and need to reopen. We can all help them with just a little piece of cloth. Today I went shopping for my mom and even while mask wearing is mandated only about half of the people I saw had a mask on. It is my sincere hope that people like Bobby Jackson do not contract the virus because they need to make a political statement, but more so I hope they do not unknowingly spread it to someone they love and suffer from great regret later because it was more important to make that political statement. 

People, no matter what your politics are, don’t take the risk. Please just wear a mask.

Sona Markholt

Mossyrock