In the quest to halt transmission of COVID-19, health experts have put forth a series of mitigation strategies. Staying home, engaging in social distancing, and wearing face masks are some of the leading measures presently recommended to Americans.
However, the issue of wearing a face mask has quickly turned into one of the most controversial and politicized mitigation strategies. Many Americans don’t want to wear masks; others may have medical or mental health issues that don’t mesh with face coverings.
As increasingly more Americans push back against mask mandates, the medical community is attempting to rebrand the face covering.
According to Dr. Jerome Adams, a White House surgeon general, face masks are supposedly symbols of “independence” and “freedom,” documents Breitbart News.
Dr. Adams on What Face Masks Truly Stand For
Yesterday, the surgeon general sat down for an interview with NBC News. During this time, Adams spoke about face masks and urged Americans to wear them over the 4th of July weekend.
This #July4 weekend, please continue social distancing, wearing a #FaceCovering, and washing your hands frequently to help protect yourself and others around you from #COVID19.
For the latest information, visit https://t.co/68gjnc3RSl. #COVIDStopsWithMe pic.twitter.com/GhEdBOvphs
— Office of the U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) July 3, 2020
Adams also pushed back against concerns that many Americans have about what face masks truly represent. Per the surgeon general’s own words, face coverings are about “independence” and “freedom” in America; he even stated that masking will permit businesses to remain open while decreasing the spread of coronavirus.
The surgeon general’s assessment on face masks arrives as Republican and Democrat leaders have issued statewide mask mandates; certain elected leaders are even “requiring” businesses to deny service to Americans without face coverings.
What Do the American People Think About Face Masks?
There are some Americans who agree with Adams’ assessment of face coverings. As Democrat leaders promote masking, certain Republicans such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro, and others have joined them in urging face mask-wearing.
Wearing a face covering is a simple thing we can all do when around others to prevent possible spread of #COVID19. More from @CDCgov: https://t.co/uEADh1i6Ac pic.twitter.com/4LscApzpVr
— Office of the U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) July 3, 2020
However, despite encouragement from leaders on both sides of the aisle, not all Americans are convinced. As a matter of fact, many people in this nation view true “freedom” and “independence” as the availability of choice to not wear face masks.
As it currently stands, several governors, health officials, and others who have issued face-covering mandates are facing lawsuits. Despite the rhetoric from the surgeon general, a fair amount of Americans have major issues with the government demanding them to wear face masks while issuing threats of jail time, fines, and refusal of service if mask mandates aren’t adhered to.
Do you believe that mandatory face masks are relics of “freedom” and “independence?” Should the government have the power to dictate Americans wear face coverings and penalize those who refuse? Let us know in the comments section below!
