Once established, there is no doubt that is an emergency, is it so that the use of masks represent an inevitable and logical consequence that allows continuing moving forward within the crisis. That is key, denial is a way to control the minds of entire societies, acceptance is that grow up way to face them and continue with our lives, uncertain but almost normal. The idea of continuing the same as before the eruption of the pandemic it only could create benefits to obscure goals and not to the clean goal of rescuing lives and change a global model by more and better mechanisms that build resilience through common goals on solidarity and union.
Is it estimated that the implementation of herd immunity in Spain supposes 400.000 deaths. Only if someone tolerate the loss of lives –especially elderly- can support the not use of masks. Particularly taken into account that they are an overwhelmed number of asymptomatic cases -mainly because they re not massive testing-, making of the current scenario even more threatening. Is not about the symptoms but the consequences. You may not need to use masks because of a powerful immunity health system, or you are asymptomatic, but they are many others with a health system enough vulnerable that just if you breathe close to them, without protection, it may represent their death in the near future.
Many people recovered, many others create immunity, others do not even know if they have been exposed to the virus, but finally, as always happen in crisis times, those healthy and strong enough to resist the threat must protect those that can not do it by themselves.
No use of masks
supposes indifference towards others and no sense of own protection. However, it seems very useful on political terms, a simple tool to protect ourselves from a pandemic that it becomes a tool to serve others’ interests dramatically diverse than health security. They are truly obscure interests based on anti-system measures rather anarchical and chaotically than the pursue of libertarian goals or/and coming from a serious assessment of the pandemic. It looks more of anti-system, anti-government, and certainly anti-global efforts. The indicator for this conclusion may be found with the reaction of nationalists once it erupted as Bolsonaro o Trump. COVID19 becomes another “climate change” or ”migration” issue that is there to be rejected. However, the pandemic collapse under their own weight and both leaders have to fall to the evidence and accepting that both countries’ US and Brazil were badly hit and measures must be taken, like using masks.
That leaves nationalists comments out of the game, and get exposure to the real meaning of this steady action towards hate and confrontation: anti-system groups searching for chaos rather than better actions to tackle crises. Not using masks is a clear example that creates more vulnerability instead of building resilience, to be able to continue with a “normal life”. Is precisely the personal protection in public spaces that are translated into the continuity of our daily habits –including jobs for those that do not hold the privilege of working remotely – ,shopping, leisure, sports outdoors/indoors, etc. Most of these activities were the first to be canceled, creating a negative impact on the economy and on the people that are seeing how their whole life is radically changed.
Is as important to innovate on how to create –re-create- jobs as well as emotional management during COVID19. The use of masks allows us to keep certain levels of normality and routines that in the end, helps to search for better responses instead of looking at governments as the “all-in-one” solution for a pandemic that is claiming for personal responsibilities first and above all. If protests are the way to get through crises, let us make it profitable in terms of changes, not just reactionary spirits that go nowhere in terms of sustainability or simply solutions in the short term.
Use masks!: don´t let them control you, protect yourself
thesustainabilityreader 