Mask up!

I wear a mask

Some might label me a sheep

Yes, proudly I am

In fact, it is something called herd immunity*

Proudly part of the herd

Baah’ baah’

 

I wear a mask.

Even as a doc, I can’t cite you the risk level as another person passes

But I wear the mask to show respect for their life, their health, and their family at home

And yes, for myself and my family at home as well

 

I wear a mask

Not any more as a political statement than

getting a flu shot

flushing the toilet

or picking up my dog’s poop

I wear it because it is the right thing to do as a member of a larger community that relies on me to make the right decision

I wear it because I don’t want to see communities of color suffer any further in this pandemic

I don’t want anyone to suffer

 

I wear a mask

Believing in science

And a crazy principle called “disease transmission through air particles”

Not because of how I vote or my religious beliefs or my political party (feminist)

 

I wear a mask and ask that you do the same

Why?

Because you are too important not to be here because of COVID

Ditto for those in your family

Ditto for those you might infect

 

I wear a mask and ask that you do the same

Because it is a statement of love for your community

Because together we can bring reason, humanity, and caring for each other back into this polarized, angry shouting match we find ourselves in

Because we are together in this herd called humanity

Baah’ baah’

* As a professor in population health, I need to clarify that herd immunity is not quite the same as wearing a mask. Herd immunity is the idea that if enough people are immunized, the herd as a whole is protected. But in this case, I couldn't resist the poetic connection between sheep...herd...herd immunity. This blog is an escape from my academic life, after all :)