LETTER: Hail to those who wear face coverings

During a brief shopping experience at our Canonsburg food store, I took a few seconds to observe as many patrons as I could who were wearing, or not wearing, appropriate face coverings. A quick estimate appeared to be a fairly accurate 80/20 ratio, with those in compliance holding the higher number.
As can be expected, there will always be people who stubbornly refuse to comply with even the most valid and sincere warnings of personal safety for themselves, but in this case for the health and safety of other citizens. Repeatedly, we have heard medical experts in infection control make it abundantly clear that face coverings are an integral part of controlling the spread of COVID-19 until such time as an effective vaccine is developed and dispensed. Face coverings are for the protection of others from the wearer’s possible dispersion of water droplets containing infectious bodies. What is so distressing is the blatant audacity of people who fail or refuse to cover their months and noses while in public venues. Do they have the misguided notion that they are really “tough people,” and no virus would have the nerve to land upon them? Or could it be that if they are infected with the coronavirus, it’s just everyone else’s tough luck while they recklessly spread it around wherever they sojourn?
The disdain for doing one’s part in helping to control this insidious infection has to be considered deliberate and unconscionable. The United States is leading the globe in both the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Many other countries implemented strict measures for infection control with aggressive enforcement, and it has paid off for them. Outside medical observers are stunned as to how foolish, reckless and cavalier Americans are behaving during this pandemic. What we are sowing is what we are reaping in our pitiful efforts to protect our fellow citizens. Every face covering rejector threatens to contribute to our poor performance in ameliorating this health emergency. Hail to face-covering wearers. A pox upon those who do not!
Ronald J. Yamka
Canonsburg