Wearing a mask during pandemic is not just a health decision, it’s a moral imperative

The number of deaths from COVID-19 has recently exceeded half a million souls worldwide. The United States accounts for about a quarter of these deaths, even though the U.S. makes up only 4.25 percent of the world population. The bad news is that the number of deaths in our country will continue to rise because of an increased spike of infections this summer.

Other countries have successfully brought new cases down to nearly zero. Hong Kong, amid social unrest, and Taiwan and New Zealand are a few examples of places where the pandemic has been kept at bay. Some European countries initially hit hard by the virus, such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain, have been able to flatten their curves and even turn it downward.

We could mitigate the current health crisis in this country by applying best practices from all over the world and by listening to our own health experts. We could learn how Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand did something interesting early on. Unlike many other countries, she never put her country on a war footing with this disease. Her speeches were not about attacking an invisible enemy, as some world leaders would say. Instead, she talked repeatedly about likening her country to a team of nearly 5 million and urging each one to do their part to break the chains of transmission and to eliminate the virus. As of late May, New Zealand had had roughly 1,500 cases and fewer than two dozen deaths. It reopened most businesses and is even talking about the complete elimination of the coronavirus from its territory.

The main message from this successful story of New Zealand is that we are all together in this health crisis and we need to work together to escape a dire situation. I do not need to remind everyone of the do’s and don’ts during this pandemic: social distancing, staying at home as much as possible, quarantining if exhibiting symptoms, avoiding crowded areas and, most importantly, wearing a mask around others.

Science has shown that COVID-19 could be spread to others even if you are asymptomatic and do not feel sick. Obviously, a face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected. Even if you are not sick, wearing a mask and keeping at least 6 feet between yourself and others is the safe, responsible thing to do. In either case, research has shown that wearing a surgical mask can reduce coronavirus transmission by 75 percent.

Last weekend, my wife and I were in a grocery store and struck a conversation with a mother and her 2-year-old daughter. My wife, who worked with children in the past, complimented the young girl on her ability to tolerate the mask. (Actually, CDC guidelines do not require cloth face coverings on children younger than 2 or anyone who might have trouble breathing or a range of other health issues.) The mother sadly reported that, a week earlier, someone approached her and chastised her for bringing her daughter to the store without a mask cover.

People need to realize that a mask is not a substitute for social distancing. However, this tool, when used in conjunction with social distancing, can be quite effective. Using supercomputer simulations, partitions between seats in offices and other places have also been shown to prevent microscopic droplets from spreading if the partition glass is at least as high as a person’s head. A concern, however, is that the microscopic droplets containing the virus will continue to float for minutes or even hours if there is no adequate ventilation.

It is perplexing to me when I see a health crisis transformed into a battle cry for personal freedom. We have seen many patrons refusing to wear a mask in crowded areas such as grocery stores and in public transportation. At the core of every religion is the message to care for one another and to protect the most vulnerable in society. Wearing a mask is not only a health decision; it is a moral decision and the right thing to do to protect our communities.

In France, a bus driver was assaulted after he asked four passengers to wear face masks, which are required aboard French public transport. The driver was insulted, dragged out of the bus, and violently beaten and kicked in the head. He died of his injuries, leaving behind a widow and three daughters.

We should take heed of the message promoted by the prime minister of New Zealand. It is a message of unity behind a purpose to reduce and defeat the spread of this pandemic. If we work as a team in our households and our communities, we will prevail over this disease.

As the Quran teaches us in Chapter 5, Verse 32, saving a single human life is tantamount to saving the whole of humanity. By applying common-sense measures in our toolbox, we can save human lives and the lives of our loved ones.