Heroes These Days Don’t Wear Capes, They Wear Masks: Chloe Syzc

The ICUs are back to maximum capacity in this country for a second time, and for some reason, people are tired of masks and social distancing. You may be tired of the virus, but the virus is not tired of you. As of today, August 9, 2020, the United States has surpassed 5 million confirmed Covid cases. Experts say that the number of cases in America is most likely a lot higher because of a lack of testing[1] and sadly, we have also surpassed 165,000 deaths. From a CNN article published today, the United States has approximately 25 percent of the world’s cases and has topped the list with the highest number of deaths.

This virus has gotten out of hand in many states, and yet there is still a fight over a nation-wide mask mandate. There is proof that wearing masks keeps people safe and we do not have to only look around the world to see this, but we can also look here in our own country. In Kansas,[2] the governor left it up to the individual counties to decide whether they want to mandate the wearing of masks. The data has shown that the number of cases in the 15 counties that chose to make face coverings mandatory have gone down while the cases in the other 90 counties have either stayed the same or increased. This is here in front of our own eyes and for some reason there is still a debate over mandating masks. In Italy[3], a country whose healthcare system was brought to its knees back in March from the virus now has it under control. People in Italy can live an almost normal life because the cases have gone down to approximately 100 a day. They were able to accomplish this because they mandated face coverings and social distancing was enforced. It has been proven time and time again and not in a lab or through some experiment. The data shows a drastic drop in numbers because everyday people in these areas took the recommendations seriously.

Now the tables have turned, and America has been brought to its knees. ICUs are overflowing and the younger, healthier patients are waiting in beds in hallways to make space for those struggling to breathe on ventilators[4]. Frighteningly, officials do not see an end to the virus. We are seeing numbers similar to those during our first surge back in April. From a New York Times Article,[5] the amount of hospitalizations due to Covid is equivalent to about “a bus accident a day.” In the South, states like Texas and Florida, where the daily numbers are staggeringly high, the ICUs are at capacity and even overflowing. On top of that, the test positivity rate in Texas alone is approximately 19.4%[6]. People need to open their eyes and close their mouths. Something as simple as wearing a mask out in public or staying 6 feet away from someone in the supermarket can save a life. At a time like this where the virus is growing exponentially out of control, it is important for people to cooperate and work together. Masks save lives and will help our lives return to normal.

[1] Maxouris, Christina, and Eliott C McLaughlin. “US Tops 5 Million Covid-19 Cases, with Five States Making up More than 40% of Tally.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 Aug. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/08/09/health/us-coronavirus-sunday/index.html.

[2] Medina, David. “Data Shows Kansas Mask Mandates Have Reduced COVID-19 Cases.” KSHB, KSHB, 5 Aug. 2020, www.kshb.com/news/coronavirus/data-shows-kansas-mask-mandates-have-reduced-covid-19-cases.

[3] Nadeau, Barbie Latza, and Livia Borghese. “How Italy Turned the Covid-19 Disaster Around.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 Aug. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/08/09/europe/italy-coronavirus-return-normal-intl/index.html.

[4] Reeves, Jay. “As Virus Surges in Some US States, Emergency Rooms Swamped.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 19 July 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/health/as-virus-surges-in-some-us-states-emergency-rooms-swamped/2020/07/18/2a25c166-c964-11ea-a825-8722004e4150_story.html.

[5] de Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko, et al. “Like ‘a Bus Accident a Day’: Hospitals Strain Under New Flood of Covid-19 Patients.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/us/coronavirus-hospitals-capacity.html.

[6] Maxouris, Christina, and Eliott C McLaughlin. “US Tops 5 Million Covid-19 Cases, with Five States Making up More than 40% of Tally.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 Aug. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/08/09/health/us-coronavirus-sunday/index.html.