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Change Your World Week Fall 2021 (Archived)

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Mask Mandates

Evidence shows that wearing masks prevents the person from wearing them from spreading microbes, such as the virus in aerosol droplets to others. These droplets are mostly spread when those not wearing masks cough, sneeze, and talk. It is a key factor in preventing the further spead and mutation of Covid 19. It is currently recommended by the CDC for people, with or without the vaccine, to wear masks indoors wherever they go according to the CDC. The year of 2020 and ongoing in this current year of 2021, we have experienced a worldwide spread of the Coronavirus (Covid 19). This virus has killed millions of people worldwide and over half a million in the United States alone. The United States has been hit hard in comparison to other nations. This may be due to the lack of mask mandates and other precautions necessary to combat the spread of Covid.

 

The Solution

Actions are being taken on this matter of mask mandates with having students wear masks while they are on campus or on the school bus. Companies have made it a requirement to wear masks while their employees work and when their customers come into their establishment. “For those areas with mask decrees, the details differ. Some states simply require a face covering anytime an individual leaves his or her residence, while others provide detailed instructions for where masks must be worn” (Hubbard). Simply having individuals wear masks outside their homes would decrease the number of respiratory droplets in the air. It is decreasing the number of contacts people are having when they are face to face with no protection against the Coronavirus. Having mask mandates in any indoor or outdoor gathering would help build our immune systems for those who suffer from weakened systems to fight off diseases.

Opposing View

Some people believe that wearing a mask should be a choice. That it goes along with the first amendment in choosing how they want to live and their freedom to make their own decisions. “Many school districts are debating mandating face masks, but some in the medical community believe face coverings do more harm than good” (Collins). They are some officials that say that mask mandates effect students’ performance in school with not being able to properly hear a teacher explain topics or understand how to say a letter in the alphabet when first starting to learn to speak. It is impacting students’ mental health or creating additional anxiety to these kids. There are studies out there that show students who wear face coverings have reduced the number of getting infected.

How Masks Work

https://youtu.be/DNeYfUTA11s

How To Get Mandates

We believe that wearing a mask is a very key component in stopping the spread of Covid 19 and keeping it from mutating any further. In order to reinstate mask mandates we believe there are a few solutions...

  •  We could better educate the public by handing out flyers or pamphlets that include information about the effectiveness of mask wearing in public spaces.
  • Creating an online and in person petition to reinstate mask mandates at local levels throughout Michigan.
    • We have pasted the link to our online petition here on change.org https://chng.it/jFzj48JxXB. 
  • Attending public school board meetings to insist on maintaining or creating a mask mandate in school.
  • Writing to your local representatives about the necessity of mask mandates. 
  • Spread the word by having conversations with coworkers, classmates and loved ones about the importance of wearing a mask and mask mandates

Mandate or No Mandate Poll

After hearing what we have to say we would like to know how you feel please answer the poll questions so we can see if we've made any impact.

Mandate or No Mandate Poll
No Mandate: 4 votes (44.44%)
Mandate: 5 votes (55.56%)
Total Votes: 9
Did you learn anything from our website?
Yes: 8 votes (100%)
No: 0 votes (0%)
Total Votes: 8
Do you think wearing a mask will help stop the spread of Covid 19?
Yes: 5 votes (62.5%)
No: 2 votes (25%)
I don't know: 1 votes (12.5%)
Total Votes: 8

References

Breen, Kerry. How long will we need to wear masks? Here's what experts predict, Today (2020)    www.today.com/health/how-long-will-we-need-wear-masks-here-s-what-t2007

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

D.G. Rancourt (2020, April) Masks Don’t Work: A Review of Science Relevant to Covid-19    Social Policy 

Kenneth McIntosh. (2021) COVID-19: Epidemiology, virology, and prevention

Li, T., Liu, Y., Li, M., Qian, X., & Dai, S. Y. (2020). Mask or no mask for COVID-19: A public health and market study. Plos One, 15(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237691

Lyu, W., & Wehby, G. L. (2020). Community Use Of Face Masks And COVID-19: Evidence From A Natural Experiment Of State Mandates In The US. Health Affairs, 39(8), 1419-1425. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818

Nguyen, M. (2021). Mask Mandates and COVID-19 Related Symptoms in the US. ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research, Volume 13, 757-766. doi:10.2147/ceor.s326728

Shapiro, A., Dorning, C., & Janse, A. M. (2021, July 27). Dr. Fauci On The CDC's New Mask Mandate. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2021/07/27/1021373024/dr-fauci-on-the-cdcs-new-mask-mandate

V. Balachandar, I. Mahalaxmi, J. Kaavya, G. VivekanandhanI, S. Ajtihkumar, N. Arul, G. Singaravelu, N. Senthil Kumar, S. Mohana Devi (2020). COVID-19: emerging protective measures. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences

Collins, Alan. Doctor has opposing view on face mask debate in schools, 6WBRC, 17 Aug. 2021, www.wbrc.com/2021/08/18/doctor-has-opposing-view-face-mask-debate-schools/.

Hubbard, Kaia. These States Have COVID-19 Mask Mandates, U.S. News, 13 Sept. 2021, www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/these-are-the-states-with-mask-mandates.