Is mask mandate realistic?

We’ve all heard the term “Where’s the beef?” The new 2021 term should be “Where’s the data?” That’s right, the data. Many, espousing to be our leaders, have continually warned us about the steps required to stay healthy while navigating this pandemic. Mandates soon followed the warnings.

“Follow the science” they continue to chant. What science? With the thousands upon thousands of cases throughout our nation what have we learned? Not much.

When an individual contracts the virus, he or she should be asked some fundamental questions such as:

1. Did you consistently wear any kind of mask or face covering? If so, what kind did you wear?

2. Have you frequented restaurants with indoor dining? If so, how often?

3. Have you frequented restaurants with outdoor dining? If so, how often?

4. Have you attended any social gatherings? When, where and how often?

5. Have you traveled on an airplane, train or bus? If so when, where and how often?

6. Have you continued your employment? If so, what is the work environment like at your job? Do you know anyone else who has contracted the virus?

7. Did you wash your hands frequently during the day?

8. Did you religiously practice social distancing?

I’m sure there are many other important questions that could be asked. Answers to these simple queries could help us manage the risk that our daily routines provide and would also let us know what actions are more important than others. I believe the collecting of this information is vital to our understanding of this pandemic.

Why are we not asking these questions? If they are, where are the answers? I want to know what the daily habits were for each of the infected. Were they careless? Were they responsible in adhering to the mandates?

I will never forget a scene in the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” starring Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss is captured attempting to climb the mountain where the supposed alien UFO was located. Sitting in a bus with others that had also been captured, they were all wearing military-style gas masks because the military personnel, who were also wearing gas masks, advised that the air was contaminated. Dreyfuss knew it was all a hoax and bravely, and to the horror of others, removed his mask, took a deep breath with no apparent breathing issues.

Somehow it reminds me of our current situation. People wear masks not because they know it is a prevention but because they were told it was. Based on what? What was gleaned from the interviews of those infected? Obviously, not much.

Our leaders do not trust us to make decisions for ourselves therefore they believe they must make these choices for us even though they do not have a collection of responses to guide them. I would bet that, if we had a database of answers to these interrogations, we would learn that the majority of the infected did, in fact, wear masks, wash their hands, stayed away from restaurants and did little or no traveling.

If that is the case, what the heck are we doing? Where is the data, the facts, the statistics, the numbers? Hello, is anybody home?

How do we know masks work? We really don’t. Again, those who contracted this infection likely wore masks religiously, so do they work? I would guess not or maybe they do, who knows?

“Where’s the data?” Follow the science? Ya, right.

The opinions expressed above belong solely to the author and do not represent the views of the Boulder City Review. They have been edited solely for grammar, spelling and style, and have not been checked for accuracy of the viewpoints.

G. Kevin Savord is currently a professional pilot and former small business owner. He can be reached at gksavord@gmail.com.