"Life is a masquerade. Everywhere you look people are hiding behind masks."
- Ridze Khan
"Hi-yo Silver Away", the masked man urged his horse, Silver, to chase the baddies. This childhood memory from the 195os is indelibly imprinted on our brains. The Lone Ranger TV series was a favourite of many in those days, but we never did get to see the man behind the mask. Some of us even dressed up at masquerade parties similar to the Lone Ranger.
The above quote by Khan speaks to the literal and rhetorical wearing of masks, and the message that they convey. Masks, of course, are now topical in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The question of a facial covering is as polarizing as many things in the political sphere today. It's really shouldn't be a political question but one rooted in science. So what is the truth behind masks?
Firstly, from a scientific perspective, there is no evidence that there is any validity for mask-wearing outside whether it's riding a bike, jogging in the park or just walking around distanced from others. The odds of picking up droplets containing the virus are quite remote in the outside environment. Besides, in the sunshine, you are exposed to ultraviolet light which has germicidal properties.
One of the almost comical situations is when you see people taking off their masks, then touching the outside material along with their faces. Now if a virus particle is on the outside of the mask, well guess what? That person has just transmitted the virus elsewhere. In the medical sphere, once masks are worn, they need to be disposed of immediately to avoid cross-contamination. Also, the majority of masks have pores larger than a virus particle, so they give the illusion of protection, but the reality is much different.
Have you ever seen what surgeons wear to protect both themselves and the patient? Firstly, they wash their hands for a minimum of two minutes. The protective equipment that they don includes, masks, surgical gloves, aprons, exclusive footwear, over-shoes, surgical gowns and caps, and visors. This is the only truly safe environment, and the surgeons and staff use specific procedures to put on their protective equipment. Most importantly, masks are only used once and then disposed of.
We also have new rates of breathing and dental disorders, including what has been termed "Mask Mouth" by Manhattan dentist, Dr Rob Ramondi. This is caused by re-breathing bugs which cause a change in the mouth environment, most notably a loss of saliva with dryness. The result leads to an increase in dental cavities and gum disease. Dr Ramondi has seen a 50% increase in gum disease in those patients who have been wearing masks for a prolonged period.
There is one final thing about masks. We can have fun going to dress-up parties as the Lone Ranger or other forms of masquerade, but out in society, it is in a way dehumanizing. In young children, it creates an element of fear whose consequences we may not clearly identify for some time to come. The bottom line is that the value of masks to the general public is dubious at best when people are not close to one another. It probably is best suited to go to that masquerade party.
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