Hard to believe that two and a half years into the Covid pandemic, I’m debating whether to make a round-up of recent news and observations a weekly feature on this blog.
Why Are Hospitals Overwhelmed (Spoiler: Lots of Reasons)
It’s *Really* Bad…
Really really bad…
Like, really really really bad….
https://www.twitter.com/JillReann/status/1592642279650791424
So yeah, you should probably wear a mask…maybe…if you want…or whatever, could be too late too.
I haven’t been perfect. I like to go to restaurants. Concerts. Movies. Go on trips. Hang out with people who I don’t share DNA with.
But I’m trying really hard to wear a mask where and when I can – at work. In meetings. In stores. In crowded spaces.
https://www.twitter.com/whosthatguurrrl/status/1592264575449436162
Because it is very possible that Covid is FUCKING ALL OF US UP more than most people realise.
And as an atheist, it’s sort of weirdly funny that mask-wearing has become like some science-based Pascal’s Wager for me.
This same logical framework can be applied to the controversy over whether or not to wear a mask. If you choose to wear a mask and it turns out you are right about the importance of mask-wearing, you have potentially limited the exposure of countless people to COVID-19 and have saved innumerable lives. If it turns out that you are wrong, and masks do not slow the spread of COVID-19, then all you have risked is some mild discomfort, a risk which is infinitesimally small when compared to the value of a human life. On the other hand, if you choose not to wear a mask, and you are wrong, then you have potentially exposed everyone you have come in contact with to a dangerous virus, risking their lives and the lives of everyone they interact with. If you are right, however, all you will have gained is the satisfaction of being correct, a reward which pales in comparison to the potential risk to human life. When examined under the logical framework of Pascal’s Wager, the only bet that makes sense is to wear a mask.