Behind the Mask

A new day means new rules. Today the White House announced that CDC is recommending that people living in areas hard hit by the community spread of the coronavirus wear masks or some kind of face covering when interacting with people. Previously, the CDC recommended only the sick and people with other health issues wear masks in public. Now some new information suggests you don’t have to cough or sneeze to spread the virus, just speaking to someone within six feet can spread the virus. So, either shut up or get that mask on, and not the real good ones that medical workers so desperately need. You can use a bandanna, scarf, Halloween mask, ski mask, home made medical type mask, or turtleneck pulled up over your nose. Until recently, walking into a business with a mask on meant you wanted to take things and you didn’t want to pay for them. Now, if you walk into a business without a mask, you may be chased out.

We all noticed when we venture out to a supermarket or drug store many people are already wearing masks. The mayors of New York and Los Angeles are urging all citizens to wear masks in public because of the overwhelming number of cases in those cities. Masks have a long history. There is evidence that they were used as far back as 7,000 BC. Masks have been used in just about every culture for ceremonial and religious purposes. The masks of Comedy and Tragedy represent the performing arts. Masks have to been used to celebrate life and death, laughter and sadness, good guys and bad guys. The Lone Ranger and Batman wear masks. There are no better good guys, but they don’t want anyone to know who they are. Maybe it’s a form of modesty. They don’t want their friends to know they’re running around saving people and catching bad guys. Being so good all the time can be embarrassing. Bank robbers in the old West used their neckerchiefs. Women’s stockings have been employed by the modern thief. Masks can be used for protection, football facemasks, a catcher’s mask, a hockey mask. Well, expect for Jason in the “Friday the 13th” movies who has given the hockey mask a whole new meaning.

Our current need for masks can both scare us and make us feel protected. Staying away from each other and watching people go out their way to walk around us is chilling enough. But the mask makes us anonymous to each other. The mask forces us not to interact because that can be dangerous. But it also makes us feel protected. We are able to hide from the virus as we rush by each other. The mask has become the symbol of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s unifying, yet separating. We’re told we’re all in this together. If we all obey these very confining rules, we will beat this invisible threat. We’re trying to  isolate the virus. We want to contain it and kill it. We can’t blow it up, or shoot it, or drown it, or catch it with a net. The hope is a vaccine will be developed sooner rather than later that will protect us.  We are warned things will get worse before they get better. But, in the meantime, the view from behind the mask can be both terrifying and hopeful.