Masks and Mermaids

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As the summer of 2020 comes to an infamous finish, two notable new things were introduced to the area:  mandatory mask policies and the new splash pad.  When the Ludington Splash Pad opened for business on July 2nd, Governor Gretchen Whitmer had already issued a couple of mandatory mask laws applicable to those who were to go outside and not be able to social distance.  These orders applied to kids as well, clarifying eventually in August that even two year olds going to camp or daycare had to mask up.

The opening of the Ludington Splash Pad at Copeyon Park was well documented in photographs by city leaders, whether they showed six members of the city council holding an unlawful meeting on the splash pad, or just kids enjoying themselves in the water sprays.  I will be re-sharing those photographs in this article, while also sharing some of the relevant science and links to that science.

The CDC warns:  "People should not wear masks while engaged in activities that may cause the mask to become wet, like when swimming at the beach or pool. A wet mask may make it difficult to breathe."

Nursing Times urges caution:  "A mask wet with exhaled moisture has increased resistance to airflow, is less efficient at filtering bacteria and has increased venting. Current recommendations are that they should be changed when wet (National Association of Theatre Nurses, 1998)."

The Mayo Clinic fields a question:  "Q. What are the potential dangers in terms of using a mask?
A. Once a mask gets wet, maybe from our exhalation, it really begins to decrement in effectiveness in filtering any sort of respiratory particulate matter. So that's one thing, it would need to be changed."

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF both unwaveringly stress that children five years and younger should not be wearing masks.

So even with at least eight Ludington city officials around on July 2nd, we had a lot of little children running around with wet masks, which multiple medical sources say is unsafe and unhealthy; we had a lot of kids five and under running around wearing wet masks which has been declared unsafe, unhealthy, and unrecommended by the WHO and UNICEF.  

If we get some warm September days and you want to take your children to the splash pad, leave the kiddie masks in the car and allow them to enjoy themselves.  Better yet, rain or shine, an organized revolt for adults worldwide against wearing masks is taking place Tuesday, September 15.  If you are not medically compromised and not already wearing masks in public, good for you; go out that day to help encourage others to experience your freedom from irrational fear.  And don't forget to smile.

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More social science data from the last few days.  I walked the breakwall three times on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, as I have before, passing dozens of people in the process who couldn't maintain their social distance of 6 ft. from me.  One would think that even now there are plenty of people coming from all over the country to do that, potentially coronavirus hot spots.  One would think that those walking the breakwall would put on a mask for all those exposures, particularly since most downtown businesses are so strict on their mask policy.  

Guess again.  Throughout summer, I have done this on a regular basis and every single time I did it, more than 19 in 20 (95%) were not wearing masks, only one time did it fall under 24 in 25 (96%), these three times continued that trend.  On Saturday 51 of 52 were w/o masks (98+%), on Sunday, 65 of 65 were exercising full facial nudity (100%, the only time that's happened), and on Tuesday 25 of 26 faced the music (96+%).  

When over 24 of 25 people ignore the constantly-preached advice of the media's chosen doctors and the CDC, just to look at the lighthouse close up, you can bet that percentage or more do not believe the CDC and the media's chosen doctors change of heart about whether masks are helpful.  

When worn by healthy people in social settings, they are harmful, when worn by healthy schoolchildren and student athletes they are even more harmful.  People knew this before 2020, they knew this one month into the shutdowns when 'big liberal science' changed the rules.