It was just a couple of days ago that the front page of the Washington Post featured a picture of President Biden walking through Arlington National Cemetery … while wearing a mask. Alone. And he’s been vaccinated.
We certainly didn’t expect it from Slate, but senior editor Shannon Palus has a lengthy piece Saturday arguing that it’s time to stop wearing masks outdoors.
“You’re talking about a probability of getting hit by a car, and being struck by lightning.” https://t.co/ce6FfxfcVT
— Slate (@Slate) April 17, 2021
There are a lot of angry people in the comments saying that this sort of talk is not helpful, but Palus brings the statistics:
… Zain Chagla, an infectious diseases physician with McMaster University, recently wrote an op-ed in the Toronto Star noting that last summer’s outdoor gatherings coincided with an all-time low of cases in the city. While it’s important to mask in outdoor crowds or if you’re hanging out close to someone in a park, Chagla explains, the main message should be that the outdoors is a safe place to be. He gave me a rough sense of how unlikely outdoor transmission is in the scenario where you’re walking unmasked on the sidewalk and briefly pass someone. First, you or the person you’re passing would have to happen to have an asymptomatic infection, he explained, and then everyone would have to be exhaling and inhaling at just the right moment, and also, exchanging enough particles to actually seed another infection: “You’re talking about a probability of getting hit by a car, and being struck by lightning.”
But what about that Democrat activist lawyer who dressed like the Grim Reaper and ran around the beach in Florida to make it clear everyone was going to die? He seemed pretty serious.
Do we really still need to wear masks outside? https://t.co/5g0u5Q5KWT
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) April 17, 2021
We never did. https://t.co/oEMNKQi849
— Jon Gabriel (@exjon) April 17, 2021
You never did.
— anthonybgonzalez (@Agonzo1) April 17, 2021
Never did. Didn’t wash my groceries either. Both stupid.
— Jim Eagle (@halloweenpicnic) April 17, 2021
We never really needed them outside to begin with – especially since everyone is getting vaccinated. I stopped after my vaccination.
— Steve Beynon (@StevenBeynon) April 17, 2021
I’ve been incredibly diligent about mask-wearing inside and social distancing around people, and yet I’ve generally not bothered with masks outside. I especially don’t understand why someone walking alone outside would choose to still wear a mask; there’s no one *to* infect.
— Loren Collins (@LorenCollins) April 17, 2021
It’s been a scam from the jump
— Gary Eaton (@garysteveneaton) April 17, 2021
The fact anyone is asking that question still amazes me.
— marnes (@marnes) April 17, 2021
Ask FL and TX. Seems to be working just fine there.
— The Red Route 1 (@theredroute1) April 17, 2021
I've never worn a mask outside. Its incredibly pointless.
— JC Reaching out about your car's extended warranty (@jaslovesliberty) April 17, 2021
I haven't worn my mask outside once. I followed the science, not The Science™️
— Brian Doherty (@BDOH) April 17, 2021
Nobody is going to die because for half a second we pass going opposite ways on the street, and I long for the day we can just say these things without having to throw our little pinch of incense with it
— Nicole (@Nicole_in_DC) April 17, 2021
No. Nor did we ever
The CDC guideline about six feet included "for more than 15 minutes"
Everybody. Go outside. Get sunshine and wind. Take a deep breath
— DaveinTexas (@DaveinTexas) April 17, 2021
If I’m outside and not near people I rarely wear a mask. I always have one handy in case I see someone getting close. And this was even before I was vaccinated.
— HopeyC (@Soaps_Hope) April 17, 2021
It seems the evidence just doesn’t support a risk of outside transmission. I’m a definite mask wearer inside or close up but never outside. If someone was uncomfortable I’d probably wear it to be nice but there doesn’t seem to be a risk there.
— Lisa Lamming (@lisalamming) April 17, 2021
A little common sense: if you are walking alone, pull down the mask and enjoy the day. But if you are heading towards a crowd, yeah you might want to mask up.
— Paul Buse (@plkrstnjn) April 17, 2021
The fear is very real in these comments. pic.twitter.com/97GwvYd0ro
— TCD (@CraytonD) April 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/Jack8000/status/1383470728356405249
Here for the rage comments
— matt’s idea shop (@MattsIdeaShop) April 17, 2021
Thinking back to the kid I saw riding his bicycle with a mask on.
His helmet was hanging off the handlebars.
— WheelmanForHire (@WheelmanForHire) April 17, 2021
Normal people have never worn masks outside.
— Kenny5Alive ???? (@kenny5alive) April 17, 2021
It seems the “just wear the damn mask” crowd has lots of friends in government, and they’re never going to end mask mandates, not even if everyone gets vaccinated. “Two weeks to slow the spread.”
Related:
Sure looks like CNN is spreading more fear over the Covid vaccines than Tucker Carlsonhttps://t.co/WveoIn2Pwe pic.twitter.com/TSxbYRDOFT
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 17, 2021
Join the conversation as a VIP Member