‘We’re all in this together.’ Why wearing a face mask speaks volumes

The humble face mask is a small piece of cloth with loops on each end to secure it around the ears.

Its use was once relegated solely to protect health care professionals and those with compromised immune systems. But now it’s a lightning rod of political dissension. And whether or not we wear one says a lot about who we are.

We know that the federal Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing is difficult, like in grocery stores and pharmacies.

We also know that stores such as Costco and Whole Foods require all their customers to wear masks while shopping. And that Uber requires drivers and passengers to use face protection.

Obviously, lots of people think wearing face masks is a good idea to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Still, our compliance depends on many variables, beginning with where we live. Data from market research group YouGov show that in Hawaii, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, New York, California and Rhode Island, more than half of all adults use face masks. In Montana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa and Idaho, only one in three people do the same.

It also matters how we vote. According to an article in US News, 76% of Democrats cover their faces when they leave home compared to 59% of Republicans.

Education plays a role. College-educated Americans wear face masks when going out some 78% of the time. Non-college grads do so 63% of the time.

Even race is a factor. African Americans report wearing masks more often than their white counterparts — 83% compared to 64%.

Of course, statistics don’t tell the whole story. Beyond zip codes, diplomas, politics and ethnicity is the common decency to protect fellow human beings.

The act of wearing a face mask says to others, “I care about your safety. I don’t know what pathogens I’m carrying. I certainly don’t want to make you sick.”

It also declares yourself as a team player: “We’re all in this together. Covering my mouth and nose when I’m in public is a simple thing that I can do.”

When we wear face masks, we’re looking further than the immediate interaction. We consider other people we’ll most likely never see.

A college student with a frail grandmother might contract your virus and make her ill. The wife of a man undergoing chemotherapy must be extra vigilant to keep him well.

Not wearing a mask when in public is the ultimate “screw you!”

Even if you don’t have any COVID-19 symptoms, you still have the ability to infect. Wearing a face mask is one way that you can help to stop the spread of disease.

Consider these facts the next time you leave that mask on the bathroom counter.

Yes, it’s a little uncomfortable. And at first it feels odd. But wearing a face mask speaks volumes about your character even while covering your mouth.