Whether it’s the erosion of civil liberties, an increase in human trafficking or inconclusive medical studies, residents should not be forced to wear masks, city council heard recently.
During a special meeting at city hall on Aug. 31, council discussed whether to make masks mandatory on city buses and in municipal-owned buildings. Council also heard from five residents concerned about the possible imposition of the face coverings.
Moose Jaw’s elected officials eventually voted to encourage residents to wear masks while riding on buses since physical distancing is not possible on those vehicles.
Civil liberties at risk
Freedom of expression is a guaranteed right in Canada, so governments shouldn’t take away residents’ freedoms unless there is a justifiable reason, presenter Linda Karn argued.
There are many scientific reasons why wearing masks can be a negative experience, she continued. Research shows most disposable masks need to be replaced every 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise they become ineffective, Karn said. This means residents would have to spend plenty of money to have a sufficient supply.
Since many masks contain germs after they’re worn, they should be labelled a hazardous material, especially since some people throw them on the ground afterward, Karn remarked. It also doesn’t help that people touch their germ-infested masks regularly and then touch other surfaces such as door handles and shopping carts.
Wearing masks makes people more susceptible to illnesses since humans need germs to build up their immune systems, she continued. Furthermore, it’s difficult to communicate wearing a mask, particularly for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and rely on reading lips.
“We weren’t wearing masks six months ago when we had way less information on the virus,” Karn added. “It doesn’t make sense to start wearing them now when our numbers (deaths and active cases) are so low.”
Supporting the voiceless
Presenter Sarah Reich explained she was there on behalf of others who couldn’t speak up or who could be negatively affected. One such person is her 90-year-old grandfather, who enjoys seeing the faces of his loved ones and relies upon reading people’s lips. Moreover, seniors in general, sometimes risk infection if it means they can enjoy intimacy with others.
Wearing a mask can be negative for children with autism, who can’t stand the covering on their faces, while poor people can’t afford to constantly purchase masks when they already face challenges in meeting their food security needs.
Reich used a personal experience of sexual assault to reinforce why wearing masks can be harmful. She pointed out 18.3 per cent of women have been raped in Canada, which means thousands of women in Saskatchewan have been assaulted by men who wore face coverings.
Another problem with making masks mandatory is it reinforces human trafficking, she said. The police told one of her relatives — who works at a child-care centre — to keep the children inside since they were at risk of being trafficked.
“It happened right here, and masks rendered these victims invisible … ,” Reich added. “Recognize our faces and do not cover our mouths.”
Lack of quality evidence
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the use of masks is not necessarily supported with high-quality evidence, while the use of medical-grade masks can create a false sense of security, said speaker Chey Craik.
There is little evidence that wearing masks of any kind can prevent healthy people from contracting an infection, while Health Canada has highlighted the limitations of non-medical masks and how not all of them can block droplets and particles, he continued. Moreover, surgical masks are designed to protect patients from surgeons who work on them.
“If masks had been the solution in Asia, shouldn’t they have stopped the virus there?” Craik wondered.
Craik then listed several studies to show how there is little conclusive evidence that certain masks prevent infections. He added that mandating masks is not the solution since important lessons in hygiene — such as hand-washing and physical distancing — have been learned during this time.
