Why I mask (N95)

For many years I was the Public Information Officer for an environmental state agency. One of my primary functions there was to understand and explain health impacts from airborne pollutants. Though I am no longer with that agency and not a scientist, I continue to follow health trends. This, coupled with the disabilities my daughters contend with, cause me to be more cautious.

Number of Americans with disabilities is quickly growing

Defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities, more people contend with disabilities than is commonly recognized. 

In 2023, the World Health Organization found that as much as 16% of the global population endure disabilities and the CDC reported that as many as 70 Million U.S. adults live with a disability, a quarter of the U.S. population. 

While these numbers are startling, they are not static. Since 2020, the number of disabled people in the United States has risen by 35 percent. 

The reasons for this large increase are unclear but Long COVID seems to be a contributing factor. While most of us have heard of Long COVID, few are aware of its significant impacts, which can be immunity compromising, long-lasting, and debilitating.

The Department of Health and Human Services now recognizes Long COVID as a disability causing the loss of as much as 21 percent “of a person's health.”  And, describing the cumulative threat of Long COVID, the medical community (2) and insurance companies are warning of a potentially mass-debilitating event. 

The National Academies of Sciences defines Long COVID as “an infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive‑disease state that affects one or more organ systems.” These effects can be mild to debilitating, but the more serious results can remove a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks. And, the risk of contracting Long COVID increases from subsequent exposures (1, 2, 3, 4), potentially emerging much later after exposure, even without any initial symptoms.

In a recent article regarding a new COVID strain, Dr. T. Ryan Gregory, an evolutionary and genome biologist states: “ . . . we learned from Omicron that high transmissibility can cause as much damage as high per infection virulence, and at this point it is not just acute severity that is of concern, but longer-term impacts of repeated infection.” Such impacts include conditions like "Long COVID," in which the symptoms of COVID last for months or years, potentially disabling patients.

Wearing a mask protects both the disabled community and your future

No one enjoys wearing a mask but it remains an important defense against airborne illnesses. I live with two family members who have compromised immune systems. For this reason, I choose to wear a mask when in public buildings. For me, it is the equivalent of securing a car safety belt. I may not need it this time, but without it I risk serious harm.

Considering the diminishing federal programs to protect public health (1, 2, 3, 4) and the ongoing, new, and potential airborne threats (1,2, 3) wearing a mask when in crowds substantially reduces personal and collective risk.

For many years I was the Public Information Officer for an environmental state agency. One of my functions there was to understand and explain the health impacts from airborne pollutants. Though I am no longer with that agency and not a scientist, I continue to follow health trends. This, coupled with the disabilities my daughters contend with, I am much more cautious about exposure.

To explain why I continue to wear a mask in public, I offer some of the information I've gleaned. 

Number of Americans with disabilities is quickly growing

Defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities, more people contend with disabilities than is commonly recognized. 

In 2023, the World Health Organization found that as much as 16% of the global population endure disabilities and the CDC reported that as many as 70 Million U.S. adults live with a disability, a quarter of the U.S. population. 

While these numbers are startling, they are not static. Since 2020, the number of disabled people in the United States has risen by 35 percent. 

The reasons for this large increase are unclear but Long COVID seems to be a contributing factor. While most of us have heard of Long COVID, few are aware of its significant impacts, which can be immunity compromising, long-lasting, and debilitating.

The Department of Health and Human Services now recognizes Long COVID as a disability causing the loss of as much as 21 percent “of a person's health.”  And, describing the cumulative threat of Long COVID, the medical community (2) and insurance companies are warning of a potentially mass-debilitating event. 

The National Academies of Sciences defines Long COVID as “an infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive‑disease state that affects one or more organ systems.” These effects can be mild to debilitating, but the more serious results can remove a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks. And, the risk of contracting Long COVID increases from subsequent exposures (1, 2, 3, 4), potentially emerging much later after exposure, even without any initial symptoms.

In a recent article regarding a new COVID strain, Dr. T. Ryan Gregory, an evolutionary and genome biologist states: “ . . . we learned from Omicron that high transmissibility can cause as much damage as high per infection virulence, and at this point it is not just acute severity that is of concern, but longer-term impacts of repeated infection.” Such impacts include conditions like "Long COVID," in which the symptoms of COVID last for months or years, potentially disabling patients.

Wearing a mask protects both the disabled community and your future

No one enjoys wearing a mask but it remains an important defense against airborne illnesses. I live with two family members who have compromised immune systems. For this reason, I choose to wear a mask when in public buildings. For me, it is the equivalent of securing a car safety belt. I may not need it this time, but without it I risk serious harm.

Considering the diminishing federal programs to protect public health (1, 2, 3, 4) and the ongoing, new, and potential airborne threats (1,2, 3) wearing a mask when in crowds substantially reduces personal and collective risk.