Mask Mandates

I have heard it said that the mask wearing is very much tied to political party. After much observation, I see some truth in that.

I found this chart to be interesting and kind of amazing. How is Iowa still holding on? I am proud of our state and our Governor for standing up for what she knows and feels is right! Others are protesting asking for masks to be mandated. The whole mask thing just makes me want to live in the wilderness and stay as far away from people. I am not worried about the virus, I am just irritated with being forced to wear masks. I have avoided the stores that recently require masks: Menards, Walmart, and I am sure there are more being added all the time.

I don't know how long our great state can hold off the masks, but I am hoping we can live our lives without them. 

 

Studies have been done with masks to determine the amount of droplets passing through. The gaiters, which go from your neck up like a turtleneck and a bandana are least effective. In fact the gaiters are  said to be worse than not wearing a mask because the droplets break down smaller and pass through and travel farther more than not wearing a mask. This is kind of humorous as you see a lot of these. I think you could wear a Kleenex over your face and have the same effect. 

To this day I have worn a mask all of 5 times, each was related to a medical or dental visit. 

I am sympathetic to the school kids that are starting back to public school.  Those younger class years are for socializing, playing, sitting together, holding hands, sharing, and so much more. Keeping them social distanced is just so damaging for their little minds. I am sure they will feel like the kid in this space suit when they go back to school with a phobia of some germ that they won't even get sick from. There are zero school age deaths from COVID. 

Yesterday Des Moines released a statement on how they will proceed with schools in the fall. All kids have the option to stay home and do 100% online, which they are calling "virtual learning". If they chose to attend school, face masks are required and they will only attend 2 or 3 days per week and the remaining will be online. . The high schoolers will only attend 1 day per week and the remining online. They are calling that "Hybrid learning ". I think this sounds like a terrible plan.  They are putting a huge dent in the kids overall learning. They will be missing out on so much, very little hands on, labs, physical education, tutoring, socializing, group projects, etc. I think it is sad. We homeschool, so I know we will be ok, I just worry for the rest of the kids. Each school district has it's own plan, so it will be interesting to see what works. Their is a group called "Frontline Doctors" that have been trying to educate the population on the low risks of this virus, comparing it to influenza, talking of proven medication, and how important it is to get kids back in school.  Because of their news reports and website information, the have been getting so much backlash and websites pulled.  If we are just smart about keeping positive tested people away from the elderly, this thing really doesn't have to be overly restrictive. What is a big deal is keeping kids home where their education is hindered, abuse and suicide are prevalent and mental illness is growing. We certainly are living in unprecedented times.

On Friday, Aug 7 Reynolds signed a proclamation that states in-person instruction is the presumed method of instruction for Iowa students and that remote learning only allowed under certain conditions. The decision means school districts will not be able to hold classes fully or mostly-online without state approval. Reynolds' proclamation comes weeks after districts were required to finalize their return to learn plans and following calls from President Donald Trump for the reopening of schools across the country. “One of the most important milestones in our recovery effort is getting Iowa students back to school, and while we all know the school year will be different than it’s ever been before, it’s critical that we prioritize bringing back to the classroom safely and responsibly,” Reynolds said during a news conference in Van Meter. Reynolds said in-person learning is important for students' overall well-being physically, socially and emotionally.  I could not agree more.