Discussions

I understand the wearing the mask thing now, but why didnt the scientists viralogists etc tell us to make home made masks (when they wanted to keep the medical masks for the medical teams) when this thing was peaking/starting when they told us it was so dangerous? Instead of deciding it few months later...They could have told us to do that as a precaution in the beginning and possibly saved some lives. Wouldn't top virologists know this stuff? Sorry just trying to understand this. Hopefully we can get this virus gone with those who can wear masks and the distance thing and hand washing, etc... So if people are tested positive and show no signs of the virus after 14 days are they considered asymptomatic?  
 
Edited by cheeseburgermonster, 2020-08-15 22:52:25

I think main reason for the confusion is that you can tell that at Federal and Provincial level there’s been a lot of concern that people will treat a mask as their magic forcefield... otherwise going about their day in normal ways with false sense of security without distancing, without regard to whether or not they’re symptomatic, etc. They’re obviously not that but are one tool in the toolbox to help reduce percentages.  
 
There were also the very real concerns around PPE shortages and whether there would be enough for medical workers if any of our cities became the latest Lombardy, Wuhan or New York City and had the virus overwhelm medical systems like it’s capable of.  Homemade or not, there were probably concerns that increase in mask use would lead to PPE getting monopolized. 
 
Then you get the handful of crazy town viral videos that YouTube/Facebook didnt deal with effectively or quickly enough that have seeded some false and flat out dangerous misinfo on the topic in more than a few folks.  
 
Within that environment you can tell there’s been a bit of a struggle to get that message across and strike the right balance that has them used responsibly within the wider plan. As this has gone on and it’s become clearer how people do and don’t respond they’ve worked toward what seems like a sweet spot in that messaging where now you’re seeing the Province go as far as saying you should use indoors when physical distancing isn’t possible and in other places where distancing is a challenge. Very encouraging to see so many masks around town this past week as we try to make Brandon the most inhospitable environment as possible for this virus to dig in on us.