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Letter: Following health protocols protects us

Vice President Mike Pence and the COVID-19 task force recently visited the Mayo Clinic. Pence tried to justify not wearing a mask provided by the staff there by saying he gets tested frequently and that he wanted to “look them in the eye” to thank them for their incredible work. A mask doesn’t cover the eyes; wearing protective face wear would not prevent him from looking someone in the eye.

The Mayo Clinic has strict protocols for anyone entering any of their buildings. This includes protective face wear to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 through respiratory transmission. By not wearing a mask, Pence was setting a terrible example for those looking at any pictures or the videos from the Mayo Clinic. The other members of the COVID-19 task force who accompanied him wore masks, but they were not maintaining physical distance requirements. 

It’s very difficult to understand why members of this administration and everyday people in the U.S. have been disregarding basic public health protocols provided by medical professionals. This is not the flu. Aside from some flu-like symptoms, patients may end up having heart attacks, strokes, brain damage and damage to other organs and their nervous systems. It has killed tens of thousands of people living in the United States.  



We don’t have enough knowledge about COVID-19 to fight back against it the way we all want to, but it will be easier to do if we follow the directives from epidemiologists and immunologists to wear protective coverings, limit the time we spend around those not in our immediate households and to wash our hands frequently. Medical professionals have been begging and pleading for us to do the bare minimum so they can safely do their jobs. It’s the very least we can do to help those who are on the frontlines of this.

Vail Kozatch
Clark


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