Weekly Report from Mayor John L. Madden

I know many of us anticipated that the New Year would herald in a downward trend of the positive virus numbers including the infection rate. After many months of frequent hand washing, social distancing and constant wearing of masks (most recently indoors) we have come to abide by all these lifestyle-changing executive orders. 2020 gave us a sense of plausible exuberance.

It is apparent in this year that we are yielding to “irrational exuberance”. Many people questioned the science behind the executive orders. The question become; do we trust all the anecdotal evidence that may tell us differently?

It is important to understand the basic tenet of personal protection from the virus – the mask. There is no question now that wearing a mask does work. However, they do NOT protect you from getting the virus. Masks prevent YOU from transmitting the virus to others. This is our first line of preventative defense. Unfortunately, I see more and more people pulling down or not wearing their masks. Perhaps they feel that if they do become sick the vaccine is just around the corner to “save the day”.

Think about a team of surgeons, operating room nurses and the anesthesiologist – everyone wears masks. These are worn NOT to prevent the doctors and nurses from getting an infection from the patient but preventing any of them to give an infection to the patient.

If you are Covid negative and wear a mask and are with a person who is Covid positive (undetected) who is not wearing a mask, you have between a 65 and 70 percent chance of getting infected with the virus because the infected person is not wearing a mask.

If you are Covid positive (undetected) and wear a mask and are with a person who is Covid negative who is not wearing a mask, that person has a 5% chance of getting infected with the virus because you are wearing a mask.

If both of you are wearing a mask and either person is Covid positive (undetected), the other person has a 1.5% chance of getting infected with the virus.

Masks are one way to keep germs from spreading. And as disgusting as it is to sneeze in a mask, it is the best thing you can do to prevent the spread of germs and Covid. Always carry a spare, clean mask so that you can change a dirty mask in case you sneeze in it.

Please be safe for all of us. Thank You.

Mayor John L. Madden