By Robin G. Jordan
The article began as comment posted in response to the Church Leaders’ article, “Doctors: Religious Services Are Among Highest Risk Activities.” The article looks at two charts released by medical professionals. These charts address the questions of what activities put people at risk of COVID-19 infection and why they do. The article is online at https://churchleaders.com/news/378434-texas-medical-association-activities.html The two charts concur that attending religious services carries with it a high risk of COVID-19 infection.
To the information offered in these charts I added the following information in the article’s comment section.
The open letter that 239 scientists from 32 countries submitted to the World Health Organization warns that the COVID-19 coronavirus is being transmitted by airborne particles. Their letter, “It’s Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19, is online at https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa939/5867798?searchresult=1 CNN has an in-depth article on the letter. It is online at https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/06/health/coronavirus-airborne-transmission-letter/index.html The open letter contains practical advice.
Provide sufficient and effective ventilation (supply clean outdoor air, minimize recirculating air) particularly in public buildings, workplace environments, schools, hospitals and age care homes.What is noteworthy that the Centers for Disease Control in an early set of recommendations advised churches that, when they resumed public worship, they should hold their services or gatherings outdoors or in a large, open room with the doors and windows open and ventilated by electric fans. This and other recommendations the White House removed from the final document that was published, arguing that they were “too precise.” If the recommendations had been included, they might have prevented a number of churches from becoming the epicenter of a cluster of new COVID-19 cases.
Opening both doors and windows can dramatically increase air flow rates in many buildings.
Supplement general ventilation with airborne infection controls such as local exhaust, high efficiency air filtration, and germicidal ultraviolet lights. (These would be placed high up in the ceiling to avoid damage to people's eyes and skin)
Avoid overcrowding, particularly in public transport and public buildings.
According to an article the BBC published three hours ago, the World Health Organization “has acknowledged there is emerging evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air.” The article is online at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53329946
Why is the research on the airborne transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus so important? It explains why a number of church gatherings have become the epicenter of cluster of new COVID-19 cases and in some instances have become what is described as a “super-spreader event.” Many churches use mechanical ventilation which recycles the air in a room rather than exhausting stale air and replacing it with fresh air. COVID-19 particles have been found to linger in the air as long as 30 minutes. Singing and loud talking not only cause the exhalation of large numbers of these particles, they also increase the inhalation of large numbers of these particles since they involve deep breathing. Even if a church has implemented social distancing in its sanctuary, spacing household groups six feet from each other and separated front and back by an empty pew or row of chairs, these groups, the staff, and the volunteers can still be infected by the airborne virus particles if the sanctuary is poorly ventilated and they are not wearing face masks all of the time.
Christians who refuse to wear face masks and encourage others not to wear them are not only endangering themselves but also endangering their fellow Christians and other members of the community, particularly the older people and those with pre-existing conditions. They may argue that wearing a face mask violates their civil rights, constitutional rights, or however they choose to put it. But the US Constitution does not recognize the right of an individual or group to endanger themselves and others in a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bill of Rights affirms a number of rights but doing whatever we please without regard to the health and safety of ourselves and others is not one of them. Such an interpretation of the US Constitution would lead to chaos and anarchy and the breakdown of the rule of law.
After posting this comment, I asked myself, “Why are some Americans reacting so negatively to wearing a face mask when wearing one would reduce the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. The claim which a number of these Americans make that wearing a face mask is an infringement of their rights points to the wearing of a face mask as having become a political issue. For them refusing to wear a face mask has become a political statement. A number of anti-maskers have resorted to violence or are advocating violence.
A number of retail groups are urging state governors to mandate the wearing of face masks. USA Today has published an article, “'Wearing a mask is not about fear': Retailer group urges governors to require everyone to wear a mask,” which outlines the concerns of these retail groups. It is online at https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/07/07/mask-mandates-retailers-ask-governors-require-masks-immediately/5391045002/
According to Goldman Sax the lack of a national policy mandating the use of face masks is impeding the US economic recovery. Market Watch published an article on Goldman Sax's research,
“Goldman Sachs has done the math and a national mask mandate
to halt the spread of coronavirus would have a big impact on the U.S. economy.” The article is online at
No comments:
Post a Comment