Mon 13 Feb 2006
I read an article in the New York Times today talking about the precautions the WHO would proscribe in the case of a human outbreak of H5N1.
One of the things meanitoned was that in Japan it is considered poilte when sick to wear a mask to work. (If people who are sick wear masks, it significantly reduces the transmission of disease. Even better is if the sick person does not shake hands with others. )
I wondered: How would you react if a coworker came to work wearing a mask?
Would you consider it polite?
Would you think ill of the individual?
Would you wear a mask yourself when sick, knowing it would prevent others from catching the disease?
How would you feel if someone refused a handshake, not wearing a mask, because ‘I am sick’?
For my part, I thought I would react negatively. I know I did when a woman showed up to my bridge club wearing a surgical mask. I presumed she was either taking immuno-suppressant drugs, or was paranoid. I think this reaction was unjust. Especially considering the close quarters, and aged opponents, preventing the spread of infection seems very decent. I thought I should experiment, and the next time I am sick, wear a mask to work. Thoughts?
3 Responses to “Masks”
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February 13th, 2006 at 1:08 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/weekinreview/12mcne.html?8hpib
February 14th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
This is such an interesting question, because (for me at least) it points out a place where the cultural overrides the rational. My first reaction was, “ick, very rude, or at best, odd behavior.” When I thought about it, of course, I realized that it makes perfect sense to wear a mask and decline to shake hands when ill. But would I do it? No. This reaction suprised me, because I like to think I do the logical thing over the “acceptable” one.
The trouble is in the perception. Wearing a mask, and especially refusing to shake hands, comes across as protecting yourself from the other person, rather than the real intent, which is to protect them from you. That’s why the word “paranoid” springs to my mind when I see someone wearing a mask. I think the refusal to shake hands would be especially difficult to get over, because in our culture shaking hands is so ingrained as a greeting. On a very basic, creature-level, refusal to touch someone comes across as rejection. It’s hard to override such an instinctive reaction, even if you know intellectually that it’s for your own good.
To my way of thinking, when someone extends his hand to me, he is accepting the risk of my germs in order to extend a courtesy. Rejecting that gesture would feel rude and paternalistic to me.
I thought about something similar a few months ago, when a client of mine who is a devout Muslim refused to shake hands with me because his religion forbids touching women. I thought this over carefully and reached the conclusion that I respected his relgion and that his right not to shake hands with me was exactly the kind of liberty that I believe we should have in America. On an intellectual level, I was 100% with him, but every time I thought about that moment when he shrank back from my extended hand, I felt insulted.
These are the kinds of reactions that we, as thinking, reasoning people, fight against in favor of a more rational response. But here’s the surprise of it: It’s hard!
February 15th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
I only wear a mask when I’m sick if I’m doing surgery. ;-) But I do explain to people when I walk in the exam room (if I’m sick) that I won’t shake hands since I don’t want to give them whatever I have. Since I usually sound like a baritone when I’m sick, most people are grateful.
That being said, I’m not convinced most surgical masks (especially OTC masks) have a fine enough weave to filter out viruses. I suppose this is something I should know.
Okay, just did some surfing on the vet website I frequent– I think the point is mainly to block flying droplets, but I think things can definitely seep through, esp. after the mask is moist, which happens within minutes of wearing it. Interesting discussion!