![ReOpen Ohio (Again) bIMG 1235 (49903512197)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/ReOpen_Ohio_%28Again%29_bIMG_1235_%2849903512197%29.jpg)
During
pandemic
A pandemic () is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. A widespread endemic (epidemiology), endemic disease wi ...
s, some people have opposed requirements by governments and private establishments to wear
face masks as a
public health measure against disease. Such rules typically follow recommendations of health experts to reduce the spread of disease through such
non-pharmaceutical interventions.
The criteria for, and exceptions to, face mask requirements have been
ongoing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic,
during which some governments have mandated the wearing of masks. The tenor of mask refusal incidents may escalate into confrontations of verbal abuse, or in extreme cases might become violent. Mask refusers engaged in such confrontations may be
arrest
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
ed or
criminally prosecuted. Videos of these incidents, occurring in locations from retail stores to airplanes, have been seen in the news and
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
and have frequently
gone viral.
History
![Seattle Police Department officer number 271, Trio of coppers in 1918 detail, from- 165-WW-269B-25-police-l (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Seattle_Police_Department_officer_number_271%2C_Trio_of_coppers_in_1918_detail%2C_from-_165-WW-269B-25-police-l_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Opposition to wearing masks occurred during the
1918 Spanish flu
The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...
pandemic. The
Anti-Mask League of San Francisco
The Anti-Mask League was an organization formed in San Francisco, California to protest an ordinance which required people in that city to wear masks during the 1918 influenza pandemic. The ordinance it protested lasted less than one month before ...
was formed by those who refused to wear face masks.
During the pandemic, $5 fines were imposed in San Francisco for failure to wear masks as a violation of "disturbing the peace", and many refusing to wear a mask paid the fines.
Mask opposition has been a common sight around the world during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
as those opposed to requirements to cover their faces have
exhibited protests and unruly behavior in public over their refusal to follow this guideline. On 26 September, 2021, a man surnamed Yang assaulted a female supermarket worker in
Gaoshu, Taiwan, who had asked him to put on a mask. He proceeded to gouge her eyes, causing
retinal detachment
Retinal detachment is a disorder of the eye in which the retina peels away from its underlying layer of support tissue. Initial detachment may be localized, but without rapid treatment the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and blin ...
and possible loss of sight. In October 2021, a Taiwanese woman surnamed Chen knived another woman surnamed Wang over 10 times for asking her to put on a mask. Chen was detained for attempted murder but released on bail the same day.
Legal background
There is no judicial precedent in the United States providing that a governmental entity may require individuals to wear face masks in public settings. As for statutes, no federal law requires individuals to wear face masks in an effort to preserve public health. However, the executive branch is authorized to make regulations necessary in preventing the spread of diseases into and within the United States.
Under the
Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is " ...
, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
(CDC) currently recommends the wearing of face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Following this guidance,
President Biden signed an executive order in January 2021 requiring individuals to wear face masks on all federal property. In addition, the
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created ...
(TSA) had required passengers to wear face masks when traveling on all transportation networks. To enforce this rule, the TSA imposed civil penalties on passengers who refused to wear face masks while traveling on transportation networks throughout the United States. On April 18, 2022, a district court judge found that the CDC lacked authority to issue such a mandate, and that in addition, proper rulemaking procedures required under the
APA were not followed, and the requirement was lifted.
Reasons
Reasons given by people who refuse to wear face masks range significantly, including: potential danger of wearing face masks due to personal health issues, physical discomfort, the absence or lack of symptoms of COVID-19 exhibited by the individual, ineffectiveness at reducing COVID-19 transmission, or alleged exaggeration of the threats of the virus, while others object to governments having the power to force people to wear face coverings, such as passing certain mandates that require the population to wear it.
Some people do not wear a face mask on medical grounds and are legally exempt from having to wear one.
Mask-wearing has been seen as an example of a generational divide by some, with older adults who refused to wear masks being seen as selfish. In addition, men have been seen as more likely to refuse wearing masks, seeing them as a threat to their
masculinity
Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...
. Refusal to wear face masks is also linked to
vaccine hesitancy
Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance, or refusal, of vaccines despite the availability of vaccine services and supporting evidence. The term covers refusals to vaccinate, delaying vaccines, accepting vaccines but remaining uncertain abou ...
or anti-vaccination sentiment, political
conservatism
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...
,
rural
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...
dwelling, and non-adherence to
public hygiene
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
rules, or
social distancing
In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
guidelines.
Other factors which may make people less likely to wear masks includes a low death rate due to pandemic disease in one's hometown, and low mask-wearing among one's peers.
There has been significant opposition to mandated mask-wearing for young children, with some public health researchers, teachers, and parents expressing concern over effects on children's
language development
Language development in humans is a process starting early in life. Infants start without knowing a language, yet by 10 months, babies can distinguish speech sounds and engage in babbling. Some research has shown that the earliest learning begin ...
and
social emotional development
Social emotional development represents a specific domain of child development. It is a gradual, integrative process through which children acquire the capacity to understand, experience, express, and manage emotions and to develop meaningful relat ...
.
Consequences
Social consequences for refusing to wear a mask or wearing one improperly can range from anything from
public shaming
Public humiliation or public shaming is a form of punishment whose main feature is dishonoring or disgracing a person, usually an offender or a prisoner, especially in a public place. It was regularly used as a form of judicially sanctioned puni ...
(including calling women who refuse to wear masks "
Karens
The Karen, kjp, ပ်ုဖၠုံဆိုဒ်, my, ကရင်လူမျိုး, , th, กะเหรี่ยง ( ), also known as the Kayin, Kariang or Kawthoolese, are an ethnolinguistic group of Sino-Tibetan language ...
"), ejection or banning from an establishment either temporarily or permanently, and criminal prosecution.
See also
*
Incorrect mask usage
References
{{Reflist
Masks in law
Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
Spanish flu
Disobedience