Head to Head: A campus-wide mask mandate does not make sense
Students with masks sit in the designated eating area of the Student Union to eat lunch during the first week of the Fall 2021 semester. Southeastern’s campus mask mandate remains in place following Gov. Edwards’ announcement on Oct. 26 to lift the statewide mandate.
This past Tuesday, Governor John Bel Edwards made the long-overdue decision to once again repeal Louisiana’s mask mandate.
Our university, and almost every single other university in the state for that matter, has decided to continue enforcing a mask mandate on their students.
In an email the day after the statewide mask mandate was repealed, Dr. Crain announced that Southeastern will continue mandating masks, citing that they are bound by the University of Louisiana System’s guidance to continue mandating masks in areas of substantial transmission.
As of November 2, the CDC still deems Tangiapohia Parish as an area of substantial transmission. In which case, they recommend mask wearing for everyone regardless of vaccination status.
Even with the CDC’s guidance, it does not make sense to require masks on campus when they are not required in almost every single other place in the state.
Despite forcing its student body to get vaccinated and the fact that Tangipahoa Parish has experienced a 54 percent decrease in new COVID cases over the past two weeks according to The New York Times, we still have to wear masks in the classroom.
If all of that is not enough to repeal the mandate, what is? At what point will we be allowed to not wear masks?
As has been the case throughout the pandemic, what we are trying to achieve through this continued mask mandate is not clear.
The most frustrating part of the entire mask debate is how frivolously the idea of universal required masking is treated.
Masking is not normal, and we have to stop pretending that it is. It is almost dehumanizing and completely contradictory to the way human beings interact with each other. It should only be done in extreme circumstances.
Many would agree that the very beginning of this pandemic justified mask-wearing and constituted an extreme circumstance. But now, given the fact that there are three vaccines available and cases are falling rapidly in our state, it is hard to make a consistent argument that masking is still necessary.
At a certain point, we have to accept a certain amount of risk associated with COVID-19. We cannot completely upend our normal lives and stay hyper-obsessed with health forever. There is only so long we can go wearing face masks and eating with plastic shields between us.
There are profound consequences to these continued restrictions in our daily lives. In part as a result of the social isolation these restrictions have caused, we are now in the midst of a mental health crisis.
According to a study from Boston University, depression has tripled in U.S. adults since COVID-19. 27.8% of U.S. adults have reported depression symptoms within the last year, compared to just 8.5% before the pandemic. The study also predicts that these symptoms and a rise in depression rates will be long-lasting.
We can’t keep pretending that hiding our faces from each other has absolutely no effect on our mental health. The sociological effects of normalized mask-wearing far outweigh the potential of catching COVID given the current rate of transmission.
It is paramount that we take a critical step to return to normalcy. I ask the university to examine the available data of COVID in our state and repeal our mask mandate.
Editor’s note: This opinion piece is one of two articles in a head-to-head series. Read the other opinion piece here.
Correction: A previous version of this article claimed that Tangipahoa Parish was deemed as an area of Moderate Transmission by the CDC. Since publishing, the CDC has again deemed Tangipahoa Parish as an area of Substantial Transmission. The article has been corrected to reflect this information.
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Dylan Meche is a Political Science major from Baton Rouge and serves as Opinions Editor. He has been a reporter for The Lion's Roar since August of 2019....
Nicholas Herring is an English major from Folsom, La. He has been a staff reporter for Le Souvenir since February 2020 and hopes to work in media writing...
MiscKat • Nov 6, 2021 at 1:34 pm
Perhaps if people could have masked up in the beginning and tried harder to curb the spread we possibly wouldn’t still be in the situation where it is still needed. It’s not being enforced in the majority of LA nor on campus anyway. And the fact that most students still don’t comply, so I don’t even know what people are mad about. I’m sorry but public safety is more important than an individual’s right to show y’alls noses. This is one of the most ridiculous opinion based thing I’ve read yet: “Masking is not normal, and we have to stop pretending that it is. It is almost dehumanizing and completely contradictory to the way human beings interact with each other.” Seriously, check your privileges. My mother’s safety and my clients safety is more important than having to repeat myself a few times because we can’t see each others mouths. But to call it dehumanizing, is flat out ridiculous. Caring about other people’s health should be normal. Therefore, masking should be perfectly normal during times of crisis, LIKE A PANDEMIC.
Mike • Nov 6, 2021 at 10:26 pm
WE DID MASK. WE GOT VACCINATED. We did everything these people told us to and they STILL are not letting us go back to normal.
Dara • Nov 8, 2021 at 7:55 pm
Yes, thank you for saying this.
A mask has not taken my freedom.
A mask isn’t taking away my normalcy, a pandemic did. And while it may not be enforced in other venues, I’m glad it’s still required in the classroom where some are sitting elbow to elbow- after their non-masked venue outings.
No one is being held hostage because of a mask that will help prevent further spread since even the vaccine is not a guarantee. (Assuming you don’t pull your mask down to cough and sneeze and frequently wash your hands) Even with inoculation, getting and spreading of this virus is happening. Sometimes even twice!
Clearly the author of this article has never worked a day in healthcare, or lost someone that died of complications from Covid-19.
The refrigeration trucks of bodies parked at Tulane and University Hospital, from the beginning of this pandemic, are still too fresh in my mind to complain about putting a mask on. My life continued on when so many did not. In kindness, if I can put a mask on for my “neighbor” (who may or may not have a strong immune system) than that is what I will continue to do.
This article is nothing short of a pompous, opinionated piece which will continue to divide the masses without offering actual sustenance or resolve. Stop beating the war drum for the non-serious issues. Your worried about wearing a mask. Are you not concerned with a possible mold issue, seeing how almost every classroom has dehumidifiers?
This weak attempt of proclaiming to be freedom fighters is misguided. How can showing compassion for others be a fight for freedom? This will continue to divide us. Do your own research and stand on your own knowledge and your own findings or be silent and observe until you can.
Peace.
Delilah Dauntless • Nov 3, 2021 at 8:55 am
Cancel it! Who cares about Mardi Gras? We don’t need that revenue in Tangipahoa so let the city deal with mask mandates while we have our FREEDOM!!! They are using Mardi Gras, a lack tourism revenue, and masks AGAISNT US! We don’t need Mardi Gras or tourism money in Tangi – NO MORE MASKS!!!!
Nanagirl • Nov 2, 2021 at 1:05 pm
Dear Readers,University Leaders,Staff and Editors , I as a grandparent of one of your students I agree it is time to cancel the mask until a future time should they be really needed. Now is the time for our students and our community to heal and reach a bit of normalcy. As a senior citizen the only places still in lock down of mask appears to be those collecting or hoping in big pay outs from the government, hospitals ,doctors offices and others that for what-ever reasons want to hold us as hostages in their own narratives. Leaders and our trusted adults the time is now to free our students, staff and facility.dsa Go Loins hear the roar.
Delilah Dauntless • Nov 3, 2021 at 8:57 am
Darn right! There won’t be a 5th wave! So what if we had 3 more waves that we were not prepared for??? There is no way another wave or variant will come up. We don;t need to wear masks – who cares if someone is immunocompromised?? God gave them the disease and if they pass away from it, it is God’s will! You’re abosolutely right that we don’t need masks – people who die die. Everyone dies. WE WANT OUR FREEDOM!
Rose • Nov 16, 2021 at 3:23 pm
is this satire please be satire