Bernie Sanders Is Asking for Masks for All

[bluewater]

A national campaign to encourage mask wearing, including the distribution of free masks, would help to check the pandemic.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont introduced legislation this week that directs the Trump administration to send three “high-quality, reusable” masks to every person in the United States, and would provide $5 billion to increase mask production. This is a good idea.

Wearing masks saves lives, and not just other people’s lives. There’s evidence that it limits the chances of catching the coronavirus. Wearing a mask might save your life, too. Sending masks to every American won’t convince them all to wear a mask. It is not a corrective for the behavior of Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas, who has flaunted his refusal to wear a mask, and who said Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. But distributing high-quality masks would provide Americans inclined to behave responsibly with masks that maximize health benefits.

And it would make it easier for those with doubts about masks to slip one on.

The legislation also directs the Trump administration to ensure that medical workers have a sufficient supply of the most effective protective masks, known as N95 masks. It’s unfortunate that the Trump administration requires this kind of prodding. Ramping up of the domestic production of protective gear should have been an urgent national priority months ago. Instead, Americans have endured a familiar mix of bluster, denials and half measures.

The virus continues to spread freely here, even as other nations have brought it under control.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/opinion/us-coronavirus-masks.html

This is indeed a good idea.

And It's more than "unfortunate" that the Trump administration requires this kind of prodding, it's down right criminal.

Trump's narcistic incompetence is killing people.

[Layzeebeaver]

1. This should be U.N. funded program

for the entire globe

[Bleacher Creature]

2. This should be a no brainer.

The amount of money it would take to pay for masks for everyone would be a small price to pay to when compared to how much the economy would benefit from reducing the epidemic.

Good on Bernie.

[ucrdem]

3. Great idea.

Hope it happens.

[boston bean]

4. I asked for this 3 months ago.