Last weekend, Santa Cruz County imposed a mask requirement “in public.” By observation I’d say folks are 30-50% compliant outdoors, but 100% in stores, many of which deny entry to the naked-faced. The Wellness center associated with my workplace had one patient refuse last week because “she doesn’t believe in it.” I guess she’s using Instacart to get groceries.

WHO, an organization a source I trust more than our Meanderer-in-chief, is ambiguous about the helpfulness of masks to prevent community spread among people whose Covid status is unknown. It cites disadvantages of masks, which may impart a false sense of security and reduce use of the more reliable methods of hand-washing and social distancing. As far as I can tell, the most useful function of a mask is to remind us not to touch our faces.

Another WHO report noted that in a set of over 75,000 community transmission cases in China analyzed for transmission method, zero were transmitted via air. This makes one wonder, how does asymptomatic transmission occur? Apparently it still happens via droplets, though I haven’t worked out how anyone generating droplets could still be considered asymptomatic.

Meanwhile, six weeks into Pandemic USA the efficacy of masks isn’t the only thing people are confused about. I heard a woman complain that her workplace wasn’t protective because it provided only soap, not sanitizer. A sheriff’s officer, albeit a friendly one, asked my husband to “move on” from the unshared shoreside bench on which he was reading. And why are people washing their hands for extended periods when they haven’t put even a toe outside?

Sometimes I think we know less every day. Why, for instance, do experts agree that extensive testing is required before we can re-open? If they’re talking about the test that determines whether you are currently infected, well, even if it’s negative, you could get infected the next day, or maybe you had it two weeks ago. Finding out who has antibodies seems more helpful, but that test is less available, more intrusive, and would have to be administered quite widely, even as a randomized sampling test. 

At least we still have our daily walks. Here’s a view of Pleasure Point residents social distancing at the beach today. Not too many faces, or other parts, are covered.

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* Or more? My husband and I are feeling more hopeful that we had this in mid-February.