{"id":4034,"date":"2020-07-23T23:48:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T23:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/?p=4034"},"modified":"2021-01-07T18:17:05","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T18:17:05","slug":"covid-19-and-minnesota-masks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 and Minnesota Masks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/coronavirus\/situation.html\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20200519ff\/20200723-5deathgraph-658.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Good news: the SARS-CoV-2 virus isn&#8217;t killing us nearly as fast as it was in April, May and the first part of June.<\/p>\n<p>Bad news: the COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress. Minnesotans are still dying. So are folks in other states and nations.<\/p>\n<p>We can&#8217;t cure the disease. We&#8217;re not sure exactly how it affects us. Neither of which is odd, since it&#8217;s a previously-unknown virus.<\/p>\n<p>There is, however, quite a bit we can do to help each other. If we use our brains.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#covid\">COVID-19, Minnesota and Me<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#minnesota\">Minnesota Masks: Executive Order 20-81<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#common\">Common Sense<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#watching\">Watching the Weirdness<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#wannabe\">Wannabe Prophets and Need-to-Know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#paranoids\">The Paranoids are After Me!!!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#conspiracy\">Conspiracy Theories: the Usual Suspects<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/#politics\">Politics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h3><a name=\"covid\"><\/a>COVID-19, Minnesota and Me<\/h3>\n<h4><a name=\"minnesota\"><\/a>Minnesota Masks: Executive Order 20-81<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2020\/07\/22\/minnesotas-mask-mandate-what-you-need-to-know\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20200519ff\/20200723-b2d916-20200517-spring-rain-658.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"'Peter Vang and Tanaya Walker Vang of Shoreview take shelter from the rain on May 17 after shopping at the St. Paul Farmers' Market....' Christine T. Nguyen\/MPR News\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">(From Christine T. Nguyen\/MPR News, used w\/o permission.)<\/span><br \/>\n(Masked Minnesotans in the rain. (May 17, 2020))<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2020\/07\/22\/minnesotas-mask-mandate-what-you-need-to-know\">Minnesota\u2019s mask mandate: What you need to know<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\nDan Kraker, Sara Porter; MPR (Minnesota Public Radio)<br \/>\n(July 22, 2020; updated July 23, 2020)<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After calls from public health officials and several days of signaling support for a statewide mask order, Gov. Tim Walz Wednesday finally issued a rule requiring people to wear masks or face coverings in public indoor spaces in Minnesota.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;More than half of U.S. states have issued similar mandates. So have most major Minnesota cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud. &#8230;&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Emergency Executive Order 20-81 goes into effect at 11:59 pm Friday. In practical terms, that&#8217;s really early Saturday morning: July 25, 2020.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/governor\/assets\/EO%2020-81%20Final_tcm1055-441107.pdf\">Emergency Executive Order 20-81<br \/>\nRequiring Minnesotans to Wear a Face Covering in Certain Settings to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19<\/a><br \/>\nGovernor Tim Walz, State of Minnesota Executive Department<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>EEO 20:81 defines a face covering as something that covers the mouth and nose. But not those which have features that let droplets out. On the other hand, &#8220;a religious face covering&#8221; that keeps the wearer from infecting others <strong>is<\/strong> included.<\/p>\n<p>That last point seems likely to inspire conspiracy theories. I&#8217;ll get back to that.<\/p>\n<p>Executive Order 20-81 doesn&#8217;t require face masks everywhere.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I could sit on my front stoop this Saturday without a mask and not be a scofflaw. Partly because I&#8217;d be well over six feet from the sidewalk.<\/p>\n<p>Pretty much anywhere else that&#8217;s not inside my house, though, I&#8217;ll be wearing a mask.<\/p>\n<p>Folks with medical and\/or psychiatric conditions that make breathing difficult, or would prevent them from removing a mask, needn&#8217;t use face masks. Provided that they stop exhaled droplets with some other tech.<\/p>\n<p>Kids five years old and under are exempt, too.<\/p>\n<h4><a name=\"common\"><\/a>Common Sense<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/the-masked-minnesotan\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20200519ff\/20200610-TheMaskedMinnesotan-DSC08818-329.JPG?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The masked Minnesotan, Brian H. Gill.\" align=\"right\"><\/a>I&#8217;m pretty sure I&#8217;m not an exempt individual by Executive Order 20-81&#8217;s standards.<\/p>\n<p>My medical records include an impressive list of maladies. But none make wearing a face mask more than uncomfortable in hot weather. Very uncomfortable when it&#8217;s hot and humid.<\/p>\n<p>In any case, the new rules won&#8217;t affect me.<\/p>\n<p>Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I didn&#8217;t get out nearly as much as many folks.<\/p>\n<p>With a potentially-lethal disease in the air, figuratively and sometimes literally, I&#8217;m inside even more than usual. Partly because I&#8217;m in at least two high-risk groups: comparatively old, with bothersome health issues.<\/p>\n<p>And partly because I don&#8217;t see a point in risking my neighbors&#8217; health. Which doesn&#8217;t make wearing a face mask a badge of virtue for me.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from my household, nearly all my social activity is online.<\/p>\n<p>Whether or not I&#8217;m an introvert depends on semantics. I&#8217;ve been called a loner, but not shy or reticent. I enjoy interacting with others, and enjoy thinking about data I&#8217;ve found.<\/p>\n<p>So \u2014 wearing a minimally-bothersome face mask, practicing social distancing and generally acting as if the COVID-19 pandemic is real? For me, it&#8217;s just practicing common sense.<\/p>\n<p>Or, from another viewpoint, wearing a face mask brands me as a sheeple: one of those dim dupes who don&#8217;t believe that COVID-19 is a conspiracy.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3><a name=\"watching\"><\/a>Watching the Weirdness<\/h3>\n<h4><a name=\"wannabe\"><\/a>Wannabe Prophets and Need-to-Know<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/pandemic-perspectives\/#diadems\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20190916ff\/20200320-Durer_apocalisse_12_il_mostro_marino_e_la_bestia-detail-658.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Albrecht D\u00fcrer, '...The Sea Monster and the Beast with the Lamb's Horn.'\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">(From Albrecht D\u00fcrer, via Wikimedia Commons, used w\/o permission.)<\/span><br \/>\n(D\u00fcrer&#8217;s &#8220;The Revelation of St John: 12. The Sea Monster and the Beast with the Lamb&#8217;s Horn.&#8221; (ca. 1498))<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m slightly surprised, but not disappointed, that none of the &#8216;End Times Bible Prophecies&#8217; flickering through my social media feeds have gotten traction.<\/p>\n<p>Not that I&#8217;ve noticed, anyway.<\/p>\n<p>I talked about diadems, attempted divination and Ezekiel&#8217;s spaceships a few months back. And shared my strictly-for-laughs spiritual conspiracy theory involving Revelation 13, etymology and cruise ships. (<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/pandemic-perspectives\/#diadems\">March 31, 2020<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong. I&#8217;m a Christian and a Catholic.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m convinced that Jesus is alive, and will return. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/ccc_css\/archive\/catechism\/p1s2c2a7.htm#668\">668<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/ccc_css\/archive\/catechism\/p1s2c2a7.htm#679\">679<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>The timetable and details of the Final Judgement are apparently available on a &#8216;need to know&#8217; basis. The Second Person of the Trinity didn&#8217;t need to know, so I sure don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve read what our Lord said about trying to second-guess headquarters about the Parousia. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/matthew\/24#48024036\">Matthew 24:36<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/matthew\/24#48024044\">44<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/matthew\/25#48025013\">25:13<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/mark\/13#49013032\">Mark 13:32<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/mark\/13#49013033\">33<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Besides, I&#8217;m not qualified to make God-level decisions. And that&#8217;s another topic. Topics.<\/p>\n<h4><a name=\"paranoids\"><\/a>The Paranoids are After Me!!!<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/memorial-day-weekend-2020\/#weird\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20170721ff\/20170720-Great_Seal_of_the_United_States_reverse-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Great Seal of the United States, reverse side, colorized.\" align=\"right\"><\/a>Glitchy thinking isn&#8217;t limited to America&#8217;s traditional End Times Bible Prophecies and other religion-themed goofiness.<\/p>\n<p>I haven&#8217;t found a comprehensive and reliable list or discussion of COVID-19 conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n<p>Most likely because the pandemic&#8217;s less than a year old. I&#8217;m guessing that it takes time for conspiracy buffs to work out widely-accepted alternate realities.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is new.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists, and the rest of us, are on a steep learning curve. That can be, and arguably is, unsettling. Particularly when we&#8217;re dealing with, and dying from, an incurable disease.<\/p>\n<h4><a name=\"conspiracy\"><\/a>Conspiracy Theories: the Usual Suspects<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/using-vaccines-wisely\/#america\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20170721ff\/20170718-355px-Unholy_three-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"'At the Sign of the UNHOLY THREE' cartoon, warning against fluoridated water, polio serum and mental hygiene. And 'communistic world government.' (1955)\" align=\"right\"><\/a>So far, COVID-19-themed conspiracy theories seem to be the usual &#8216;it is a Jewish\/Muslim\/American\/Chinese\/whatever plot&#8217; thing.<\/p>\n<p>With the usual &#8216;vaccinations are bad&#8217; trimmings. That&#8217;s a can of worms I&#8217;ll leave for another day.<\/p>\n<p>I ran into an interesting and apparently-informed piece about folks who believe conspiracy theories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/2020\/07\/15\/1004950\/how-to-talk-to-conspiracy-theorists-and-still-be-kind\/\">How to talk to conspiracy theorists\u2014and still be kind<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\nTanya Basu, Technology Review (July 15, 2020)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One takeaway from the op-ed, my opinion, is that nobody&#8217;s immune to screwball beliefs. Including me.<\/p>\n<p>Someone who&#8217;s smart, or a white-collar worker, or living in a &#8216;nice&#8217; neighborhood can be just as convinced that shape-shifting space-alien lizard-men are behind the Illuminati-Masonic-Pixie cabal as some guy living in part of a trailer.<\/p>\n<p>Tanya Basu&#8217;s piece has a 10-point &#8216;how to talk to a conspiracy believer&#8217; list. Here&#8217;s a quick summary:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Always, always speak respectfully<\/li>\n<li>Go private<\/li>\n<li>Test the waters first<\/li>\n<li>Agree. Remember the kernel of truth?<\/li>\n<li>Try the &#8220;truth sandwich&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Or use the Socratic method<\/li>\n<li>Be very careful with loved ones<\/li>\n<li>Realize that some people don&#8217;t want to change, no matter the facts<\/li>\n<li>If it gets bad, stop<\/li>\n<li>Every little bit helps<br \/>\n(Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/2020\/07\/15\/1004950\/how-to-talk-to-conspiracy-theorists-and-still-be-kind\/\">Tanya Basu<\/a>, Technology Review (July 15, 2020))<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>I think it makes sense. Maybe because number eight is like my &#8216;my mind is made up, don&#8217;t confuse me with the facts&#8217; quip.<\/p>\n<h4><a name=\"politics\"><\/a>Politics<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/storms-covid-19-and-politics\/#politics\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20170821ff\/20170825-Cross_of_gold_speech_cartoon-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Grant Hamilton's 'Cross of Gold' cartoon, printed in Judge magazine. (1896)\" align=\"right\"><\/a>There&#8217;s a political angle to many discussions of COVID-19. Most discussions, maybe.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s hardly surprising, since a presidential election&#8217;s coming up.<\/p>\n<p>I said that I&#8217;m complying with Executive Order 20-81, so maybe I&#8217;d better explain.<\/p>\n<p>I do not think Minnesota Governor Walz can do no wrong, or that all who oppose him are fascists.<\/p>\n<p>I am not complying because I fear that Minnesota has fallen to Islamic jihadists, and want to placate my masters.<\/p>\n<p>I will continue wearing a face mask when and where appropriate, and keeping my public jaunts to a minimum, because I think it&#8217;s a good idea.<\/p>\n<p>I also think it&#8217;s required by law in my state. And that this is one of those happy occasions when what&#8217;s legal and what&#8217;s right are parallel.<\/p>\n<p>More-or-less-related posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/back-at-mass\/\">Back at Mass<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\n(July 19, 2020)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/storms-covid-19-and-politics\/\">Storms, COVID-19 and Politics<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\n(July 11, 2020)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/fourth-of-july-and-virtual-fireworks\/\">Fourth of July and Virtual Fireworks<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\n(July 4, 2020)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/the-masked-minnesotan\/\">The Masked Minnesotan<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\n(June 12, 2020)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/pandemic-perspectives\/\">Pandemic Perspectives<\/a>&#8221;<br \/>\n(March 31, 2020)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Good news: the SARS-CoV-2 virus isn&#8217;t killing us nearly as fast as it was in April, May and the first part of June. Bad news: the COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress. Minnesotans are still dying. So are folks in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/covid-19-and-minnesota-masks\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[212,154],"tags":[199,200,8,194,34],"class_list":["post-4034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-being-a-citizen","category-discursive-detours","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-health","tag-minnesota","tag-politics"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Dwtw-134","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4034"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4775,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034\/revisions\/4775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}