Karens continued

In today’s lingo, Karen has taken on the meaning of white privileged women who are racist, entitled and obnoxious. A prime example is the woman in Central Park that went after a black bird watcher. In Jonathan Crimmins’ column of July 23, he equates the term to people who pointed out that the police, whom I have great respect for, did not wear masks and encouraged a community gathering without social distancing.

What worries me most is the attitude that just because Maine has a low rate, for now, of COVID-19, that we can party, sit at restaurants, walk downtown in groups without masks and ignore the danger. Our numbers are low because the governor took action regarding masks and social distancing rules. One of the reasons we have such a low count is because many of us have socially quarantined, wear masks and follow safety rules.

By encouraging people to dismiss the danger of this pandemic by chastising those of us who think even the police should be careful is not a Karen feature. Will there be jumps for joy at getting together if just one of those partiers has the virus and passes it on to others? With so many arriving in Maine for the summer from other states, will we be as joyful if the numbers rise a few weeks from now? Sadly, masks have been made a political issue. A false definition of freedom in defying mask rules puts us all in danger during a very scary and dangerous COVID-19 rampage. Without a leader at the top, this virus has spread faster with more people dying due to the science defiance of our president. The very least we can do for ourselves and our neighbors is keep COVID-19 at bay by wearing masks and properly socially distancing. Yes, there are Karens among us, but they are the ones going into stores, throwing masks on the floor, shouting at mask wearers and spitting on people wearing them.

Nancy Tucker,
Brunswick

Ever think about the person taking care of you?

From the delivery room to the nursing home, the majority of our health care providers are women — nurses, aides, housekeepers, dieticians, dental assistants, occupational therapists and dental hygienists are among those caregivers. In fact, well over 70 percent of healthcare providers are female.

In and of itself, this is not big news. During the healthcare pandemic, however, it is a big deal. Equipping providers with appropriately sized personal protective equipment is required. In particular, when scarce N95 masks are located, they are generally a “universal” size. As you might imagine though, one size does not fit all.

Small-sized masks do exist, ironically, they are produced in much smaller numbers than universal masks despite the fact that a larger portion of healthcare workers are smaller in size. For reference, the average female head is about an inch shorter in length than the average male’s head and men typically weigh more than women. Clearly the average woman is smaller in size than a man.

In order for an N95 mask to be effective, it must fit snuggly against the face and air should not leak around it. A “fit test” is performed to ensure it is safe. When a mask that fits appropriately cannot be obtained, healthcare providers either wear inappropriate and unsafe equipment or you, the patient , will not be able to receive certain aspects of needed care because providers who cannot pass a fit test should not be performing certain procedures which you may benefit from. As it should be, the safety of those providing care, along with the patient’s protection from possible exposure from an asymptomatic healthcare worker are equally important priorities. More small surgical N95 masks are needed.

How can we solve this problem? Can current manufacturers ramp up their production? Are there other businesses that could fabricate small N95 respirators that are NIOSH and FDA-certified? Caring for healthcare workers, keeping them safe and healthy, is critical. When we need their care, we want them healthy and safe and as a patient we deserve to be protected from potential exposure.

Wendy Alpaugh,
Stonington

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