The front page of the Sports section of the Dec. 18 Press Herald (Page D1) offers a remarkable and thought-provoking juxtaposition. The headline on the column across the top of the page: “Sports got lax, and COVID roars back.” Six inches below that headline: a photo of two high school basketball players in action, their masks uselessly draped beneath their chins.

Was this simply coincidental, one wonders? Or might there be a subtle editorial hand at work in the layout of the page, reminding readers of the consequences of unmasked sports activity? Either way, it strikes me as an effective, and ironic, commentary.

Paul Machlin
Falmouth