HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-22-20 Public Comment - A. Sophir - COVID Mask WearingFrom:Chris Mehl
To:Agenda
Subject:Fw: A concerned citizen
Date:Monday, June 22, 2020 9:19:58 AM
From: Abby Sophir <abbysophir@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2020 9:04 AM
To: BOHPublicComment@gallatin.mt.gov <BOHPublicComment@gallatin.mt.gov>;
mehlchris@hotmail.com <mehlchris@hotmail.com>
Subject: A concerned citizen
Hello,
I am a Bozeman resident in my late 20s and want to voice my concern about the lack of mask
wearing and enforcement in our town. It seems evident that the current looseness of rules isnot benefitting public health or the local economy.
The science is clear that mask-wearing helps prevent the spread of this awful disease (at the
very least, it cannot hurt and causes no harm) and requiring folks to wear masks seems like avery small inconvenience in return for the possibility of saving lives and livelihoods. The
place I work is already teetering on survival and a spike in cases will likely cost me myemployment, and I assume hundreds of others are in the same boat. Montana and Gallatin
County responded in a remarkable way to the initial threats of COVID-19 and it isdisheartening to watch that sacrifice gets thrown out the window.
Ideally, business owners and individuals would choose to honor state and national
recommendations for wearing masks within 6 ft of other people and enforce this on their own,however, take a stroll downtown and this is very clearly not the case. I am confused as to why
a simple mask mandate in indoor space is not put into place, as has happened in other citiesaround the country.
I work at a local business that is requiring all employees and clients wear masks and I am very
grateful to my employer for this! I feel terribly for friends working at businesses whoseowners are not taking their employees' health seriously and neglecting to require all who enter
to wear a mask. When you are around customers all day who are not wearing masks, you havelittle choice but to become apathetic (or else live in constant fear) so I can understand why
employees eventually stop wearing masks themselves. However, this creates a dangerouscycle.
We need leadership. We need to listen to science. We need compassion for our fellow
community members, especially those most vulnerable. I would appreciate an explanation asto why a mask-wearing mandate has not been put into place.
Sincerely,
Abby Sophir