Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

VIEWPOINT: Respect Georgetown Mask-Optional Policy

VIEWPOINT%3A+Respect+Georgetown+Mask-Optional+Policy

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is time for Georgetown to move towards its next stage.

On March 11, University Provost Robert Groves announced in an email to faculty and students that Georgetown would shift to a mask-optional policy beginning March 21. The announcement marked a dramatic shift from the mask policy the university had employed up until this point. 

It is certainly time to ditch the mask mandate. Everyone should be allowed to do what they feel is best for their health.

As of May 26, 2021, a New York Times survey reported approximately 100 deaths among college students and faculty nationwide from at least 700,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, an approximate mortality rate of 0.0143%. According to the CDC, the 2018 flu death rate for people aged 18-49 — an age bracket that includes most college students and many faculty members — was 0.0165% and the mortality rate for those aged 50 and over — which covers remaining faculty members — was 0.29%. For healthy college students, COVID-19 is no deadlier than the flu. For faculty and community members, COVID-19 is slightly more deadly, but that doesn’t mean they cannot be protected.

Professors can request classrooms where they are able to remain distanced from students. Community members can still protect themselves by wearing a mask, as they provide protection even when no one else wears one. As for students, the death rate is likely lower than the figure in the survey since the survey attributes most deaths to older adults. The majority of Georgetown community members will be just fine if they get COVID-19, thus wearing a mask should be an individual choice. 

The keyword that might be singled out here is “majority.” Yes, there are immunocompromised students and faculty, as well as others in the Georgetown community. It is important to remember that having three COVID-19 vaccine doses prevents at least 90 percent of hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 — and potentially even more depending on the variant — while only 10% of immunocompromised people hospitalized due to COVID-19 have had three shots.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that COVID-19 could be around forever in some endemic form. If we wait for the eradication of COVID-19 to eliminate masks, it is likely we will never stop waiting. We must be able to live our lives in a more free and enjoyable manner. Those who still have concerns may continue to wear masks. Again, they can still provide protection even when worn around maskless people. At this stage of the pandemic, everyone should ultimately be responsible for their own health. 

One of the best ways to take responsibility for your health is to improve your immune system by exercising. Strong immune systems can mitigate any negative effects of diseases like COVID-19. But, as the WHO claims, wearing a mask while exercising can make exercising more difficult since masks can reduce breathing capacity. Masks have been required in Yates Field House since its reopening last summer, and university workers have been hired to enforce this mask policy. 

While the “blue shirts” were employed to ensure compliance with the university’s rules, their enforcement had a considerable effect on students’ ability to exercise. Jeff Palmer, fitness manager at the University of Washington, claims that if one wears a mask while exercising, it should be removed if it makes breathing difficult by trapping warmer air, just momentarily to catch one’s breath. If nowhere else on campus, it’s at least beyond time to ditch the requirement for masking in Yates.

Not only is it time to ditch the mandate, both since COVID-19 is not that dangerous for the majority of people at Georgetown and masking while exercising can be harmful, it’s also imperative that students respect each other’s decisions, whether it be continuing to wear a mask indoors or opting not to. I have seen both sides of this debate criticise the other’s actions. People that have been against the mandate have made fun of others for wearing masks even when alone and outdoors. Much worse, I have seen people in group chats being singled out and called stupid for being against the mask mandate, even when the science shows that they may have had a point. Regardless of whether one continues to wear a mask or not, it is imperative that we respect the privacy and decision-making processes of other people. 

In the coming weeks we must act like adults, allowing everyone to do what they believe is best for their health without being ridiculed. 

Liam Jodrey is a sophomore in the College.

View Comments (2)
Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya

Comments (2)

All The Hoya Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • S

    StephanieApr 5, 2022 at 6:48 pm

    I don’t usually comment on campus publications, but this article is grossly misinformed about an important topic.
    First, I’ll address that I have the opposite viewpoint as you, so this article immediately gave me the ick. I don’t believe that the majority’s “freedom” and individuality are moral reasons to dismiss the concerns of older and immunocompromised people, especially when everyone’s choices impact the health of these vulnerable populations. I value community care and civic responsibility above some moments when my mask may be uncomfortable.
    But, the author thinks differently, which I suppose I’ll let slide. An even bigger issue is how you distort stats and sources. Concerning mortality rates from COVID vs. the flu, why use data from 2021 and 2018–in a rapidly changing pandemic that has had a different variant since then? Why show the mortality rate for those 50+ for the flu and not COVID? If you’re going to compare the two, at least use the same metrics. Beyond the stats, even if only a ~few~ older and immunocompromised are hospitalized or die, should we not try our best to protect these few community members?
    It is true that people who are more susceptible can wear a mask and they will be more protected than if they did not wear a mask, but the NBC News article you cited also says that “most health experts agree universal masking, along with vaccinations, remains the best public health strategy against the spread of the virus,” and the rest of the article encourages everyone to wear high-quality masks. You also misrepresented the article about wearing masks when exercising. The CDC only recommends that people with a respiratory disease or heart disease ask their doctor about exercising with a face mask (though, wouldn’t COVID cause a similar if not worse harm?). For the rest of the population, the article offers strategies for mask wearing while exercising. Again, this article contradicts your argument that Yates should ditch the mask mandate, but you cherry-picked one line of a worst case scenario (and the way you misrepresented it doesn’t even justify not wearing masks at all). The article says “wearing a mask during exercise is safe,” then you call it harmful.
    Next, “only 10% of immunocompromised people hospitalized due to COVID-19 have had three shots” lacks context to this stat. The chart from your source says that 10% of people with chronic illnesses who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 have had three shots, in comparison to 8% of people hospitalized without chronic conditions. The vax gap between immunocompromised vs. non-immunocompromised is even larger (more recent stats can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7107e2.htm). Immunocompromised people have higher vaccination rates, but the vaccine effectiveness after the third dose was lower compared to those who are not immunocompromised.
    Honorable mention: “the science shows that they may have had a point.” What science? Source? Almost every article you cited encourages everyone to wear masks. If your point is that everyone’s personal choice should be respected, why is it “much worse” when people criticize non-mask wearers than mask-wearers?
    Frankly, given this article, I have serious concerns regarding The Hoya’s screening process for opinion pieces. This author blatantly misrepresented sources, statistics, and expert opinions on a public health crisis. I’m usually pretty passive, not one to call people out in person or on groupme, but if you’re going to write an opinion piece, at least understand how to construct a solid argument.

    Reply
    • W

      William Walker WheelerApr 8, 2022 at 11:54 am

      In addition, the author’s prose is dry and clunky. They do not weave well the logic of their argument, if woven at all. Two citations ought not be placed side by side with a pretty gesture that says “look!” when there is nothing to look at.

      The piece grandstands to no end but to request that “we” ought to be treated as adults.

      Include me not, sir!

      Reply