Re: "Rocky View County Coun. Greg Boehlke joins End the Lockdowns Caucus," article, Feb. 23, Rocky View Weekly
Dear editor,
Retired surgeon Sam Laucks had this to say about wearing masks – "I have spent the past 39 years working in the field of surgery. For a significant part of that time, I wore a mask. I have worked with hundreds (probably thousands) of colleagues during those years, and they all wore masks. Not a single one of us became ill, passed out or died from a lack of oxygen. Not a single one of us died from breathing too much carbon dioxide."
Dr. Laucks goes on to write that it is true that some people, with advanced lung diseases, may be so fragile that a mask could make their already-tenuous breathing more difficult. He writes, "If your lungs are that bad, you probably shouldn't be going out in public at the present time anyway; the consequences if you are exposed to COVID-19 would likely be devastating."
As Laucks pointed out, the main reason to wear a mask is to protect others. Even if you do not care about yourself, he writes that wearing one may protect your neighbours, co-workers and friends.
Like Laucks, I worked for over 35 years in the medical field, (though I worked with babies and children). Never before the pandemic had I heard masks were harmful or that they were not useful.
Some may suggest a requirement to wear a mask violates their constitutional rights. As Laucks points out, we're also not allowed to go into a grocery store if we're not wearing pants, and we shouldn't yell 'Fire!' in the produce section. We're not allowed to urinate in the frozen food section. Yet, nobody objects to these restrictions because rules, established for the common good, are a component of a civilized society.
The worst negative comment I heard during this pandemic came from Dr. Tamara Tam, who is supposed to be our country's chief medical officer. She said masks were not necessary, though she has since changed her message.
I am so disappointed about what Coun. Greg Boehlke had to say in the interview about his joining the anti-lockdowns caucus. He should know better than to speak about what he doesn't know. I will hope that he will think about his words before he speaks them next time and considers the consequences of what may result.
I did enjoy reporter Jordan Stricker's column, however, which was in the same print issue as the story about Greg.
Shelley Bushfield
Balzac
