That Is The Question

Reading the side of the box, full of face masks, I discovered they were not considered medical grade.  Doing a brief online search, it seemed they were identical, in construction, to other masks that claimed to be medical grade. Prices on the masks varied from 50 cents to $1 per mask, despite all being nearly identical. The box went on to state that the mask should not be worn more than 4 hours, that it should not be used more than once and to be sure to inspect it, before wearing, in case there were any damage to said mask.  It also states that this mask is not suitable for children or infants.  Besides all this information, it is also necessary to make sure the mask is kept in an area that is under 80% humidity, that it does not get wet, aka rain, or too hot, aka on fire. Best of all, the masks should stay out of direct sunlight.

This made me think about the guide lines for the upcoming school year.  The children are supposed to social distance and wear a mask, while at school.  This idea made me think about the cost, among other things, associated with this edict from the powers that be.  Since math was never my strongest suit, I will try to keep it simple.  Let's say a mask cost 50 cents each.  It can only be worn for a maximum of four hours so the child will need at least two per day.  It's probably a good idea to factor in some other issues that may take place during the four hour time period.  For instance, when the mask accidentally falls on the floor, that's an automatic out or when a child forgets to social distance or they touch their face/mask, there's another for the trash.  Keeping in mind that many boys will be boys, when one pulls on another's mask, to see just how far those little ear bands will stretch, that would also be cause for a new mask. Or, when someone thinks their friend's mask is so much cooler than their own and they swap, there's two down before the first bell has rung.  So, for the sake of simplicity, let's figure each child will need a minimum of 4 masks per day.  At 50 cents a piece, that is a total of $2 a day or $10 per week, per child.  Since many parents have either been furloughed, or without a job during this scamdemic, excuse me, pandemic, would an extra $40 per month be a strain?  What about if families have more than one school age child?  What if they have four?  Is $160 per month figured into their budget?   Will the teachers, who already spend a good deal of their own money trying to keep their classroom stocked with essentials, be responsible for an extra mask in case the 4 per day limit is exceeded?  

Thinking about the teachers, who are there to teach, must they now become the mask gestapo?  It is hard enough to keep a room full of children focused on the task at hand without having to watch for any foul play going on with the mask.  It also seems that standing before a room full of masked children will be a daunting challenge because we, as humans, rely so much on facial expressions to communicate with each other.  Not being able to see a grimace or tongue pointed in their direction could be exasperating, not to mention another reason for a new mask.  Oh, and the thought of the projectile puker puts an image in ones' brain that is hard to remove.

Just imagine how many trips a school bus will have to make to get all the kids to school.  What time will that first pick up need to start?  So many questions! Having been in the student transportation business, good luck with social distancing on a bus.  The backs of bus seats are tall....yes, they do, and will, crawl under the seats to get to another.   But, for now, we can only wish it could be as simple a solution as Mr. Miyagi's 'wax on, wax off'.  Mask on?  Mask off?  THAT is the question.