I have noticed people don’t wear masks to school, or anywhere. Even if they do, they don’t wear them properly. While 83 percent of Americans support wearing masks, only 50 percent actually wear the masks. 

Last year, two vaccines were created to protect against COVID-19. Only 51% of America is fully vaccinated, despite that, many Americans want a third vaccination. 

It also seems that race and political views affect who wears a mask more and who doesn’t. It has been noted that Hispanic/Latino Americans and Black Americans are more likely to wear masks, and stereotypes should have nothing to do with mask wearing. As a Black American who is comfortable wearing a mask, I do know that there are other Black Americans who don’t wear masks for anxiety reasons. 

Because of stereotyping, some people take a Black person wearing a mask as a threat. However Black women are more likely to wear a mask then Black men. Because not all Black and Latinx Americans have access to masks due to poverty. So if you can afford a mask, please buy one and wear it.

Another ethnic group that wears masks more are Asian Americans, although some Asian Americans are seen not wearing masks. Unlike other ethnic groups, Asians have been wearing masks for a very long time. Which is why Asia was ahead of everyone else in reopening after COVID-19 hit. Custom face mask wearing actually began in Japan, in the early 20th century. However, because of COVID-19, wearing masks isn’t solely an Asian thing anymore.

Recently masks have been re-mandated in some school districts in Texas, meaning everyone has to wear a mask even if they don’t want to. I, like many other people who wear masks regularly, naturally get jumpy or irritated around people who don’t wear masks at all, as wearing a mask around people who don’t wear masks increases social anxiety. Especially for those who already had anxiety before COVID-19 started. I naturally had anxiety before the pandemic, so I don’t take my mask off unless I’m eating or need to blow my nose, at home or one of my parents tells me to in the car. 

When is it OK to take your mask off? At home, in your car, or when you’re eating. Why does mask wearing cause anxiety? If someone who isn’t wearing a mask is standing too close to you when you’re standing in a huge crowd of people or when you’re talking to someone and they tell you to repeat your words because your voice is muffled, you may become a bully magnet for wearing a mask. 

Originally, Coppell ISD was going to have wearing a mask being optional at the beginning of this school year. But since COVID-19 numbers have spiked up again, wearing a mask is a must do in Coppell ISD, with the option of an exception. There are currently more than 350,000 thousand cases of COVID-19 in Dallas County, as well as 4,475 deaths all because not everyone is wearing a mask when needed to. If we don’t put our masks back on, COVID-19 could overtake us. On Sept 11-12, when I was at the St. Ann Carnival with one of my friends, I noticed that a lot of people weren’t wearing masks. Even if you’re fully vaccinated, you should be wearing a mask. It doesn’t hurt anyone to wear a mask.

COVID-19 wouldn’t have spread if everyone were wearing masks in the first place. If we all come together and wear masks, we can get through COVID-19 together. If you want to protect yourself, your loved ones and friends, please wear a mask to prevent COVID-19 from further spreading.

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