OPINION | Wear a mask: You owe it to the people you count on for service

In the wake of the Yukon's second wave of COVID-19 infections, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces will be mandatory in the territory as of Dec.1, a decision in keeping with requirements in much of the rest of the country. 

The Yukon's mask mandate is long overdue — the number of cases in the territory continues to rise, even as we nervously watch Nunavut try to put a lid on its own simmering outbreak. Alberta, as of Nov. 26 home to one-quarter of active Canadian cases, is the only province without a mandatory mask policy, instead leaving those decisions up to individual municipalities. 

Nationally, mask mandates have met with resistance, largely — as with our American counterparts — linked to the far-right and associated conspiracy theories and/or stated concerns about personal liberties, and there are doubtlessly Yukoners with this attitude. 

Resistance to wearing masks in public places, however, is not only selfish and ignorant, but classist. It discounts the safety — and, by extension, the lives of — working class people. 

Low-income and working class people have been hardest hit by the pandemic. CERB is not a catch-all or permanent solution to the financial hardships brought about by the pandemic. Service and retail workers lucky enough to still have gainful work do not have the luxury of working from home (or, likely, turning down shifts), meaning those among us who are paid the least — Yukon's minimum wage is a paltry $13.71 an hour — are at most risk of exposure. 

Safety during this pandemic shouldn't just be for those who can afford to work from home.- Lori Fox

Service workers are routinely in close contact with dozens of people (who may or may not be respecting COVID-19 guidelines) every day. In Whitehorse, for example, they might make your coffee at Starbucks, check you in at the front desk of Better Bodies or ring through your groceries at Save-On-Foods — each was on the list of places Yukoners may have been exposed to the virus during the recent cluster of outbreaks. 

Although masks offer some protection for the wearer, it's more to protect other people, and wearing masks indoors dramatically reduces the likelihood of infections in casual interactions. As you've doubtlessly noted, in most shops in town, the staff are already wearing masks.

It seems a simple courtesy for the people using those services to wear masks themselves.

It's also worth considering that refusing to wear a mask puts not only workers at risk, but the community at large (including you).

As they are exposed to so many more people, service workers are not only at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, but are more likely to spread the virus when they do. In Kingston, Ont., a recent spate of infections linked to fast food restaurants have prompted that city to recommend that all food service workers be tested.

The thing about preventative measures is that, if they work, it can look like you didn't need them, but they need to be put in place before an outbreak is out of control to be effective.

Safety during this pandemic shouldn't just be for those who can afford to work from home. Mask mandates protect everyone – regardless of class.