Campus safety officials and students discuss recent criticism of masks and why wearing masks is important, urging students to wear masks in public, both on and off-campus.
“You wear a mask for the same reason you would wear a seatbelt. This is about protecting yourself. This is about protecting the people around you, and people with whom you come into contact [with],” said Jake Bateman, a campus safety assistant at BYU–Hawaii.
On July 2, Mayor Kirk Caldwell expanded Oahu’s mask mandate stating face coverings must be worn in indoor public settings and outdoor settings where social distancing is difficult, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Eugenia Soliai, the Campus Safety and Risk Manager, said all students are required to wear masks on campus, the only exceptions being in private living quarters and other exceptions addressed in the emergency order issued by the City and County of Honolulu.
“In reality, we shouldn’t have to work so hard to enforce the wearing of face coverings. This is an individual responsibility. As Governor David Ige and the Department of Health [officials] continue to reiterate, this is a marathon we’re in, and everyone needs to take responsibility in protecting each other,” said Soliai.
Soliai said the university is sending out bulletins, putting up posters and informing supervisors of the face mask policy on-campus to keep students and employees informed.
Officials at the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing a face mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19. They said using face masks creates a barrier that prevents respiratory droplets from traveling through the air and spreading COVID-19.
In a press release from July 14, CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield stated, “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families and their communities.”
Bateman said while some oppose wearing a mask, it is currently the law on Oahu and has to be enforced on campus, which can mean declining services to patrons who do not comply.
“Everyone is well within their rights to have an opinion. I don’t want to shame anyone into wearing a mask… You can agree or disagree, but the law in the State of Hawaii and especially in the City and County of Honolulu right now is you have to have one, regardless of how you feel about it.”
Taffie Kwok, a junior from Hong Kong majoring in communications, shared wearing masks is accepted in her culture and is not met with much opposition, which differs from the United States.
“People [in Hong Kong] understand the importance of wearing masks, and that’s why they want to wear it.”
Kwok speculated the criticism towards masks in the United States might be because wearing masks is something many Americans are not used to it and have not had to do it before.
Amanda Haverley, a junior from Illinois studying hospitality and tourism management, said she believes others should wear a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the elderly in the community.
She added though it is important to wear a mask to protect yourself and others, people should not judge others for not wearing one.
“I feel like you definitely shouldn’t shame people for not wearing a mask because I feel like it’s bullying, and that doesn’t really help anybody.”
Bateman said for BYUH students who are currently employed on-campus, the university has masks available for them. Bateman encouraged students who are not employed on-campus to seek out face coverings on their own, so they do not deplete the university’s supply.
“Supplies in the United States and around the world are short, and it’s hard to provide for everyone. Of course, if someone’s in a situation where they need [a] cloth mask and don’t have any other way to find them, we do have some in stock here.”
Bateman emphasized that the school is not trying to hoard supplies but wants to ensure a proper supply for members of the BYUH ohana.