1. The Risks of the Mask
- Author
-
Frederic Bouder and Matan-Ilan Shapiro
- Subjects
2019-20 coronavirus outbreak ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Strategy and Management ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,masker ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,kommunikasjon ,Context (language use) ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,munnbind ,Pandemic ,Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ,pandemi ,Risk management ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,021110 strategic, defence & security studies ,risikovurdering ,business.industry ,Samfunnsvitenskap: 200 [VDP] ,General Engineering ,COVID-19 ,General Social Sciences ,samfunnssikkerhet ,Face masks ,Risk analysis (engineering) ,Psychology ,business - Abstract
In this article we go beyond epidemiological models to make a case for a more holistic approach to the use of face masks as a risk mitigation factor in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. We argue that while masking offers a measure of protection from infection, its moral, political, and affective implications produce two main collateral risks. These are: (1) the heightening of social boundaries, which thus increase the potential of conflict between different social groups; and (2) the impairment of normative interaction rituals followed by a dynamic of distancing, insulation, and social alienation. While we stop short from constructing a hierarchy of risks, we do argue that policy makers should consider these collateral risks as part of any large-scale Covid-19 risk mitigation and communication strategy. We thus provide some principled guidance on how that might be done.
- Published
- 2021