Iowa Doctors Say State Is On The ‘Cusp of a Catastrophe’
There's just something about a group of doctors standing their ground and making a point. We saw a politically tainted video on social media of something alleging to be that, but over the weekend we saw it again. But this time, the group of doctors was from Iowa, and they were standing on the steps of the Iowa Statehouse. They weren't pitching an unproven drug. They were standing in support of one of the few things that there is real scientific evidence that helps stop a pandemic. A mask.
Nearly two dozen medical and public health officials took to the statehouse steps on Saturday to urge Governor Kim Reynolds to require Iowans to wear face masks when out in public. Dr. Austin Baeth with UnityPoint Health in Des Moines told the Gazette that "we are on the cusp of a catastrophe. And we need to do everything we can to fight this pandemic before it turns even worse." The group held the event to highlight a letter that has been signed by more than 300 medical professionals in Iowa, including leaders from 16 healthcare organizations.
The doctors point out that the science behind masks is sound. Multiple studies have shown that they are effective at slowing the spread of the virus. Both the CDC and the WHO recommend that people wear masks when out in public. Iowa's public health department recommends that Iowans wear masks especially if they are unable to be 6 feet apart from others. But the Gazette reports that the governor has refused a full state mandate saying that it would be difficult to enforce.
The doctors also addressed complaints that masks violate a persons freedom of choice. They compared masks mandates with impaired driving laws, saying that they tell a person how to behave in public to protect other people's lives.