Analysis: Why won’t Rand Paul just wear a mask?
That one senator is Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Paul is a trained ophthalmologist, not an infectious disease doctor or an epidemiologist. And those doctors who are specialists in viruses like Covid-19 disagree with Paul’s views on immunity and masking.
And we all know that wearing a mask isn’t just about keeping ourselves from getting sick. It’s also to avoid infecting others with the virus. (There’s no evidence that someone who has recovered from Covid-19, like Paul, can’t still spread it to others.)
(Side note: I reached out to Paul’s press shop for an explanation on why he refuses to wear a mask on the Senate floor. They didn’t respond by the time we published this piece.)
Paul’s colleagues aren’t letting his masklessness go unchallenged. Late last week, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio called out Paul by name on the floor.
On Wednesday, Capitol Hill reporters spotted Paul on the Senate floor handing a note to one of former President Donald Trump’s lawyers. He wasn’t wearing a mask.
The Point: Paul clearly fashions himself as rebel. But endangering other people during a pandemic isn’t rebellious. It’s just dumb. And dangerous.
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