COVID-19 comes to Cuba, Mo., and hardly anyone is wearing a mask

[pstokely]

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/state-and-regional/covid-19-comes-to-cuba-mo-and-hardly-anyone-is-wearing-a-mask/article_8bb88a4b-0a3b-5438-9680-e44df8828539.html

"Crawford County Democratic Party Chairman Terry West recalled a meet-the-candidates event held at the Cuba High School gymnasium in the leadup to the recent election that was well-attended.

“It was as clear as night and day,” he said. “The few Democrats who were there were the only ones wearing masks.”

He said the Republicans stared at them, made them feel like “oddballs” for wearing masks.

“It’s going to have to hit home for them before they get the picture, as far as I can tell,” said West, 44, a contractor. “We do have a lot cases. I know people who had it and got very sick from it.”

Religion is a factor, too, he said.

“They kind of believe God is on their side,” he said. "

[mr_lebowski]

1. Freedumb! (nt)

[dustyscamp]

2. Hopefully all the people wearing masks there survive

[rustysgurl]

3. Central Missouri, Up and Down I-44

is EXACTLY like that. My brother lives near Ft Leonard Wood, and the Trump signs were everywhere. I almost couldn't stand to go visit him, the drive back would just make me nauseous. We'd go to restaurants -- no one wearing a mask. Same with stores. Their philosophy is either "if I get it, I get it" or "it's all a hoax." Either way, there's a bunch of people around there who will be in deep trouble before long.

[NJCher]

4. my brother lives in a rural area like that

He tells me:

--in supermarket checkout lines, people behave in a passive-aggressive manner. For example, someone will say to another person in the line, "You hear a lot about masks but they're just not for me." This happened while my brother was standing in the line, wearing his mask.

--when shopping while wearing a mask, non-mask wearers do not practice social distancing. So you, the mask wearer, can be selecting a product off the shelf and the non-mask wearer will get right next to you, obviously not heeding any concern that your mask nonverbally expresses.

--mask wearers are looked at as different

--people have weddings, go to football games, church, etc., all without masks

--as stated in this article, they think there's something about "rural air" and also they think God is on their side.


There are very few ICU beds in this little town. They have had a similar number of cases as Cuba has had. They are ill-equipped to handle a rise in cases.

Now, contrast this with how it is in NJ, where I live.

Everyone wears a mask per state Covid policy.

You cannot get into a business if you do not wear a mask.

Nevertheless you will still find a few people half-masking, such as I did the other day at the supermarket. I kept running into this particular guy, even though I would go the other direction whenever I saw him. Finally I lost my temper when he joined me at the ice cream freezer. I snapped at him, "If you can't wear your mask correctly, get the hell away from me."

He looked so surprised and took his cart and swiftly headed out of the area.

on edit: I wanted to add the town is full of trump supporters and none of them have taken down their trump signs.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I have had to make numerous trips from Illinois to Arkansas and back

this year. I'm going again on Monday. I try to drive I44 straight through Missouri without stopping. Unfortunately, I have to get gas around St. Roberts or Cuba. I wear a mask and gloves.