Virginians should wear masks to help stop the coronavirus. Here’s how we can persuade holdouts.

Virus cases ballooning in Virginia.

At least a third of them in Hampton Roads, where positivity rates climb.

Attributed, at least in part, to too many folks still not wearing masks when, or how, they should.

But it was tough to get everyone on board the last time, too. When masks were mandated during the influenza pandemic of the early 1900s — which killed 50 million worldwide, nearly 700,000 in the U.S. — an anti-mask league drew 2,000 people to a single meeting in San Francisco.

Fortunately, a stroll through a local grocery these days indicates most people are complying. But even in that tame setting, there’s usually a handful of bare-faced customers, ignoring not only the “must wear” sign on the door, but the governor’s order and the overwhelming advice of infectious disease experts who say masks are key to getting us out of this mess.

At this point, is it even possible to move the needle?

We can only try.

What do you say to holdouts?

Here are some suggestions, plus some advice from an expert:

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Them: It’s an infringement on my rights.

You: The same objection was made during last century’s influenza pandemic — sometimes called the Spanish flu. Yesterday’s dissenters also said masks don’t work, or they’re bad for business, or they give a false sense of security, or they’re just too stifling and uncomfortable to wear.

But mask ordinances were enforced with fines, even jail. Or public shaming, like printing the names of those who refused in the newspaper. The Red Cross launched a public service campaign saying, “the man or woman or child who will not wear a mask now is a dangerous slacker.”

P.S.: Even President Trump now says wearing masks is “patriotic.”

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Them: I’m willing to risk getting the virus.

You: Scientists have been saying for months that mask-wearing is more about protecting the other person: I wear one for you, you wear one for me — in case either of us is sick but don’t know it yet. But according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a growing body of evidence suggests masks protect the wearer more than was originally thought. Masked people who are exposed to infectious air droplets and then catch the virus are apt to get less severe cases of COVID-19.

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Them: Masks are bad for you. They cut your oxygen.

You: That’s a myth. People with no respiratory problems who use proper masks — breathable fabric, not too many layers — suffer no ill effects, says Muge Akpinar-Elci, director for the Center for Global Health at Old Dominion University. “Think about it,” she says, before pointing out that health care workers wear masks for hours at a time. So do surgeons conducting intricate operations requiring sharp minds.

Prove it to yourself by attaching a pulse oximeter ($25 or so) to your own fingertip and measuring your oxygen levels with and without a mask. No appreciable decline.

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Them: OK, I’m wearing a mask. So what if it’s not covering my nose?

You: Well, you might as well be wearing it for a necklace. That’s a quote from Akpinar-Elci, who says such half-hearted compliance doesn’t help. If your nose is exposed, you’re vulnerable. And if you’ve got the virus, and you’re breathing through your uncovered nose — which is unavoidable since some air is always moving through there — you’re shedding the virus. A mask needs to cover mouth AND nose.

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For the many who have gotten with the program: a “thank you” and some reminders from Akpinar-Elci.

Treat your mask like it’s contaminated. If you did encounter airborne virus droplets, they’ll be clinging to the outside. Wash your hands after tossing disposable masks. Wash hands before and after handling reusable masks, and don’t re-wear those masks without washing them.
Sweaty masks can grow bad microorganisms — another reason to discard or wash them religiously this time of year.
Wear masks that also cover your chin. Gaps are open windows, letting the virus in or out. Ditto for masks with holes or tears.
Resist the urge to remove your mask when talking to someone, which she sees people do all too often, voiding the point of wearing it in the first place.

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One last question for Akpinar-Elci:

How many of us does it take to make this thing work?

There’s no set formula but the percentage of mask wearers in Hampton Roads is “clearly not enough,” she says. “If it was, our numbers would not be going up like they are.”

Social distancing is the most effective, but it tends to erode when lockdowns ease. And ironically, the most stubborn anti-maskers are often the loudest voices clamoring for the end of restrictions.

So, says Akpinar-Elci, “at least put on a mask. This is our chance. We don’t have anything else right now. People really need to think about the benefits. Everything has advantages and disadvantages but this advantage is so big it cannot be ignored.”

Joanne Kimberlin, 757-446-2338, joanne.kimberlin@pilotonline.com