Salisbury University only requires masks in classrooms, labs, Student Health Services and university-owned transportation, according to President Charles Wight's briefing March 4.
In other words: SU does not care about the health and safety of students.
This is a national issue, not isolated to SU.
Masks are not required in residence halls, spaces outside classrooms or dining areas. Students should not use indoor dining spaces without social-distancing options.
This is a nightmare for those with compromised immune systems.
"Eugenics is the scientifically inaccurate theory that humans can be improved through selective breeding of populations," according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.
COVID-19 mask mandates are similar to selective breeding because they weed out people with disabilities, not protecting lives. Public health officials overlook the needs and concerns of people with disabilities, evident from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director's response to COVID-19 cases decreasing:
“The overwhelming number of [COVID-19] deaths, over 75% occurred in people who had at least 4 comorbidities, so really these are people that were unwell to begin with. And yes, really encouraging news in the context of Omicron [to get vaccinated and boosted]. And yes we are really encouraged by these results,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Good Morning America.
No mass death is encouraging.
Telling individuals with disabilities they will scarcely be affected by the virus aligns with eugenic ideology. Forced exposure would be genocide.
According to the United Nations Office on Genocide, "[genocide is] any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
Killing members of the group;
Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."
The mandate fails to protect people with disabilities and/or compromised immune systems. It could cause further disabling effects and fatalities.
Death is not a stretch when talking about a pandemic.
Choosing not to wear mask solely because of discomfort puts lives at risk. People should care enough about human lives, especially those at risk, to protect others from dying.
"Placing a lower value on a life because a person is older, disabled, or overweight" is just one example of eugenic ideologies. This has occurred throughout history, emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Herd immunity, a concept explored during the pandemic, is inherently eugenic, especially regarding reinfection and health.
Around 200 million people would have to fully recover from COVID-19 for the pandemic's effects to end, according to Mayo Clinic. This amount of infections would risk millions of lives.
"The health care system could quickly become overwhelmed," according to the article.
SU students, faculty and staff hastily ditching masks relates to eugenic ideologies. It is a choice. More people should choose to wear masks to protect those at risk, especially when those at risk may not have a choice.
Not all SU students would die from COVID-19, but some could.
Prior to the most recent mask mandate, most students wore masks throughout campus. Without concrete requirements or enforcement, many have willfully decided not to wear masks.
Systemic injustices go on without concern for SU community members with compromised immune systems.
Governor Larry Hogan said it is okay to stop wearing masks. Hogan also isn’t a scientist.
Students can pay over $20,000 in rising tuition each semester to an uncaring institution. Students are here for an education. No one signs up to put their life at risk.
Nobody signed up for policies without benefits, but many privileged, able-bodied white students do not notice the issue.
It is senseless to put minority lives at risk. Everyone should be protected until there is more assurance those with compromised immune systems will not be killed off.
If the current mask mandate is meant to maximize student opportunities, while putting students at risk, it suggests SU doesn’t care for its students.
This is not new information.
Wicomico County, with a population of 103,588 as of 2020, is third-lowest for fully vaccinated persons in Maryland, according to the Maryland Department of Health. With fewer vaccinations and relaxed mask mandates, this data constitutes higher risks of infection.
Relaxing mask requirements will not significantly help anyone but will cause further damage to those with disabilities. With spring break coming up and students consistently going out, a "sudden" increase in COVID-19 cases would not be surprising.
COVID-19 is a disabling disease. No one is immune to becoming disabled, so protecting others who already live with disabilities should be a top priority.
For further reading on COVID-19 and eugenics:
"COVID-19 and Childhood Inequality" Edited by Nazneen Khan
"Power, Media, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Framing Public Discourse" Edited by Stuart Price and Ben Harbisher
"Hiding in Plain Sight: Public Health, Eugenics, and COVID-19" by Laura Appleman
"What Does ‘Living With Covid-19’ Mean For Disabled And Chronically Ill People?" by Andrew Pulrang
"Biden and CDC's Covid-19 variant guidelines have disabled people feeling left for dead" by MSNBC Opinion Columnist Eric Garcia
The opinions in this article belong to the writer and do not reflect on all members of The Flyer staff.
By SUMMER SMITH
Opinion editor
Featured image courtesy of Sophia Smith