I’m sure we’ve all heard someone mutter, “I hate wearing these masks.”

Is wearing a mask uncomfortable for all of us? Of course it is. But it’s a simple act that mitigates the spread of COVID-19 and prevents needless future deaths.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, mask wearing has become normalized—and in many cases required—in public areas. Masks, according to a study published by the US National Academy of Sciences, are 79 percent effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Hundreds of equally credible organizations reached the same conclusion, and the science is clear: mask wearing reduces the spread of COVID-19.

Since COVID-19’s arrival in the United States, the deadly virus has claimed over half a million of our fellow citizens. People continue to die every day, yet astonishingly mask wearing among U.S. citizens continues to decline.

Newsweek reported in February that only 21 percent of Americans reported wearing a mask when attending a gathering of fewer than 10 people. The same article found in early 2020 that 90 percent of Americans reported wearing a mask in public—but that figure shrunk to only 67 percent as of February of 2021.

The insanity is unbearable. Americans continue to die, but people—unwilling to express courtesy and respect—refuse to wear a face covering to prevent further casualties. And why? Because masks are inconvenient?

As we’ve all heard, those most affected by the pandemic include elders, those with preexisting conditions, and those suffering from immune diseases. My mother, who was born with Hepatitis B, is among those most affected. She is certainly not alone. I’m sure many readers also personally know someone whose life may be at risk were they to catch COVID-19.

Sadly, mask-averse people’s ignorance, arrogance, and laziness has undoubtedly cost thousands of Americans lives.

Many justify not wearing a mask because of the accelerated rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. While it is true that more Americans are getting vaccinated, there are still many Americans who aren’t vaccinated (or won’t get vaccinated). However, keep in mind that people with the vaccine can still carry the virus and pass it on to people who do not have the virus. Vaccines are not the full solution until everyone is vaccinated.

These are trying times for everyone, but if we want a return to normal, then we must do everything to prevent the spread while vaccines are distributed. Wearing a mask is a proven method to stop the spread of COVID-19, and it saves lives. People shouldn’t die because some folks refuse to wear a mask—and wear it correctly. Death is unavoidable, and to all of my Americans I say: Mask it, or casket.