By Kelly O’Sullivan
Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

When it comes to face masks, one person’s safety net is often another person’s prison.

The debate over whether to mask or not to mask erupted in earnest after Arizona counties and cities concerned over the rising number of COVID-19 cases began mandating face coverings in the third week of June, drawing both ecstatic cheers and vehement jeers. Many social media conversations on the issue devolved into full-on fights, with people calling each other names, and proclaiming one side or the other “scared” or “selfish.”

The reasons people choose to wear or not to wear masks are more complicated, however, and they’re deeply personal. Independent Newsmedia spoke with several residents who live in or do business in the West Valley by phone and email to learn the reasons behind their decisions to mask or not.

Kathleen Berger

Position: Pro-mask

Kathleen Berger is a classical singer and mother of 3-year-old twins who grew up in Litchfield Park. She moved away to sing opera in New York and Spain before returning three years ago to open an agency representing other opera singers because she was tired of traveling.

“COVID-19 hit and it basically died,” she said of her business. “We’re not going to see live opera again for a long time.”

She’s now pursuing a degree online at Arizona State University, and will resume performing locally once it’s safe to do so.

Ms. Berger said she knows several people who have been infected by the novel coronavirus, five of whom have died.

When she goes out, she wears a mask and brings disinfectant wipes.

The daughter of a pediatrician who practiced in the Phoenix area for 50 years, Ms. Berger said she based her decision to wear a mask in public on what she learned from her father growing up, and from reading peer reviews on best practices on COVID-19 safety.

“I’m firmly a science- and logic-based person,” she said. “What is good for society as a whole is good for the individual. It would be unconscionable of me to expose my 82-year-old mother and my children.”

Fran Drozdz

Position: Pro-mask

For Fran Drozdz, a 76-year-old long-distance runner from Litchfield Park who is preparing for her 84th marathon this fall, wearing face coverings are a given, even when she runs, which is often.

Ms. Drozdz, the wife of a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, has run marathons and 5Ks all over the country. She said began wearing face coverings to exercise after her 20th marathon.

“Wearing a mask helps when I run in the elements,” she said. “Now with COVID-19, it covers the dry cough I have had 3 times!”

One of Ms. Drozdz’s favorite wintertime face coverings is a buff, a tube of stretchy material that can be worn around the neck and pulled up over the nose and mouth, that she purchased at the New York City Marathon.

“I was always clearing my throat and it would get sore,” she said of that long-ago decision to cover her face when she runs. “I just stayed with it after the pandemic started. I just don’t want anything flying into my mouth.”

Ms. Drozdz also wears cloth masks, sent to her by a friend in Washington who sews, when she ventures out to shop, because “it’s mandatory” in Maricopa County, and she wants to do her part to stem the spread of COVID-19 however she can.

“When we laugh and talk, there are droplets out there,” she said.

After having surgery in December to remove part of her thyroid, Ms. Drozdz said her own health also is a concern. She offered masks to running partners, Deb Martin and Karen Schapira, and was delighted when they accepted and wore them.

“They know what I’ve been through as far as health,” she said.

Melissa England

Position: Pro-mask

Melissa England is Litchfield Park teacher who ventures out a couple of times a week to the grocery store, Costco, the pharmacy, hardware store or to pick up take-out for her family. Each time, she wears a mask.

“If you go into any place of business, the majority of workers are wearing a mask. Even if I’m doing a little bit to reduce the risk, I’m willing to do it. It’s a minor inconvenience,” she said. “I just figure it’s our civic duty ... if you’re going to err in one way, it should be on the side of caution.”

Four months into the pandemic, the family is no longer on total lock down, however.

“We’ve expanded our bubble,” Ms. England said. “It’s just not mentally healthy for my kids to see only me and their father.”

Her 11-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son have begun spending time with a couple of friends whose families have a similar take on COVID-19 safety, Ms England said. Her son goes for bike rides and skateboards with friends, and her daughter visits with friends at her house and theirs, and rides horses during off-peak hours.

It’s a delicate balancing act, Ms. England said, especially since the family knows people who are battling COVID-19.

“We can’t do total lock down,” she said. “We can’t throw caution to the wind.”

Christine Kellar

Position: Anti-mask

Christine Kellar of Glendale cites three reasons for her decision not to wear a mask in public:

2nd Amendment: Ms. Kellar said she and her husband, Rich, both have concealed weapons permits. While Arizona law does not prohibit a person from carrying a firearm while wearing a mask, doing so during the commission of a crime can be considered an aggravating circumstance in a criminal charge.

“I’m not going to wear a mask and carry a firearm because I feel that that it puts me in jeopardy of possibly being falsely accused of a crime,” Ms. Kellar said. “So for example, let’s say a blond-haired, blue-eyed caucasian woman robs a gas station and she has a mask on so they can only see a portion of her face and she’s driving a similar vehicle that I drive, similar or same firearm, I’m in the area as well, etc. I could be falsely accused of a crime because face recognition would be impaired due to the mask. So I’m not willing to take that chance, as slim as it may be.”

Doctor’s orders: Ms. Kellar said she is susceptible to pneumonia and her doctor has advised her not to wear a mask.

“He thinks I would be susceptible to pleurisy,” she said.

Personal choice: Ms. Kellar believes that wearing a mask should be left up to the individual. She said a friend who has lupus, an autoimmune disease that can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs, wants everyone to wear a mask, but she disagrees.

“If you want to wear a mask, you should. If you don’t want to wear a mask, it should be your choice,” Ms. Kellar said. “My parents both wear a mask.”

The decision has not come without cost: Before the pandemic, Ms. Kellar worked at a nail salon and a restaurant. Despite their reopenings, she hasn’t gone back due to mask requirements.

She and her husband also have been turned away from restaurants and businesses that require masks.

“Private companies can do that. That’s OK,” Ms. Kellar said. I understand.”

Since the mandatory mask orders, the mom of two, stepmom of three and grandmother of three said she’s done more online shopping, or she and her husband go to places that don’t require masks.

“I just think it should be a choice,” she said.

Tim Phelps

Position: Anti-mask

For Tim Phelps, a Phoenix resident who owns a company that manufactures decorative concrete, it all comes down to particle sizes and personal choice.

“I’m opposed to wearing a mask if you don’t need to,” said Mr. Phelps, who wears masks for tasks like grinding or coloring concrete.

“For nano-particles, like a virus, there is really no reason for it.”

When grinding concrete, Mr. Phelps’ crews wear N-95 masks, but when they work with nano-pigments to color the concrete, they wear full-particulate respirators.

“That would filter the virus,” he said.

“Now, people are saying it’s airborne,” Mr. Phelps said, referring to recent reports that World Health Organization officials said they could not rule out airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus in certain settings, though primary transmission is believed to be through contact and respiratory droplets, and additional studies must be done for a definitive answer.

Mr. Phelps said he hasn’t been turned away from businesses he frequents for not wearing a mask.

“I’ve been to Home Depot six times, Fry’s and Walmart several times without a mask,” he said. “No one has said anything.”

If challenged by a business owner, he said he would likely go somewhere else, and he did recently wear a mask that he keeps in his truck.

“I had to get into the Sprint store to get a sim card the other day, so I had to,” he said. “I just think it should be a personal choice. If a mask makes you feel better, just wear it. I don’t care. Knowing what I know about particles, I just don’t think they work.”

Deborah Tiffany

Position: Anti-mask

Deborah Tiffany of Tonopah based her decision not to wear a mask on personal choice.

“I’m very much about self-accountability. It is up to the individual to protect themselves as they see fit,” said Ms. Tiffany, who said that in addition to visiting small stores in Tonopah, she periodically shops at Sam’s Club in Avondale and Fry’s and Walmart in Buckeye.

“I smile a lot and I walk in and I do my business, and I walk out,” she said. “I’ve never had an issue as long as I wear a smile.”

Because she won’t wear a mask, she also has shopped online and used curbside pickup.

“I really do enjoy being catered to,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’m being deprived by shopping online and having someone load it for me.”

Ms. Tiffany said she feels sad, not angry, over mask requirements.

“There are so many ways that you can protect yourself from me,” she said. “If you’re really scared of this virus, I would invite people to double down and get a respirator and leave the rest of us alone.”

Dr. Stephanie S. Wade

Position: Pro-mask

Dr. Stephanie S. Wade of Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants, Ltd. in Litchfield Park is the perioperative medical director at Banner Thunderbird and practices anesthesia at Banner Estrella.

“I’ve been involved in writing COVID protocols for our hospital since day 1,” Ms. Wade said. “It has been the most challenging thing I have ever done in medicine and will probably will ever do in my career. The rate the information was evolving with which to make decisions on protocols was mind-blowing. I completely understand why it looks chaotic, wishy-washy to the general public who’s not involved in that and why it’s hard to trust what people are saying. And it’s really because what we know about this changes on a near-daily basis.”

Ms. Wade has worn a mask 60 hours a week for work for 20 years. Since the pandemic began, she and her family wear masks in public.

“The reason that I favor masking in the general public is simple,” she said. “It’s a spit guard. That’s all it is. There’s all this discussion about how much they protect you and which one is best, and none of that matters. They exist to catch the spit that comes out of your mouth.”

Ms. Wade and her family all wore masks during a recent outing at Lake Pleasant, something she said they will continue to do until the virus is under control because there are still so many unknowns this early in the pandemic.

“You can’t use how you’re feeling as an indicator of whether or not you’re infectious,” Ms. Wade said, noting that in the 1980s, medical personnel dealing with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, began operating as if everyone was infectious, wearing masks and gloves and taking the universal precautions that are commonplace now.

“And that’s the same thing here; just throw on a mask. You don’t know if you’re infected, just not throwing your spit out there,” she said. “It’s not because it protects the wearer, and don’t worry about what kind it is. You just need to keep your spit off the shelves.”

Ms. Wade said she considers masks a sign of empowerment rather than fear “because you can do something that can minimize spread and help others.”

She also tries to make it fun.

“I’ve got a Wonder Woman mask and I’ve got a Michigan mask coming so I can promote my Wolverines when I’m out in grocery store,” she said. “If I’m feeling super fancy, I can wear my bling mask.”

Kelly O’Sullivan can be reached at kosullivan@newszap.com or 760-963-1697. For up-to-date local reporting on all things COVID-19, Independent Newsmedia has created a webpage dedicated to coverage of the novel coronavirus: #AZNEWSMEDIA