The Risks of the Mask
Peer reviewed, Journal article
Published version
Permanent lenke
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2832549Utgivelsesdato
2021-05Metadata
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Originalversjon
Shapiro, M., Bouder, F.E. (2021) The Risks of the Mask. Journal of Risk Research, 24 (3-4), 492-505. 10.1080/13669877.2021.1907611Sammendrag
In this article we go beyond epidemiological models to make a case for a more holistic approach to the use of face masks as a risk mitigation factor in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. We argue that while masking offers a measure of protection from infection, its moral, political, and affective implications produce two main collateral risks. These are: (1) the heightening of social boundaries, which thus increase the potential of conflict between different social groups; and (2) the impairment of normative interaction rituals followed by a dynamic of distancing, insulation, and social alienation. While we stop short from constructing a hierarchy of risks, we do argue that policy makers should consider these collateral risks as part of any large-scale Covid-19 risk mitigation and communication strategy. We thus provide some principled guidance on how that might be done.