Former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson says that he doesn’t understand why so many people are defiantly skeptical of mask wearing.
While more than 500,000 Americans have died so far as a result of COVID-19, a number of people have come out against COVID-19 response measures, including lockdowns, physical distancing and mandatory mask policies, saying that they violate constitutional rights. Former president Donald Trump‘s own skepticism of mask wearing contributed to a politicization of the issue, causing many of his followers to see mask mandates as an attack on individual freedom.
Asked in a new interview with Jamie Rodriguez where he stands on the issue of mask wearing, Pilson said (see video below): “I’m pretty cautious. I don’t understand the thinking of not wearing a mask at all. Even if you were unsure, wouldn’t you err on the side of caution? That’s kind of the way I look at it. If you really don’t believe this stuff, okay, but do your neighbors a favor. Do a little team thinking here, ’cause certainly all the evidence and science points to the fact that it helps. So I don’t understand why you wouldn’t. So I’m pretty cautious.
“My wife’s parents live down the street, and they’re in their 70s and 80s,” he continued. “So we try to be really careful around ’em, but we are around ’em without masks, ’cause we’re family. And that’s about it. We’re really good beside that.”
According to the latest scientific brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face coverings can reduce the risk of coronavirus infection by more than 70%. Some people have even started “double-masking” to increase their odds of staying COVID-free, although very little scientific data points to any benefits or drawbacks of wearing more than one face mask.
Pilson and the rest of FOREIGNER are next scheduled to perform at the Frontyard Festival at Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida on March 23 and March 24. The new purpose-built, live entertainment event is designed to re-engage artists and guests in a safe, socially distanced setting.
