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Photo Essay: “You Wear The Mask For Me”

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship

Photo Essay: “You Wear The Mask For Me”

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship

BY Sabina Louise Pierce

Jul. 02, 2020

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You wear the mask not for yourself, you wear the mask for me. It’s a sign of respect to other people.” 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

As the novel Coronavirus came quickly upon us in March, it dropped like a heavy weight full of fear. With that fear came so much information and disinformation on masks: Should we wear them? What kind? Cloth? N95? Neck Gaiters? Add coffee filters or panty hose to increase purification? 

With that rallying cry from  Gov. Cuomo in early April, I was all in. My neighbor made me a mask and I wore it religiously when I walked out my door.  I started taking photos of others wearing masks when I saw I was in a minority, posting them on social media to spread the message about wearing one, too. I felt it was my way as a photographer to do my part to fight a virus that was spiking throughout the world with so many unknowns. 

With the latest numbers showing that Covid-19 cases are increasing in Philadelphia and around the country, that message seems even more important than ever.

Please wear a mask!

If not for you, for me and everyone around you

We are all in this together.

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Gary

 

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Brothers Hill, Treat and Asha

 

Lakisha
As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
In line at Trader Joe’s
Tim at the East Falls Farmers Market
As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Trish

 

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Tomas

 

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Bridget

 

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Sarah & Jack

 

 

Yanni

 

As Covid-19 cases rise in Philly, the act of wearing a mask has come to mean more than just health. It’s good citizenship
Photojournalist Sabina Louise Pierce

 

See more of Sabina Louise Pierce’s photo essays for The Citizen here.

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