news // no. 4

 

    
 

c¢

aJULa ema baeCecom sa ey-yi)
an outbreak of a
virus is occurring,
experts say the
stocking up on
peCocveat-tsy ¢omorel ed (el
actually do more
harm than good.

 

Photo by Billy Bui!

What's going down at

» Events at the college this week

Jessica Berget
Editor-in-Chief

 

ith the disaster of a month January

was, let’s pretend 2020 starts now.
Celebrate the second coming of this year
with some fun events at the college this
month. This February is all about Black
History!

Black History Month events
Celebrate 29 days of black history this
month with Douglas College. Movie
screenings featuring historical and
personal stories of experiences will be
held. On Wednesday February 5 at 1 pm,
both the New West and Coquitlam campus
libraries will be serving refreshments and
hosting a movie screening of CBC’s How
Much Do You Know About Black History in
Canada?

On Wednesday February 12 at
2 pm, both campus libraries will be
hosting another educational film, Black
Experiences directed by Aaron Floresco.
According to the film summary, the movie
focuses on the enslaved people of New
France and British North America, the
black community of Nova Scotia, the
stories of African American migrants
coming to BC in the 1850s, and the many

different experiences of black people in
Canada’s history.

Monday February 24 at 12:30 pm on
the New West campus in room N4223,
there will be refreshments and a lecture
about Anthony Lennon, a mixed-race
actor who was accused of faking his
identity. Douglas College Creative Writing
department instructor Wayde Compton
will be giving a lecture on the UK actor /
director and his journey.

To finish off black history month,
the college will be hosting a musical
performance on February 27 at 12:30 pm
by the Afro Van Connect band—a group
that focuses on empowering young African
descendants.

My Name Was January film screening
This Friday on February 7 at 6 pm—in the
Aboriginal Gathering Centre at the New
West campus—as part of their film series,
IMPACTS is hosting a movie screening of a
movie called My Name Was January. This
film is about Marie Lapuz, a transgender
Filipino woman who was murdered in

her home in New Westminster. After

the film, there will be a discussion with
producer Alex Sangha and two other
guests. Refreshments will be available to all
attendees.

theotherpress.ca

Mask of lies

>» Facemasks not effective for
stopping spread of viruses

Craig Allen
Staff Writer

 

A: the fear of the coronavirus spreads
throughout the world, people are
looking for any way to protect themselves.
One popular option is wearing a
facemask—the kind typically worn by
surgeons—to avoid breathing in any
possible illness inducing bacteria (like
what might cause coronavirus). They
have become the go-to as a preventative
measure; so much so that stores from
Toronto to Vancouver (and even
Winnipeg!) are selling out, but many
experts say no matter what kind of mask is
worn, it will not protect from any illness,
let alone the coronavirus.

First off, it is not known with exact
certainty how the coronavirus is spread—
although person-to-person is the most
frequent mode of illness spread. Second,
surgical facemasks were not designed
to protect people from diseases. Their
purpose is to act as a barrier for when a
surgeon is operating. A barrier to prevent
any germs from the surgeon getting into
the operating patient, and additionally to
prevent any bodily fluids that may squirt
out of the body cavity from getting into the
surgeons’ mouth.

There is a commercial facemask called
an Ngs, which is commonly used by people
in the construction industry to ward off
dust and noxious fumes. That mask could
be a better alternative for warding off
diseases, yet it is not likely to be seen in
public due to the fact that they need to be
specifically fitted to a person, and need to

  

Study Abroad Fair

Those looking to travel the world while
finishing their studies, this is for you. On
Thursday February 6 at 10 am at the New
West campus, concourse booths will be
set up for students to become educated
on international exchanges or summer
programs to study in a different country.

“Literature Alive”

On Thursday February 6 at 7 pm, the
Douglas College Creative Writing
department will be hosting “Literature
Alive,” a panel featuring three published

be changed frequently.

The proliferation of facemasks being
worn by people who are trying to prevent
themselves from getting sick may seem
harmless, but in times when an outbreak
of a virus is occurring, experts say the
stocking up on facemasks could actually do
more harm than good. Because individuals
are buying a large amount of the mask
supply, medical institutions may find it
difficult to get facemasks for their facilities,
leading to more hazardous conditions in
their practice.

The spread of the coronavirus was
not the beginning of the facemask trend.
Its reason for becoming so prevalent
takes its roots from Asia—specifically
Japan. Facemasks began to be popular in
Japan during the twentieth century, due
to various conditions like the 1923 Great
Kanto Earthquake, global flu epidemics,
and the growing industrialization of the
country leading to more pollution in the
air. They are now so prominent that the
Japanese have even taken to designing
and customizing their masks to show off
the wearer’s individuality. In some cases,
the masks are not even worn for hygiene
reasons, as Japanese women wear them to
avoid harassment on transit.

When it comes to protecting yourself
against any disease including coronavirus,
the facemask is not the answer. The best
way to prevent the virus is to wash ones
hands, sneeze away from people, and
avoiding the touching of eyes, mouths,
or any other open orifices with unwashed
hands. Leave the masks for the medical
professionals.

Photo by Billy Bui

and distinguished authors: Chelene
Knight, Shazia Hafiz Ramji, and Jan
Williams. The event will take place in the
Studio Theatre and is free and open to the
public.

DSU Elections 2019 Candidates Forum
The DSU elections are back! And to
begin the campaign it’s time to meet your
candidates. On Thursday, February 6 stop
by at the New West campus concourse to
meet your DSU candidates. Voting week
begins February 10, so get out there, get
informed, and vote! Voting will be at all
three campuses and be sure to bring your
student ID.