Glen, Sapilewski

The Catalyst (TC): Have you heard that Notre Dame has gone mask optional?

Glen Sapilewski (GS): Yes, I heard it briefly today. 

TC: What was your initial reaction when you heard that? 

GS: I thought it was appropriate and in line with what other organizations were doing in this area.

TC: Okay, and how do you think that it’s a good thing?

GS: Oh, I think in general, the fact that the general state of COVID has declined enough that we have the opportunity to do that, I think it is a great thing. There’s pretty much consensus across most organizations in California. Companies are starting to make masks optional. And I think it’s consistent. I think it’s, I think, a good thing. If we do have another wave come, we might have to put mask restrictions back in. But I think in the current state, it’s appropriate.

TC: You have a daughter, Notre Dame, what do you think that she should be doing? Are you worried for her safety or do you think that she should mask? What do you recommend students to do?

GS: I think they should use their brain and in situations where they’re around people. If it’s not too dense, not having a mask is ok. If they see somebody sniffling, or, you know, under the weather, or if they find out there was one of their classmates that stayed home, maybe it makes sense that other people could be on the verge of getting something and it may make sense to put a mask on, or if there’s a very dense gathering. So if you’re in the gym, and you’re in the bleachers, and you’re crammed together with, 40 or 400 people very tightly packed, maybe it makes sense to wear masks. I mean, there are other benefits of masks. You know, the fact that we’ve had many, many less colds and flus this past two years has been a, you know, benefit of this horrible thing. So, no masks are not bad in that sense.

TC: All right. That makes sense. And at school, there’s been a lot of controversy surrounding this whole issue of people deciding to mask and not mask. Do you have anything to say to that? 

GS:  We’re open minded to people’s, you know, gender, race, you know, things they like to do. People have their own decisions. You shouldn’t judge somebody, whether they have a mask or not. They might have a hint of a cold or something and they’re protecting you by wearing a mask. Looking down on them for wearing a mask is a bad thing, and vice versa.