Oregon’s indoor mask rule is about to become permanent, at least temporarily.

The Oregon Health Authority is holding a hearing on Thursday to adopt a rule that would make the existing temporary mask rule a permanent one. The rule basically is the same one Oregonians have been living with. You can read it at this link: tinyurl.com/ORmaskrule. People who violate the rule are subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per day.

Many people believe this is much ado about nothing. Even a “permanent” rule can be changed in Oregon. It’s more like an indefinite rule. The only reason the rule must be made “permanent” is because Oregon law prohibits the Oregon Health Authority from indefinitely extending temporary rules. And good masks properly worn won’t necessarily save people from the latest variant of COVID, but they do help.

The controversy and discussion that brewed about Oregon adopting a permanent mask rule could actually be good. It compels OHA officials to explain what they are doing. It compels the state to justify the extension.

Some people will apparently not be convinced that government should be allowed to compel people to wear masks or even that masks do any good. As repetitive and as tiresome it may be to repeat the arguments for masks, public health officials need to keep making them.

Dismissing mask skeptics or vaccine skeptics as illogical or as crackpots does nothing to restore or rebuild trust in science. It can only alienate people further and foster mistrust. Casting off their concerns and questions as trivial or baseless will amplify them, not relieve them.

If we want a future where people react better to the warnings and advice of medical professionals, keep answering and addressing the doubts, the concerns, the conspiracies.

If you would like to comment on the rule, there is information at this link about how to do that: tinyurl.com/Infoonmaskrule. Time is running out, though. Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for written comments.