When are you going to stop wearing masks indoors (stores, etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to still avoid Covid. You idiots are trying to normalize the belief that Covid is like the flu. It isn't. I'll wear a mask as long as I want to.

You're right. Covid wasn't nearly as bad as the flu when I had it in December as it did not prevent me from working working or doing vigorous exercise. Last time I had the flu I was asleep for a day.

Your anecdote is not data but you are too ignorant to understand this.

lol. this lame retort against lived experience is always the last refuge.

That's great it was no big deal for them, but it has been a big deal for many.

Correct. Over 2700 Americans died of Covid yesterday….I guess it was a big deal for those folks.

They no longer have a say in the matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to still avoid Covid. You idiots are trying to normalize the belief that Covid is like the flu. It isn't. I'll wear a mask as long as I want to.

You're right. Covid wasn't nearly as bad as the flu when I had it in December as it did not prevent me from working working or doing vigorous exercise. Last time I had the flu I was asleep for a day.

Your anecdote is not data but you are too ignorant to understand this.

Actually, this anecdote mirrors the data we have for omicron-- and in fact, even the original variant caused flu-like illness or less in many. (Its potential to be mild or asymptomatic is what helped it spread so easily.)

The anecdotes are actually what helped obscure sensible risk assessment when it came to covid. The stories about healthy, young, fit people hospitalized and struggling for their lives sold papers and made a huge impression on all of us. It's not that these anecdotes aren't tragic and important, but perhaps many of us are too ignorant to understand that they were stand-out stories and that covid is not an equal-opportunity killer. In some cases it is not well understood why a particular individual was vulnerable, but there are very obvious trends that tell us who is vulnerable.

There are a bunch of conspiracy theories floating around about why the CDC hasn't been transparent about the raw numbers of people in the U.S. hospitalized for covid who are vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, but the ultimate reason why is likely because the vaccines were not able to change the "vulnerable" cohort as much as we would have wanted-- and this group still weighs down the others enough to make vaccines appear substantially less effective, since these were the populations at greatest risk of hospitalization and death in the first place. If you are above 80, your risk of being hospitalized for covid is many times the risk of a 40 year old, even if you're boosted and the 40 year old is unvaccinated. The CDC likely doesn't trust us with that data, but I think they likely could have made it clearer-- it might have helped us focus our restrictions on those who need it most and even saved some lives.

So, if you look at the covid data by age it is clear that, in part, anecdotes-- not data-- have shaped our attitudes and policies when it comes to this virus. But don't just trust me, look at it and make your decisions from a place of empowered information, not fearfulness OR reactive imprudence:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0

When there is high community spread, everyone, regardless of their personal risk level, should wear a mask because asymptomatic people can spread the virus.

In addition, your "empowered information" does not take into account the long-term effects of Covid, which for a not-insignificant percentage of people of ALL AGES, are a real thing. We don't understand the mechanism behind "Long Covid" but it seems to indicate that the virus, like many other viruses, hides out somewhere in your body even after the acute symptoms have passed. What will that mean for your future health?

I am empowered by the information that true Long Covid is much rarer than you think, especially in kids.

So are lightning strikes, but I don't stand in the middle of a field during a thunderstorm holding up a metal spike, either.

Me either - but that is no way comparable to asking kids to wear masks 8 hours a day in school.

[Anonymous]

I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

Great! Do it. I'll be sitting next to you maskless, not judging you at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

Fortunately, COVID paused for a breather when everyone takes of their masks to eat and drink on the plane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

Fortunately, COVID paused for a breather when everyone takes of their masks to eat and drink on the plane.

All good. I've already worn an N95 on transcontinental flights of 12+ hours. Slept in business and coach classes wearing an N95. It was easy peasy.

Sure, I take it off for 10 minutes to eat. But I'm way less likely to get infected with a cold, flu, or COVID from my neighbor than someone who sits around maskless the whole flight.

The great part about an N95 is that I'm well protected.

[Anonymous]

What is the point of 15 pages of bickering? I am sure not even a signle person changed his/her position based on this thread. So, why bicker? OP was tremendiously successful trolling all of you people.

[Anonymous]

As soon as possible. I don't care what anyone else does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

Same here. Wish I had masked traveling before covid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll continue to wear it as long as my friend who is an ER doctor recommends it. She has talked about the pain of holding someone’s hand as they die from COVID. As long as the majority our healthcare providers (and teachers) are asking us to wear masks I will. It is so little to ask for what they have to go through.

My boyfriend is an ER doctor and he was the first person to stop wearing a mask as soon as could. The really sick people he’s seen (in the last year) have all been unvaccinated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to still avoid Covid. You idiots are trying to normalize the belief that Covid is like the flu. It isn't. I'll wear a mask as long as I want to.

You're right. Covid wasn't nearly as bad as the flu when I had it in December as it did not prevent me from working working or doing vigorous exercise. Last time I had the flu I was asleep for a day.

Your anecdote is not data but you are too ignorant to understand this.

Actually, this anecdote mirrors the data we have for omicron-- and in fact, even the original variant caused flu-like illness or less in many. (Its potential to be mild or asymptomatic is what helped it spread so easily.)

The anecdotes are actually what helped obscure sensible risk assessment when it came to covid. The stories about healthy, young, fit people hospitalized and struggling for their lives sold papers and made a huge impression on all of us. It's not that these anecdotes aren't tragic and important, but perhaps many of us are too ignorant to understand that they were stand-out stories and that covid is not an equal-opportunity killer. In some cases it is not well understood why a particular individual was vulnerable, but there are very obvious trends that tell us who is vulnerable.

There are a bunch of conspiracy theories floating around about why the CDC hasn't been transparent about the raw numbers of people in the U.S. hospitalized for covid who are vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, but the ultimate reason why is likely because the vaccines were not able to change the "vulnerable" cohort as much as we would have wanted-- and this group still weighs down the others enough to make vaccines appear substantially less effective, since these were the populations at greatest risk of hospitalization and death in the first place. If you are above 80, your risk of being hospitalized for covid is many times the risk of a 40 year old, even if you're boosted and the 40 year old is unvaccinated. The CDC likely doesn't trust us with that data, but I think they likely could have made it clearer-- it might have helped us focus our restrictions on those who need it most and even saved some lives.

So, if you look at the covid data by age it is clear that, in part, anecdotes-- not data-- have shaped our attitudes and policies when it comes to this virus. But don't just trust me, look at it and make your decisions from a place of empowered information, not fearfulness OR reactive imprudence:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0

Well you can argue about what data matters and if you should look at things from an individual rather than a societal viewpoint. Sure, if you are just considering your own person risk, your risk of dying omicron is pretty low. However, if you look at the data from a societal perspective, the pure numbers alone are overwhelming our health care system. And if you want anecdotes, just ask my next door neighbor who is an intensivist in an ICU in one of our DC hospitals. She is one of the toughest, most competent and caring people I know and she is basically on the verge of collapse. The many MANY pregnant moms she couldn't save is what has put her over the edge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I plan to keep on wearing a mask because it has helped my pollen allergies in the spring AND helped me not get a cold or flu the past two years.

I don't care what anyone else does or doesn't do, this has been a life changer for me.

Just be aware that immunologically you are not doing yourself any favors by avoiding exposures for the rest of your life. By the time you are old you might die of a simple cold your grandkid or your fellow nursing home resident gave you.

+1. And all those parents that are thrilled to keep their babies/kids home, masked etc are doing a serious disservice to their child’s immune system.

This is simply not true. To have a strong immune system, you need exposure but a "limited exposure" so that your body can fight various microbes as well as produce antibodies against it to protect against future infections. However, if it is a particularly virulent and terrible microbe then more exposure only serves to increase the "viral load" that your body can not handle and you are basically gasping at the ventilator.

Think of your immune system as the Capitol Police. If a bad element tries to come inside the Capitol, they can easily overpower that criminal. However, if thousands of armed criminals, traitors and insurrectionists try and capture the capitol and kill our elected representatives, just so a fair election can be overturned and they can subvert democracy - then the Capitol Police is basically up the shitz creek.

By wearing a mask, you are still getting some particles of all kinds of microbes in your body. However, your exposure is so low that not only your immune system can handle it, but it will actually become stronger by this exposure. This is especially true for kids, elderly, people with weak immune system or comorbidities.

Which further translates into - to be healthy in the time of pandemic - have a healthy lifestyle, socialize and meet people using common sense, wear masks, get vaccinated/boosted, and remain cheerful and connected with others. There is zero reason to be maskless in indoor public places like grocery stores or cinema hall - where you are not going to socialize with others.

What about schools and offices? Restaurants? I would personally wear the mask indoors in schools and offices, since that has not impacted work. I am still skipping sitting inside restaurants, but we are very much dining outdoors without masks. The servers are masking and so as a courtsey we all mask too when they are taking orders or bringing out food.

I assume you have a citation for this? Or is this your thesis topic for your public health degree? Because if what you are saying is true it seems there are health benefits to masking beyond Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to still avoid Covid. You idiots are trying to normalize the belief that Covid is like the flu. It isn't. I'll wear a mask as long as I want to.

You're right. Covid wasn't nearly as bad as the flu when I had it in December as it did not prevent me from working working or doing vigorous exercise. Last time I had the flu I was asleep for a day.

Your anecdote is not data but you are too ignorant to understand this.

Actually, this anecdote mirrors the data we have for omicron-- and in fact, even the original variant caused flu-like illness or less in many. (Its potential to be mild or asymptomatic is what helped it spread so easily.)

The anecdotes are actually what helped obscure sensible risk assessment when it came to covid. The stories about healthy, young, fit people hospitalized and struggling for their lives sold papers and made a huge impression on all of us. It's not that these anecdotes aren't tragic and important, but perhaps many of us are too ignorant to understand that they were stand-out stories and that covid is not an equal-opportunity killer. In some cases it is not well understood why a particular individual was vulnerable, but there are very obvious trends that tell us who is vulnerable.

There are a bunch of conspiracy theories floating around about why the CDC hasn't been transparent about the raw numbers of people in the U.S. hospitalized for covid who are vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, but the ultimate reason why is likely because the vaccines were not able to change the "vulnerable" cohort as much as we would have wanted-- and this group still weighs down the others enough to make vaccines appear substantially less effective, since these were the populations at greatest risk of hospitalization and death in the first place. If you are above 80, your risk of being hospitalized for covid is many times the risk of a 40 year old, even if you're boosted and the 40 year old is unvaccinated. The CDC likely doesn't trust us with that data, but I think they likely could have made it clearer-- it might have helped us focus our restrictions on those who need it most and even saved some lives.

So, if you look at the covid data by age it is clear that, in part, anecdotes-- not data-- have shaped our attitudes and policies when it comes to this virus. But don't just trust me, look at it and make your decisions from a place of empowered information, not fearfulness OR reactive imprudence:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0

When there is high community spread, everyone, regardless of their personal risk level, should wear a mask because asymptomatic people can spread the virus.

In addition, your "empowered information" does not take into account the long-term effects of Covid, which for a not-insignificant percentage of people of ALL AGES, are a real thing. We don't understand the mechanism behind "Long Covid" but it seems to indicate that the virus, like many other viruses, hides out somewhere in your body even after the acute symptoms have passed. What will that mean for your future health?

How many years until we have a definitive answer on long Covid and do we need to keep wearing high quality masks until then? The chicken pox-shingles connection is one that springs to mind. What if we don't know the ultimate long-term effects of a Covid infection in kids until decades from now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to still avoid Covid. You idiots are trying to normalize the belief that Covid is like the flu. It isn't. I'll wear a mask as long as I want to.

You're right. Covid wasn't nearly as bad as the flu when I had it in December as it did not prevent me from working working or doing vigorous exercise. Last time I had the flu I was asleep for a day.

Your anecdote is not data but you are too ignorant to understand this.

Actually, this anecdote mirrors the data we have for omicron-- and in fact, even the original variant caused flu-like illness or less in many. (Its potential to be mild or asymptomatic is what helped it spread so easily.)

The anecdotes are actually what helped obscure sensible risk assessment when it came to covid. The stories about healthy, young, fit people hospitalized and struggling for their lives sold papers and made a huge impression on all of us. It's not that these anecdotes aren't tragic and important, but perhaps many of us are too ignorant to understand that they were stand-out stories and that covid is not an equal-opportunity killer. In some cases it is not well understood why a particular individual was vulnerable, but there are very obvious trends that tell us who is vulnerable.

There are a bunch of conspiracy theories floating around about why the CDC hasn't been transparent about the raw numbers of people in the U.S. hospitalized for covid who are vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, but the ultimate reason why is likely because the vaccines were not able to change the "vulnerable" cohort as much as we would have wanted-- and this group still weighs down the others enough to make vaccines appear substantially less effective, since these were the populations at greatest risk of hospitalization and death in the first place. If you are above 80, your risk of being hospitalized for covid is many times the risk of a 40 year old, even if you're boosted and the 40 year old is unvaccinated. The CDC likely doesn't trust us with that data, but I think they likely could have made it clearer-- it might have helped us focus our restrictions on those who need it most and even saved some lives.

So, if you look at the covid data by age it is clear that, in part, anecdotes-- not data-- have shaped our attitudes and policies when it comes to this virus. But don't just trust me, look at it and make your decisions from a place of empowered information, not fearfulness OR reactive imprudence:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2918-0

Well you can argue about what data matters and if you should look at things from an individual rather than a societal viewpoint. Sure, if you are just considering your own person risk, your risk of dying omicron is pretty low. However, if you look at the data from a societal perspective, the pure numbers alone are overwhelming our health care system. And if you want anecdotes, just ask my next door neighbor who is an intensivist in an ICU in one of our DC hospitals. She is one of the toughest, most competent and caring people I know and she is basically on the verge of collapse. The many MANY pregnant moms she couldn't save is what has put her over the edge.

I call bullshit. "Many MANY pregnant moms" dying of covid in a DC area ICU? Which one? Given that fewer than 200 pregnant women have died of covid during the entire two years of the pandemic, this claim seems incredible.

There was one month-- back in August-- when 22 pregnant women died. That was an all-time pandemic high.

I'm not dismissing the deaths that have occurred, just re-emphasizing that anecdotes paint a very, very small picture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never fly on a plane again without a mask. I don't want your cold, flu, or COVID.

I agree. However I wonder if I'll need to start double masking when that mandate is removed, to give myself an extra layer of protection to make up for the maskless around me.