Why are Montgomery County residents so über covid conscious?

[Anonymous]

1. older population
2. more international population
3. lots of medics
4. highly educated and well informed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a significant number of people who live in MoCo are FDA or NIH employees. Or work for one of the pharma companies. Along with other scientists who work at NOAA and many other federal agencies and private companies.

We're not yokels who believe the science info FOX is selling.

Right, but since we know the science, we should also have the integrity not to insist in masks outdoors in uncrowded settings, since the science doesn't support that. Interestingly, it's the highly educated, *non* scientists who are the ones I see continuing to mask outdoors. Us scientists know better.

And who is currently mandating wearing masks in uncrowded outside areas in MoCo? No one that I know of.

I might wear one, but I also have allergies and have found out the masks help me. Or others may be wearing them because of the cold. And some people may just be paranoid. And other peoole.who are scientists know this is still a new virus. Who knows?

Masks are not mandated outdoors, and other people wearing them outdoors is not hurting you in the slightest. Let them do what they want to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprise, surprise! most people who are responding sound like Trumpists. I swear this board has been invaded by a lot of Trumpists that don't live in the DMV when the VA campaigns started.

It does seem like the board has been invaded by right wing people that don’t live in the DMV.

There is a narrative being pushed by these people that nobody wears masks anymore, and if you do you are an outlier. I went to Leesburg Outlets and Wegmans last Sunday. 95% of people were masked at both stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t entirely a bad thing. I think it’s awesome that MoCo has such a high Vax rate and I still think masks make sense in some indoor settings.

This also isn’t about the politics or the government. It is one factor, but other than the things County Executive Elrich (who I generally like) is saying, but random people I see and people I know.

I still see a ton of people wearing masks outdoors, even alone. Im involved with some organizations that still aren’t comfortable having in-person meetings. Not because they think Zoom is just more convenient…. they have literally said they’re afraid because of Covid. I have friends who put masks on outdoors when there are, in their opinion, too many people around, who wear N95s to go over friends houses, and even people who won’t go to parties or moderately sized public events. The Thanksgiving parade is finally confirmed to happen, and they are requiring masks. A handful of other outdoor events were still canceled. People seem to be really fixated on breakthrough cases and variants.

These aren’t even older, high risk people. These are friends of mine in their 30s with no significant health issues and are fully vaccinated.

When I leave the area - elsewhere in the US or even locally, in PG or even DC - it is still not so extreme, especially with the Zooming and masking. What is it specifically about MoCo that makes so many people OBSESSED with continuing Covid restrictions?

I think some of this is hyperbolic.

I don't know it's fair to say they are So AfRaId Of CoViD when really, they are just erring on the side of being cautious and don't mind taking the precautions.

I also think it's kind of silly to say "they're all so obsessed" when that's an exaggeration. No one is obsessed. But there are a lot of cultural pockets in MoCo that just straight up don't mind masking/teleworking and embrace the greater good and value propositions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think generally, very liberal areas tend to think of the collective, whereas the red areas are much more about the individual, and "I do what I like as long as it's not illegal".. "don't tread on me".

That's also why very liberal areas tend to have higher tax rates, higher minimum wage, more social welfare, do more things for the poor.

It's a collective mindset vs individual mindset.

This is laughable.

Why? It's definitely accurate.

Have you ever left your very liberal area ever? You think people in red states don't do anything for their neighbors or to help the poor? Or do whatever they "like as long as it's not illegal?"

Get your nose out of the air.

You have zero idea about anything about me, but I do hold a PhD in American Political Science and specialized in political psych/public opinion. Levels of Individualism are higher among conservative/Republican ideology. Pure and simple.

I guarantee you I grew up in a redder state than you did.

+1. I'm from a conservative family in a conservative area and "liberals are collectivists and conservatives are individualists" was part of how conservativism was explained to me by conservatives. It would be a totally non-controversial observation to say that. (There are strains of conservative thought that are more collectively focused by they're not dominant).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a significant number of people who live in MoCo are FDA or NIH employees. Or work for one of the pharma companies. Along with other scientists who work at NOAA and many other federal agencies and private companies.

We're not yokels who believe the science info FOX is selling.

Right, but since we know the science, we should also have the integrity not to insist in masks outdoors in uncrowded settings, since the science doesn't support that. Interestingly, it's the highly educated, *non* scientists who are the ones I see continuing to mask outdoors. Us scientists know better.

And who is currently mandating wearing masks in uncrowded outside areas in MoCo? No one that I know of.

I might wear one, but I also have allergies and have found out the masks help me. Or others may be wearing them because of the cold. And some people may just be paranoid. And other peoole.who are scientists know this is still a new virus. Who knows?

Masks are not mandated outdoors, and other people wearing them outdoors is not hurting you in the slightest. Let them do what they want to do.

When that practice is coupled with support for extreme and unnecessary quarantines for school children, yes, it is hurting me (or, more accurately, my kids). Just like their insistence on keeping schools closed as long as possible last year hurt kids. Masks may not be mandated outdoors, but when people still insist on wearing them "out of an abundance of caution," and that caution extends to harmful school-related policies, that's not okay. Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a significant number of people who live in MoCo are FDA or NIH employees. Or work for one of the pharma companies. Along with other scientists who work at NOAA and many other federal agencies and private companies.

We're not yokels who believe the science info FOX is selling.

Right, but since we know the science, we should also have the integrity not to insist in masks outdoors in uncrowded settings, since the science doesn't support that. Interestingly, it's the highly educated, *non* scientists who are the ones I see continuing to mask outdoors. Us scientists know better.

And who is currently mandating wearing masks in uncrowded outside areas in MoCo? No one that I know of.

I might wear one, but I also have allergies and have found out the masks help me. Or others may be wearing them because of the cold. And some people may just be paranoid. And other peoole.who are scientists know this is still a new virus. Who knows?

Masks are not mandated outdoors, and other people wearing them outdoors is not hurting you in the slightest. Let them do what they want to do.

Thanks for pointing this out PP. Someone is creating a "Phantom problem". OP may have seen a few people masking in an uncrowded outdoor setting but saying that people( as if majority of people) in moco is doing this is nuts. This is exactly the same thing that happened in the politics forum where someone created a make believe issue, and before we know it, things got overblown, and was used by people who have political agenda. I'm very sure someone is doing the same thing here, and spinning this rhetoric right now to gather audience, I will not be surprised if I see this same rhetoric in the news. I've seen at least 3 posts here that ended up in the news, someone in the media is checking this site for inflammatory discussions and then putting it out there without enough research.

[Anonymous]

My neighborhood (adult or kid) has no one wearing masks outdoor since last year. The other neighborhood a couple street across, many kids still wear masks on outdoor playground. I hear all the time that covid mostly have zero or mild effects on kids, but what happens my kids are the odd one that may catch covid with life threatening symptoms.

We still mask outdoor at playground, and I mask (as an adult) to protect myself and to protect kids (my own kids plus other kids) at playground. I don't allow my kids to play with neighborhood kids because I have not seen them wearing mask since last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a significant number of people who live in MoCo are FDA or NIH employees. Or work for one of the pharma companies. Along with other scientists who work at NOAA and many other federal agencies and private companies.

We're not yokels who believe the science info FOX is selling.

Right, but since we know the science, we should also have the integrity not to insist in masks outdoors in uncrowded settings, since the science doesn't support that. Interestingly, it's the highly educated, *non* scientists who are the ones I see continuing to mask outdoors. Us scientists know better.

And who is currently mandating wearing masks in uncrowded outside areas in MoCo? No one that I know of.

I might wear one, but I also have allergies and have found out the masks help me. Or others may be wearing them because of the cold. And some people may just be paranoid. And other peoole.who are scientists know this is still a new virus. Who knows?

Masks are not mandated outdoors, and other people wearing them outdoors is not hurting you in the slightest. Let them do what they want to do.

Actually it does bother me. I want to go to events and see friends and meet people and smile at them. I want to wear lipstick. I like looking pretty. Sue me. I’m a young social person and I’m DONE with Zoom. Masks are so depressing. Life sucks enough as it is, why suck the joy out of the remaining things that don’t suck? I don’t go to festivals and parties to mask up and be anonymous. I go out to meet people and smile and laugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighborhood (adult or kid) has no one wearing masks outdoor since last year. The other neighborhood a couple street across, many kids still wear masks on outdoor playground. I hear all the time that covid mostly have zero or mild effects on kids, but what happens my kids are the odd one that may catch covid with life threatening symptoms.

We still mask outdoor at playground, and I mask (as an adult) to protect myself and to protect kids (my own kids plus other kids) at playground. I don't allow my kids to play with neighborhood kids because I have not seen them wearing mask since last year.

You are exhibit A.
Your kids are going to be socially stunted for life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighborhood (adult or kid) has no one wearing masks outdoor since last year. The other neighborhood a couple street across, many kids still wear masks on outdoor playground. I hear all the time that covid mostly have zero or mild effects on kids, but what happens my kids are the odd one that may catch covid with life threatening symptoms.

We still mask outdoor at playground, and I mask (as an adult) to protect myself and to protect kids (my own kids plus other kids) at playground. I don't allow my kids to play with neighborhood kids because I have not seen them wearing mask since last year.

You are exhibit A.
Your kids are going to be socially stunted for life.

I would not say that the kids will be socially stunted for life, but the ^PP is definitely the "over cautious" liberal MoCo type.

The probability of your child needing hospitalization due to covid is very small. Your kid probably has a higher probability of getting into a car accident, and yet, I'm sure you have not curtailed driving in your car.

People like ^PP have read too many horror stories about kids and covid, and they've become hyper aware. It's like when we hear stories about children being abducted, so we don't let our kids out of our sights, when in reality, child abductions by strangers are incredibly rare. We become more fearful and hyper vigilant even though, statistically, we don't need to. Same with covid and mask wearing outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Honest question: If you are legitimately afraid of your kid dying of covid if s/he plays with friends without masks, what are you doing to manage the risks associated with fast food and junk food eating, sedentary lifestyles, screen time, and obesity? Oh I'm sorry is that fat shaming?

Maybe if you are so paranoid about your kid because he's "high risk" it's because you weren't health conscious enough in the first place. My thin and healthy kid is not going to wear masks outdoors to protect your McDonald's addicted kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighborhood (adult or kid) has no one wearing masks outdoor since last year. The other neighborhood a couple street across, many kids still wear masks on outdoor playground. I hear all the time that covid mostly have zero or mild effects on kids, but what happens my kids are the odd one that may catch covid with life threatening symptoms.

We still mask outdoor at playground, and I mask (as an adult) to protect myself and to protect kids (my own kids plus other kids) at playground. I don't allow my kids to play with neighborhood kids because I have not seen them wearing mask since last year.

You are exhibit A.
Your kids are going to be socially stunted for life.

You have no idea what other people who masks around strangers do. I use mask even when the mask mandate is lifted, I mask indoors and mask when it's crowded outdoors with people I do not know, like the playground, because my child is not yet eligible for the vaccine ( before sign off yesterday) and I know that I can be a carrier and give the virus to my child. However, when we had low cases in spring and summer, I had parties and gathered with friends that I know and who take the same precautions, and when I say I gathered with friends, there were several times when there were groups of 20-50, we had parties in indoors and outdoors without masks, the kids had lots of fun, but gone back to being extra careful once school started, but we will continue gatherings once our kids get vaccinated, no one got sick, but this is because we are all taking extra precautions that you deem "virtue signaling"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think generally, very liberal areas tend to think of the collective, whereas the red areas are much more about the individual, and "I do what I like as long as it's not illegal".. "don't tread on me".

That's also why very liberal areas tend to have higher tax rates, higher minimum wage, more social welfare, do more things for the poor.

It's a collective mindset vs individual mindset.

This is laughable.

Why? It's definitely accurate.

Have you ever left your very liberal area ever? You think people in red states don't do anything for their neighbors or to help the poor? Or do whatever they "like as long as it's not illegal?"

Get your nose out of the air.

You have zero idea about anything about me, but I do hold a PhD in American Political Science and specialized in political psych/public opinion. Levels of Individualism are higher among conservative/Republican ideology. Pure and simple.

I guarantee you I grew up in a redder state than you did.

NP. Community mindedness isn’t the only explanation though. The hyper cautious approach to Covid is what led to the long-term school closures around here, which definitely had extremely negative, long-term effects on many members of the community. Yet American liberals, unlike Europeans who are generally recognized as being more community oriented than Americans, have been happy to tell families to fend for themselves while pretending that kids are resilient. Clearly there has been some picking and choosing which members of the community and which public goods matter, and the singular focus the threat of infectious disease at the expense of considering any other risks to the community has been quite a unique American phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. older population
2. more international population
3. lots of medics
4. highly educated and well informed
5. addicted to divisive politics