re: GA Covid Thread - 2021

quote:

---

Really? Because the people I’m describing have accosted me for wearing a mask when I’m out at the store or filling up gas. I’m the one minding my own business and on more than one occasion, my wife and I have been yelled and cursed at by these folks - for just wearing a mask. So perhaps consider that my words about these upstanding members of society are warranted. I might be an a-hole, but a PoS? Nah. Or are you just mad that someone like me can vote Democrat and also be successful enough to afford a second home, defying your beliefs that we are all a bunch of communist welfare abusing derelicts?

And for all the talk on this thread about “politicizing” COVID, you should look in the mirror. I listen to scientists and public health professionals. You don’t. I’ll tell you right now, I would gladly trade 4 more years of Trump to have this one year of my life back. Would you say the same thing if the roles were reversed with a Democrat currently in the White House? I doubt it. The difference between Trump and Biden is academic. Neither one is going to make an actual, noticeable difference in my personal life versus the other, and the same is true for you. Except when it came to handling this pandemic. It didn’t have to be like this, it just didn’t.

---

are you small or do you wear Biden stuff in public or have it on your vehicle? I typically wear mine in public and have never had that kind of response.

quote:

---

you should look in the mirror. I listen to scientists and public health professionals. You don’t.

---

I wonder if baconwaffle knows TMdawg is a doctor.

Not like a Jill Biden type doctor, but an actual real doctor in a hospital.

I bet he doesn't.

He already lol'd at an ICU nurse, and now he's trying to one-up a hospital physician.

It's really odd. He just assumes we're all troglodytes in trailers.

quote:

---

But you say it has happened multiple times to you

---

“It hasn’t happened to me, therefore it couldn’t have happened to you.” Sound logic there. I never said it happens daily, but over the past nine months maybe three times it has happened.

And no, I don’t own a Biden shirt nor do I have political decals on my vehicle. But even if I did, that’s no excuse to accost someone and their family.

quote:

---

I bet he doesn't

---

So all of the other doctors are wrong? I know plenty of MDs, and none of them are saying COVID is a hoax. My sister-in-law works in a NICU, and they take extraordinary precautions. My personal ENT is a huge Republican, and his office requires masks and all the staff wear face shields.

The virus is smaller than the holes in the mask. Social distancing is 90% of it. The masks may help another 5%.

Eta - I'm not necessarily down on masks. I am down on people not having freedom. I think masks should be a choice.

quote:

---

The virus is smaller than the holes in the mask.

---

The virus is (though some non-N95 masks have been shown to filter down to .1 microns); but, its "vehicle" is not. Most transmission takes place via droplets much larger and those get caught by the mask material. Basic surgical masks have been shown to be highly effective at filtration (over 80% I believe in some studies).

quote:

---

Social distancing is 90% of it.

---

I would agree.

quote:

---

Eta - I'm not necessarily down on masks. I am down on people not having freedom. I think masks should be a choice.

---

I understand and I respect that. I'm kinda in TM's zone on this. I do it on the off chance it helps. I'm happy to listen to people smarter than me when it comes to medical stuff, my wife being one of those. The majority of them support masks, though I know there are outliers. I won't shame anyone over not wearing one, but I'll avoid them if inside. I just think it's unfortunate how this became a political issue.

quote:

---

I just think it's unfortunate how this became a political issue.

---

It became a political issue as soon as the Chinese government allowed thousands of its infected citizens to take international flights out of Wuhan eventually infecting the entire world. But apparently due to China's vast wealth and influence, it has no culpability for its irresponsible possibly subversive management of the Covid-19 outbreak.

quote:

---

I don't really think that's what he meant.

---

You would be correct. Thank you.


GurleyGirl, I don't think anyone is disagreeing that China handled the early days of this thing very poorly. But they are not the reason that wearing a mask became a political ideology identifier versus a public health effort. The CDC is primarily culpable in that with its early, deceptive messaging. Unfortunately, Trump didn't help the perception, either, with his decision to cast an image of weakness on people who chose to wear one by simply not wearing one himself (and I say that as a three-time Trump voter, btw, so not digging at him or his handling overall). I don't think he intended for it to work the way it did, but I do believe he underestimated just how devoted his base is and how easily they will latch onto everything he says and does (or doesn't do).

We give in to restrictions on our freedoms daily in the name of our health and safety and the health and safety of others, without much questioning. Masks should never have been divisive, any more than seatbelts, speed limits, no smoking areas, gun-free zones, having to use a restroom instead of a bush (in public settings, mind you), or wearing pants. Yet here we are.

quote:

---

The virus is (though some non-N95 masks have been shown to filter down to .1 microns); but, its "vehicle" is not.

---

Here's a "study" that goes over it.

Yes, it may contain droplets. Virus still floats through and wanders through the air.

As for the N95s and such people are wearing, if you haven't been fitted for it, there's no way to know it's really doing anything. Masks are like shoes. They aren't adjustable. Putting a side 14 on a size 9 fit will cover it but it doesn't really fit.

Different study, same group.

This one was focused on household transmission of a variety of respiratory illnesses. A couple of quick takeaways:

quote:

---

We estimated that, irrespective of the assumed value for the incubation period (1 or 2 days), the relative reduction in the daily risk of acquiring a respiratory infection associated with adherent mask use (P2 or surgical) was in the range of 60%–80%.

---

This is statistically significant. And while there are many variables at play and they warn not to extrapolate these results directly to community-wide use, one could easily conclude that they are, at a minimum, somewhat effective as source control, if nothing else. Even if they don't filter your air breathed in, they definitely catch a significant portion of what an infected person breathes out, thereby reducing the opportunity for transmission to others.

Also of note:

quote:

---

In our study, fit testing for P2 masks was not conducted because this is unlikely to be feasible in the general community during a pandemic. As such, we felt it was more appropriate to determine the efficacy of non–fit-tested masks. We found no difference in adherence between P2 and surgical masks, an important finding, as there is a common belief among healthcare workers that P2 masks are less comfortable.

---

Again, as a standalone, I don't think mask-wearing is the answer. I DO believe that, in combination with other control measures such as handwashing/sanitizing, social distancing, surface disinfection, etc., that they can absolutely help. The biggest issue I observe when I'm out is how nonchalantly people tend to touch or handle their masks before they have washed or sanitized their hands. The infamous Biden news conference where he pulls his mask down to cough into his hand and then pulls it back up comes to mind. Perhaps the biggest issue is we have a populace that is either too stupid or afflicted with severe ADD to the point they cannot pay attention to what they do with their hands and face during routine activities. I really don't know.