Coronavirus

[JRP3]

There must be a reason for them to wear masks in the first place.. health reason.. if so, why even be out and about?

Because a KN95/N95 or better mask, properly worn, will significantly reduce your exposure. It's that simple. I don't know why it bothers you so much that some people understand how to stay safe while in public. It's like saying why use an umbrella in the rain because your feet might still get wet, why not just stay home?

 

[eleison]

No one says masks *cure* Covid... as I'm sure no one believes that masks don't provide some % of reduction of viral load (incoming or outgoing).

You are basically saying masks reduce the viral load. Because of this, wearing a mask will reduce the side effects of covid - you wouldn't get sicker once you catch it. Your fever, etc.. would be lessened, etc..

I'm not sure if I'm totally aboard on this concept. Isn't it like saying if you get AIDS (which is a virus), depending on the viral load when you got infected, AIDS symptoms could be reduced? I think I will need more research studies on this. I could be wrong though. Once you get AIDS, you get AIDS; it could be from a single drop of blood or a pint of blood -- does it really matter???

 

[eleison]

It's like saying why use an umbrella in the rain because your feet might still get wet, why not just stay home?

Because to a lot of people COVID is more deadlier than the rain. If it is so deadly, don't even mess with it. Stay home... With an umbrella, you might get a little bit wet, but with COVID you can die.. that is why... So yes, if I was the Wicked Witch of the West, and it was raining out, I would stay home. F the umbrella.

 

[BigNerd]

You are basically saying masks reduce the viral load. Because of this, wearing a mask will reduce the side effects of covid - you wouldn't get sicker once you catch it. Your fever, etc.. would be lessened, etc..

I'm not sure if I'm totally aboard on this concept. Isn't it like saying if you get AIDS (which is a virus), depending on the viral load when you got infected, AIDS symptoms could be reduced? I think I will need more research studies on this. I could be wrong though. Once you get AIDS, you get AIDS; it could be from a single drop of blood or a pint of blood -- does it really matter???

That's not what I'm saying. I'm just referring to reducing the chance of contracting Covid... however little that reduction may be.

 

[JRP3]

The flu has been around forever and has been killing hundreds of thousands of people every season. Oh well, people are different.

They sure are. Do you not know the difference in deaths between the flu and covid?

 

[eleison]

They sure are. Do you not know the difference in deaths between the flu and covid?

Can masks help prevent the transmission of the flu and covid? I thought they are suppose to? Or are they different? Don't the flu and covid kill thousands of people a year? Or they don't? I don't really understand the insinuation.

 

[madodel]

They sure are. Do you not know the difference in deaths between the flu and covid?

Sometimes I think this group has become "Groundhog Day". We just keep going over the same ground when new people pop in here without reading even the past week or so of posts and start it all over again. It's like everyone forgets that just 2 years ago many areas of the country were using refrigerated trucks to hold the morgue overflow and that the US life expectancy decreased by over a year the past two years. PPE was unobtainable and people were making their own masks because you couldn't afford to buy them if you could even find them. They don't see COVID so it's not worth bothering with yet they are here telling everyone their fantastic information.

 

[eleison]

That's not what I'm saying. I'm just referring to reducing the chance of contracting Covid... however little that reduction may be.

If covid is a big risk factor to your health, why even risk going out in the first place?

 

[jerry33]

Can masks help prevent the transmission of the flu and covid? I thought they are suppose to? Or are they different? Don't the flu and covid kill thousands of people a year? Or they don't? I don't really understand the insinuation.

The basic answer is yes. One difference between C and F is the risk of long C.

 

[eleison]

It's like everyone forgets that just 2 years ago many areas of the country were using refrigerated trucks to hold the morgue overflow and that the US life expectancy decreased by over a year the past two years. PPE was unobtainable and people were making their own masks because you couldn't afford to buy them if you could even find them. They don't see COVID so it's not worth bothering with yet they are here telling everyone their fantastic information.

I see less people wear masks, and I don't see morgues overflowing... times change.. also, if iirc, the average age of death from covid was a couple of years over the average age of death in general. A lot of those that died from covid were senior citizens. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

Oh well, whatever... if Covid and wearing a mask is a big deal to people, these people should just stay home and isolate. That way, they don't even need to worry about the mask.

Isolate enough and the probability of catching the deadly disease approaches 0.

 

[Slipstream]

Sometimes I think this group has become "Groundhog Day". We just keep going over the same ground when new people pop in here without reading even the past week or so of posts and start it all over again. It's like everyone forgets that just 2 years ago many areas of the country were using refrigerated trucks to hold the morgue overflow and that the US life expectancy decreased by over a year the past two years. PPE was unobtainable and people were making their own masks because you couldn't afford to buy them if you could even find them. They don't see COVID so it's not worth bothering with yet they are here telling everyone their fantastic information.

Thank you for saying this. Been following this thread close to the original post, and it likely has saved my life and those around me with the excellent scientific studies and public health information posted over almost 3 years.

Now it's just opinions vs opinions.

 

[BigNerd]

If covid is a big risk factor to your health, why even risk going out in the first place?

You keep asking this but it's irrelevant.

Car accidents are a risk but part of life.

Each person does what they are comfortable with... some to the detriment of others but all we can do is relay the message (like not drinking and driving).

Many things are not black and white... we each have to figure out how much grey to deal with.

And it sounds like you're the kind of person who will not like any answer I give you... so I'm not sure my response is relevant either.

 

[eleison]

You keep asking this but it's irrelevant.

Car accidents are a risk but part of life.

Each person does what they are comfortable with... some to the detriment of others but all we can do is relay the message (like not drinking and driving).

Many things are not black and white... we each have to figure out how much grey to deal with.

And it sounds like you're the kind of person who will not like any answer I give you... so I'm not sure my response is relevant either.

There are barely any one who yells at other people for getting into cars... but we still have people yell (or at least become extremely perturbed) when they see others not wearing a mask. If you think about it, these people who yell are actually hypocrites or best case il informed..


If your immune system is so compromised that you feel you need to wear a mask because there is a high risk of you getting severely sick, just stay home. Your life is worth more than going to a bar, restaurant, etc.. even if you wear a mask.

 

[Daniel in SD]

There are barely any one who yells at other people for getting into cars... but we still have people yell (or at least become extremely perturbed) when they see others not wearing a mask. If you think about it, these people who yell are actually hypocrites or best case il informed..


If your immune system is so compromised that you feel you need to wear a mask because there is a high risk of you getting severely sick, just stay home. Your life is worth more than going to a bar, restaurant, etc.. even if you wear a mask.

We yell at people for driving recklessly or drunk.

 

[BigNerd]

There are barely any one who yells at other people for getting into cars... but we still have people yell (or at least become extremely perturbed) when they see others not wearing a mask. If you think about it, these people who yell are actually hypocrites or best case il informed..

If only I could tell you how much yelling I had to hear to prevent people from their "right" to the keys of their car after a party.

Try this new one... tell an owner of a "comfort dog" they are not allowed to bring that dog into a grocery, restaurant or whatever.

As I said.. it's matter of personal entitlement and what each person is comfortable with. You are right... people shouldn't probably be yelling at other people in public "Wear a mask!" or "Why are you wearing a mask?" but in a forum, on this thread, we are encouraged to discuss our opinions... and the science as we interpret it. Just as long as we understand that some opinions cannot be changed.

And for context, I still wear a mask in public indoor spaces... I am in the minority and maybe by wearing one I am offending anti-maskers but I'm not looking at anyone sideways like many of them look at me. I am wary of catching Covid and long Covid... would it be safer to stay home... yes... but I still need to live my life and so I pick and choose when I am in public and not. If I have to go out, I'll wear a mask... that's my compromise no matter how much you tell me to stay home.

 

[eleison]

We yell at people for driving recklessly or drunk.

So people who are living their lives normally without wearing a mask in public is now equivalent to them driving recklessly or driving drunk?

I guess to some people, it must be a very hostile world to see so many people who aren't wearing masks then.

I disagree with this world view, but that's just me. However if everyone was driving drunk or reckless, I would just stay home. I value my life too much.

 

[EVNow]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603868996591239168

 

[JRP3]

I guess to some people, it must be a very hostile world to see so many people who aren't wearing masks then.

People wearing masks are not only not a danger to you they are protecting you, regardless if you understand that or not. You and others not wearing masks are putting yourselves and others in danger. It's that simple. You should be grateful for every person you see wearing a mask.

 

[BigNerd]

People wearing masks are not only not a danger to you they are protecting you, regardless if you understand that or not. You and others not wearing masks are putting yourselves and others in danger. It's that simple. You should be grateful for every person you see wearing a mask.

I've tried to explain this concept in other forums but then there is usually someone who posts all those links to the ineffectiveness of masks. So that's why I just say that they help reduce viral load both ways and any type of reduction... even if minute, can help prevent transmission.

Plus I've always liked ninjas as a kid and now I can be one every day.

 

[eleison]

People wearing masks are not only not a danger to you they are protecting you, regardless if you understand that or not. You and others not wearing masks are putting yourselves and others in danger. It's that simple. You should be grateful for every person you see wearing a mask.

Would it not be better for masked people not to even go out side? It would protect them from viruses and it would protect other people from getting viruses from these masked people even if the rate is lower?

To be honest, I would be grateful for mask people to not be in public doing non-essential things like going to the bars, restaurants, shopping (just use instacart or doordash), etc... If they believe that covid is so dangerous, they need to set an example. Meanderings in masks at bars, bookstores, gyms, movie theatres, etc seems hypocritical and at minimal, ill-informed. Otherwise, why risk it? Am I missing something here? Do people in mask think they are special and they think they are not at risk at getting COVID at all?