Mask or No Mask

[bugatti]

19 hours ago, Kentucky Windage said:

That's as foolish of a take on Covid as I've seen from the get go. That's Branch Covidian territory. 

The whole testing thing is a joke. 

Just had a friend test positive. Got tested because loss of smell and taste. Yet... two weeks ago took an antibodies test and no Covid footprint was there. 

 

We've tested more then anybody. Can we trust our test results? 

I've been out and about, everywhere (Walmarts, Kroger, Skyline, Home Depot, basketball gyms, baseball fields, everywhere)... Masks are worn everywhere. Yet Covid continues. Sorry, not a believer. 

 

Continue on with your "Americans suck" self deprecation though.

 

Plus, the narrative has been written for every new little virus we have from now on. Masks, shutdowns, distancing. If you work in a food services industry... best be moving on. 

You best brush up on my COVID stance (or Branch Covidians) before painting me with that brush. It is not an all or nothing mindset and I don't think we suck... but I do feel we preach "sacrifice" and following the rule of law/mandates/masks, etc.,  but only as a matter of convenience and when we agree with said laws. That is who we are and I am guilty of it at times.

Several things can be true. Just because I believe we shouldn't be shut down (to the level we are), kids should be in school, free to travel and go out to eat - again, not exactly Branch Covidian territory - that doesn't mean I have to subscribe to COVID is fake, masks don't work, Plandemic, and that this is all being done by Bill Gates to control us. I can also beleieve we set an early tone with COVID that is less than desirable. If that makes me some kind of extremist, well so be it.

Whether you or anyone else wears a mask, I enjoy and respect you and hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

[Voice of Reason]

Does anyone believe wearing masks will stop COVID? No. Wearing masks can help control it but it isn't going to stop it. It isn't a black or white world. The world is gray. 

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes."

[Voice of Reason]

21 hours ago, Kentucky Windage said:

Continue on with your "Americans suck" self deprecation though.

Unfortunately, the facts speak for themselves. The US is one of the worst in the world in managing COVID and despite that, we keep getting worse.

25% of the people in the entire world who died of COVID yesterday were in the US.

About 4.3% of the world lives in the US. 

[Tigerpride94]

I think masks have some benefit but probably not as much as people think. I think it’s interesting that Florida cases based on population is no more than KY and they don’t have mask mandate. South Carolina has slightly larger population than KY and has same or less cases than KY with no mask mandate. Maybe they have more heard immunity since never had many restrictions. Probably other states similar.

[DanvilleFan]

On 12/25/2020 at 1:52 PM, Tigerpride94 said:

I think masks have some benefit but probably not as much as people think. I think it’s interesting that Florida cases based on population is no more than KY and they don’t have mask mandate. South Carolina has slightly larger population than KY and has same or less cases than KY with no mask mandate. Maybe they have more heard immunity since never had many restrictions. Probably other states similar.

Bigger issue for me is we have a mask mandate but it is never enforced.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen people in stores or in convenience stores without them.  Higher powers can decree whatever they want but with no enforcement they aren't going to have the desired effect.

[Voice of Reason]

23 hours ago, Tigerpride94 said:

I think masks have some benefit but probably not as much as people think. I think it’s interesting that Florida cases based on population is no more than KY and they don’t have mask mandate. South Carolina has slightly larger population than KY and has same or less cases than KY with no mask mandate. Maybe they have more heard immunity since never had many restrictions. Probably other states similar.

Having a mandate and having people comply with the mandate are separate things. 

As far as effectiveness of masks, and this is not directed at you but a general question for all to consider ... before COVID was here, Dr.'s and nurses wore masks in surgery. Why? What is the purpose? Was it to look cool or was it because masks do have value?

I look at North and South Dakota who resisted masks for the longest time. I am not sure South Dakota has mask guidelines in place yet. North Dakota is now #4 in deaths per 1M and South Dakota is #6. North Dakota put in a mask mandate and the number of new cases have dropped significantly.

There are other areas where the anecdotal evidence shows drops after mask mandates are put in place. St. Louis University did a study that shows masks do have an impact. Here is a link to a story on it. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/new-study-shows-mask-mandates-in-st-louis-st-louis-county-drastically-reduced-virus-spread/article_2ccb4f6d-6236-5b0d-8cc0-5b704bd566c6.html

How effective masks are is up for debate but we have enough evidence now to know masks are effective to some extent. 

 

[Tigerpride94]

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

Having a mandate and having people comply with the mandate are separate things. 

As far as effectiveness of masks, and this is not directed at you but a general question for all to consider ... before COVID was here, Dr.'s and nurses wore masks in surgery. Why? What is the purpose? Was it to look cool or was it because masks do have value?

I look at North and South Dakota who resisted masks for the longest time. I am not sure South Dakota has mask guidelines in place yet. North Dakota is now #4 in deaths per 1M and South Dakota is #6. North Dakota put in a mask mandate and the number of new cases have dropped significantly.

There are other areas where the anecdotal evidence shows drops after mask mandates are put in place. St. Louis University did a study that shows masks do have an impact. Here is a link to a story on it. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/new-study-shows-mask-mandates-in-st-louis-st-louis-county-drastically-reduced-virus-spread/article_2ccb4f6d-6236-5b0d-8cc0-5b704bd566c6.html

How effective masks are is up for debate but we have enough evidence now to know masks are effective to some extent. 

 

I think those states that don’t have mask mandates and per capita same or less cases may have higher herd immunity. California has more restrictions than anybody and spreading like wildfire out there. 

[Voice of Reason]

5 hours ago, Tigerpride94 said:

I think those states that don’t have mask mandates and per capita same or less cases may have higher herd immunity. California has more restrictions than anybody and spreading like wildfire out there. 

The numbers are high in California because the population is high. Cases per 1M, California is #32 in the US.  California is #1 by a wide margin in population but #32 in cases per 1M. That looks like more proof masks are effective.

The states with the most cases per 1M are the states that resisted mask mandates:

1. North Dakota

2. South Dakota

3. Iowa

4. Nebraska

5. Utah

6. Wisconsin

7. Tennessee

 

[Tigerpride94]

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

The numbers are high in California because the population is high. Cases per 1M, California is #32 in the US.  California is #1 by a wide margin in population but #32 in cases per 1M. That looks like more proof masks are effective.

The states with the most cases per 1M are the states that resisted mask mandates:

1. North Dakota

2. South Dakota

3. Iowa

4. Nebraska

5. Utah

6. Wisconsin

7. Tennessee

 

With California restrictions they should be #50 in cases per 1 million.

[TheDeuce]

1 hour ago, Tigerpride94 said:

With California restrictions they should be #50 in cases per 1 million.

That would assume everyone actually follows the restrictions, and we know that’s not the case anywhere.

[swamprat]

On 12/25/2020 at 1:52 PM, Tigerpride94 said:

I think masks have some benefit but probably not as much as people think. I think it’s interesting that Florida cases based on population is no more than KY and they don’t have mask mandate. South Carolina has slightly larger population than KY and has same or less cases than KY with no mask mandate. Maybe they have more heard immunity since never had many restrictions. Probably other states similar.

Also, those getting sick in Florida, anyway, are not getting as sick. Hospitalization for COVID in the major hospitals in Tampa Bay are averaging under 10% with COVID. Tampa Bay as a whole is running around a 7% positive to test ratio. Deaths to positive tests ratio has gone back under 2%. 

[swamprat]

I was at Disney Springs the other day with my son-in-law and grandson to meet my daughter-in-law and those grandkids for lunch and gift exchange. Overhead announcements warned of being escorted out if patrons were not wearing masks and not wearing masks properly. The staff was all over telling non-compliant people to mask up or leave. Orange County Sheriff's deputies were the security, not some security service. Makes sense given they have a precinct office right in Disney Springs. 

Lots and lots of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, New York, and Ohio plates in the garages and school gear on the patrons. We got there a little before noon and the crowd was starting to pick up. We left around 3:45 and the place was packed. 

 

[Voice of Reason]

On 12/26/2020 at 4:19 PM, Tigerpride94 said:

I think those states that don’t have mask mandates and per capita same or less cases may have higher herd immunity. California has more restrictions than anybody and spreading like wildfire out there. 

RE herd immunity - if we go by cases and population, 6% of the US has been exposed to the virus. It would take years of exposure in the US at the current rate for there to be any measurable protection from herd immunity. Thus herd immunity is a non factor in preventing virus spread and is not a legitimate part of the conversation on COVID at current levels of exposure. It has nearly zero impact in this discussion with vaccines now being administered. Immunity protection will come from vaccines, not from herd immunity.

[Beechwoodfan]

As people get vaccinated, I wonder what the rules will be about mask wearing.  At our hospital we were told we still have to wear masks at all times.  In the community it would seem that you should not have to wear them anymore.  How will the public know if you are not wearing a mask because you have been vaccinated, or just not being compliant?

[theguru]

4 minutes ago, Beechwoodfan said:

As people get vaccinated, I wonder what the rules will be about mask wearing.  At our hospital we were told we still have to wear masks at all times.  In the community it would seem that you should not have to wear them anymore.  How will the public know if you are not wearing a mask because you have been vaccinated, or just not being compliant?

I could talk for an hour about this post but in short to answer your question masks will slowly fade away.