Coronavirus - The Thread :(

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Coronavirus - The Thread :(

While there is always a balance to be had when deciding control measures, especially now, when as you say the virus appears to be endemic, so I’m not going to advocate for or against mask wearing, but there flaws with your description on mask wearing.

You say masks are only useful when you are showing symptoms, unfortunately you can have the virus and be spreading it before showing symptoms, so your analogy on the seatbelt, is more like only putting on your seatbelt as you are crashing your car, it’s a bit late at that point.
I understand what you're saying, but I'm speaking about people who are actually healthy.

In my case, not only was there only a tiny chance I could catch Covid, I was (and still am) taking a LFT every morning, and a PCR every week.

So with 99.9% certainty, I was Covid free.

Which then raises the point regarding asymptomatic, every single person in the country, on the planet could potentially be asymptomatic.....which then means you're potentially asking 8 billion people to wear a mask every single day.

That will never happen.

Even in countries where masks are still required, it doesn't happen.

I've spent the last few weeks in Spain.

On flight down, all passengers had to wear a mask when boarding at the gate. As soon as the plane took off, everyone......and I mean everyone took their masks off, and although a legal requirement, the cabin crew never said a thing.

I then used the buses several times in Spain. Once again, a legal requirement to wear a mask. Driver asks you to wear a mask when you get on, but then what happened? Most took their masks off.....even elderly Spanish people.

So, even if its made law, the majority are now at the point where they won't obey.

And then there is the type of mask.

Several case studies have shown that the "basic" face mask that majority use, the cheap blue surgical masks, do not stop transmission of the virus. They reduce it, but in an enclosed space, such as a bus or aircraft, even if everyone wears them, the virus will still circulate.

I went to a theatre during the pandemic, and although everyone in attendance was wearing masks, there was an outbreak linked to 2 people in the audience, and I think it was around 30 infected in total.

To mitigate that, everyone would need to wear FFP3 standard masks......which if you've ever worn one, properly fitted, is not that pleasant. Due to its high filtration, breathing does take effort.....but if worn by all, it would virtually stop all transmission by respiration. Add on the fact they're quite expensive, and it's not an option.

So although as I say, I understand your point, we have to be realistic.

Even countries like Italy and Austria that went really strict on Covid have now removed virtually all restrictions and guidance......because they realise this is now a long term situation......and as such, we have to think about living with covid for the next 50+ years.

As was seen with the vaccinations, mandating people to do something often backfires.....combined with a general "lethargy", means that we're potentially worse off.

Take vaccination in the UK.

Over 90% have had 1st dose......but then it drops down to 60% for 3rd dose.....and polling puts this autumn's booster and possibly under 50%. This time next year, 30%?

This is why ultimately, it will become the responsibility of those who are at risk to take care of themselves......much as with flu over the past years. Those at risk are offered vaccination, they will no doubt wear masks in high risk situations, and life will go on as it has done with flu over the years.

I'm quite sure over 90% of the population has had Covid by now......so one would hope that combined with vaccination, although we may not ever attain "herd immunity", 99.9% of the country have some sort of immune defense, which is a far better place than we were in 2020.

On a side note, judging by what's happening in the southern hemisphere, I'd be more concerned about flu this winter than Covid......which in part due to masks and isolation, we don't have the same "community immunity" that we'd normally have.

Which is another point.....to a certain extent, its not a bad thing to catch some viruses......its the way our body learns to defend itself.....after months of lockdown, when the kids went back to school, coughs and colds spread like wildfire.....and the symptoms were worse than normal.....because they're immune systems hadn't been used to it.

End of the day, there needs to be a balance....but every individual will have their own view of what that balance is.....so best thing to do, look after yourself and do what you personally think is best for you and those around you.

We may not agree with other people's decisions, but that's how it's been for thousands of years, and ot always will be. Just got to get on with life the best we can.
 
I live in the UK, so follow UK rules....funnily enough......I suppose other countries drive on the right, so I could to......but I don't think it'd be a good idea😅

Oddly I live in the UK too, it's hard to change such a narrow mind, luckily it sounds like you live far enough south not to be an issue so carry on.
 
I think this article written by a doctor with children is a good example of where the majority of people are, or will be in the coming months.

Very balanced IMO.

I agree that this seems a reasoned argument for a risk based approach included that of mask wearing, Which mirrors what I said "there is always a balance to be had when deciding control measures".

However your argument was stated as "a mask... physically does nothing" and that you only need wear them if you are showing symptoms, which gives no recognition of people being contagious prior to showing symptoms.

Neither of which matches the arguments made in this article "Others may choose to keep one-way masking at school, because, to them, the benefit of reducing infection outweighs the perceived downside of masks"
 
I agree that this seems a reasoned argument for a risk based approach included that of mask wearing, Which mirrors what I said "there is always a balance to be had when deciding control measures".

However your argument was stated as "a mask... physically does nothing" and that you only need wear them if you are showing symptoms, which gives no recognition of people being contagious prior to showing symptoms.

Neither of which matches the arguments made in this article "Others may choose to keep one-way masking at school, because, to them, the benefit of reducing infection outweighs the perceived downside of masks"
I don't wish to be pedantic, but what I actually said was:

"If you physically don't have a virus, then a mask won't physically stop anything spreading." and "healthy individuals to wear a mask when it physically does nothing".

I was not speaking about asymptomatic carriers, but as stated, those who do not have any virus (covid or otherwise......like myself as an example....assuming the daily tests are correct and what the doctors said is correct).

But coming back to asymptomatic carriers.......there lays the issue, there is no "balanced" ground.

By the very fact they're asymptomatic, they won't have any symptoms, and are extremely unlikely to test (who actually goes out and buys tests any more?).

So, do we then say?, "you could have Covid, so to be on the safe side, please wear a mask".

We could do, but then everyone would have to wear a mask......because if they have no symptoms, short of testing every single individual, there is no way of knowing if they have Covid or not. And that would then have to continue forever more.

So, my thought of wearing a mask when symptomatic, to me seems to be the most balanced course of action. Otherwise, the only alternative is to mandate masks for everyone, or mandate daily testing, which neither the public nor the government can afford.

Of course, I fully support those who wish to continue wearing a mask.....that is their right and their choice.......but what I do not support is the criticism of others, who may or may not decide to wear a mask.

If you want to wear a mask, good for you, that's your personal choice, and no-one should tell you otherwise. If you don't want to wear a mask, that's your personal choice, and no-one should tell you otherwise.

I'm afraid what has happened over the past 2 years, is that some have almost become "zealots" one way or the other, or at the very least been drawn towards one end of the spectrum or the other.

The "Zero Covid" crowd, that believe it should be eradicated entirely, by any means necessary, and forcefully impose their views on others.

Then at the other end, the "Covid doesn't exist" crowd that claim its all a worldwide conspiracy by some dark government powers, that vaccines are going to kill us all, and that masks are the work of the devil.

And then in-between, there are those that lean towards either end.......which is why its often difficult to be in the middle......you can get attacked by both sides.

But hey ho......I suppose life would be immensely boring if we all agreed on everything.:ROFLMAO:
 
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