Fear and Loathing, a Rat Flu Odyssey

[Mazderati]

They would have been wise then not to extend the mask mandate so much longer than was obviously necessary, and after such measures had been suspended almost everywhere else. The most recent extension especially was total overreach and counter productive.

Are you the guy eating inside restaurants all of 2020 and 2021 and posting pictures about it on the internet?

[yeahman]

Are you the guy eating inside restaurants all of 2020 and 2021 and posting pictures about it on the internet?

No, never posted pics of it. Never stopped eating out though, or going to the health club, or the brewery, or riding the tram, or anything really. Always wore the mask when required, I just think it's time to move on. Did all that masking do any good? Who the fuck knows. I've yet to test positive, that's all I know.

[The AD]

They would have been wise then not to extend the mask mandate so much longer than was obviously necessary, and after such measures had been suspended almost everywhere else. The most recent extension especially was total overreach and counter productive.

Why? Even at the lowest the number of new cases was still more than twice the low point last year. Last June we got down to around an average of 11,000 new cases per day. Our low point this year was around 27,000 at the beginning of this month. We're now back up to 42,000 just two weeks later [numbers based on a 7-day rolling average].

[Cisco Kid]

You're one of the "I'm super healthy and If I didn't get it it's no worry for me cuz only fat and old people die" mindset as I recall. I could be wrong.

[yeahman]

You're one of the "I'm super healthy and If I didn't get it it's no worry for me cuz only fat and old people die" mindset as I recall. I could be wrong.

You are wrong. And a dumbshit too.

Why? Even at the lowest the number of new cases was still more than twice the low point last year. Last June we got down to around an average of 11,000 new cases per day. Our low point this year was around 27,000 at the beginning of this month. We're now back up to 42,000 just two weeks later [numbers based on a 7-day rolling average].

According to the NYT today, cases have been rising but hospitalization rates are flat.

[The AD]

According to the NYT today, cases have been rising but hospitalization rates are flat.

Give it a couple weeks...

[Mazderati]

No, never posted pics of it.

Pretty sure you did and quipped about being the only people in the restaurant. But, thank goodness you can get back to doing exactly what you've been doing. Eating artisan chalupas and quad hopped IPAs except without a mask in your pocket.

[bodywhomper]

My wife still works with immunocompromised young children. Some are old enough and vaxed and some are too young. Some show evidence of long covid. Some she rarely sees because they are frequently sick. She’s one of the only adults at the school giving therapy to these children that still wears a mask. Only some of the staff have had covid as far as they know. Teachers/staff are not allowed to talk to each other, parents, or the kids about wearing masks or vax status. I do not understand how this isn’t an ada issue.

[skiJ]

for the week ending April 16, 2022 -

> 150,000 cases
~ 3,100 deaths for the week -

please see the cdc data link cited above.


Good luck. SkiJ

[skiskiskiskiski]

You are wrong. And a dumbshit too.According to the NYT today, cases have been rising but hospitalization rates are flat.

Hospitalizations follow cases, deaths follow Hospitalizations.

Did you forget?

If we wear masks a bit longer in places the vulnerable cannot avoid and if I am wrong, and hospitalizations don't go up then we wore masks a little longer.

If I'm right? Less people die?

[SumJongGuy]

I will follow the CDC transportation recommendations for all indoor prolonged exposure situations. i.e. in close proximity with others indoors for more than 10 minutes..

That said, (hopefully) very soon there will be a point where the risk of getting COVID while unmasked is no higher than seasonal flu or other nasty virus things.. Having an immune compromised family member.. ... they would prefer that everyone still wear masks everywhere because it's not just COVID that can take them out if exposed..

[Thaleia]

Always wore the mask when required, I just think it's time to move on. Did all that masking do any good? Who the fuck knows. I've yet to test positive, that's all I know.

Read that back to yourself a couple times.

[liv2ski]

Yup, Dog only knows how many times a mask saved me when out in public, but I get that people are burned out wearing them and feel pretty invulnerable after being vaxed 3-4 times.
This stuff is likely here to stay, so we may as well get use to it and hope we have enough immunity not to die when we eventually get it.

[funkendrenchman]

Not sure it will make much difference. Last time I flew (a few weeks ago) probably half the passengers had masks off ("eating") for most of the flight, were wearing chin diapers, bandana masks, etc.. Flight attendants (wearing loose cloth masks) had pretty much given up enforcement and were just trying to sling drinks like usual. Might as well let people do what they want, those who are concerned can still mask up with KN95/KF94/N95. I'll probably wear a KN95 for boarding/deboarding with the engines off (when there's no air circulation) and take it off in the air (when circulation is good), as much to avoid cold/flu as COVID.

It's as much about an unqualified Florida judge being able to make this public health decision for the entire country.

[old goat]

The problem with airplanes as I understand it is that the air circulation is usually off when the plane is on the ground--boarding, unloading and generally sitting there doing nothing. Apparently they could run the ventilation system but it costs money. Experts care to comment?

[bodywhomper]

It’s not just planes, but rail and buses, too.

For planes, not covid, but influenza, 2 out of 3 samples from planes were positive for flu: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21300628/
(I pulled this from Linsey marr’s Twitter post from a few days ago.)

Had family return from a school trip in Europe last week. 9 of the kids and staff were covid+ 2 days after returning, not all were symptomatic. One teacher is still in EU because tested positive before leaving and was not allowed to fly. Any number of those people could have been infectious while on the flight. When unmasked, like while eating, they likely would have infected others nearby.

[schuss]

I have two kids maskless in school. Exposure is mostly out of my hands at this point and we're all vaxxed.

[oldnew_guy]

I have two kids maskless in school. Exposure is mostly out of my hands at this point and we're all vaxxed.

This, except kids can’t get vaccinated.

I’m going to wear a N95 mask on a flight in the near future, but can’t do much with respect to other people at this point.

[bodywhomper]

We can advocate.

I’m wonder if this will eventually come up as an ADA thing or an “access to the curriculum” thing for disabled children.

My kids are still wearing masks at school. They don’t care what others think. Their teachers and several of their friend are mostly doing it, too. At my teen’s small public HS, all but a few kids wear masks, including the teachers, for indoor stuff. The teachers/staff are not allowed to talk to the students or each other about mask wearing because of gag orders.

Our office was told today that transit agencies in the Bay Area are still figuring out what to do, but Amtrak no longer requires masks.

A maskless guy at an airport interviewed by the newshour yesterday described what he finds expectable, “cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.”

How’s this not going to end up fucking things up worse?

[Mazderati]

Ingrained exceptionalism.

[::: :::]

when i've picked up my kid at HS, the kids leaving appear to mostly be mask wearers
kid says that most do & it's no big deal

i've got a work trip next week & i'll prolly be masked for the airport/flight

[Ted Striker]

The problem with airplanes as I understand it is that the air circulation is usually off when the plane is on the ground--boarding, unloading and generally sitting there doing nothing. Apparently they could run the ventilation system but it costs money. Experts care to comment?

That's correct. The fans are on, but they're just moving the air around. The source of outside air is simply the door (or doors). To actually push outside air through the system requires fuel (an engine, or APU, or a ground air cart)

[SumJongGuy]

I have two kids maskless in school. Exposure is mostly out of my hands at this point and we're all vaxxed.

Well, they could still wear masks as it's "optional". But they'd be sitting at the lunch table with these kids then though..

[schuss]

Well, they could still wear masks as it's "optional". But they'd be sitting at the lunch table with these kids then though..

Nah, some of their friends do. No one is a dick to the mask wearers at all, from what I've seen. Even been to some birthday parties that are a mix, no one got even blinks at it. That said, definitely some kids who only wear it while their parents are looking.
I actually think masks should be compulsory for elementary to reduce the general plague bearing.
I don't blame anyone with any level of discomfort for wearing a mask, as I count myself lucky to live in a region with decent vax rates and have close kids/family all fully vaxxed. Others aren't as fortunate, and it sucks.

[Trackhead]

Nah, some of their friends do. No one is a dick to the mask wearers at all, from what I've seen. Even been to some birthday parties that are a mix, no one got even blinks at it. That said, definitely some kids who only wear it while their parents are looking.
I actually think masks should be compulsory for elementary to reduce the general plague bearing.
I don't blame anyone with any level of discomfort for wearing a mask, as I count myself lucky to live in a region with decent vax rates and have close kids/family all fully vaxxed. Others aren't as fortunate, and it sucks.

At this point, 95% of Americans have either had covid, been vaccinated, or both. None prevent transmission, so living in high vax area means absolutely nothing.