Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Covid isn't killing people today like it was when it all began. It is much milder now. Some people are so paranoid about it that they think everything is Covid when it's not. There's countless viruses and bacteria floating around us all day long and we think nothing of them.
Focusing strictly on deaths from covid is extremely myopic. There are still serious long-term health complications you can get from even a mild case. One doesn't need to be "paranoid" about covid to simply be concerned. And yes, you're correct that we typically think nothing of the other viruses (most of the time), but those are "known" (they really aren't, but we think they are) enemies. Covid still isn't. And where before people didn't care about "common viruses", now they have an extra unknown to deal with. For some that's a reason to be more sensitive to people who are coughing around them.
Flu went away in places where people didn't give a damn about mask wearing, too, so your ENT is being kind of an idiot.
Actually, no, he's not. Mask wearing was definitely one of the reasons fewer other upper respiratory infections happened in the most covid-heavy times. It's been proven countless times; links were even provided in this very thread.
Focusing strictly on deaths from covid is extremely myopic. There are still serious long-term health complications you can get from even a mild case. One doesn't need to be "paranoid" about covid to simply be concerned. And yes, you're correct that we typically think nothing of the other viruses (most of the time), but those are "known" (they really aren't, but we think they are) enemies. Covid still isn't. And where before people didn't care about "common viruses", now they have an extra unknown to deal with. For some that's a reason to be more sensitive to people who are coughing around them.
That's very true. Sure, there may be fewer deaths and hospitalizations from Covid, but there also a significant number of people who have lingering health problems, like extreme fatigue and persistent coughs and respiratory issues from their Covid illness. Are they dead? No. But they're also not fine. Covid is a novel virus, and we still don't know the long-term effects of the pandemic individually and societally. Continuing to take precautions for Covid, and including cold and flu prevention in the mix, isn't necessarily paranoid.
Last edited by fleetiebelle; 08-10-2022 at 02:18 PM..
Focusing strictly on deaths from covid is extremely myopic. There are still serious long-term health complications you can get from even a mild case. One doesn't need to be "paranoid" about covid to simply be concerned. And yes, you're correct that we typically think nothing of the other viruses (most of the time), but those are "known" (they really aren't, but we think they are) enemies. Covid still isn't. And where before people didn't care about "common viruses", now they have an extra unknown to deal with. For some that's a reason to be more sensitive to people who are coughing around them.
Coughing can be anything. Covid in many areas didn't blow up like it did in the major cities. Where I live, they aren't reporting anything about Covid and haven't in quite awhile. The county stopped. Even the state isn't providing numbers like they once were. It's something we are going to live with forever. It's never going away. It will continue to morph. Just like all viruses do. Most people don't spend their lives living in fear of the flu and that sucker can kill anyone. It's not pleasant, but most people will survive it. Some will have permanent issues from it. That's life. No point in stop living. No one lives forever.
I'm not currently wearing, nor am I planning to at any time in the future. However, this approach is open to a reassessment if conditions change for the worse.
Individuals should base their decisions on their own personal risk assessments.
I wouldn't find fault with the elderly and frail wearing masks permanently, or anyone else for that matter.
Now, if you apply his numbers to the UK, things get verrrrry different. My wife and I traveled there a couple months ago and we were in the literal 1%. I went to a semi-outdoor event (a Formula 1 race) with 150K+ people and I was the ONLY person wearing a mask. I'm not exaggerating. I was watching for it diligently and did not see a single mask. And that was at the time BA.5 was raging in the UK.
Since you mention it....I was just on Facebook and a friend who is currently in London with her family has been posting tons of pics every day and I see absolutely nobody in any of them is wearing a mask (including her). Pics from both outdoors and indoors. Museums, restaurants etc. I'm sure some people are wearing masks, but what I just saw from her vacation pics certainly supports your observation above.
I wish that people who are sick would just stay home. If they MUST go into work or social events, a mask would go a long way towards keeping others from catching the flu
I'm currently in Des Moines & all dr's offices/hospitals I've been to still require masks... only my chiropractor's office doesn't require them.
I'm vaxxed with all but the last booster, which I'll be getting soon, but it's up to others to do what they like. I still see people wearing masks in markets or stores everytime I'm out... some employees & some shoppers.
If a business requires masks, or someone approaches me with a mask or, I have to approach a store employee who is wearing one, I slip one on the for the moment with no issue. I don't know their medical health issues or fears & feel I don't need to know. To make them more comfortable, I'll wear the mask for a moment.
I've also put on a mask 1-2 times when I've been in line in a store & someone with terrible hygiene is standing near me, honestly, more as I don't want to get a whiff of them. Or, if someone's very close to me & exhaling forcefully while talking & laughing... I don't make an issue out of it or glare at people... I just slip it on for a sec & remove it when away from them.
Having asthma, I use a mask at home when using cleaning chemicals & for that reason alone, will always be an as needed mask wearer... wish I'd known that trick long ago... it would have saved me from a number of asthma attacks.
So, although I've stopped wearing a mask unless it's required or in the situations above, & even though I'm vaxxed, I'll always carry one with me & wear it as needed. I have too many other things to focus on than whether I like it or not & I have had relatives pass away from Covid, so I'm no Chicken Little, but it's still something I think about.
I also still use antibacterial wipes after visiting stores & touching all sorts of surfaces. It may not be necessary, but I've always had a bit of OCD & washed my hands a lot since a teen... I even do it when home alone. I'm not gonna get chuffed over a mask.
What point are you trying to argue? Nobody is saying coughing is exclusively covid.
Quote:
Covid in many areas didn't blow up like it did in the major cities. Where I live, they aren't reporting anything about Covid and haven't in quite awhile. The county stopped.
Sure, that may be true, for many reasons - from the fact that outside of major cities reporting capabilities aren't nearly as good to the fact that when you have a house every mile or so, spreading covid is kind of difficult. But so what?
Quote:
It's something we are going to live with forever. It's never going away. It will continue to morph. Just like all viruses do.
Again, correct.
Quote:
Most people don't spend their lives living in fear of the flu and that sucker can kill anyone.
Also, correct. However - and this is the fine point you seem to be either unwilling or unable to comprehend - covid is NOT the flu. We, as a society, understand and know how to treat the flu and the flu is literally orders of magnitude less deadly or damaging than covid. We do not yet fully understand covid.
Quote:
It's not pleasant, but most people will survive it. Some will have permanent issues from it. That's life. No point in stop living. No one lives forever.
Nobody is advocating for "stop living", whatever that means. All I was saying was that there is more cause for concern now than before 2020 when someone is coughing next to you. Simple logic makes that statement irrefutable.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
